The Neighbour's Rubbish

Mrs. Lane saw the rubbish bag at her neighbour's door. It was Tuesday. Mr. Hart never puts his rubbish out on Tuesday. He always waits for Thursday morning. She looked at the bag again. Something was not right.

She walked closer and saw a small note on the bag. It said, "For Sarah." But Mr. Hart lives alone. Who is Sarah? Mrs. Lane called the police. Two officers came and knocked on the door. No answer. They opened the bag. Inside, they found old clothes and a broken clock. No crime, they said. Just rubbish.

But Mrs. Lane could not sleep. Why the note? Why Tuesday? On Friday, she saw Mr. Hart in the garden. He looked tired. "I was in hospital," he said. "My sister Sarah helped me. She put the bag out by mistake." Mrs. Lane felt silly. But then she saw his hands. They were clean. Too clean for a man who just came home from hospital.

The next day, a moving truck came. Mr. Hart was leaving. Mrs. Lane watched and thought: the bag was not rubbish. It was a sign. Sarah was not his sister. She was someone who helped him hide. And now he was gone.