Page 78 of The Psychopath Next Door

She typed the name into Google and we scanned through the results. There were, of course, seemingly thousands of them.Academics, lawyers, doctors, councillors, a woman who did make-up tutorials on YouTube.

‘Search for “Fiona Smith banker”,’ I suggested.

Iris tried that and there were a number of results, but none of them were my next-door neighbour.

Next we tried Facebook, where Iris had hundreds of friends, far more than me. Again, there were many Fiona Smiths but none of them looked like the person we were looking for.

‘Why can’t she be called Moonbeam Skyrocket or something?’ Iris asked. ‘Fiona Smith is a bit like being called Jane Smith, isn’t it? Or John Smith.’

‘You think it might be a fake name?’

‘Hmm. That wasn’t what I meant. But ... doyouthink it might be? No job, no friends, a name that is unsearchable ... Oh my goodness.’

‘What?’

Her voice was hushed, as if there might be criminals at the door, listening in. ‘Do you think she might be in witness protection? Maybe she’s due to give evidence against some dangerous people.’

‘I hope not! I can’t imagine her volunteering to be a childminder if she had people after her.’

‘True.’

At that moment a car pulled up outside and, through the kitchen window, we watched Tommy get out, heading towards his house.

Iris got up. ‘Wait there. I just need to tell him I’m going away.’

She went to her front door and I watched Iris chatting with him. I had heard that Albie’s long-term prognosis was much improved, which was a big relief. Then something else came to me and I went out on to the front lawn where Iris and Tommy stood.I was quite shocked by his appearance. He had dark shadows under his eyes and looked like he was coming down with something nasty.

‘Hey Tommy,’ I said. ‘Can I just ask you something?’

‘I’m in the middle of a conversation.’

Iris stepped back and said, ‘It’s fine. I need to water the garden before I go away anyway.’

Tommy said, ‘Have a wicked holiday, Mrs B.’ Then, as she went through the side gate towards the garden, he turned to me. ‘What is it?’

I flicked my eyes across to Fiona’s place and spoke quietly, as if she’d be able to hear me from across the street. ‘Do you still think Fiona might have had something to do with—?’

He cut me off. ‘Nope. No way.’

‘Oh. Because last time I was here, Eric said something about you having your eye on her.’

‘Did he?’ Why did he seem so flustered? Spots of pink had appeared on his neck. ‘That kid doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Albie’s accident was just that. An accident.’

‘But—’

‘I’ve gotta go, yeah?’

He vanished into his house and I turned to find Iris standing just beyond her gate. She had clearly been eavesdropping.

‘Is it me,’ I asked, ‘or did he start acting extremely weird when I mentioned Fiona’s name?’

‘It’s not you.’

I could see movement behind the windows of my house. I hadn’t been home yet. ‘I’d better get back. If you think of anything while you’re in Canada, will you call me?’

‘Of course. Take my advice, Ethan. Don’t get old. It does terrible things to the memory.’

‘Getting old is better than the alternative.’

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