Chapter 1

Owlbeach Lodge Care Home, 02:15am Friday.

Despite the security light that lit up the communal grounds of Owlbeach Lodge, the Operative made his way unseen round the periphery of the garden to the rear of the building.

Once in the shadows, the security light offered him more protection than it did the residents. Owlbeach was more institution than home, typical of its age with Georgian-wired windows in metal Crittal frames. Thin vertical metal bars had been cemented into the brick work for security. Whether they were to keep intruders out or residents in was hard to tell.

The entry system to the rear of the property was the same as the front, a digital electronic lock, which even if the code was known would alert the sleep-in Warden of his presence with a long series of beeps. Not being designed for a high level of security meant he was able to use a small jemmy bar to prise the lock keep back from the latch. The frame gave just enough for the lock to unlatch itself and there was little if any damage to the cheap aluminium door and frame. Once inside, he gently let the door close ensuring it didn't slam.

There was the typical clinical smell to the building: a mixture of bleach, bottled oxygen and the ironic smell of deodorizers along with laundry and a faint scent of stale urine. Instinctively he checked for CCTV cameras, but couldn't locate one in this corridor. Not that it bothered him. It would be very unlikely that he would be recognised if caught on camera. The only danger was if the CCTV was being monitored live, but that was also unlikely.

Silently, he made his way through the building. He didn't need a torch; the emergency exit lights provided more than enough to navigate the tables, chairs and several old armchairs.

His target's room was easy to find and as he passed the other rooms he was surprised to see that each door had individual night latches. He hadn't expected the rooms to be locked as well. It wasn't a problem, he had come prepared.

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