Nosy Neighbors!

Devin had just finished cleaning up the few lunch dishes between Sarah and herself when there was a knock at the front door. She walked over and peered through the peephole to see an elderly woman with curly gray hair standing on the porch.

"Hello?" Devin said, opening the door a crack.

"Hi there," the woman said, smiling warmly. "I'm Mrs. Jenkins, from next door. I was just wondering who the new person living here is?"

Devin hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much she should reveal. "I'm Devin, the new caretaker and maid for the family who lives here," she said finally.

"Oh, I see," Mrs. Jenkins said, nodding her head. "That's nice. The family who lives here has been through a lot lately. I'm glad they have someone like you to help out."

Devin nodded, not sure what else to say. Mrs. Jenkins seemed friendly enough, but she also seemed like the type of person who liked to gossip.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," Mrs. Jenkins said, noticing Devin's hesitation. "I just like to know who my neighbors are. And I like to make sure everyone is safe."

Devin relaxed a bit at that. "No, it's fine," she said with a smile. "I appreciate your concern. And it's nice to meet you, Mrs. Jenkins."

Mrs. Jenkins smiled back. "Likewise, dear. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to knock on my door. I'm always happy to help out."

Devin thanked her and watched as Mrs. Jenkins walked back across the lawn to her own house. She couldn't help but wonder what the neighbors further thought of the family she was working for. She wondered what Mrs. Jenkins meant by wanting to keep everyone safe.

Devin closed the door and went back to tidying the kitchen, making a mental note to keep an eye out for Mrs. Jenkins prying eyes.

Devin finished tidying up the kitchen and headed to the living room to do some light dusting. As she was dusting the shelves, she heard a car pull up outside. Looking out the window, she saw a black SUV parked in the driveway. A tall, broad-shouldered man got out of the car and walked up to the front door. He was wearing a black suit and had a stern look on his face.

Devin quickly straightened her uniform and opened the door. "Hello, can I help you?" she asked politely, though her mind was racing, wondering if she or Sarah was in danger.

The man looked her up and down, taking in her uniform and name tag. "Yes, I'm looking for the family who lives here. Are they in?"

Devin hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure if she should reveal anything about the family's whereabouts to a stranger. "I'm sorry, I can't disclose that information," she said finally.

The man raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

Devin kept her voice calm and polite. "I'm just following protocol. If you have a message or need to speak with them, I can pass it along."

The man stared at her for a moment longer before pulling out a business card from his pocket. "Fine. Please give them my card and tell them I'd like to set up a meeting with them as soon as possible."

Devin took the card and nodded. "I'll make sure they get it," she said, closing the door.

As she walked back to the kitchen, she couldn't help but wonder who the man was and what he wanted. She decided to mention it to Melanie or Mike when they returned, just in case it was something important.

Devin also worried about the fact that the man didn't disclose his name to her, or ask for Mike or Melanie by name.

Devin admonished herself, blaming it on being tired from working to keep the house tidy and investigating when she could

But for now, she had work to do. Devin returned to her cleaning, her thoughts on the mysterious visitor and the family she was working for.