Calmly she pulled off the drive and turned right, heading towards Loch Eck.
Isla stood at the sitting room window, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, gazing out at the jetty and their little white boat. Some of the happiest times in her life had been on that boat sailing with Mike up and down the loch. Often they’d just keep it moored to the jetty and sit and talk on deck. If the weather wasn’t so nice they’d retreat below for shelter, snuggled up together drinking coffee or whisky. Sometimes it would turn into more and they’d end up making love on the small couch, which was an adventure in itself with someone Mike’s size in such a confined space and the memories made her smile.
Now everything was overshadowed by the Colonel’s spectral presence. She hadn’t thought twice when he’d pulled up at their jetty in his boat. She’d known him her entire life, had trusted him implicitly. The shock when he’d struck her on the head was just as fresh now as it had been at the time. She thought that was perhaps one of the worst aspects of the whole hideous situation - how could she trust anyone now, even her own brother and fiancé?
No, she refused to lump Mike and Ross in with that psychopath. If it hadn’t been for Mike she’d be dead by now. Truth be told, he was the only person in the world who made her feel safe anymore. She turned to look at him. He was fast asleep on the couch, one arm tenderly cradling his injured ribs. Despite his size he looked so gentle when he slept. That man had never hurt her once, physically or emotionally and she knew he never would but the voice at the back of her head kept repeating - but one day he could.
Ross was upstairs in the spare room, talking to a work colleague about another exciting find in the Namibian desert. Her gentle, kind big brother who had always supported her. What if one day she did something to annoy him and he turned on her? It happened every day to people all around the world. It was a distinct possibility.
She was facing a stark choice - cut herself off from everyone and everything she loved and go and live like a hermit, quivering in fear in case someone else attacked her or she could give thanks that she was still alive, embrace life and go out and live it.
Her natural instinct was to take the first path, to hide away forever and reject this world that had hurt her so badly. But DI Stewart’s words had stoked a fire inside her and she was so grateful because it was stopping her from running away. When she was a child her gran had told her that she had a fire inside her, that was why God had given her red hair, Ross too. Her gran had red hair as well, it had stayed vibrant until she was well into her sixties, when it began to speckle with grey. Rhona’s inner fire had helped her survive an abusive marriage. Maybe she’d even ended that marriage on her own terms when it had started to get too much? Her gran hadn’t run from her home, she’d stood her ground and survived. Her blood ran through her veins and Isla refused to run too. She would marry Mike and continue playing the violin and live in this beautiful cottage, her family home and to hell with the Colonel and her granddad. However she would speak to Mike about getting rid of the boat. They would get a new one, a better one.
This decision made her feel a little better, she could feel her fight returning.
She was jolted from her thoughts by a figure passing the window. Her instinct was to recoil, until she realised it was just Hannah. After their experiences together she felt closer to her old friend than ever. They’d drifted apart when she’d moved to Edinburgh but they’d soon picked up where they’d left off when she’d returned to Loch Eck. After being trapped with her in the mad Colonel’s prison she felt more like a sister now.
Isla hurried to answer the door before Hannah could knock, she didn’t want Mike disturbed.
She opened the door and was surprised to realise it wasn’t Hannah but Amelia.
“Oh, hi Amelia,” she said with a smile she was still too raw to feel. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you,” she replied, eyes wide with innocence. “I know you must be going through a lot right now but I really need to talk to you.”
“I’m your godmother sweetheart. You can always talk to me.”
“Thanks,” she smiled, stepping inside.
“Come through to the kitchen,” said Isla, closing the door behind her. “Mike’s asleep on the couch, I don’t want to wake him.”
“Okay,” said Amelia, following her through to the kitchen. Her hand went to the knife in her pocket when Isla turned her back to her but she restrained herself. It wasn’t the right time just yet. Besides, there was something she wanted to ask her godmother first. She made sure to close the kitchen door behind her. Hopefully this could be done quietly. She had no wish to tackle Mike Miller, not after what he’d done to the Colonel.
“Would you like a drink or something to eat?” Isla asked her.
“A glass of water would be great thanks.”
“Coming right up.” Isla realised she sounded falsely cheerful but she couldn’t help it, it was her way of keeping going.
She placed Amelia’s glass of water on the table before her and sat opposite her. “What can I do for you hon?”
“It’s about my mum,” she began slowly.
“What about her?”
“Did you know about her affair with Alex?”
Isla’s cheerful smile fell. “How did you find out?”
“It’s not important. Did you?”
“No sweetheart, I didn’t, not until Mike told me about it at the hospital after he’d rescued me and that’s the God’s honest truth.”
“Mike knew? How?”
“He was there when Alex confessed to your dad.”
“Why did he do that?”
“Mike and Will went to Alex’s house to question him. They thought he might be responsible for your mum’s disappearance, as well as mine.”
“Why would they think that?”
“I don’t really want to get into that now,” she said, shifting uncomfortably. “It’s too painful but it’s nothing personal to do with your family.”
“So you really didn’t know?”
“I really didn’t know. Your mum didn’t tell anyone.”
Amelia studied her carefully before nodding. “I believe you.”
“How are your mum and dad?”
“Oh, okay,” she said, trying not to think about the state she’d left her mother in. “Dad will be coming home in a few days.”
“That’s great news.”
Amelia bit her lip so hard she tasted blood in her mouth. She wanted to keep her tears in. She would not let the Colonel down. Good soldiers never failed. “Dad’s forgiven her. Mum said they can go back to how they were but I don’t think that’s possible.”
“I agree things may be a little different but sometimes traumas like this can make couples stronger. What your mum went through because of the Colonel makes you realise what’s important in life. I know it has me. It made her realise that your dad and you and your sister are her priorities.”
“Why didn’t she realise that before she started sleeping with Alex bloody Shaw? Why did she have to spoil everything?”
Isla wasn’t up to this, she was too busy dealing with her own shit. Counselling an upset teenage girl felt to be beyond her at the moment but she ploughed on, feeling she owed it to Hannah. “You have to remember, your parents were married at a young age. They’ve been together a long time. Things can get stale in a marriage but obviously they’re strong because they’ve got through it and come out the other side.”
“Has she ever had an affair before?”
“What? No.”
“How do you know? You didn’t know she was shagging Alex.”
Isla pinched the bridge of her nose. She cared very deeply for Amelia McNair but she was really starting to struggle with this. “You need to talk to them, they can give you the answers you want.”
“I tried to talk to Mum but she just fobbed me off.”
“Talk to your dad then. I’m sorry sweetheart but I’m not feeling very well. I don’t think I’m
the right person to discuss this with.”
“You said I could talk to you any time.”
“And you can but I’ve been through a lot and I’m so fragile right now.”
“You’re a liar, just like Mum.”
“Please don’t talk to me like that Amelia.” She hesitated as a thought occurred to her. “How did you get here on your own?”
“My friend’s dad dropped me off.”
“Oh. How are you going to get home?”
“He’s waiting for me at the top of the drive.”
Isla frowned. The girl was lying. She looked shifty and she couldn’t stop moving in her seat.
Amelia heard the creak of a floorboard upstairs. There was a third person in the house. Now wasn’t the right time. “I’d better go,” she said, getting to her feet when she saw suspicion flash through her godmother’s eyes. “He’ll be getting impatient.”
Inwardly Isla breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. Well, I’ll see you around,” she said, escorting her to the door.
“Thank you for talking to me.”
“You’re very welcome.”
Amelia left and Isla closed the front door behind her and locked it.
“Thank God for that,” she murmured to herself.
Ross jogged down the stairs. “Who was that?”
“Amelia, Hannah’s daughter. She wanted to talk about her mum’s affair with Alex.”
“That must have been awkward.”
“Just a bit. I wondered if you could do me a favour?”
“Course.”
“Could you move the boat? I can’t stand looking at it.”
“Yeah, no problem sis. Where shall I put it?”
“Take it to the outdoor pursuits centre. I’m sure they won’t mind me mooring it there until I can sell it. Tell them they’re free to use it. You never know, they might even want to buy it.”
“Will do. Where are the keys?”
Isla retrieved them from the kitchen drawer and handed them to him. Ross pulled on his coat and boots and stepped outside. She retreated back into the sitting room to watch him head down the jetty. Isla hated the Colonel for making her afraid of that boat, the scene of so many happy memories but she had to put her sanity first.
Mike was still asleep on the couch. She knelt on the floor beside him, curling her legs beneath her and lightly ran her fingers through his hair. He was in such a deep sleep the movement didn’t disturb him, the poor man was shattered.
A noise from upstairs made her jump. It sounded like a thud. Isla froze, straining to listen, sighing with relief when it came again. Ross must have left the window open in the spare room, he often did that. He was the type who went around leaving lights on and his phone charger plugged in at the wall with nothing on the end, usually because his head was in the clouds, lost in a scholarly daze. Isla wished he’d settle down with a nice practical woman who would keep an eye on him and ensure his thoughtlessness didn’t lead to a raging inferno.
She headed upstairs, so tired she was dragging her feet. A cold draught at the top of the stairs confirmed her theory but it wasn’t coming from the spare room. For some reason that window had been nailed shut. Puzzled, she wandered into the bedroom she shared with Mike to find the window standing wide open. With a puzzled frown she pulled it shut. Perhaps Mike had opened it to let in some fresh air?
Isla pulled the shawl tighter around herself just as she heard the door slowly close behind her with an eerie creak. In the reflection of the wardrobe mirror she saw a spectre with their head bowed, long hair obscuring their face. But it was the large knife in their hand that really froze her blood.
Heart pounding, Isla whipped round to face the apparition.
“Amelia? What the hell are you doing?”
“I’ve got to finish this. Good soldiers never fail,” she said mechanically, advancing on her.
“Now just think about what you’re doing,” said Isla, backing away from her.
“I have,” replied Amelia. “No one finishes anything anymore, everyone’s too lazy.”
“You sound just like the Colonel. Oh my God, you were his accomplice.” Isla’s eyes flicked down to Amelia’s feet, her small, dainty feet. “Why would you do this?” she cried.
“He showed me the truth about my mum. Grown-ups are always lying, hiding their dirty secrets. He respected me enough to tell me the truth.”
“Did he tell you the truth about the bodies in the walls of his house? He didn’t, did he?” she pressed when Amelia didn’t reply. “He’s the biggest liar of them all.”
“At least he had the courage to be what he wanted to be. I used to watch my parents being miserable together. Neither had the courage to talk about it. They put on this happy front for me and my sister, treating us like idiots, pretending everything was okay when we knew it wasn’t. It made me sick.”
“You knew he kidnapped me and your mum?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know where he hid us?”
“No. He said he didn’t want to burden me with that knowledge.”
“Why didn’t you tell the police?” she exclaimed, hoping to talk loud enough to wake Mike but the walls of the cottage were thick and the heavy sitting room door was closed, so there was a good chance he wouldn’t hear. “And how could you plant my clothes like you did? You nearly drove Mike mad. What have we ever done to you?”
“It was just a game at first. The Colonel said it would be a good way to get my own back on all the adults who had treated me like a fool for years.”
“I have never treated you like a fool Amelia.”
“Yes you have, talking down to me, patronising me. Maybe you didn’t realise but you did.”
Anger bubbled up inside Isla. After all she’d been through, now this. “Oh stop whining you little brat.”
Amelia came to a halt and blinked at her. “What?”
“Whinging because you were treated like the child that you actually are and because your mummy and daddy fell out with each other. Get over yourself. People’s parents split up all the time, you’re not the only one. I was kidnapped and walled up alive. That’s fucking traumatising.” Isla was aware she was yelling and it wasn’t just to attract Mike’s attention. By Christ it felt good.
Amelia stared back at her, stunned. Her lower lip wobbled, as though she was going to cry before she shook herself out of it, grip tightening on the knife. “You’re just like the rest of them Aunty Isla. You like to make out you’re different but you’re not. I’m going to do to you what I did to Mum.”
Isla’s blood ran cold. “What have you done to her?”
“She thought she could fob me off with shit excuses for her behaviour. I proved her wrong. The Colonel made me realise who I really am, made me see my own strength, so I’m going to finish what he started.”
“Mike,” screamed Isla as Amelia ran at her, raising the knife.
Mike jumped awake on the couch, Isla’s scream echoing through his head. He sighed with relief when he recalled that she’d been found, she was safe. Looking around he saw she wasn’t in the room. She was probably having a lie down upstairs.
He was about to settle back down to sleep when he realised he’d seen colours when he’d heard that scream.
It had been real.
“Isla,” he called, leaping up off the couch, ignoring the protest of his ribs.
He yanked open the sitting room door and listened. When thuds and bangs came from the direction of their bedroom he took the stairs two at a time and threw open the door. Isla was pinned down on the bed beneath Amelia McNair, who had a knife in her hand. Flecks of blood stained Isla’s pale face, her green eyes wide with fright as she pushed back against the knife that was being slowly brought down on her chest.
Mike lunged forward, grabbed Amelia by the waist and threw her against the wall so hard she dented the plaster. Stunned, she slid to the floor, the knife falling from her hand but his rage wasn’t spent yet. He grasped a handful of her hair and dragged her to
wards the window, so furious he couldn’t feel the pain in his ribs anymore.
“Are you okay?” he asked Isla.
Slowly she nodded, a hand clamped to her left forearm, blood trickling through her fingers.
Enraged, Mike shoved open the window and pushed Amelia through it headfirst.
“Don’t, please,” she screamed, kicking her legs.
“Is that what Isla said before you attacked her?” he growled in her ear before shoving her further out, only gripping onto her by her ankles.
“Please don’t drop me,” she wailed.
“Hopefully you’ll land on your head and break your neck,” he barked, making her burst into tears.
“Mike, pull her back in,” Isla told him in a tired, shaky voice.
Her voice cut through his rage and he dragged Amelia back inside and threw her to the floor where she remained, sobbing.
He grabbed a spare pillowcase out of the wardrobe, tore a strip off it and used it to stem the bleeding on Isla’s arm.
“Are you hurt anywhere else?” he asked her.
“No,” she gasped between her tears.
“I take it she’s the Colonel’s accomplice?”
“Y…yes. I can’t believe that just happened.”
Mike glared contemptuously at Amelia. “Me neither honey,” he replied.
“What if it happens again?” said Isla, eyes wide with fear. “What if I keep getting attacked?”
“That won’t happen. The Colonel and his accomplice have been caught now.”
“But what if there’s someone else?”
“There isn’t.”
“We don’t know that.”
“Yes we do. It’s over honey.”
“What if it’s never over?”
Mike didn’t know what to say, so instead he got to his feet, twisted Amelia’s arms up her back and hauled her to her feet, causing her to start screaming again. He used the rest of the pillowcase to bind her arms behind her. “I’ll call the police.”
The Loch Page 29
