A Friendly New Neighbor With Odd Questions
Linda moved in next door when she was probably in her mid-50s. She was friendly in a fast, eager way, the kind of friendliness that arrives before you really know someone.
During her first week, she brought over banana bread. During her second week, she asked Eleanor whether her house was paid off.
Eleanor did not think much of the question at the time. Looking back, she saw it as the first quiet warning.
How the First Packages Went Missing
The trouble began with something ordinary: the calcium supplements Eleanor had ordered for years. The delivery was marked complete, but her porch was empty. She checked beside the planter, behind the rocking chair, and near the garage, and found nothing.
Two days later, Linda knocked on her door holding the box. Eleanor’s name and address were printed clearly on the label, but Linda laughed it off and blamed careless drivers.
Eleanor thought it was strange but let it go. Most people would never suspect a neighbor stealing packages after a plate of banana bread and a warm smile.
Next came a pair of soft blue slippers with rubber soles. Her grandson, Michael, worried she might slip on the tile floors, so she had ordered them. The delivery app showed they arrived at 2:13 p.m., but by 2:25 p.m., they were gone.
