Alice went straight out back to fire up Benny’s laptop.
Benny was slipping into his school blazer. ‘I was going to give you my Christmas list if you’re doing a bit of online shopping, but judging by your face, I’d say you’re on my laptop for a different reason.’
‘The door wreath has been torn apart,’ she told him. ‘Just checking to see if we can spot what happened.’
Benny took over, getting the footage up quickly. He sped through, stopping when the masked man came into view, tugged the wreath off the door, and placed it on the ground. They couldn’t see if he ripped it apart, as his back was to the camera at that point.
‘Who is that?’ snapped Alice. ‘And why is he picking on me?’
‘Another one for the file for the police.’ Benny tapped on the keys, getting everything ready.
‘I’m not sure they’re going to bother arresting someone for this kind of behaviour.’ Alice flopped to a seat and sighed. ‘If they catch him, he’ll just say he was pranking me or something.’ She turned to Benny. ‘Do you think it’s one of your mates thinking they’re funny?’
Benny crinkled his nose. ‘No, I don’t. My friends aren’t idiots, and this man definitely is, going by the stuff he does.’
‘This is classed as harassment. If he does think he’s being funny, he’s got a bit of a shock coming to him when the police nab him,’ said Jamie who had joined them.
Alice looked up to see Jamie studying the screen. ‘You don’t think this has anything to do with Shannon, do you?’
‘Not really her style.’
‘Would she pay someone to annoy me?’
He shook his head. ‘My sister’s too wrapped up in herself to spend that kind of energy on someone else.’
Alice waved a hand at the screen. ‘So, who the bloody hell is doing this?’
‘We need to lay a trap,’ said Jamie, eyes still on the footage.
Benny chuckled. ‘Ooh, booby trap.’
Alice gestured at the door. ‘You can get to school before you’re late.’
‘But I want to help trap the idiot,’ Benny moaned.
‘No one’s trapping anyone. We’re not getting into trouble with the police for snaring someone.’
Jamie glanced her way. ‘I wasn’t about to put down a bear trap.’
‘What were you thinking?’ asked Benny, looking keen to join in whatever it was.
‘School, Benny,’ said Alice.
Benny grabbed his bag. ‘Fine, but I want to know everything when I get home.’ He kissed Alice’s cheek, then headed off.
Alice turned to Jamie. ‘What have you got in mind?’
‘I’m thinking we could put up a new decoration out front, as he seems to like breaking anything cheerful out there, then I wait behind the door and pounce.’
She widened her eyes. ‘That’s your plan?’
Jamie shrugged, closing down the laptop. ‘I’d have a word with him. Make him see the error of his ways.’
‘Oh great, then you’ll end up back in prison.’
‘I’m not going to rough him up.’
‘What if he has a weapon? I’d rather the police dealt with him.’
