My name is Claire Bennett, and I live on Cedarbrook Lane in Bellmere.
Vanessa moved into the house next door almost seven years ago.
For most of that time, we got along perfectly well.
Not best friends.
Not enemies.
The comfortable kind of neighbors who knew each other’s garage codes for emergencies but would never dream of walking into each other’s houses uninvited.
When my family traveled, Vanessa collected our mail.
When she visited her sister, I watered her porch plants.
Our children were close when they were younger.
We exchanged Christmas cookies.
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