Chapter 1

I first saw Angela while walking my one year old Belgian Malinois Rambo on the common by the pond. I’m Steve, retired for several years and been living alone since my wife passed away some eight years ago. That was until I came across Rambo, an abandoned puppy of six weeks in a dog shelter nearby. We live in a nice three bedroomed country cottage in a typical English village near Norbury Park, Surrey, well known as an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Anyway, on this particular morning, it was the middle of January so quite frosty, Rambo was running around on our daily walk around the pond and common. That’s when we saw Angela walking towards us, a fairly tall, slim and attractive teenager, and Rambo being the boisterous young male he is, bounded up to her, wagging his tail and being a bit too friendly. She was a little taken aback when he approached but soon realised he wasn’t a danger, so made a fuss of him by stroking and patting him on the head.

As I approached, she smiled and asked his name? I told her it was Rambo. I then asked her if she lived in the village and she said, she’d recently moved there with her parents and was off to work in the village shop.

“So that’s why I’ve never seen you before, I’ve lived in the village forever.”

“Yes ... I only started last weekend and it’s only Saturday mornings as I have to go to school during the week.”

“Well, I’m Steve and nice to meet you, what’s your name... ?”

“Angela.”

“Well Angela, have a nice day and we’ll probably see you in the shop as it’s the only one in the village.”

She waved and walked on as Rambo bounded after her with me calling him back. Later that day I had to go buy some bread and milk and saw Angela in the shop. She smiled and said hello and asked where Rambo was, so I told her he was at home in the house as I only lived on the other side of the common.

“So you must live near us then, we’ve just moved into the converted barn... !”

“Ah yes I know the house, very nice and it has an estate agents sold sign outside. My cottage is directly opposite the common a few minutes walk from your house so we’re almost going to be neighbours.”

I paid for my goods then walked back to the cottage.

I didn’t see her for a couple of days but on the Tuesday she was waiting at the bus stop as me and Rambo went for our daily walk and as soon as he saw her, bounded up and she made a fuss of him again.

“Sorry about that, he’s a bit too active with strangers, maybe I need to keep him on a leash.”

“No its OK ... I like dogs, my uncle has an Alsatian but mum says we can’t have one as they need a lot of attention and she’s too busy to take it for walks and stuff.”

“Well you’re welcome to take Rambo out for a walk in the afternoons. I don’t mind the mornings as I enjoy walking around the pond and looking at all the wildlife. And I suppose you’re working at the shop to earn some extra money so I can pay you a few pounds a day if it would help.”

“Really... ! Oh that’s great, I only make twenty five pounds a week at the shop.”

“Well, why don’t you pop in this afternoon after school and you can get to know him better.”

“Can I... ! I’ll have to ask mum mum first but she won’t mind ... Which is your house then... ?”

“We live in that cottage with the crooked chimney over there,” I pointed.

“OK ... thanks,” she said as we walked on.