The Family Lie

by P L Kane

  The turning point had been at Watts’ that night, when he told her she’d been sleepwalking, screaming. That’s when her mother had finally got through, was able to clear her mind, that fog – though God, had it hurt! She could tell Ashley was still having trouble with bits of this, as would anyone else – which was why she’d only talked to him about it – but that was okay. He wasn’t a true believer … yet. But he’d believed in her, enough to take her to Green Acres—

  Bella Prescott, racing off to save the world!

  —and for that she could never thank him enough. He had done what she didn’t think anyone else in the entire world would have, flying in the face of logic and just going with it, regardless of the fact he might be putting himself in harm’s way. Might even die. He’d been expecting a bollocking from O’Brien, but it hadn’t been as bad as he’d feared. The official line, of course, had been that they’d stumbled upon what was happening accidentally – when Watts took Bella back home, as part of her convalescence, but also to see her brother on his birthday. They’d stumbled on the plot: an entire village that had turned out to be insane, all members of a cult that wanted to bring about the end of the world and for some reason believed sacrificing Mitchel Prescott would initiate it.

  How come the Prescott siblings hadn’t known about it beforehand, growing up there? Conditioning and hypnotic suggestion, wiping their memories – more and more of which were surfacing all the time. Bella had probably blocked a lot of those out herself, it had to be said. The ones involving her ‘dad’. The man she’d thought was her father, who had been the first person she’d seen in her caravan that night, she later realized. The creaking outside her bedroom door the same as the ones she used to listen out for on the landing when she was a girl. She would almost certainly need some therapy at some point to deal with that, but for now she’d deal with it herself like she did everything else. Maybe she’d talk to Ashley about it too, because they were becoming quite close, weren’t they? It was nice. It felt nice. And for once in her life, Bella was starting to hope.

  They’d defeated the cult with the help of a … cult. Another cult, except it had never really been one regardless of what people thought. What Mitch had thought. Daniel, Leah, and the others really were just trying to make a new life for themselves in Green Acres away from everything. Had been allowed to settle there because one of the members had old family ties to the area, a family that had died out of natural causes. Allowed to settle, but with a few members of the real Green Acres cult infiltrating it to keep an eye out, joining them and wearing those cream clothes; one a red-headed guy, and another a woman with burns, both of whom Mitch had pointed out as ‘double agents’. They hadn’t wanted to miss the great ceremony at the end, though.

  Ironically, they had similar goals to the villagers at the Commune, apart from the rituals and killings and the worship of the Great Flame, of course. And Daniel’s use of the word ‘brother’ that had puzzled Mitch? Just something he’d always said, apparently. A term of endearment and a consequence of his religious upbringing. Not used in the same context as the brothers – and sisters – from the real cult.

  ‘But I still don’t get how you could talk them into helping,’ Ashley had admitted, and she’d said she would explain that to him when it was all over, hadn’t she?

  ‘Because of Oscar,’ Bella told him, as if it explained it all.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Their kid. I heard him, he spoke to me.’

  ‘You mean he—’

  Bella had hung her head. ‘They lost him, yeah. He was being bullied at school, they didn’t know about it – too wrapped up in their own lives to spot the signs – and in the end he hanged himself.’

  ‘Christ almighty,’ Ashley had exclaimed.

  ‘I know.’ There were tears in Bella’s eyes as she told him the story, thinking back to Oscar first coming through to her, once that fog had begun to lift: the barrier gone that allowed her to talk to the dead. ‘That’s why they upped sticks and left it all behind in the first place, wanted to strip everything away and get back to basics. They weren’t the only ones who felt the same. Wasn’t any coercing, no cult of personality. Just people trying to make a new life for themselves. A better life.’

  ‘I still don’t understand how you convinced them.’

  Bella smiled. ‘I gave them a message from Oscar. And told them something only the three of them would know. Told them he wanted his parents to help.’

  ‘Right,’ said Ashley, still struggling with the concept. ‘But how come they were all so … I mean, some of those guys could give my constables a run for their money in the fighting stakes!’

  ‘One of their members teaches it. It’s a class offered at the Commune, quite popular by all accounts. Self-defence comes in quite handy when you get hassled like they do, Ashley. They were not exactly welcomed with open arms when they moved there.’

  ‘I can imagine. And they’re talking about moving on again, is that right?’

  ‘Yeah, I think what happened has kinda soured things for them there. But they’ll be okay. I know they will.’

  ‘So, all’s well that ends well, eh?’ He’d beamed at her then, and why wouldn’t he be happy? This on top of the high-profile case last year, there was even talk of a promotion for him over it. Praise from high up, uncovering corruption the likes of which hadn’t been seen since Redmarket all those years ago. Corruption that even stretched to Mitch’s boss, Staton. Turned out he was originally from Green Acres, as well; that he even arranged for some of the more violent protesters to turn up at the riot in Downstone, initiating everything there, giving it a nudge, all to mess with her little brother. To ‘convince’ him the world needed to change. But Staton’s once powerful friends (who conducted ceremonies behind closed doors), and the ‘higher authority’ that they all worshipped, couldn’t help him this time.

  Bella couldn’t be happier for Ashley, though, because it really couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. A nice person who she was starting to think of as more than just a friend. Ever since she’d thought he was dead, when she’d thought that woman Denise had killed him, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about how much she’d miss Ashley if he wasn’t around. How much she’d relied on him lately, and how he’d been there for her.

  ‘Let someone look after you for a change.’ Vicky’s words not that long ago.

  She’d even thought about telling him a few times how she felt, taking that chance she’d never had the courage to before. Asking him if maybe they could have dinner sometime, which she knew was ridiculous because they had dinner together every night! Dinner out somewhere special, though, somewhere nice. Nice, like Ashley Watts was.

  So, she’d got up that morning full of the joys of, if not spring, then late summer, almost autumn. Opened the bedroom door, ready to make him a strong cup of black coffee, just the way he liked it. Calling out: ‘Ashley? Ashley, where are you?’ Then she saw him walk across the living room, not in the kitchen like he usually was making breakfast (another bonus in a guy, one who cooked). ‘Morning, I was just—’ Bella saw that he was on the phone, mouthed an apology and put a finger to her lips.

  He finished talking to whoever it was a few moments later anyway, saying goodbye. ‘Hey, Bella, how’re you? How’d you sleep?’

  ‘Like a log, thanks!’ She thought about asking who was on the phone, but it wasn’t really her business. He told her anyway seconds later, like he was trying to apologize for something.

  ‘Oh, that was just Robyn.’ Bella’s heart sank immediately, at the very mention of that name.

  ‘E-Everything okay?’

  ‘Yeah, everything’s great in fact. Actually, not altogether great. You know those two campers that were murdered? The ones that discovered your … well, the ones that were there when your dad died?’ Theirs were amongst the remains that had been found, buried in the graveyard behind the church: bones, burned and charred. People the villagers had killed to keep them quiet, along with Neil Sheldon�
�s partner.

  Bella nodded.

  ‘Turns out they were students of hers. A couple, just finished their course. Had their whole lives ahead of them.’

  ‘Oh no. That’s so sad,’ said Bella and meant it, even though she hadn’t known them.

  ‘Yeah, she’s a bit cut up about it. I mean, obviously she’s heard all about what happened.’

  ‘Obviously,’ said Bella. Heard all about his adventures, heard about who he was with as well. Why it happened. That had probably gone down like a lead balloon.

  ‘But, well, there is some good news. She wants to see me.’

  ‘Oh.’ Bella’s heart was in her feet now and getting lower by the second. ‘That’s—’

  ‘Turns out there might even be a position for me on their investigative team.’

  ‘In Hannerton?’ That was miles away! She’d barely ever see him if he took that.

  ‘Yeah. Can you imagine, hunting serial killers and the like!’ He was grinning all over his face. It would have filled most people with dread, but it was Ashley’s dream job.

  ‘I … congratulations,’ Bella said, mustering as much enthusiasm as she could – which was the same as a condemned prisoner on their way to the gallows.

  ‘Thanks!’ Ashley said, barely noticing. ‘I haven’t got it yet. But, hey, I can dream, right?’

  Which broke her own dream, reminded her what it had been about. Her and Ashley somewhere in a meadow, having a picnic, laughing and joking. Kissing. ‘Y-You’ll be able to see a lot more of Robyn, I guess.’

  ‘I know, right? That’s the plan.’ He noticed she was frowning then, came over to her, putting down the phone. ‘Oh Bella. I know she’s not exactly your favourite person in the world.’ It was mutual, thought Bella. ‘But look on the bright side, while I’m away you’ll have this place to yourself! You can still stay till the caravan’s fixed up, of course. And without me getting in your hair.’

  Bella nodded (but I like you being in my hair) and he made things worse then by giving her a hug. She’d hugged him back, so hard, trying not to cry. Had bitten it back through breakfast, when he was bouncing around all over the place – didn’t even notice she’d barely touched her eggs this time. Just called out a goodbye – soon it would be a permanent one – as he went off to work and wished her a lovely day.

  Once the door had slammed, she let it all out. Sank down on the couch and cried her eyes out. Cried and cried and cried. Heart having travelled through the floorboards and on its way to the Earth’s core.

  It was probably why she hadn’t noticed it at first, the voice that came to her. The voice coming through, one she knew by now. Another person wanting to say goodbye, it seemed.

  ‘Mum?’ said Bella, her own voice weak. She’d wiped the tears away with the backs of her hands.

  Then her mother spoke to her one final time, had something important to tell her before she went.

  And Bella began to cry once more.

  Chapter 38

  There had been tears, naturally.

  But tears of joy in the end, that he was all right after his ordeal. That he was back with her, the taxi having dropped him off (his bike in the shop, being fixed up). Mitch worried that things would be a little weird, and felt uneasy on his return. But Lucy had just wrapped her arms around him as he came back through the door, hugging him so, so tightly. Kissing every inch of his face.

  ‘Oh Mitch, I’m so glad to …’ More tears, but of guilt this time, about the way they’d left things. Lucy knew by now all about everything (mostly), how he’d been cut off and his calls ‘monitored’ at the pub. How they’d made it hard for him to talk to anyone, because of what they had planned. How they’d drugged him, used hypnosis, the works. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she told him then.

  ‘You don’t have anything to be sorry about,’ he said.

  ‘But I should have been … And I was such a bitch, before you left. The last time we spoke!’

  ‘Forget about it,’ Mitch told her. ‘All that’s important is I’m back, I’m safe. And I have you.’ He’d had time to think, time to realize what was truly important in his life.

  ‘You’ve got me, all right,’ she’d said and kissed him again. Then she looked down at the box he’d left on the floor, not the bags he’d taken with him – they’d gone in the fire that had claimed his dad’s place, claimed the rest of Green Acres too – but a pet box. A cat box. ‘What’s that?’ she’d asked, hearing the mewling that was coming from inside.

  ‘I-I seem to have adopted a cat.’

  ‘A … Mitch, you know they don’t allow animals here.’

  ‘I do, but it’ll only be for a while.’ He was telling her that, all the time knowing that he was going to talk to the landlord; was planning on keeping Cat, even if it meant moving. It wasn’t as if she had been much trouble (the vet had told him the sex, as he’d checked her over and given her some shots), they’d hardly seen much of her since Mitch got back. Apart from when she wanted letting out; he’d sort out a cat flap in due course. Or at mealtimes, obviously. Food from cans, as she’d grown used to that routine. The very fact she hadn’t eaten anything fresh in Green Acres, not even those leftovers from the pub, should have told Mitch something. (Had those been laced with something more deadly, he had to wonder now, in an effort to get rid of the animal? ‘How is your cat?’) The fact she’d brought him that mouse …

  Lucy had taken some time off work to spend with Mitch. And they’d barely made it out of bed, it was just like when they first met. Hadn’t been this happy in ages. They’d talked, a lot. Him about his ordeal, her about how much she’d missed him and how she was going to pamper him for a good while yet. She’d looked a bit wary when he said he was going to see more of his sister, that they’d reconnected and had promised to keep in touch – but Lucy would get used to it. She just didn’t know Bella very well, was all. Had apparently had quite a terse exchange with her while he’d been away, which hadn’t helped.

  ‘She was going through some stuff, as well,’ Mitch told Lucy. ‘But she’s okay now.’ At least he thought she was, had Ashley Watts helping her through it. Mitch really liked him, they’d got on like a … Don’t even go there. Got on well, then. Ash had even straightened things out at work for Mitch, sorted out that bastard Staton and co. Ash had friends in high places apparently – or friends of friends was how he put it. If Mitch’s old job didn’t work out, there was always a place for him at Golden Sands nick, he’d said, though he hadn’t passed that on to Lucy yet either. Mitch was actually secretly hoping his sister ended up with Ash, he was a good guy and she deserved a bit of that. He could tell she really liked him. A sibling thing, or maybe something else?

  There was also good news in the form of Zach calling up to let him know Tammy was out of the coma. Best news he’d had in a long while! He’d promised to swing round the hospital with Vihaan when he got a sec. When Lucy had finished with her pampering.

  That, last night, had involved cooking him the most delicious meal, accompanied by champagne no less. ‘A late birthday treat,’ she’d called it, finally getting to spend that special time together she’d wanted. He’d drunk a bit more champers than he should have done, had got used to drinking more while he’d been away (would cut down now he was back, once things had returned to normal, he’d promised). But hadn’t drunk so much he’d been unable to negotiate the stairs. Not too much he didn’t enjoy the night that followed, Lucy appearing at the bedroom door in that short pink and black nightie he liked so much.

  ‘Wow!’ was about all he could manage to say, then she’d climbed in with him and they’d spent one of the most wonderful nights he could remember. Passionate, but tender. Urgent, but loving.

  He’d woken early, with a bit of a headache and Denise on his mind; perhaps the two were connected, but the former was probably the booze he’d put away. There was definitely guilt about what had happened with that woman, what had almost happened – he wouldn’t have let it – fuelled by whatever they’d slipped him at The Pl
ough. Mitch knew he had to tell Lucy sometime, he was just waiting for the right moment and last night definitely hadn’t been it.

  Neither had that morning, as it transpired, because she’d brought him coffee and waffles in bed. ‘You’ve really got to stop spoiling me like this,’ he’d protested. ‘It’s not my birthday now!’

  ‘Close enough,’ she’d said with a grin. And when he’d finished, they’d ended up making love again, before she’d gone off to the bathroom.

  It was only after eating that he’d begun to feel more of the effects of that alcohol from the previous evening, headache getting a bit worse, his stomach rolling. His new mobile ringing had taken his mind off things momentarily, and he checked the number. Watts … Or more likely Bella ringing from Watts’ place where she was currently staying – and once again he hoped those two made it the distance. He had a funny feeling they might.

  Mitch pressed the green button to answer. ‘Hey sis, what’s occurring?’ If anyone had told him a month or more ago that he’d be on such good terms with Bella, he’d have laughed them out of the place.

  ‘Mitch! Oh, thank God!’

  He sat up. Something was wrong. ‘Bella? What is it?’ No longer light, not a joke, no longer funny.

  ‘Mitch, you have to listen to me. I need you to—’

  He was aware of Lucy coming back into the room, still wearing that nightie. God, she was gorgeous! ‘Who is it?’ she asked.

  Mitch put his hand over the speaker. ‘It’s Bella, love. I think something’s—’

  Then it happened: he was suddenly wet. Soaking. Mitch frowned, sucked in a breath of shock. What the fuck? What the actual fuck? For a second he couldn’t work out why, or what was happening – then he looked up to see Lucy holding some kind of container she’d had behind her back. He’d never been one for practical jokes, and neither had she. So why would she chuck water on him from the bathroom, and why in the middle of—