The Perfect Housemate: A totally gripping and addictive psychological thriller with a heart-pounding twist by Lorna Dounaeva

Author:Lorna Dounaeva [Dounaeva, Lorna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2024-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

JUNE

One Year Ago

‘Dinner’s ready!’ June yelled to her housemates.

She had worked for hours in the kitchen, preparing a delicious Sunday dinner and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of garlic and herbs.

Tamsin appeared first and helped carry everything through to the dining room. June followed, her arms laden with dishes of steaming food. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that Flick was hunched over her phone.

‘I thought we agreed to no phones at the table?’ she said.

Flick hastily put her phone down and June set down the dishes. Tamsin sighed and pulled her own phone out of her pocket, silencing it. Then Kimmy’s phone beeped and June’s temper threatened to bubble over.

She took a bowl from the side cabinet and placed her phone in it. Then she walked around the table, collecting each housemate’s phone. There was a bit of eye-rolling but she had gone to a lot of trouble with the cooking so in the end they all gave in. June took the bowl out to the living room and left it there for the duration of the meal.

She returned to the dining room and put on her vintage record player. The calming notes of a violin filled the room as she served their meal, artfully arranging a generous portion of pork tenderloin and creamy mashed potatoes on each plate.

When they had finished their main course, she returned to the kitchen, humming along to the music as she heated up some dark chocolate. Her housemates exclaimed with delight when they saw her bubbling chocolate fondue.

She laid out an assortment of fruits and they all talked at once as they dunked strawberries, grapes and bananas into the sea of molten chocolate. She thought she had chopped too much fruit but they devoured the lot.

‘Best dessert ever!’ Kimmy proclaimed.

‘I’m fit to burst,’ Tamsin said, patting her stomach.

June smiled with satisfaction. She would personally have preferred a delicate white chocolate mousse but she had had a feeling this would be a hit.

Tamsin and Kimmy cleared the table, whilst June retreated to the living room for a well-earned rest. She closed her eyes and must have drifted off for a few minutes when she was awoken by a loud shriek from Tamsin.

She had just pulled her phone out of the bowl and was staring at it in dismay.

‘I have eleven missed calls. Wait, there’s a voice message.’

June swallowed as Tamsin played it back on loud speaker. A woman’s voice filled the room.

‘Tamsin, this is Gladys, your dad’s neighbour. I found him collapsed in the garden. You need to get to the hospital, love. Quick as you can.’

Tamsin gasped. Fingers shaking, she rang Gladys back. Tears slid down her cheeks as she listened. June couldn’t make out what was being said, but the woman sounded hysterical.

Kimmy stood in the doorway. ‘Come on. I’ll drive you.’

‘We’ve all been drinking.’

‘I’m okay. I only had one glass.’

‘Thank you.’

June rose to her feet. ‘I’m coming too.’

They both stared at her for a moment, but neither objected.

‘Should we pack a bag?’ Kimmy asked.

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