The Westport Mysteries Boxed Set

by Beth Prentice

  He shook his head but picked up his pace, looking at the storm clouds brewing overhead. By the time I dragged my box up to the door, he had it open and had moved inside.

  It had been a few months since I was in here. Watching as two mice scurried into a hidey-hole, I knew it would be a few more before I came back again.

  The garage was made of the same timber cladding to match the house and the outside had been painted grey at some point in history. The inside had been left raw and over time, the timber had started to rot. Looking around me properly, I realized it had probably never been built to house a car as the floor was also timber and wouldn’t have supported the weight. Right now I wondered if it would support my weight.

  “Is it safe to be in here?” I asked, as Cat wound his way between my legs. He spotted the mice and hightailed back outside. Maybe I was feeding him too well.

  Riley pushed his box against a wall and looked around.

  “It should be,” he answered. I heard the timber crack under his weight as he stepped towards me. “Maybe I should take a closer look at the foundations.” He smiled.

  “Okay. You do that and I’ll get another box.”

  I followed Riley outside. As I moved to the house, Riley moved to the side of the shed and started to crawl through the dirt. “Bring a torch back with you please,” he called after me.

  Luckily I knew where Riley kept his torch, so I grabbed it and walked back outside. Handing it to Riley, I stood back and watched as his jeans rode low and his T-shirt rode high, as he crawled into the space under the floor. I gave a blissful sigh.

  Whilst he was under the shed, I moved back inside the house and retrieved another box. By the time I got back, Riley had made it out of the floor space and was walking around the corner of the shed, covered in dirt. He brushed his jeans and took the box from me.

  “What did you find?” I asked. “Is it safe?”

  “Yeah, the timber foundations look okay, but there’s a section towards the back that’s closed in. It looks like a room but I can’t see any doors leading into it.”

  “That’s odd.”

  “Maybe there’s trapdoor in the floor.”

  I followed him inside and waited as he pushed the box up against the other two we’d already moved. He moved to the back of the shed and looked at the floor. The floor was made of boards similar to what was inside the house but unlike those, these had never been treated with any sort of protectant. Now they just looked grey, scarred and brittle.

  “I can’t see any obvious trapdoor,” said Riley, running his fingers through his hair, “but I think we’re standing directly over the area.”

  “Why do we need to find it?” I asked, thinking of The Amityville Horror with the hidden red room.

  Riley shrugged. “Just curious.” He got on his hands and knees and felt around the edge of the boards. After a moment he stood and moved towards the door. I followed him, thinking we were giving up and just going to get another box. I sighed when I realized he was just going to get his pry bar.

  I grabbed another box and followed him back to the shed, where he immediately started to lift floorboards. Once he had a section lifted of approximately three-foot square, he grabbed his torch and shone it down the hole. I squealed as three spiders ran from the darkness towards me.

  Lying on his stomach, Riley looked deeper into the hole. “There’s a box down there,” he said, lifting himself back up.

  “What sort of box?” I asked, curiosity now creeping in and wondering what other secrets this house held.

  “I’m not really sure, but it looks wooden. I need to get a few more boards up and I’ll be able to get to it.” He pried at more boards and a few minutes later, he had cleared a hole big enough for him to drop into.

  It was actually a lot deeper than I had imagined, and as Riley’s feet hit the ground, his head disappeared from view.

  “Watch out for snakes,” I called, feeling for my phone in my pocket, ready to dial emergency services.

  My heart rate increased as I heard Riley cry out. “Arghh!”

  “What? What happened? What is it?”

  “Nothing, I just banged my head.” His head popped back out of the hole and I saw a gash on his forehead. By the time he had lifted a timber box out to me, blood had started to trickle.

  “Oh my God, are you okay? I’ll get you some ice,” I said, ready to run into the house and grab a bag of frozen peas. Riley lifted himself out of the hole.

  “Lizzie, it’s fine. I just grazed it, no big deal.” He used his sleeve and wiped the blood away. I looked at the dirt on his sleeve and shivered, making a note to get some antibiotic cream from the doctor next time I was there. The last thing I needed was for Riley to get sick.

  He moved his attention to the box. It was approximately two-foot square and three-foot high and made of timber, the lid sealed down with nails.

  “Is this all that was down there?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  Riley used his pry bar to open the lid. I held my breath as dust rose into the air.

  Excitement caused my stomach to flutter as I peered over the edge into the box. Then I felt the adrenalin spike as I screamed. “Arghhhhh! Arghhhhh!”

  Looking back at me was a cat. A cat that resembled the one trying to trip me up. The one that had disappeared as soon as the mice turned up.

  Riley grabbed my arm. “Lizzie! Stop screaming!”

  “But…but…what the hell is that?”

  “It’s stuffed,” explained Riley lifting it from the box. He examined it closely, and then shoved it towards me. “Meow,” he said, laughing.

  “It’s not funny. That’s gross,” I huffed, my heart rate slowing dramatically. Riley dropped the cat on the floor and moved back into the box. He pulled out three leather bound books. That was much better. Flicking through the first one, he handed the other two to me. I did the same and realized they were diaries.

  Riley finished flipping through the diary, put it on the floor and then proceeded to pull out four more. All were leather bound, all were red and all were dusty and making me sneeze.

  “Why the hell would someone put all this in a box and then hide it under the shed?” Riley asked.

  “Why would someone keep a diary?”

  “So that they could look back on it one day and remember.”

  “Yeah, but the point is anyone can read them. It’s hard to keep snooping siblings out of things like that.”

  Riley laughed. “I’m guessing you never kept a diary then?”

  “No way, I did not need to write down all my deepest, darkest thoughts for Danny to find!”

  I shuddered at the thought. It was bad enough that Riley could read my mind at times. If he knew the actual X-rated thoughts I had about him, I think even he would blush. I felt the heat creep up my neck at the thought of it.

  “Well these obviously meant enough to someone for them to hide them like they did,” said Riley.

  I looked at the dates written on the inside cover, along with the name Avis Miller.

  Avis was the lady who had previously owned the house. She had lived her life a spinster after she couldn’t commit to her one true love, a woman named Wilhelmina.

  “Maybe we should read them.” I opened the front cover and as I started to read, thunder rumbled and shook the shed walls. I jumped as rain tapped on the tin roof.

  “Maybe we should take them inside,” suggested Riley.

  “Sounds like a good idea,” I commented, turning to head for the door.

  Chapter Twelve

  As we ran into the kitchen, the door slamming behind us, I wiped the rain from my face. I moved towards the lounge, ready to find a comfy spot on the couch, when something on the hallway wall came into view.

  In an area about a foot square, was blood.

  My stomach jumped as I sucked my breath in. Riley slammed into the back of me.

  “What the...” he stuttered. Seeing what I was looking at, he stopped. Moving past me, he put the d
iaries on the floor and knelt for a closer look.

  “Where’s it coming from?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

  “I honestly have no idea. I didn’t see it when we were in here earlier.”

  “Me either.”

  “Maybe we just missed it.”

  “Riley, we walked past here three times. We would have seen it if it was there.”

  Riley ran his fingers through his hair and I heard his deep sigh.

  “I think it’s time we called the police.”

  Relief washed over me. Finally we were doing something about it.

  “I’ll call Ed,” I said, reaching into my jeans pocket and retrieving my phone, before Riley could change his mind. Ed answered on the second ring. I put him on speaker.

  “Hi Lizzie. How are you?” he asked, his voice friendly. Riley scowled.

  “Not too bad,” I replied, ignoring Riley’s dirty look. Riley picked up the diaries and moved to the lounge, leaving me alone with the blood. I shivered as the wind from the storm whistled through the cracks in the door and quickly followed him, bringing Ed up to date as I walked.

  “Okay,” said Ed, “don’t touch it. I’m at the scene of an accident at the moment, but I’ll be there as soon as I can get away.”

  I sat on the couch next to Riley. “Thanks Ed. I’ll see you soon.”

  I hung up the phone.

  “He’s on his way,” I said, half smiling.

  “You have him on speed dial do you?”

  “Of course not. He’s in my caller list.”

  Riley’s eyebrow rose. “Come on,” I said, before Riley could question me as to why Ed was in my caller list. “Let’s read these diaries while we wait.”

  * * * *

  Avis’s diaries were old and musty, mould causing the edges of the paper to discolor. My fingers felt dirty as I turned the pages.

  The first diary was dated January 1945 and told us a lot about Avis and her relationship with her mother. It appeared it was only the two women in the house as her father had died the year before. Her mother seemed to have a hard time with his death and relied on Avis a lot. At the age of fifteen, that must have been hard for her.

  The second diary was more about Avis’ feelings for a girl who lived across the road and how her mother had punished her when she found out about it. People weren’t as understanding back then, I suppose.

  The third diary was much more interesting though.

  It started with Avis explaining how she had made a new friend named Ronald. She’d been heartbroken when her cat died, so a neighbor suggested she took him to Ronald, as he was a very good taxidermist. Even though Mister had passed, having him stuffed meant it would feel like he was still there. She struck up a friendship with Ronald (who, after that, she only referred to as RS). Whenever RS visited, they would hide out in the shed where her mother couldn’t hear them. It was out there that she confided in him her darkest thoughts and feelings.

  About midway through the diary Avis introduces someone named Leo—LGB.

  It appeared that RS didn’t like LGB very much and Avis felt he was just jealous of the friendship. Reading some of the entries about LGB, I thought RS was probably right. He didn’t sound like a very nice person.

  The entry dated May 19, 1949 was particularly hard to read.

  LGB came to visit tonight. RS usually liked to be here whenever he was around, but tonight he couldn’t be here. I wish he had have been.

  LGB was intoxicated when he arrived, so I took him out to the shed and away from Mother. Even though I had given Mother her tablets and they made her sleep, LGB was being very loud and I didn’t want him to disturb her. As soon as we entered the shed, I knew I’d made a mistake.

  He immediately turned on me and attempted to kiss me. I pushed him away and slapped him and told him to behave. I would make him some coffee and sober him up. He slapped me back and told me it wasn’t coffee he wanted. It was me.

  I protested and tried to leave, but he pulled me to the ground and hit me. He said he would show me what a man could do. When he ripped my shirt open and raped me, I knew I never wanted a man again.

  Afterwards, he left me curled on the floor crying and told me if I ever told anyone what had happened, he would tell everyone my secret—how I was really in love with Valerie.

  “Oh my God, Riley. This is awful,” I said, turning to him, tears in my eyes. I thought about what LGB had done to Avis and looked at Riley, with his beautiful eyes and caring soul, and I knew he would never hurt me.

  “You should read this entry,” he replied, his face grim. I took the diary from him and read.

  The entry was dated June 10, 1949.

  It’s been three weeks since that awful night and I think the worst has happened. I think I’m pregnant. I’m a week past my monthly date and I feel different. My breasts are sore, I cry a lot and I feel sick every morning. I don’t know what to do. I know I need to talk to Mother about it but I can’t. I’m so ashamed. RS is coming around tonight, so I think I will talk to him and get his advice. I haven’t spoken to him about that night yet. I know when I do, he’s going to be very angry and I worry about his temper.

  Oh my. I can’t believe it happened. I told RS about the baby and asked him what to do. He became very agitated and angry, and told me that he was going looking for LGB. I’m so worried about what he will do.

  June 11, 1949

  RS didn’t come back to me last night. So this morning I went to his shop to find him. He told me he did indeed find LGB and they fought. I know there’s more to it than that, but he won’t tell me. I’ll find out though. He can’t keep a secret from me for long.

  June 13, 1949

  I found out what happened the night RS fought with LGB. Now I wish I hadn’t. He broke down and told me last night. He said LGB started to get quite violent. RS defended himself and in the process LGB had his hand cut off. I did ask what RS was doing carrying around his butcher’s knives but he refused to answer me. I know the truth though. I’m beginning to think the rumors around town about him cutting people up are true.

  Oh, how did all this happen?

  I stopped for a breath and looked at Riley.

  “Poor Avis,” I sighed. “She sure knew how to pick her friends, didn’t she?”

  “Keep reading,” said Riley grimly. I looked at the tight line of his mouth and braced myself for the rest of the story.

  August 28, 1949

  I don’t know what to do. How did this happen? I want to run far, far away! Maybe I should. But no—I have Mother to care for.

  I know I should go to the police, but I’m guilty in this now.

  Tonight RS came over and we sat in the shed talking. This pregnancy is beginning to get difficult to hide from Mother. I know shortly I will have to tell her, but after tonight I just don’t know. Maybe I should confess it all. RS had spoken to me about marriage and telling Mother that the baby was his. I guess that was better than the alternative.

  After we had been sitting there a while, LGB turned up and demanded to know if the rumors were true. Was I pregnant? If so, he wanted the baby. I got to see for the first time that LGB indeed was missing his left hand. He still had large bandages covering his wound, but it appeared to be a clean cut at the wrist. I looked at RS and felt my stomach roll. How could he do that to a person?

  Then I looked at LGB and remembered what he had done to me and I wondered if RS had been justified in his actions. But then RS opened his jacket pocket and showed us the hand he had since mummified. I turned my back, my sensitive stomach not being able to handle what I was looking at. A fight broke out and even though LGB was disabled, he pulled a knife from his pocket and lunged at RS. That was all it took. A flash of clothing, a scream, and RS fell, blood gushing from his neck. I couldn’t handle it, the world turned black and I passed out.

  I woke with LGB slapping my face and demanding I help him. It took a while, but then the memories came flooding back. The fight, the blood and RS falling to the ground
. Dead.

  I didn’t want to help LGB. I wanted to call the police, but he threatened that if I didn’t help him bury the body, he would tell the town I was pregnant with an illegitimate child and that I was in love with a woman. He would also tell them it was me who killed RS after finding out I was pregnant with his baby. LGB’s girlfriend would give him an alibi for the time of death, so even if I did tell them who it really was, they wouldn’t believe me. I looked down at myself and realized I had a lot of RS’s blood on me. So I ashamedly helped him. We buried RS in my garden, where I could at least be close to my friend.

  I want to take my own life, but I feel the life inside me growing and I know that it is an innocent. It deserves the right to live. I just don’t know how I’ll live with the guilt.

  I sat back in the chair, too shocked to talk.

  * * * *

  It took Ed another hour to arrive and in that time, Riley and I decided to call it quits on renovating for the day. Riley’d just gone for a shower when Ed’s car pulled up in my driveway. I smoothed my hair and adjusted my skirt as he walked to the door.

  “Hi,” I said, opening the door and smiling.

  “Hi, Lizzie, it’s lovely to see you again.” Ed was in his uniform this time and looked very official, his gun belt making him look a little bit sexier than ever. Not that I noticed of course.

  “Come in,” I said, stepping aside and allowing him to enter. As he passed me, I got the distinct smell of his aftershave. He smelled good too. “Would you like a coffee? I just made a fresh pot.”

  “Yeah, that would be great, thanks.” He walked into what was left of my kitchen and sat down on one of the chairs. I moved to the one bench we’d left propped against a wall, and poured three cups of coffee.