Kim could feel her temper rising. One stranger in her house was bad enough, but two more carrying goodness knew what was playing on her last nerve. It was her fucking home.
‘Two more,’ said the first male, heading back outside.
Kim called an anxious-looking Barney to her as she glanced outside at the grey Transit van parked on her drive.
‘Leanne?’ Kim growled.
‘CCTV and security equipment. Gotta be done, Stone. You’re in the dark ages here. We’ve got to have eyes and ears to give us the best chance of stopping him.’
‘It’s eleven o’clock at night.’
‘You’re detached.’
‘Folks have still got ears,’ she snapped.
‘They’ll be as quiet as they can, but it has to be done. Not that fussed if a couple of your neighbours cross you off their Christmas card list.’
Kim wasn’t sure if her neighbours even sent Christmas cards. If they did, they didn’t send them to her.
Kim itched to take out her phone and call Woody to demand this female demon be exorcised all the way out of her house.
It wasn’t the fact of it being 11p.m. on a Sunday night that stopped her. It was that it was 11p.m. onthisSunday night, the very first night she was under instruction to do as she was told. If she started making waves this soon, Woody would remove her from active duty and send her to Norfolk without a second thought.
She stepped backwards into the kitchen and took Barney with her. She could feel his tension at having so many people in the house.
Kim couldn’t help but wonder how Leanne had managed to arrange this so quickly – on a Sunday night no less. She’d been at break-ins where she’d sat and waited hours for a locksmith or a window boarder. Clearly these were not normal police contractors.
‘Okay, guys, I want three passives in the back garden: if a mouse ventures in, I want him lit up like he’s on a football pitch. Two AV twelves at the bottom of the garden, and a PTZ on the south-facing wall.’ She paused for breath. ‘Two passives on the front and a door cam.’ She thought for a minute. ‘And put a fixed on the front facing the gate.’
‘That it?’
‘You wish. You’re gonna be here a while. There’s no alarm system so I want a motion sensor aimed at every external door, door sensors on every internal door and glass-break detectors on every window, oh and a new chain on the front door along with a deadbolt. But do the outside work first to avoid upsetting the neighbours.’
‘Got it. And what about your number nine?’
‘Just pop that on the table in the hallway.’
‘What’s a number nine?’ Kim called across the room.
‘Special fried rice from the best takeaway in the Midlands.’
Jesus, these guys had even brought her food, Kim thought as the guys started unpacking boxes and working silently. Barney was still resting against her leg.
Fuck this. It was one thing making her feel uncomfortable in her own home, but Barney would keep his routine.
‘Come on, boy,’ she said, taking his lead from the cupboard. She needed to get out of her own house, wanted to escape the feeling inside her own stomach.
She headed to the hallway and reached for the footwear she’d removed when she’d entered.
‘Nice boots,’ Leanne said, leaning against the door frame. ‘Going somewhere?’
‘Yes, I’m taking my dog for his night walk, and I heartily dare you to try and stop me. I’ll knock you the fuck out and do my time in Norfolk.’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ Leanne said, holding up her hands. ‘Where are we taking him?’
Kim groaned. She should have guessed she wouldn’t get to go alone, but if it meant she could leave the house for some air, she’d allow Leanne to tag along.
‘And don’t speak to me,’ Kim instructed as they reached the pavement.