Chapter 20
The smear on the garden wall seemed more noticeable on Sunday morning.
Poppy hadn’t expected it to vanish overnight, but a small, irrational part of her had hoped that in the morning light it would look less noticeable, so she could convince herself that maybe it had been there all along and she just hadn’t spotted it before.
It didn’t. Instead, her eyes were drawn to it immediately and as she stood on the terrace in her bare feet, the stone cool beneath her soles, she knew it was too deliberate to be random.
The sea in the distance beyond the low wall rolled in steady bands of silver-blue, the sky washed thin with early-morning sun, and a light breeze lifted the ends of her long cardigan. She wrapped the garment a little tighter around herself and drew in a deep breath of fresh Cretan air.
This was what happened when you spent too much time alone with your thoughts, she decided, convincing herself she was starting to create drama where there was none.
Inside, her phone vibrated on the kitchen counter.
The sudden burst of noise made her jump, reminding her that her nerves were more on edge than she liked to admit.
She turned quickly and went back inside, snatching up the handset when she realised it was Tom.
‘Hi,’ she greeted him, aiming for brightness.
‘Good morning,’ he replied, steady and grounding, and a familiar warmth threaded through her at the sound of his voice. ‘Did I wake you?’
‘No, I’ve been up for a while. How was the wedding?’
‘It was good. I’m a little bit hungover, though. I might not make it down to breakfast.’
‘Room service?’ Poppy suggested, before changing the subject. ‘Is there any news on James?’
‘Yes, he’s awake, thank God. I was supposed to stay in Paris all week, but I’m going to head back to London tomorrow and see him. The doctors say he has a long recovery ahead of him.’
‘I’m not surprised, but I’m so glad he’s going to be okay, Tom.’
‘How are you, anyway?’ he asked, already moving on.
‘I’m okay.’
‘You sound tired.’
Poppy moved towards the bank of windows overlooking the terrace. It looked so peaceful, the sun reflecting off the pool. It made the idea that someone might have been sneaking around outside at night seem even more unnerving.
‘I didn’t sleep that well,’ she admitted.
‘Are you still getting used to being there alone?’ he asked. ‘It’s a big house for one person, I know. It even took me a while to get used to the space.’
‘It is big,’ she agreed, before quickly adding, ‘but lovely too. And I’m fine. I miss Keira, but I did come here for a quiet break.’
‘Have you had a chance to explore the area? I know there’s not much open. The beach is nice for a walk.’
‘Yes, a little bit. I’ve been into the centre of Gouves and I went to Analipsi on Friday night.’
‘Oh? By yourself?’ Tom’s tone lifted slightly. ‘Did you get a bus there?’
Her heart skipped, realising she didn’t want to tell him about Jem. Even though nothing had ever happened between her and Tom, it felt like she was betraying him.
‘I’ve met a few people out here,’ she said, perhaps too quickly. She tried to slow down, keeping her tone light. ‘There’s a small group of us.’
There was a pause on the line.
‘That’s nice,’ Tom said, not pushing for any details. ‘I’m glad you’re not completely alone out there. And Analipsi is lovely.’
Guilt pricked, unexpectedly sharp.
Poppy told herself that she hadn’t lied. Well, not really. She just hadn’t told him the truth about Analipsi. And she had met other people. Sue and Ian counted. But she didn’t want to complicate things by explaining Jem. Not when she didn’t know what Jem was.
Luckily, Tom was already changing the subject.
‘Have you heard any more from Keira?’ he asked.
‘Nothing. I sent her another message, just saying I hoped she was okay and I was here if she needed to talk. She hearted it again, but that was it.’
‘That’s odd,’ Tom agreed. ‘You two usually speak most days.’
‘We do.’ Poppy swallowed.
Her stomach was heavy as she thought of her friend.
She had toyed with trying to reach out to Greg on social media.
They weren’t connected on Facebook, but she could still send him a message request. But how would Keira react to her doing that?
Poppy wasn’t sure, so for now she had left the ball in Keira’s court.
‘Are you sure you don’t want me to go back to her house when I get back to London?’
‘No, it’s okay.’ She wouldn’t put him out any more than she already had. ‘At least she’s safe. I’ll see her when I get back and find out why she is ignoring me,’ she added lightly.
Only six more days.
It should feel like bliss. But it didn’t.
‘Tom…’ she began, then faltered.
‘Yes?’
She stared at the smear on the wall again through the glass.
‘It’s probably nothing,’ she said quickly. ‘But I’ve just noticed a few little things…’
‘Like what?’
Drawing in a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and shakily, before telling him everything.
She told him about the gate constantly being off the latch, the smashed wine bottle, the laptop charger, and the items that had been moved.
She also mentioned that she had thought she had heard someone outside and about the mark on the garden wall.
As she spoke, she heard how it sounded. Petty. They were all details that could easily be explained away.
She waited for him to laugh at her paranoia and to tell her she was just overtired, but he didn’t. Instead, he gently said, ‘That must feel unsettling.’
The validation of his words had her throat tightening.
He hadn’t dismissed her fears.
‘I keep thinking I must be doing it myself and forgetting,’ she admitted. ‘But I don’t remember, and that scares me. I feel like I’m losing my mind.’
‘You’ve had a stressful couple of weeks,’ Tom reminded her, his voice rational and soothing. ‘It’s not unusual for memory to blur at the edges when you’re exhausted.’
‘Yes, but…’ She stopped. ‘It just feels… deliberate.’
Tom was silent for a moment and she knew he was considering her words.
‘Has Martin been in with the cleaners?’ he asked.
‘Yes, they were here the day after we arrived. And he came back yesterday and the day before.’ Poppy couldn’t help rolling her eyes, though she tried to keep the irritation out of her tone.
‘Martin did? For what?’
‘Some ventilation thing. Then yesterday to fix the light timer. He said it’s been glitching and he was waiting for a part.’
‘Ah. He did mention something about the timer before I left. Sorry, I should have warned you the outdoor lights were playing up.’
‘It’s okay. When I came back from Analipsi, the pool lights were on. It freaked me out at the time, but at least it’s one thing I know I’m not going mad over.’ Poppy made an effort to laugh for Tom’s sake.
‘You’re not going mad, Pops,’ he said softly.
She hesitated.
‘What do you think of him?’ she asked.
‘Him? You mean Martin?’ Tom sounded a little surprised. ‘He’s solid. A bit quiet and not overly sociable, but he’s reliable and looks after a lot of people’s homes out here. Why?’
‘He just… he made me feel a bit foolish.’
‘Really? How so?’
‘I told him about everything and he looked like I was crazy. Like I imagined it all.’
Tom was silent for a moment before responding. His words when he spoke were reassuring, though it did sound as though he was choosing them carefully.
‘You’re no fool, Poppy. But isolation can play tricks on you. As I’ve said before, it’s a big place, and quiet too. You’ve had a shock with Keira leaving. It’s bound to make you hyperaware of your surroundings.’
Hyperaware. Was that simply what it was?
She pressed her forehead against the cool glass, staring out at the pool. ‘I suppose you’re right.’
‘I always am,’ Tom joked.
‘Arrogant too,’ Poppy teased back, smiling, despite herself.
His voice turned serious. ‘If anything else happens, you’re to tell me, okay? I don’t want you feeling unsafe.’
The word hung there between them for a moment. This was his home and she wouldn’t have him worrying about her.
‘I don’t feel unsafe,’ she assured him.
‘Good.’ He paused. ‘So, what are your plans for the rest of the day? Please tell me you’re not going to work on a Sunday?’
Poppy laughed. ‘No, I’ll have the day off. I’m off out to dinner tonight.’
‘Manoli’s?’ Tom asked.
‘No, it’s at someone’s house. A couple I’ve met. Sue and Ian. They invited me over.’
She had almost said ‘me and Jem’ but caught herself in time.
‘Well, have fun.’
‘I’ll try.’
After the call ended, the villa felt even quieter than before.
Needing to fill her day, Poppy decided to walk down to the beach. There, she spent time with the sand between her toes, stepping into the cool waves that lapped the shore and then finding a sheltered spot where she could sit and read her Kindle.
The place was deserted and she only passed two cars on her way back up to the villa.
Closing the gate after her, she rechecked the latch. It held firm beneath her hand.
She was not losing her mind.
As the afternoon crept towards evening, she showered and changed, taking care with her outfit, wanting to look nice, but also conscious she shouldn’t dress up too much for a casual dinner.
In the end, she settled for a midi-dress with ankle boots and a blazer. She twisted loose curls into her hair and kept her make-up light, her jewellery simple.
Tonight she would see Jem.
A small glow of warmth spread through her at the thought.
While standing under the spray of the shower, she had decided that – as she had done with Tom – she would tell Jem everything that had been happening. He was practical and grounded, and she wanted his take on it all.
But not just that. She didn’t want to keep carrying the burden alone.
Her phone buzzed just as she was fastening her earrings.
Seeing Jem’s name on her screen and realising she had conjured him up by thinking about him, she smiled. But it quickly fell from her face as she opened and read his message.
I’m so sorry, Poppy. I’m going to have to cancel on you tonight. Dad’s accountant has just called. He’s flying to London first thing and there’s paperwork that needs signing in person before probate can move forward. He’s staying near the airport tonight and can only meet this evening.
Poppy stared at the screen, disappointment tightening in her chest. Before she could stop herself, she typed back:
It definitely has to be tonight?
Two ticks came immediately, but it was a couple of minutes before Jem’s reply. By which time she was mentally beating herself up for even asking. He wouldn’t cancel if it wasn’t important.
I know it’s rubbish timing. But if I miss it, it could delay everything for weeks. Please understand.
She did, but it didn’t stop her wishing for what could have been. She had so been looking forward to seeing him tonight. To having that alone time together before stepping into the noisy warmth of Sue and Ian’s villa.
It’s fine. Go and get the paperwork sorted.
His reply was quicker this time.
I was looking forward to seeing you tonight. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.
Poppy had barely read the words when a second message from him appeared.
Sue and Ian know. Ian’s going to come and pick you up instead. They’ll sort a taxi for you to get home.
She had been so disappointed by Jem cancelling, she hadn’t even thought about how she would get to the Pritchards’, or if the dinner was still going ahead.
Of course it would be. Sue had invited Poppy before she had even mentioned it to Jem, plus she would have bought all of the food. Trying to muster up some enthusiasm, she typed back:
That’s kind of him.
She didn’t want Jem to feel bad and she did appreciate Ian’s offer of a ride.
Opening the patio doors, she stepped out, wanting to escape the quiet unsettling presence of the villa.
The sky was beginning its gradual descent towards darkness, the colours of the sunset softening as the sun dipped lower in the sky, and the air had shifted with the fading light.
It was something Poppy was becoming used to; as the warmth of the afternoon weakened, it became cooler and slightly damp.
From the terrace, she could smell the sea, mineral and salty, while the olive trees released a dry bitterness as the breeze stirred their leaves.
Tonight would be okay, and at least it was company, breaking the monotony of her day. She would go, she would smile, and she would drink wine and listen to the Pritchards’ stories.