Chapter 35
For several seconds, Poppy didn’t move. Her legs rooted to the spot as she stared at the villa, trying to make sense of what she had just heard.
It had definitely been a scream. She knew she wasn’t mistaken.
And it hadn’t been Martin, so that meant someone was inside the villa with him.
But he had arrived alone and the place looked empty.
There were no cars outside, only his van.
And as for the scream itself, it hadn’t sounded like a yelp of surprise or someone fooling around.
No. It had definitely been someone who was in distress.
Her stomach dropped. What the hell was going on?
Her first instinct was to run. To get away from here as quickly as possible. Back to the road, to somewhere safe. But her feet still didn’t move.
If she had her phone she would call the police, but she didn’t, and if she left, she had no idea how long it would take to raise the alarm, or if she would even remember how to get back here.
Whoever had cried out needed help now.
Poppy wasn’t quite sure she would be able to do anything, but equally she would never forgive herself if she left.
She swallowed, her throat bone-dry, and forced herself to breathe.
Think.
The front door was closed and Martin was inside with whoever had screamed. That much she knew. And although she couldn’t prove it, her gut told her that he hadn’t stopped here to do a regular maintenance check.
She looked down at the box of cameras in her hands. Was he spying on the people who owned this place too?
Repulsion coiled hot in her gut, anger rising fast, as a fresh surge of adrenaline cut clean through the fear and sharpened her focus.
He wasn’t going to get away with this.
Realising that she needed to get inside the villa, Poppy edged towards the side of the building, moving slowly and staying low, her steps careful, aware that every crunch of gravel sounded too loud.
She reached the side wall safely, her heart hammering so hard she was certain it would give her away.
Martin was inside, but she had no idea where. She couldn’t just barge through the front door. First, she needed to find out exactly where he was.
The box of cameras was cumbersome and she set it down on the ground, nudging it with her foot so it was hidden beneath a bush.
She would come back for it afterwards.
If you get out of the villa.
Ignoring the nasty thought, she edged along the side wall, discreetly peering in a window as she passed, where the shutter was up. It looked in on an open-plan living area and she could see sofas and a large glass dining table, but there was no sign of Martin.
She continued round to the rear of the property, stepping onto a wide terrace. It was empty of patio furniture and there was a large swimming pool that was completely covered by a sheet of blue tarpaulin.
There were no ground-floor windows on this section, just wide patio doors, and Poppy hesitantly peered around the edge of the glass.
It was the same living space she had seen before.
She was about to cross to the other side of the doors when a flash of movement drew her attention. Martin.
Quickly, she stepped back, her heart hammering.
He hadn’t seen her. She was certain he hadn’t. Still, she waited, tension rippling through her, trying to pluck up courage to check if he was still there. Every instinct screamed at her that this was a bad idea, reminding her that she was dealing with a situation she didn’t quite understand.
When she heard the click of a lock, realising he was opening the patio doors, her eyes widened in horror.
This time she wasn’t slow or careful, her feet almost tripping over one another as she scrambled back round to the side of the house. As she heard him step outside, clearing his throat, she pressed herself up against the wall, wishing she could disappear.
He wasn’t looking for her, though. Instead, his focus was an outhouse building beyond the pool.
She watched him pull out a ring of keys and unlock the door, before disappearing inside.
Moments later, she heard the sound of something dragging along the floor.
When he reappeared, she saw he was wheeling a small suitcase.
Poppy’s heart lurched into her throat, her eyes widening in horror.
It was Keira’s cabin bag. The magnolia bloom design unmistakable.
What the hell was Martin doing with it?
She thought about the scream that had come from inside the villa.
Keira had gone home. She’d been messaging Poppy.
Her brain tried to connect dots, nothing seeming to make sense, even as one terrifying conclusion made itself clear.
Had Martin taken her?
Was her friend trapped somewhere inside this house?
Leaving the cabin bag outside on the patio, Martin disappeared back inside the outbuilding.
Poppy stared at the dark doorway for barely a second, her feet acting before she had even clearly thought things through, as she crossed the terrace again, slipping through the patio doors into the villa.
If Keira was here, she was going to find her.
She found herself in the big living area, trying to get her bearings. The sofas and table were off to her left and she could see a large glossy kitchen ahead to her right. Beyond that was a door.
Hearing noise coming from outside, she didn’t hesitate, darting through the door and into a large hallway with a giant chandelier overhead and glossy marble floors.
Realising there was nowhere to hide on this level, she quickly fled for the stairs. Before she had even reached the top, she heard the sound of Keira’s case again and the click of the patio doors latching.
From the mezzanine landing, she watched Martin dragging the case through the hallway to the front door. Moments later, it opened and he disappeared through it.
Was he leaving?
To her relief, she heard the lock clicking, then the sound of the van doors opening and closing, before the engine started. Running through into one of the bedrooms at the front of the villa, she watched his van disappear down the road.
He had taken Keira’s cabin case with him. She had no idea why or where he was going, but right now it was more important she found her friend.
Poppy was certain she was in this house and she had a horrible feeling Martin might come back. She needed to locate Keira and get them both the hell out of here in case he did.
The villa was bigger than Tom’s and she had no idea where to start looking. Certain they were alone for now, she tried calling out.
‘Keira? Where are you?’
There was no response.
Heading downstairs, she went from room to room.
‘Keira. It’s me. Poppy!’
She was beginning to worry that Martin had done something to her friend, but then she heard what she thought was a faint cry for help.
‘Keira?’
It came again and Poppy ran in the direction of the sound, finding herself back in the kitchen.
Where the hell was she?
There was a small utility room off to one side and it was in here she found another door.
She had at first assumed it was a cupboard but opening it now she saw a set of narrow stone steps leading down into the darkness.
Spotting a switch on the wall, she pressed it, and a harsh white light snapped on.
Now she could see the staircase led down to another door. Cold air rose up from below, brushing against her skin, and she hesitated.
Did she have this wrong?
But then a sound. And a voice.
‘Poppy?’
For a second, she thought she’d imagined it.
It was still muffled, but louder now, and her heart squeezed, her doubts fading as she descended the stairs, slow enough to be careful, yet with urgency to get to her friend.
She saw the lock on the door first, her heart sinking, but then she spotted a key hanging on a single wall hook. Snatching it up, she quickly unbolted the door, pulling it open.
She wasn’t ready for the shape that came barrelling towards her and it caught her off guard, taking her a second to realise it was Keira.
Her friend looked wrong. Thinner. Paler. Her hair matted and her clothes creased and dirty. And there was an odour – stale and sour – that hit the back of Poppy’s throat as the two of them hugged fiercely.
‘Oh my God, Poppy. I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.’ Her words ended on a choke that sounded somewhere between a laugh and a sob.
Poppy hugged back tightly. ‘You’ve been down here all this time,’ she murmured as much to herself. ‘I messaged you and had a reply. You said you had to fly home for an emergency.’
Keira pulled back slightly and Poppy could see her friend’s hair was tangled, her usually tanned face pale with dark circles under her eyes. And was that bruising on her cheek?
‘It was him,’ she said angrily. ‘That maintenance man from the villa. He took my phone and brought me here.’
‘I know.’ Poppy could feel her eyes pricking with tears. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘It’s not your fault.’
They hugged again and for a moment neither of them spoke or moved, as relief took hold.
Poppy glanced past Keira’s shoulder at the thin mattress with no cover and at the screwed-up food bags. In one corner was a bucket and from the stench she could guess what it was. Had Keira been trapped down here living like an animal for the last week?
Guilt sat tightly in her chest. She should have pushed harder instead of simply accepting the emergency explanation. She had known it was out of character for her friend.
She wouldn’t let her down again.
Gently easing back, conscious that the clock was ticking, she urged, ‘We have to go. Before he comes back.’
Keira nodded, releasing Poppy, though her grip lingered for a second longer than it should have. ‘Let’s get out of here,’ she agreed, following her up the stone steps.
The exertion seemed to take it out of her and she swayed slightly, her eyes narrowing against the daylight.
Poppy grabbed hold of her. ‘Take it easy, okay?’
‘I’m fine,’ Keira insisted, even though she clearly wasn’t.
Leading her to one of the sofas, Poppy insisted on making her sit down, fetching both of them glasses of water, which they drank greedily.
There was no way for them to call for help. The villa was too remote and they didn’t have their phones. She couldn’t see a landline either. They were going to have to walk back down to the coast.
‘Are you ready?’ she asked, once Keira had been given a couple of minutes to rest.
Her friend nodded, standing again on trembling legs.
Poppy linked arms with her, keeping her close as they left via the patio doors.
Already the sky was filling with the early hues of sunset. It would be dark soon.
‘Come on.’
Whatever happened next, they needed to get to safety and raise the alarm.