Page 84 of The Psychopath Next Door

She stood to one side of Iris’s door and whispered to Rose, telling her to knock.

Rose rapped gently on the door and Iris opened it almost immediately.

‘Rose? Everything okay? Is your dad home now?’

Rose shook her head. ‘Can I come in? I need to talk to you about Fiona. I’m ... I’m frightened.’

‘Of course. Come in, come in.’

Iris opened the door wide and Fiona stepped on to the front path.

‘Hello Iris,’ she said.

Iris looked like she was going to have a heart attack. She tried to shut the door but she was too slow. Fiona pushed through, shoving the old lady as she went, sending her stumbling into the hallway, banging a hip against the wall, crying out with pain. Rose followed, closing the door gently behind her. Fiona could sense her excitement.

‘I’m calling the police,’ Iris said, trying to get to the kitchen.

Fiona blocked her.

‘Oh no,’ she said. ‘You’re not calling anyone.’

30

‘I don’t think we should let Rose spend her days with Fiona anymore,’ I said.

We were halfway through our main course. The restaurant was busy, the food a little disappointing after the hype, but it was still good to be out with my wife. There was a candle on the table, the lights were low, and it was romantic. We were reconnecting and, with the candlelight casting a glow upon her skin and hair, Emma was as beautiful as on our very first date, all those years ago.

It might have been romantic, but we were still talking about our offspring.

Emma put her fork down. ‘Why? Has something happened?’

I outlined my worries. My growing concern about the influence Fiona was having on our daughter, including what Dylan had said about our neighbour.

‘I mean, look at Rose’s behaviour recently. Her moodiness. The way she talks to you in particular. She’s even changed her bedroom. She told me she was going to get rid of her Barbies.’

‘But that’s just her growing up! I know as her dad you find it hard to accept, but that’s all that’s happening.’

‘So how do you explain what Dylan said? About how Fiona’s face goes blank when she doesn’t think anyone is looking?’

‘That just sounds like Dylan’s imagination running riot to me. Too many video games and horror films.’

‘Dylan’s not the one who watches horror films. Fiona let Rose watch thatM3GANmovie. God knows what else she’s been showing her.’

‘Didn’t you tell me you started watching scary movies when you were eleven?’

‘Yeah, but—’

‘What, it’s different for boys?’

I had stopped eating, suddenly no longer hungry. I really didn’t want to argue, not when we were finally getting along again. But I couldn’t let the subject drop.

‘She let Rose see someonedie. That man in the park.’

‘That wasn’t Fiona’s fault.’

‘I know, but she neglected to tell us about it. There was the whole thing with Albie and Eric too, back at the start of the summer. She didn’t tell us about that either. What if we made a big mistake letting Fiona look after her? What if Fiona brings out Rose’s bad side?’

‘What are you talking about?’

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