Chapter 42
FORTY-TWO
HAVEN
EVENING
As I continue to walk around Valerie’s home, looking at the last remnants of her life that haven’t yet been shoved into a box destined for either the dump, the charity store or Liane’s bank account, I hear a car parking outside.
I freeze before forcing myself into movement again and head down the stairs, rushing towards the door so I can get there before someone else can open it. The door isn’t locked. There’s nothing stopping the person who has arrived here coming inside and seeing me standing here, where I don’t belong.
But I don’t bother to try and lock the door to buy myself a little more time.
Nor do I consider hiding under a bed like I did the last time I was almost caught here.
Instead, I just stand in the hallway, probably in the exact same spot where Valerie landed after she was pushed down the stairs, and I wait to welcome the person who is approaching the front door.
I take a deep breath because this is a crucial moment right here.
This is the part where my plan can succeed or fail.
This is when I find out whether Liane is going to pay for what she did.
Or if I am going to pay for thinking I could ever catch a woman as clever as Liane.