Run Away With Me : A fast-paced psychological thriller by Daniel Hurst (free e novels TXT) 📗

dropping off a notice about some upcoming event in the village, or maybe there are going to be some roadworks to deal with on the main road at some point this year, and they are being kind enough to let me know. As I get closer to the cottage, I think that would be the best-case scenario. The worst-case would be that the owner of that vehicle is here because they are attempting to break in and steal whatever they can find inside. We don’t keep any valuables at the cottage other than a TV, but that’s not the point. The fact that I can’t see the driver anywhere outside the property as I approach makes me worry that they might already be in there.

I reach the cottage but park a little distance behind the mysterious vehicle, taking out my phone to call Martin as I bring the car to a stop. I will see if he has any idea who this uninvited visitor might be. It’s only when I put the phone to my ear that I remember there is no signal around here. I’d have to drive back to the main road to get one, but I don’t want to do that because it might give whoever is inside the chance to get away and I’ll never know who it was.

Therefore, the only thing left to do is get out of my car and investigate.

I open my door and step out onto the wet gravel, shivering a little as the cold wind blows around me now that I am not shielded by the bodywork of my car. I look up at the cottage for any signs of movements in the windows, but I don’t see any. If it wasn’t for the strange car parked outside, I wouldn’t even know that anything was out of order and I realise that’s a scary thought as I step towards the cottage. If whoever is here now had made sure to hide their car from view, I could have walked in completely unsuspecting that there was another person inside. At least now I’m on my guard as I reach the front door and turn the handle. The door is locked, as it should be. But that doesn’t mean this person hasn’t found another way in.

I take a deep breath and slot my key into the lock, twisting it and opening the door as quietly as I can. Maybe I should have just gone back to the main road and called the police, but I’m inside now, and with the grumpy mood I’m in, whoever is here should be more scared of me than I am of them.

The first thing that I notice is that the fire is on. That’s weird. Who breaks in and gets warm?

I rush over to the fireplace and turn it off, before looking around and checking to see if anything else is not as it should be. But everything else looks normal. Nothing looks to be missing, and none of the windows seem to have been breached.

This is very strange.

‘Hello?’ I call out into the silent cottage.

I know I’m giving away any element of surprise I might have had by doing so, but I don’t care. If anyone is here, then I’d rather they know that I’m here too. Maybe that way they will just run away.

Maybe that way I won’t have to go upstairs and see if there is anybody lurking behind one of the doors.

But I get no response. If somebody is still inside, then they are keeping quiet. I look back at the fireplace, confused as to why it was on. Has somebody been using this place when I’ve not been here? Somebody other than me and my brother? The cheek of it. After all, I’m the one who has to pay the bills.

I snoop around in the kitchen but don’t see anything out of place there, and by the time I make it back to the open front door, I’m confident nothing has been taken. But I’m still not confident about going upstairs.

‘If there is anybody up there then leave now because I’m calling the police in two minutes!’ I call out in the direction of the staircase.

Again, there is no response. If somebody is still inside, then they are being stubborn.

But nobody is as stubborn as I am.

With that in mind, I head for the stairs and climb them quickly. I’m probably being extremely stupid to take this risk without any idea who might be up here, but after recent events, I’m so pissed off with the world that nobody is going to get in my way.

I reach the upstairs landing and look around, noticing that all the doors are closed except one. It’s the door to my bedroom, and it’s wide open. I decide to check that room first, mainly because it’s the only one that doesn’t involve me not being able to see what’s waiting for me inside before I get there.

I reach the bedroom doorway, prepared for just about anything.

Anything other than what I actually see.

There are two people lying in my bed, seemingly asleep. I don’t recognise the male, but I do know the female.

It’s Laura.

She’s in bed with another man.

‘What the hell?’ I cry out as I enter the room and grab the edge of the duvet, pulling it from the bed and uncovering the two sleeping beauties.

I notice straight away that they are both semi-naked and a quick look around the carpet surrounding the bed reveals several items of discarded clothing. They were clearly caught in a fit of passion and couldn’t wait to get under the duvet together.

I’m furious at my sister-in-law and what I have caught her doing, but I’m also a little surprised by the fact that she has been so sexually active so late in her pregnancy. I can barely get myself motivated to have sex with my husband these days yet here is Laura, just about ready