A Terrible Misunderstanding (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 6)

“Now is not the time to talk,” Audrey declared firmly. “Let’s go to your house and then we can have some nice hot chocolate and you can tell us all about it.”

Clara nodded and offered her friend a relieved smile, but she suspected it was too dark for either Sissy or Audrey to see it. While they walked, they all linked arms and kept cl

ose together. Still, it was no less frightening to walk through the eerily empty streets.

“I don’t relish anybody being out on a night like this. It is going to be cold tonight,” Audrey shivered.

“I wish winter was over. I don’t like it when it is cold,” Clara sighed.

“I am sure your Aunt Flo prefers to keep the house nice and warm.”

The ladies idly chatted as they walked but it did little to ease the tension which didn’t wane as they made their way through the streets.

“What’s that?” Sissy hissed suddenly.

“What?”

Clara gulped and studied the street.

“Just past Mr Figley’s grocery. I thought I saw movement in that alley beside the front door,” Sissy whispered.

“Keep walking,” Audrey ordered.

The ladies made sure to stay on the opposite side of the road but kept a watchful eye on the alley as they passed. It stood like an unblinking mouth waiting to swallow them up.

“There is someone following,” Sissy breathed.

“Can you hear their footsteps?”

Clara nodded. She blew out her cheeks and risked a glance over her shoulder. She felt sick with fear and knew now that she would have been terrified had she been walking home alone. In that moment, she resolved never to set foot out of the door after dark again.

“Just keep moving,” Audrey urged.

The ladies did just that. As far as Clara was concerned her house couldn’t come into view fast enough. By the time they reached the end of the road they were all worried sick.

“Hello?”

Clara slammed to a stop and beamed at Babette who hurried out of her house and scurried toward them.

“I thought I saw you walk past. I knocked on the window. Didn’t you hear me?” Babette gasped when she joined them.

“Did you see someone watching us?”

Babette glanced worriedly around the street. “That was what I wanted to talk to you about,” she whispered. “I am sure there is someone lingering in the street.”

“I told you,” Clara breathed.

Sissy patted Clara’s hand. “Don’t you worry now. We are all going to escort you home. You will be perfectly fine.”

“What does he look like? Might it be Niall?” Audrey demanded.

“No, it isn’t him. The man I saw is new to the village,” Babette announced firmly.

“Where was he?”

Babette nodded to the alley beside Mr Figley’s grocery.

“Let’s go,” Audrey snapped.