The Watcher

11. Home Invasion

"I don't really have anything worth taking," I offered as I scanned. I thought I saw PC Johnson flinch in pity, but I ignored it. It had been a long day and the last thing I needed was to kick off at a cop for showing some sympathy. Still, the itch rippled under the surface.

"Check anyway. It will help track whoever did this if we know what to look for."

I nodded and started the task of trying to decipher what had gone missing. It seemed insurmountable at first. Everywhere I looked there was another opened drawer or emptied box. It all seemed so aimless, like the person had just come to make a mess rather than look for anything of value.

Slowly, the feeling of violation built in the pit of my stomach and with it came a rage I'd never been very good at controlling. This place had never meant much to me, but it had been my place. The one part of this earth where I could lock myself away and drop all pretence. The idea that someone had taken that from me was infuriating.

By the time I circled back to PC Johnson, I could count on one hand how many items I'd picked out as being missing, and none of them were worth the effort of breaking the window to get to. I would have felt bad for whoever had done the deed, if the thought of their hands on my things didn't make me want to ring their neck.

"It doesn't look like they've really taken much. Maybe a couple of pieces of jewelry. Nothing fancy, just some plain silver bangles and a pair of earrings. There's also fifty quid missing from my bedside table."

"Does the jewelry have sentimental value?" Johnson asked as she made a note of the missing items.

"No, not really. I don't even know if it's real silver." I shrugged, thinking of the items they'd pinched. Another item sprung to mind, and as I looked at the cluttered side table I groaned.

"My laptop's missing as well," I grumbled. My head slumped against my hand, my fingers trying to iron out the stress lines that had appeared on my forehead.

"Did you have a lot saved on it? Photos and things?" PC Johnson asked with another dose of sympathy.

"No," I whined as the realisation of having to buy a replacement settled in. "I'm going to have to reinstall everything," I complained. Granted I had been meaning to buy a new laptop at some point in the coming future. The fan had all but died, which meant I had to keep my internet browsing sessions to a bare minimum before it would overheat and die. Then there was the fact it had been riddled with viruses from years of downloading music and films illegally. If anything, the burglars did me a favour. At least now I didn't have to deal with the guilt of binning something that technically still worked. Albeit badly.

"Did anyone else get hit?" I asked as I thought of Gina upstairs. She didn't get out much, and I didn't like the thought of someone breaking in while she was there.

"No, but there were a few others on the street. All ground floor flats," PC Johnson said casually.

"Isn't that weird?"

"Not around here." She sighed, almost bored. "We tend to get more opportunist robberies. Quick dash and grabs. The back lane makes it easy for them to get in and out."

This didn't surprise me. I'd always known this area was less than desirable, but I also thought there was a degree of community spirit. There were plenty around here who stole for a living, but they never targeted their neighbours. They usually sort out the wealthier areas like Fairfield and Ilford. The places where people were too trusting and rich for their own good.

The officer's radio sparked to life and, as she walked through to the kitchen to talk to her partner, I looked around the living room again. It was obvious how the thieves had gotten in. The large original sash window was shattered. Glass glinted on the windowsill.