by Sue Fortin
Chapter Thirty-Three
Conmere, Wednesday, 15 May, 3.00 p.m.
Steph had finished work for the day and, despite her text messages with Harry the day before, she hadn’t heard from him about meeting up that evening. She found herself deeply disappointed and checking her phone far more often than necessary to see if he’d been in contact. She hoped he wasn’t having second thoughts about talking to her.
She looked at her watch; maybe he’d call later when his own working day was finished. She needed something to distract herself from thinking about him. Outside, the sun had broken free from the clouds, bathing the trees in a deep golden light which would make for some great photos.
Without giving it too much consideration, Steph picked up her camera and, slipping it into her rucksack, decided to head out for a walk. She could do with some fresh air to clear her head and taking photos would be a good way to keep her mind from dwelling on Harry. She felt caged inside the house, and the thought of being outside and capturing the images was never more appealing.
Steph walked briskly through the resort, passing the lodge she had stayed in at the weekend, and carried on along the path which threaded itself through the woods, only then realising she was heading towards the lake. She had been right about the light. The golden rays dipped into the water and sent a white, sparkly sheen across the surface. She spent some time taking various shots, some straight at the light and others from different positions around the south side of the lake. There were three little boats tied up about ten metres from the shore, which Steph assumed were currently off-limits. She wondered how the boats were brought to the pontoon so people could use them – maybe someone came down with a paddle board or perhaps even swam out to them.
Steph’s gaze stretched out across the water to the north edge and immediately her thoughts were filled with images of her and Harry in the bird hide. She walked round to the other side and followed the same path Harry had shown her before. It was so different in the sunshine than in the rain and she found herself repeating the shots she’d taken before, but this time in the glorious rays of the sun. After a few minutes scrambling up the path, Steph reached the bird hide, which, as before, was empty. She stood with her back to the construction and looked out across the water, surprised to see that, despite the sunshine, this corner of the lake was as dark and murky as before. It was almost as if the light couldn’t reach this part and the water was forever a dark and never-ending mass. She stepped nearer to the edge and tentatively leaned forward to look down the bank and into the water as if some magnetic force were pulling her towards it. It would be almost impossible to scramble up the sides if you fell in here. She suddenly swayed and stumbled to her right, but managed to regain her balance.
The sound of a text message on her phone startled her and she stepped quickly away from the edge. She blew out a long breath. It would be as easy as that to fall in.
The text message was from Harry.
So sorry but I’ve been trying to sort out a problem at work all day and now I’ve got to meet with Dominic and Owen. Definitely meet tomorrow though?
Steph couldn’t deny her disappointment at this. She had found herself increasingly looking forward to seeing Harry.
It was her turn to message back saying it was a shame but she’d look forward to seeing him tomorrow.
She looked back out across the water, the compulsion to take more photographs having now vanished. Steph sat down on the ground, her eyeline level with the top of the bushes and brush which bordered the edge of the path. It was so lovely to feel the warmth of the sun on her face, feel the gentle breeze on her skin, to listen to the birds chirping around her and the water lapping at the edge of the lake. She closed her eyes and tilted her face up to the sun. It was absolute bliss.
It was after a few minutes that she became aware of the sound of a car engine somewhere in the distance. The lake must be closer to a road than she imagined. It took a few seconds for her to realise the lake wasn’t anywhere near a road.
From her position on higher ground, she could see a car making its way along the edge of the water, heading towards a small boathouse she hadn’t noticed before. It was too far away to see what type of car of it was, but it looked like a silver-coloured 4x4. Steph lifted her camera and looked through the lens, adjusting the focus to zoom in on the vehicle. Dominic was driving, and a man she didn’t recognise was in the passenger seat. More out of habit than a conscious decision, Steph clicked the button on her camera and took several shots. She lowered the camera and followed the car with her naked eye; it was still heading for the boathouse, slowing down and then pulling up alongside it.
Steph raised her camera once more and again zoomed in. She could see Dominic’s face clearly, as if he were standing right in front of her. He climbed out of the car and looked around, before closing the door. He said something to his companion, who was also out of the car, and the two men went to the boot. Steph couldn’t see what they were doing but she kept the camera fixed on the activity. She didn’t know why, but something told her this was no ordinary visit to the boathouse.
Dominic now walked over to the boathouse and disappeared around the corner, reappearing a few seconds later as he pinned open the door. Steph shuffled onto her knees to get a better position and, still looking through her camera, watched as Dominic and the man began ferrying several large boxes from the rear of the car into the timber construction. Judging by the way they were carrying the boxes, the contents were relatively heavy but not so much so that they couldn’t manage a box each. They moved quickly and within five minutes Dominic was closing the door and making his way back to the driver’s side of the car.
It was then he halted and looked up towards where Steph was sitting. He seemed to look directly into the camera, his gaze making contact with her own. She gave a small gasp and jolted back, throwing herself off-balance. She put her hand out behind her to balance herself.
There was no way he could have seen her. She was hidden by the bushes. She was too far away, surely, and yet he had looked straight at her. Slowly, Steph poked her head back above the bushes. The car was driving away, dust kicking up in its wake, before disappearing from sight.
Steph stayed where she was, watching the other side of the water, where she presumed the track would come out, and, sure enough, the 4x4 reappeared on the south side of the lake and headed towards the resort. She remained where she was for a minute or so, to be certain it wasn’t returning.
‘Are you all right, dear?’
A woman’s voice from behind Steph surprised her so much, she nearly toppled over as from her kneeling position she twisted round to see who was there. ‘Oh, Mrs Sinclair,’ she said, in relief. ‘You scared me.’ Steph got to her feet and dusted down her trousers.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to,’ said Pru. She turned and called over her shoulder. ‘Girls! Come on! Here!’
Within a few seconds Pru’s three dogs appeared at the head of the path and excitedly ran up to Steph. She stooped to make a fuss of them before they lost interest and scampered off further along the path. ‘I was just taking some photographs of the scenery,’ explained Steph, holding up her camera. ‘The light today is amazing.’
‘Oh, yes. Harry told me you were a photographer. He said he’d asked you to take some pictures.’
‘I’m not officially a photographer. It’s just something I like to do in my spare time.’
‘Harry seems to think you have a flair for it. He said you had some photographs in a gallery for sale.’
Steph felt flattered that Harry had taken the time to tell his mother. ‘That’s right,’ she said. ‘My friend has a gallery and I do sell some prints from time to time.’
Pru came to stand next to Steph. ‘From what I can tell, Harry thinks a lot of you,’ she said.
Steph’s stomach gave a small roll. What else had Harry told his mother? ‘We get on well,’ she opted for saying, avoiding looking at Pru by paying close attention to fitting the len
s cap into place.
‘I’d like to see him happy,’ continued Pru. ‘After what happened to Elizabeth, I’d like to leave this world knowing my son was able to live again.’
Steph felt a little uncomfortable, unsure what to say. She stole a glance at Pru, who was looking wistful. Steph wasn’t sure if she was even addressing her any more. ‘I’m sure he will in time,’ Steph offered by way of comfort.
‘Hmm, I hope so.’ Pru continued to look thoughtful for a moment and then seemingly shook herself out of her trance. ‘Oh, before I go, you might like this.’ She unzipped her pocket and felt around for what she was looking for, before holding it out to Steph and dropping it into the palm of her hand.
Steph’s heart nearly leapt into her throat as she looked at the drop-pearl earring in her hand. ‘M-my earring,’ she stammered.
‘Thought it was yours. I remember admiring them the other day when you were in Elizabeth’s room.’ Pru arched an eyebrow. ‘I found it in rather an odd place, though. The office. Not sure how it got there.’
‘I … er … didn’t realise I’d lost it,’ said Steph, trying to hide her shock. ‘Maybe someone handed it in to the office and it got knocked on the floor?’ It sounded plausible, but only just.
‘Maybe that’s what happened,’ said Pru, in a tone that didn’t sound entirely convincing. ‘Right, well, I’d better get on and catch up with those dogs.’ Then she broke into a gentle jog.
Steph watched as Pru disappeared over the rise, heading in the direction of the boathouse, and couldn’t help admiring how fit Pru Sinclair looked for her age; she was in her sixties, and the active-wear certainly looked good on her. She remembered the photograph in Harry’s lodge of Pru in her wetsuit. Pru Sinclair was evidently a woman of determination and stamina who loved her family dearly.
Steph took a moment to replace her earring, uncertain whether Pru’s finding it was a good thing or not, but at least she had it back now. She supposed it was better that Pru had found it than Dominic or Harry – they would probably have wanted a better explanation as to how it had got there. Hopefully, Pru would forget all about it and not mention it to them. She took one last look at the boathouse. Ideally, she’d like to go down there and have a little nose around, but with Pru about it wouldn’t be wise to do so. She resolved to come back later when it was darker.
Conmere, Wednesday, 15th May, 8.45 p.m.
Steph hadn’t heard anything from Harry since his earlier text and more than once her finger had hovered over her phone as she argued with herself whether it was a good idea to text him or not. In the end she had decided not to and to use the opportunity to sneak out to the boathouse, hopefully without being missed. She grabbed a quick bite to eat in the staff kitchen and then made herself scarce by staying in her room. She hoped that it would be a case of out of sight, out of mind where the rest of the staff were concerned.
Now it was dusk and the sun would soon be setting, Steph dressed in some dark clothing and a fleece. She tied the laces on her trainers and, armed with just her phone and a torch, hurried out of her room, making sure the door was locked. Fortunately, the front desk was unmanned, so no one witnessed her exit.
Deciding to make out she was going for an evening run, Steph jogged through the grounds and out beyond the last row of lodges. It was already dark amongst the trees and she was glad of the torch to light the way.
It wasn’t long before she came through the trees and out onto the track which ran alongside the lake. The sun had sunk behind the hills which surrounded the water, and with no lighting along the path it was particularly dark and, if Steph was honest, ever so slightly creepy. The water looked like a black hole in the ground, and the only indication it actually was water was the gentle slopping sound it made against the shoreline.
Instead of taking her usual route up to the bird hide, Steph jogged round in the opposite direction. It was too dark to see across the lake, and the cloud which had come in during evening was obscuring any light from the moon. Every so often she found herself startled by a rustle of the trees or bushes but reassured herself each time that it was only the wind and possibly some wildlife, like a fox or a badger.
Before long she was nearing the boathouse. The dark grey form of the weathered structure stood out in the dwindling light. Steph raised her torch beam and swept it across the building from side to side, before extending it in an arc around the boathouse to ensure there was no one about. She knew from her vantage point earlier that afternoon, the doors of the boathouse could not be seen from any other point around the lake, and she relaxed slightly at the thought.
The double garage-like doors were locked with a heavy-duty chain and padlock, passing between two bars which ran from top to bottom in front of the doors and looking to be fixed into the framework of the building. The doors could only be opened if these two bars were removed. The doors themselves were also locked with a more traditional locking mechanism.
Steph stepped back and looked up at the building. There were no windows on the front at ground level, with just a small window above the doors which she assumed was the first floor. Steph moved round to the left-hand side of the building but there were no windows or doors there. The right-hand side was more accommodating. There were two ground-floor windows and a boardwalk about a metre-wide which ran the length of the building out into the water. It looked as if it went around the corner of the boathouse to the back, where, Steph recalled, there was a roller-type door. She assumed this was where boats could go in and out.
Steph walked over to the first window and, with her torch pressed against the pane of glass, she peered in. There wasn’t much she could make out, but the opposite side of the wall looked to be kitted out with hooks and shelving. There were several paddles hanging along the wall, and life jackets on hooks. There were also two steel boxes pushed up against the wall. In the middle of the floor was a large shape, but Steph couldn’t quite work out what it was. Maybe it was a boat with a tarpaulin covering it. She wasn’t sure. She moved along to the second window to try to get a better look, but this window was blacked out.
Steph eyed the boardwalk. It looked sturdy enough to take her weight and tentatively she shuffled along, keeping close to the side of the building. The water didn’t look particularly deep here, although it would have to be enough to allow kayaks and small boats to gain access to the boathouse, and it looked clear of weeds. She reached the corner and moved round until she was facing out onto the lake. Again, the blackness of the water was hard to comprehend. It was amazing how it could feel so sinister in the darkness and yet somehow there was a strange and dangerous attraction to it.
She turned away and looked at the roller door. If she could lift it up just a little, she might be able to scramble underneath. The bottom of the door disappeared below the waterline, but Steph pulled up her sleeve and, crouching low on her knees, ran her hand downwards. The water was colder than she’d expected, but not unbearable. The bottom of the roller door was only a few inches below the water level. She cupped the edge with her hand and tried to yank it upwards on the off-chance it wasn’t locked from the inside. She gave it several attempts but it wouldn’t budge.
She sat up and flicked the water from her hand and forearm. She couldn’t see a way in, not without breaking the glass, which would then alert Dominic to the fact that someone had been there.
As she took a moment to ponder her dilemma she became aware of the sound of a vehicle approaching, and not just at a steady speed – it was coming in fast. Her heart missed a beat and her stomach flipped. The car engine grew louder as it raced towards her.
She stood up, switched off her torch and pushed her back flat against the end of the building. If it was Dominic returning, she hoped to God he wouldn’t have any reason to come out to the back of the boathouse.
Steph made a conscious effort to control her breathing and listen hard to the sound of the car. It was slowing. She could see the bright beam of the headlights swing round, lighting up the bank and t
he water. They were flicked to full-beam, enhancing the lake still further.
A car door opened and then closed.
‘Steph! Steph? Are you there?’ The voice was loud and clear in the quietness of the evening.
Steph froze.
It was Harry’s voice.
He called out again and this time he sounded closer. Steph hugged the wall even further. She couldn’t think straight. Was he friend or foe?
‘Steph. Stop hiding. Come out.’
He sounded really close now. As if he was at the other end of the boathouse. Then she heard his footsteps on the boardwalk. He was coming down the side of the building. How was she going to explain what she was doing here and, more to the point, why she was hiding?
Self-preservation took over. She had only one option.
Steph slid down the wall and dangled her legs over the edge of the boardwalk and into the water. She had to forcibly quell the yelp which wanted to escape at the shock of the coldness. Slowly she lowered herself into the water. She was hip-deep before she made contact with the muddy bed of the lake. She felt her shoes sink a little way into the squelchy mud but fortunately no further than an inch or so. She was beyond the point of return. She could hear Harry’s footsteps getting closer. Her phone was in the zipped breast pocket of her jacket and there was no way of avoiding its getting wet.
With just a second’s hesitation, Steph took in a big gulp of air and submerged herself fully under the water. She kept her eyes closed and allowed her hands to find the way as they groped for the bottom of the roller door before she propelled herself underneath. The gap was just big enough for her to swim under. She was conscious of making ripples and splashes in her wake, and pushed her feet into the lake bed. Two or three seconds later she was inside the boathouse. She stood up but stayed perfectly still so as not to cause any more disturbance to the water. Very carefully she unzipped her breast pocket and took out her phone. She dared not check it and was grateful she’d put it on silent before she’d left her room. Her torch was in her other hand. She had no idea if that would still work.
