Watching the Dead

by Wendy Cartmell

  Jo, drained yet jubilant, raised her glass and said, ‘Ready to fight another day!’

  The others echoed her and drank. As the warmth of the liquid seeped through her, she embraced it and relaxed.

  Byrd moved to her. ‘Jo, I’m sorry for… for not believing in you, for not accepting you for who you are, for…’

  ‘Shhh,’ she said. ‘It’s alright.’

  But he shook his head, ‘No, it’s not alright. But I’m here now, after all I can hardly deny what I’ve just seen with my own eyes, yet again! Especially as this time I played my part, not just watched from the shadows.’

  She smiled, ‘Thank you, you don’t know how much that means to me.’ Tears threatened, but she hid them with another sip of brandy.

  ‘Osian,’ she said. ‘Are you OK?’

  He nodded. ‘A bit shaken, but OK thanks. I always believed there were evil beings, but seeing one? Well, that was a hell of an experience and one I don’t want to go through again. At least until I’ve recovered from this one!’

  They all smiled at his attempt at levity.

  ‘And what about you, Jill?’ Jo was a little concerned about her young DC, as she was the least experienced of their group.

  ‘I’m just glad we could beat that, that, whatever he was.’ Jill shuddered and took another drink.

  Jo said, ‘I think we emerged victorious tonight because of our combined faith in whatever it is that we believe to be true. And a big part of that is our belief in each other. Because we all believe in something other than evil, we were able to wage war against the fallen angel and win. Faith is the key. Belief is the key. Willingness to believe in something other. Something you have now seen with your own eyes even if you don’t understand it.’ Jo raised her glass a final time. ‘To us,’ she said and emptied her glass.

  Placing it on Osian’s desk she said, ‘And now Byrd and I need to wrap up the case and go and make sure that Abbey and Damien are alright.’

  Chapter 52

  Jo was completing her paperwork in her office when Sykes walked in.

  ‘Jo, a minute?’ he said, closing her door behind him.

  In the small space she felt intimidated. She was sat and he was standing, a role reversal that she didn’t like. But it would look strange if she suddenly stood.

  ‘Well done for finding the child. I take it all is well there?’

  ‘Yes, Sir,’ she said. ‘He’s been checked over and found to be unharmed. Both mother and child are back home.’

  ‘And what about their future?’

  ‘Abbey gave us an old address she had for Edith. We checked it out and it’s a small 2-bedroom house that has been empty for years. Sasha has been onto the Housing Department and it transpires that as they were unable to trace the owner, they’d got a Possession Order and were refurbishing the property. Happily Abbey was top of the Housing List, so she’s been allocated it and will be moving in soon. No more living in one room with Damien in a shared house. It should be ready in a week or so as the Council have nearly finished the work.’

  Sykes nodded his approval. ‘And Edith?’

  ‘Disappeared, Sir. There is a warrant out for her arrest, obviously.’

  ‘So what exactly made you look at houseboats for the child?’

  Jo was ready with the lie. ‘Abbey told us how much Edith liked the canal and would often walk Damien along the tow path. It was a lead, when we had none, so we thought we’d follow that up.’

  ‘Mmm,’ Sykes looked sceptical. ‘So, if I’m right, you’ve saved the day, but not caught the perpetrator - again! Am I right?’

  ‘Well, if you put it like that…’

  ‘I do, Jo, believe me I do. I’ll be keeping a close eye on you and your team. One more move like this and you could find yourselves back on the beat.’

  Sykes turned and stalked out of the room. It was then that Jo was glad she’d remained seated, her legs would have given way otherwise. His words were a shock. But, of course, on the surface, she supposed he was right. But his voice and words very much felt as though he didn’t like her. Hated her, almost. She was concerned that if she didn’t give him a guilty perpetrator on the next case, then he would ensure her small team would be disbanded. And he’d cover his own back by throwing her to the wolves.

  Chapter 53

  Abbey was nothing short of ecstatic. She wandered around the small two bedroomed house she’d been given for her and Damien, and it came with a garden! She couldn’t thank Jo and Byrd enough. They said that it was all the Housing Department and not them, but she wasn’t having any of it.

  She had a living room at the front of the house, running into a dining room at the back, with a small kitchen next to it. Upstairs there were two bedrooms. A large one for her and a smaller one for Damien. She was going to set up her office/work room in the dining space, so she had a view over the garden and would be able to watch Damien playing as she designed her clothes. She was thinking about bringing out a new line of children’s clothing, she was so inspired by her son.

  The doorbell broke through her thoughts. She had advertised for a new seamstress, now Edith was gone, and she’d had a reply already. A young woman who had taken the same sort of course that Abbey had and if they got on, they could have a real future together.

  Abbey ran to the door and flung it open. A young girl stood there with the most striking silver hair. It fell to her shoulders in a long bob and framed her face, swinging, as she moved her head.

  ‘Hi, I’m Abbey, please come in.’

  The girl gave a smile and walked into the house. Abbey shut the door and following her, found her visitor in the dining room looking out over the garden. She turned, ‘What a lovely home you have.’

  Abbey returned the smile and thanked her.

  ‘I’m so looking forward to getting to know you better,’ the girl said. ‘And your designs look amazing. I can’t believe it, this is such a wonderful opportunity. You’re so talented.’

  Abbey grinned. Yes, this girl was someone she could work with. She instantly felt it. She felt she was familiar somehow. That they had an affinity. There was no denying or fighting it.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ said Abbey. ‘My mind’s gone a complete blank and I’ve forgotten your name!’

  The girl grinned. ‘It Ed…’ she cleared her throat. ‘Sorry I meant to say Eve. My name is Eve.’

  Chapter 54

  Jo felt instantly at home. She was standing in the middle of the stable block at Homecroft Farm. She walked down past the stalls, petting each horse as she passed. They nibbled at her fingers, blew into her hands and brayed their welcome. A peace stole over her as she reached the last stall and the horse that would be her mount that day. Silver was a beautiful grey mare. She looked at Jo with placid eyes then pranced in excitement as Jo entered the stable and slipping on a headcollar led her outside. Once Silver was saddled and Jo kitted out, she climbed onto the horse’s back

  She’d not told her father, nor Byrd, about her visit as both of them would have tried to stop her. But she felt safe enough. She liked the woman who ran the stables and they were just going out for a quiet walk along the beach. She’d been longing to go for a ride for months and surely a quiet hack would be okay? She didn’t need to go galloping over the downs.

  With Bev leading the way they walked the short path to the beach where they led the horses to the shallows. After checking Jo was still alright, Bev broke into a trot along the beach, with Jo following her. When they reached the end, by the cliffs, they stopped, facing outward to the sea.

  Jo had loosened the reigns, when suddenly Silver reared up in panic. Gripping with her knees and leaning over Silver’s neck Jo managed to stay on. As Silver returned to standing on four legs, she took a better hold of the reins and looked out to sea.

  The tumbling waves were foaming, and Jo wondered what had spooked the horse. Then she saw it.

  An apparition was in front of her. Coming at her over the sea was a horse, rearing up on the foam. Its mane seemed pa
rt of the waves, its mouth was open, lips curled back to reveal rows of discoloured teeth, with wild staring eyes that seemed to look straight into her soul. Hooves clawed the air as it rode the waves like a surfer. The swell grew and tumbled, then crashed onto the beach and the horse was swallowed up by the mist.

  Jo had heard of the legends surrounding horses. She’d read up on them when she was a girl and fascinated by all things horse. It could only be a Kelpie, a malevolent shape-changing aquatic spirit of Scottish legend.

  If that were true, what the hell was one doing in Chichester?

  Waking the Dead

  Young men are disappearing from Chichester. Lured from their homes. Their bodies never found. But the last sightings were all near water. The families are furious with the lack of progress. They’re out for blood. Jo’s.

  Available from your local Amazon store.

  By Wendy Cartmell

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  Wendy Cartmell