CHAPTER ONE
LAKYNN
The moving trucks came without warning. I was at the window that morning, sipping the steaming coffee in my mug, when I noticed them. There were three in total—all white with green logos on their sides.
They belonged to a company I’d never heard of, a rarity in our small town. After they’d parked the trucks around the curve of the cul-de-sac—one after the other in a neat row—men in matching green polos and black pants stepped out of the trucks. There were nine movers altogether, and they milled about for a moment, stretching their legs and laughing with each other about a joke I couldn’t hear through the panes of glass.
My phone buzzed in the pocket of my robe, and I pulled it out, checking the screen.
“Hello?”
“Are you seeing this?” Bethany asked. Though I couldn’t see my best friend through the curtains of the house across the street, I knew she was there, watching it all unfold the same as I was.
“Yeah. Three trucks?”
“It’s a big house,” she said simply. And she was right. The house at the end of our cul-de-sac was the largest on the street, triple the size of the next largest. All my life, it had been owned by the family who’d founded our subdivision, the Burnetts. Tom and Eleanor Burnett were an eccentric couple, several years older than us, and incredibly wealthy. Their house had been decorated so elaborately every Christmas, we’d had to put room-darkening curtains on our windows facing their home. The kids had loved it and we’d adjusted.
The Burnetts had the kind of wealth that allowed them to take month-long vacations several times a year, which was why we’d originally thought nothing of it when several months went by without us seeing them.
Then, one day just a few weeks ago, a set of local moving trucks arrived and hauled out Tom and Eleanor’s things, and we knew they’d left for good. There one day and gone the next.
“I can’t believe they’re really not coming back,” Bethany whispered somewhat nostalgically.
Though we’d never considered Eleanor and Tom friends, they were friendly enough. They’d been kind to us. We’d had neighborhood barbecues, holiday parties, and they’d brought us dinner when we’d had each of the kids. With Tom and Eleanor, we never worried about letting the kids play in the streets. This place—our home—felt safe.
But now…
A new neighbor brought so many unknowns.
For the last week, there had been no movement at the house whatsoever. It sat completely empty, its presence taunting us with unknowns. There’d never even been a For Sale sign in the yard.
Now, here was the proof that they truly had left.
That we hadn’t imagined it.
And that someone new was coming.
“I wouldn’t expect them to have made anything other than a dramatic exit,” I said with a chuckle.
“I figured there’d be a parade,” she agreed.
Finally, the movers began unloading the trucks, carrying bubble-wrapped furniture and long, rolled-up rugs by the armful into the house.
“Those look expensive,” she said, watching as three men unloaded an oversized chaise lounge chair.
Before I could respond, I felt a pair of hands slip around my waist. Henry’s head came to rest on my shoulder. I breathed in his scent—an inexplicable scent that could only be described as warmth. Safety. If I could bottle it, I would.
“What are you two gossiping about?” he asked, without having to question whom I might be talking to. He nudged the curtain aside, waving across the street, then spied the moving trucks. “Ah.”
“Someone’s moving in.”
“Ooh, what’ve we got?” He chuckled, rubbing his hands together as he stepped away from me.
“Put me on speaker,” Bethany ordered.
I did as she said before answering Henry. “So far just the movers.”
He nodded, already losing interest.
“Mom wants to know if you liked that kimchi, Henry?” Bethany said, speaking louder than necessary.
He chuckled. “Is she over there?”
“Mhm.”
He grinned with one corner of his mouth. “You tell Ms. Siu that I love everything she’s ever brought me, but that might’ve been my favorite.”
Bethany repeated the message in Korean. I only ever heard her speaking Korean when talking to her parents or when she was especially angry.
Henry pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m running to town. Do you need anything?”
“We’re out of iced coffee. And Aaron needs more face wash.”
“Got it,” he said. “Bye, Beth.”
“Bye,” she called over the speaker, then cleared her throat. “Oh, looks like Piper’s coming over.”
I checked out the window to my left, spying my neighbor crossing her front yard on her way into mine.
“She looks upset. Let me see what’s going on. Want me to call you back?”
“I’m coming over, too,” she said, ending the call instantly.
I heard the garage door opening, its dull roar echoing through the house, and watched Henry back out of the drive as Piper stepped onto the porch. I reached the door before she could knock, and swung it open.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” she said, brows wiggling as she jutted her head toward the moving trucks. “Did you see?”
“Yeah, Beth and I were just talking about it.” I pointed behind her, to where Beth was jogging across the street dressed in loud-patterned workout gear.
I stepped back, letting them both inside, and shut the door. Together, the three of us moved back to the window.
“We probably look ridiculous,” Piper whispered.
“They’re not even paying attention,” I assured her.
“What do you think they’re like?” Beth asked.
“Maybe we could go over and introduce ourselves this evening. Or tomorrow. Bring over a Sunday dinner,” Piper offered.
“Oh, good idea. Everyone loves a ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ casserole,” Beth agreed.
“I just hope they’re normal,” I said softly.
“You mean like us right now?” Beth asked. We exchanged glances as Piper snorted, causing us all to laugh in spite of ourselves.
I closed the blinds before we made our way across the room, changing the subject. We’d go meet the new neighbors soon, and I was sure all my fears would be eased.
At least, that was what I thought.
After all, no one ever expects their neighbors will try to kill them.
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