Chapter 5
FIVE
It had been too close for his liking. He had known the place was desolate but what he hadn’t even accounted for, and this was way beyond sloppy on his part, was the fact that she would have a walkie-talkie on her.
Why had he not taken that into consideration?
He glanced down at the dog who was sniffing around the base of the tree, debating on whether this one needed marking or not.
He had been on the main road by the time the police van had sped past so fast it had almost been a blur; they never even looked in his direction.
Why would they? He was driving on a road he was supposed to be on.
He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, the air smelled of damp soil, grass and there was still a tang of ozone lingering – that had been some storm. He had been soaked to the bone running out of the door and through the gardens to get to his car that he’d left in a lay-by half a mile away.
‘Evening.’
He turned to the direction the voice had come from and saw the old guy from a few doors down. ‘Evening.’
He was walking his Yorkshire terrier that was growling and straining at its leash to attack the dog.
‘Got yourself a rescue, I see? You can’t beat them for company.’
He nodded, that was as good of an excuse for the sudden appearance of the dog as could be. ‘Yes, well it’s my sister’s but she’s working away so I’m looking after it for the foreseeable.’
What was his name, he didn’t think he’d ever introduced himself. The old guy was nodding.
‘You won’t want to give him back. I bet you two become inseparable. I don’t know what I’d do without Milly. She was my wife’s really but when she died…’ He paused and swiped at his eye with his sleeve. ‘Silly old bugger still upsets me, and it’s been nearly a year. Anyway, have a good evening.’
He smiled at him. ‘You too. I’m sorry about your wife, I had no idea.’
The guy shrugged at him. ‘You wouldn’t, you didn’t live here then but thank you.’
He waved at him and turned, pulling the dog away from the tree which it had now peed all over at least three times.
He wondered how much the old man knew about him, probably nothing, but if he was lonely and only had that yappy dog for company, he might make it his business to keep an eye on everyone and that was the last thing he needed.
He didn’t need some nosey neighbour watching his every move.