Changing Lara

by Anna Jacobs

  He yawned and closed his eyes ‘just for a minute’.

  When he woke, moonlight was streaming in through the rear windows. For a moment he felt disoriented. Then he realised where he was and looked at his watch. It was bright enough to see it clearly without switching on the lights.

  Half past eleven. He got up, stretching the stiffness from his body. He glanced out of the kitchen window but Lara hadn’t returned. What was keeping her so long?

  He was about to put a light on when he heard something outside at the rear of the houses. Keeping perfectly still, he listened carefully. It sounded like … it was! Someone had trodden on the band of drainage pebbles that edged the back patios. But the sound hadn’t come from outside his house; it had been further away, outside Lara’s.

  He was about to look out of the back window when it occurred to him that he’d see what was going on more clearly from a bedroom window, so he ran up the stairs and positioned himself behind the curtain of one.

  He’d been right. There was a figure outside Lara’s house. A man, it looked like. Even as he watched, the prowler slipped through the shadows to her back door and peered in through it. Was he about to break in?

  Ross reached automatically for his phone but it wasn’t in his pocket. Muttering in annoyance, he ran back downstairs and fumbled around the chair where he’d been sitting. No sign of it. Ah! There it was on the side table next to his half-full mug of cold coffee.

  He picked up the phone and went into the kitchen area, where he’d be less visible. He rang the hotel, identified himself in a low voice and told the receptionist there was a prowler outside the end house of the row.

  She said she’d alert the security guards urgently.

  Then he waited, still keeping an eye on what was happening. To his surprise the prowler crept along the back patio and tried to peer into Ross’s own house, shining a narrow torch beam downward first, then moving it up and down.

  There was just enough time for Ross to bob down behind the breakfast bar, which had several objects standing on it. He didn’t think he’d be seen if he kept still.

  Before the man – it was definitely a man – could get a really good look at the house’s contents, he jerked his head sideways as if he’d heard something. Switching off the torch, he started running away across the patio heading towards the lake.

  Ross had heard something too, so he ran across to the window to see what had driven the prowler away. Two figures in black were jogging across from the hotel, making a lot of noise and shining powerful torches. These must be the security guards.

  Not a clever way to investigate, he thought angrily. They’d not catch any prowlers that way. Or maybe they didn’t want to get into a fight, just frighten intruders away.

  Great! He’d be worried now about the prowler coming back, both on his own and Lara’s behalf.

  He went outside to speak to the security guys and they checked the rear of Lara’s house as well as his. The windows hadn’t been broken and of course there were no footprints on the paved patio, but there was a light scatter of pebbles on the far edge of his paved patio where the intruder had run away suddenly.

  Why had the man targeted her house first? She didn’t even have enough furniture, let alone valuables worth breaking in for.

  Perhaps he’d intended to work his way along the row.

  When the security guards left, they promised to walk past at regular intervals. A fat lot of good that would do if they were always so noisy and visible! Ross decided not to go to bed yet. He wanted to wait for Lara to return, tell her what had happened and warn her to be ultra-careful about keeping her house locked.

  He paced to and fro, wondering what was keeping her so long. Were she and Guy getting on better than she’d expected? No. He trusted her and, anyway, there was always a slight edge to her voice when she spoke about her ex. Not as bad as when he spoke about his own ex, though.

  Eventually, at about half past midnight, car headlights raked across the hotel car park and a vehicle moved past it to the narrow road that led to the leisure village.

  Lara! At last.

  Ross went out of the front door and stood waiting for her to get out.

  She fairly bounced out of the vehicle, sounding annoyed. ‘You didn’t have to wait up for me!’

  ‘I wanted to warn you that we’ve had a prowler.’

  That stopped her in her tracks.

  ‘Oh dear. This is the second time. Has he broken in?’

  ‘No. Whoever it was prowled round the back of your house, though, shining a torch in the windows.’

  ‘My house or all the houses?’

  ‘He went to your house first and spent some time examining it, perhaps looking for an easy way in.’

  ‘I bet he was disappointed in what he saw. I’m surprised he lingered.’

  ‘That’s not the point. Why would someone be targeting your house? With all due respect, your furniture is mostly only fit for the rubbish dump and you’re not exactly loaded with valuables.’

  ‘I agree. There are just the few pieces of silver I have on display. Maybe I should hide them, only I like to look at them. What did you do? Chase him away?’

  ‘There was just one man, as far as I could see, but I’m so un-macho I didn’t go out to tackle him because no one was in danger. I phoned the hotel to report it to the security guards and they walked across heavy-footed, with torches blazing, thus warning the prowler. He ran away, heading towards the lake.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Your ex, do you think, trying to give you a fright?’

  ‘No. He’s not like that and besides, I had a flat tyre on the way back from Darcie’s and I didn’t have a jack, so I phoned Guy, who came and helped me.’ She looked towards her house and couldn’t help shivering at the thought of even going inside on her own.

  Ross seemed to understand and put an arm round her shoulders. ‘I’ll come in with you, shall I? I’m fairly sure the prowler didn’t get inside but it won’t hurt to make sure everything’s all right.’

  ‘Would you mind?’

  ‘Of course not. I’ll just lock my front door and you can lock your car.’

  When they were inside, he suggested she stay in the living area and he made sure the bolts were locked on the outer doors to prevent anyone getting away easily if they did find someone.

  He didn’t think this would happen, but could see how nervous she had become. ‘We’d be two to one, remember,’ he said gently.

  He took the precaution of arming himself with a heavy knife sharpener. The steel rod felt nice and heavy in his hand. She followed his example, picking up a solid wooden rolling pin. Then he went up to start his exploration, not expecting any problems but knowing this would reassure her.

  When he came down again, he saw how anxious she was looking and said soothingly, ‘There’s no one here, Lara. I checked every cupboard big enough to hold a person.’

  She put down the rolling pin. ‘I can’t thank you enough. It’s silly of me to be so nervous, I know, but as a woman living on my own I’ve been targeted a couple of times.’

  ‘Any sane person would be nervous if a prowler was spotted sussing out their home. Come here.’ He dumped his makeshift weapon and held out his arms. She didn’t hesitate to fling herself into them, cuddling close.

  What a strange mixture of confidence and nervousness she was. But he was increasingly happy to hold her close. It felt so very right. It occurred to him suddenly that Nonie Jayne had never liked to linger in a cuddle, even before they were married. Why had he been so blind about her?

  Lara shifted in his arms. ‘You make me feel better just by being here.’

  ‘Well, there’s no need for us to stay apart, is there? You can come and sleep in my place, if you like, or I’ll come and sleep here. I’m not putting the word on you for sex. We both have spare rooms.’

  That made her look at him in obvious amusement. ‘I know, Ross. One of the things I like most about you is how you deal with women. Even the w
ay you talk shows it, or the way you make women smile when they’re serving you in shops like the antiques centre.’

  ‘Is that as big a compliment as I think?’

  ‘Yes, it is. There are still a lot of male – yes, and female – chauvinists around. I’ve worked with some horrors of both genders as well as some lovely men and women.’ She looked at him uncertainly. ‘I’d prefer it if you slept here, but I think, given how many valuable items there are in your aunt’s house, I’d better come next door.’

  ‘You’re right. I don’t have a spare bed now, but there’s a recliner armchair that I can use. It’s very comfortable and I fall asleep on it regularly.’

  ‘Are you sure? I’m not quite ready to seal our relationship by sleeping together.’

  ‘I know, love. And I promised myself never to rush into a relationship again. Would it upset you if we started … courting?’

  This old-fashioned term made her chuckle. She had a lovely gurgle of laughter, soft and musical.

  ‘No. It wouldn’t upset me at all. On both counts.’

  She planted a kiss on his cheek, a very modest, gentle kiss and yet it made him feel oh so connected to her.

  He felt safe to go on hoping something would come of their relationship.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The following afternoon, just before her evening meal, Cindy walked along to the lake, making the most of the mild weather. She sat down at the far side on one of the simple wooden benches, enjoying the sight of a group of children splashing in the shallows. Sand had been dumped along the edge of a tiny bay and barriers installed across the deeper water to create a safe paddling area.

  It was easy to get lost in thought in such a peaceful setting and she jumped in shock when a deep voice spoke to one side of her.

  ‘Would you mind if I joined you on the bench?’

  She looked up to see a silver-haired man standing next to her.

  ‘I wouldn’t have disturbed you but the other benches are occupied and I must admit, I love to watch children playing. Only one has to be so careful when dealing with children nowadays. Rightly so, of course.’

  His voice was that of an educated Englishman. She loved the way they spoke. ‘Sure. Take a seat. There’s plenty of room.’

  ‘You’re American from the sounds of it. Where from?’

  ‘Florida these days, Baltimore originally.’

  They got chatting and he seemed interested in the new leisure village, so she told him what a nice place it was to live in. This sort of conversation happened regularly as people came to look round with a view to buying a house, so she thought nothing of it until he mentioned Lara’s name.

  ‘I gather Lara Perryman has moved here. I know her ex-husband slightly and he mentioned it when I was looking at a car his company was selling.’

  She looked sideways, surprised by this. ‘You didn’t think of getting an introduction to her to ask about the village?’

  ‘I’d heard from someone else that she’d had some financial troubles and I didn’t want to intrude. I was a mere acquaintance, not a friend. Is she – all right? Such a mean crime, from what Guy said!’

  ‘She’s coping. But you’re right: it’s hard to lose your retirement money. She was very upset, as you can imagine.’

  ‘Yes. I heard there have been several people affected by the villain. Poor things.’

  He looked at his watch and stood up, inclining his head in a farewell gesture. ‘I have to meet someone at the hotel shortly. It’s been a pleasure chatting to you, Cindy, and thank you for the information about this place. You make it sound very attractive. Maybe our paths will cross again.’

  Nice man, she thought as he walked away. She didn’t even bother to tell Lara about the encounter. Her neighbour’s ex was bound to have met a lot of people, given that he sold cars, and would no doubt have mentioned the theft to one or two. He’d have done better to keep his mouth shut, in Cindy’s opinion. He had given her a car, though, which said a lot about him.

  She sighed as she strolled back. Word had got out round here about Lara’s losses, so who knew how far the gossip had spread?

  The man walked back up to the hotel. It had been easier than he’d expected to find out about Lara Perryman. He still felt angry when he thought how his long-time friend had cheated her and several other people.

  If she’d been in real financial trouble, he’d have offered her some help, as he had one of the other victims. He was rich enough now that the money didn’t matter to him. But she seemed to be coping all right.

  Who’d have expected John Crichton to commit a crime? John, of all people!

  But then, people could and did change suddenly. You just didn’t expect it from someone you’d known since you’d both been at school together. And given that he’d worked for the government in intelligence, you’d think he of all people would have suspected that something was wrong with John.

  He wondered where his former friend was now, whether he was feeling guilty about what he’d done.

  Since Gil had told her he was going to be occupied scoping out Ross’s house, Nonie Jayne told him she would treat herself to an early night.

  ‘Well, you make sure you continue to stay in your room and don’t invite anyone else in,’ he said at once.

  She lowered her lashes to hide the anger at this. She had no intention of staying in her suite on her own 24/7. She was tired of hotel rooms and wanted to be with other people. Even if she wasn’t talking to them, she liked watching them.

  She was very relieved that Gil was living in a cheaper place than this hotel. The more she got to know him, the more she felt she’d made a mistake linking up with him at all. Who did he think he was, bossing her around like that?

  None of her husbands had barked orders at her, though Ross had called her stupid during a couple of their arguments. He was the stupid one, staying in that house that cost a fortune to maintain instead of selling it and investing the money, and so she’d told him several times. Not that Mr Stubborn had listened.

  Gil insisted on taking her out to a café he knew for an evening meal. He said it was much cheaper than the hotel and the meals were good.

  Unfortunately, it turned out to be a dreadful place serving fattening, unhealthy food, the sort she’d never put into her mouth willingly. He’d even swapped plates with her and finished off what she’d left, which was most of it. Talk about shovelling food into his mouth. He had the manners of an ape in the jungle!

  As they were coming back into the hotel, she noticed a couple of men sitting in the bar area, each alone. They each glanced up with that look that said they’d rather be chatting to someone than staring at a newspaper.

  She waited ten minutes after Gil left her going into her room, then checked her appearance in the mirror one final time and made her way down to the bar.

  The younger of the two men was no longer there, but the older one was still sitting nursing a glass of wine and watching the other customers, his newspaper lying neglected by his side. He had beautifully cut silver hair and what she’d call a civilised expression on his face.

  She saw the moment he noticed her as she stood in the doorway. He studied her openly as she sauntered across to the bar and ordered a glass of house champagne. She didn’t mind. The day men stopped admiring her would be a very sad one.

  Edward watched the woman come in, shocked at how much she resembled his first wife. Only she was even more beautiful.

  He made no secret of the fact that he was watching her, wanted to see how she reacted.

  She studied him quickly, then looked for somewhere to sit. Was it his imagination or had she chosen a place where she’d not be noticed from the hotel entrance?

  He found her attractive. It was at times like this that he regretted being old, though his body still functioned perfectly well where women were concerned.

  He beckoned the bar attendant across and asked if the lady who’d just come in seemed to be meeting someone.

  ‘I don’t t
hink so, sir. She’s staying at the hotel.’

  ‘Thank you.’ He slipped the man a tip.

  Maybe he was an old fool, but he’d welcome someone to chat to. Welcome more than that, if possible.

  Careful not to react, she chose a table from which she could see everyone who came into the hotel, in case Gil returned, and when the bar attendant brought her drink across, she thanked him and took a tiny, leisurely sip. Champagne was fattening but you had to drink something if you wanted to sit in a bar, and ordering lemonade, which she much preferred, would have made her look a childish fool, not a sophisticated woman.

  The old guy raised his glass to her and she didn’t have to pretend to look surprised. She was surprised. It was usually she who found an excuse for making contact with men of that age.

  She raised her glass in reply and gave him a half-smile, even more surprised when he immediately got up and walked across to her table.

  ‘Would you like some company, my dear?’

  His clothes were expensive. She could always tell. ‘That would be nice, but I won’t be staying for long.’

  He sat down. ‘I won’t be staying long, either. I’m waiting for my chauffeur to bring my car. But it’s always nice to have a chat, so tell me about yourself. I’m Edward, by the way. Edward Charsley.’

  Him having a chauffeur was an excellent start. ‘I’m Nonie Jayne, newly divorced and waiting for the decree absolute, so there isn’t much to talk about in my life at the moment. I don’t even have a permanent place to live yet.’

  ‘You’re American by your accent, the second American lady I’ve met today, strangely enough. Where are you from?’

  ‘All over the place really. Since I’m in a boring patch of my life I’d much rather hear about you, Edward. What are you doing in Wiltshire?’

  ‘I’ve been visiting some friends and then I went to see Avebury, which is much nicer than Stonehenge and you can actually touch the big stones.’