On the third night, the Jacksons and the police had got into a routine. Stella and Paul arrived around 10pm. They put their sandwiches in the fridge, had a cup of tea with Nina and Rory and then retired to the study. It wasn't a big room, but they could wander the ground floor to stretch their legs if necessary.
The downstairs was in darkness. There could be no hint for the intruder that someone was waiting for them. The officers were dropped off and that meant that there was no car in the vicinity. Nina thought that they must be bored. They couldn't even read a book or do a crossword in the pitch black.
Everyone was tense. Even Conor had been grizzly. Their son was, no doubt, picking up vibes from the adults around him. Nina and Rory worried that the police would think they were on a wild goose chase. Paul and Stella didn't seem to be bothered. They were determined and, hopefully, ready for action.
