Page 26 of Six Steps to Happiness
“I’ll bet you anything there’ll be reports about local tremors all over the Internet.”
“You think?”
“Yes, I do.”
I don’t,Ronnie thought.
Ronnie continued to listen as footsteps headed back into number eight. She congratulated herself on her cunning and, not yet a hundred per cent sure aFor Salewould go up, looked forward to the next stage inOperation Poltergeist.Clapping her hands in excitement, she headed indoors herself, eager to start preparing.
Once inside, Ronnie’s tummy began to rumble and realising she hadn’t eaten that day, she headed for the fridge. Pulling out a block of cheese, some fresh tomatoes and a bag of pre-prepared salad leaves, she decided to make herself a sandwich. Surfing the net for more ghostly goings on to imitate wouldn’t be half as much fun on an empty stomach. As she moved to get a loaf out of the bread bin, a sudden hammering on her front door stopped her. “What the…?” she said, wondering why the commotion when she had a perfectly good doorbell.
Ronnie headed down the hall ready to give her caller the what for, but before she could answer, the door flung open and Nick thundered in. Ronnie was forced to jump out of the way as Nick barged passed and headed to the kitchen.Someone’s not a happy bunny, she said, ready for the onslaught.
“You’ve gone too far this time, Ronnie,” he said.
She tittered in delight as she followed in his footsteps. He and Gaye had to be on the move now, Ronnie had never seen Nick so angry.
“It’s one thing playing childish games with food orders but to break into someone’s house.”
While Nick paced up and down, clearly doing his best to control himself, Ronnie did her best not to laugh.
“What are you saying?” she asked, feigning surprise. “You’ve been burgled?”
Nick stopped to look at Ronnie square on. “Oh for God’s sake. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“What? You think I’m responsible?” She let out a burst of fake laughter.
“I don’t think, I know.”
Ronnie returned his gaze, calm and collected. “And why, pray tell, would I do that?”
He glared at her in response, but Ronnie refused to be intimidated. The man could stomp around as much as he wanted. Without evidence, his accusations couldn’t be substantiated, and Ronnie felt safe in the knowledge that she’d covered her tracks well.
“Because you’re off your bloody rocker, that’s why!”
Ronnie smiled as she continued to look at him. “Goodness me, that’s no way to talk to your wife, Nick.”
Throughout the time they had been a couple and no matter his level of frustration, she’d never noticed a tic on his right temple before. Then again, Ronnie supposed that hardly surprising; she hadn’t even clocked the fact that he was having an affair. As the tic continued to throb, she couldn’t understand how he couldn’t feel it. It was like some pulsating Belisha Beacon which once seen, refused to be unseen.
“And you’d do anything to get rid of us.”
Not quite anything, Ronnie considered. As much as she’d thought about it, she wouldn’t go as far as murder.
Nick started pacing again. “I mean, to try to make us think next door is suddenly haunted. It’s exactly the kind of stunt you’d pull.”
“Ha! And you think I’m the one who’s losing it?” She crossed her arms tight over her chest. “So, how am I supposed to have done this? Climbed in through a window? On this street? With these neighbours? Or have I somehow managed to get hold of a key and simply wandered in through the front door?”
Nick stopped again to look at her. “You think I care abouthowyou got in? I’m just here to warn you. You step another foot inside next door and you won’t only have me to contend with…”
“So, you’re threatening me now? Over something I didn’t do?”
As the glare on Nick’s face intensified, the tic on his temple sped up. He took a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself before speaking again. “As I was saying, you won’t only have me to contend with, I’ll have the police back round.”
Ronnie laughed. Nick could bring in who he wanted. Thanks to a paper suit, a pair of socks and a hairnet, it’s not like they’d find any evidence. “Why wait?” she said. “If you’re so convinced the goings on inyourhouse are somehowmyfault, call them. I don’t care.”
Nick’s expression turned scornful. “Obviously.”
“What do you mean by that?”
