The Bad Neighbour

The Bad Neighbour Jennie Ensor This edition produced in Great Britain in 2023 by Hobeck Books Limited, 24 Brookside Business Park, Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0RZ www.hobeck.net Copyright © Jennie Ensor 2023 This book is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in this novel are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events or localities is entirely coincidental. Jennie Ensor has asserted her right under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the copyright holder. A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-915-817-09-9 (ebook) ISBN 978-1-915-817-10-5 (pbk) Cover design by Jayne Mapp Design https://jaynemapp.wixsite.com Are you a thriller seeker? Hobeck Books is an independent publisher of crime, thrillers and suspense fiction and we have one aim – to bring you the books you want to read. For more details about our books, our authors and our plans, plus the chance to download free novellas, sign up for our newsletter at www.hobeck.net. You can also find us on Twitter @hobeckbooks or on Facebook www.facebook.com/hobeckbooks10. For my step-children, John and Lauren Contents I. 2020 1. Bird Woman 2. Ashley 3. Elspeth 4. Tara 5. Bird Woman 6. Ashley 7. Tara 8. Ashley 9. Elspeth 10. Tara 11. Ashley 12. Elspeth 13. Tara 14. Elspeth 15. Tara 16. Ashley 17. Elspeth 18. Tara 19. Ashley 20. Tara 21. Elspeth 22. Tara 23. Tara 24. Ashley 25. Elspeth 26. Elspeth 27. Tara 28. Ashley 29. Elspeth 30. Ashley 31. Tara Part II 32. Bird Woman 33. Tara 34. Elspeth 35. Ashley 36. Ashley 37. Tara 38. Elspeth 39. Tara 40. Ashley 41. Tara 42. Tara 43. Tara 44. Elspeth 45. Ashley 46. Tara 47. Ashley 48. Elspeth 49. Ashley 50. Ashley 51. Ashley 52. Elspeth 53. Tara 54. Ashley 55. Tara 56. Ashley 57. Elspeth 58. Ashley 59. Bird Woman 60. Elspeth 61. Elspeth 62. Elspeth 63. Ashley 64. Bird Woman 65. Ashley Acknowledgments About the Author Hobeck Books – the home of great stories Also by Jennie Ensor Part One 2020 Chapter 1 Bird Woman 3 March A strange thing happened a few minutes ago. I was coming out of the shed when a bird – possibly a magpie, it was hard to tell in the fading light – flew over from the woods, circled once above the cottage then dropped out of the sky like a stone. In all the years I have watched them, no bird has ever done such a thing. Some might consider it an omen. This sunset sky is suitably ominous, aglow with intense yellow-green strands as if it was wired with neon. I must turn in soon. The family of thrushes woke me before dawn, clamouring for a place at my bedroom windowsill. Chapter 2 Ashley 17 March Ashley picked up her backpack and opened the front door. Outside, the neat curve of semi-detached houses basked in sunshine. Bay windows and car bonnets gleamed. In front gardens, early blossoms puffed up branches – spring, thankfully, was still carrying on as normal. Next door, a note was attached to Tara’s front gate. Meeting moved to the green. Please bring your own chair and refreshments. She glanced across the road to the grassy area that formed the centrepiece of Wilton Close. Damn, the others had already arrived. She heaved a sigh. It was too late to go back and fetch anything; she didn’t want to draw attention to herself