by Pryke, Helen
‘What do you mean?’ Tears streamed down Charlotte’s face, and Jane began to rise, ready to help her.
‘Stay there,’ he shouted. ‘I should have known it would end up like this. Mother tried to warn me, but what does she know?’ A sly look came over his face. ‘She may not have burned in the house, like them, but the fire cleansed her just the same. They rescued her in time, not that it helped her much. It took her two days to die, drowning in the liquid that filled her lungs quicker than they could drain it. She was supposed to burn in there with them, and I cursed when they brought her out alive, but the fire took her soul in the end. Just like it’s going to take yours.’
Jane launched herself at him, her fists flailing wildly. ‘Don’t! Let her go,’ she screamed.
A punch landed on her face and made her see stars for a moment. ‘For once in your fucking life, do as I say!’ he shouted. He shifted his grip on Charlotte, making her yelp in pain again, and grabbed Jane’s wrist with his other hand. ‘Don’t struggle, or I’ll hurt her even more.’
Charlotte twisted in his grip, trying to get away. ‘Run, Jane, get help.’ Tears poured down her cheeks as Jane hesitated.
‘How the fuck’s she going to run?’ he said, with a sneer on his face. ‘She’s got so fat lately, look at the size of her.’ He turned to her, his grey eyes narrowing. ‘Don’t worry, I know your dirty little secret, Jane. I’ve known for a while. I thought you were better, I thought things could be different this time, but Mother knew, Mother told me it would never work. And she was right.’ Flecks of spittle dotted his lips as he spat the last words.
Jane couldn’t breathe. He knew! He would kill Charlotte, kill her, kill the baby she was carrying. Paralysed with fear, the room spun around her as he continued his frenzied shouting. The world dipped in and out of focus, and she forced herself to take a deep breath, then another.
His grip on her tightened and he dragged the two of them out of the room, onto the landing. ‘That’s a steep drop down those stairs. I wonder if Charlie would bounce. She didn’t last time.’
Jane struggled to get free, but his hand on her wrist was like a steel manacle. She stopped when he reached the top stair and shoved Charlotte forward. Jane sobbed, praying she wouldn’t fall.
‘Okay, I’m coming,’ she said. Her legs trembled as she followed him.
‘Wise choice,’ he said with a chuckle. He started down the stairs, Charlotte in front. Jane staggered after him, desperately trying to keep her balance and not make the three of them plummet to the bottom.
‘Don’t think of trying to get away, Jane, I can still hurt her,’ he said as they reached the bottom. He turned and smirked. ‘I want to show you the cellar, I’ve made some improvements since you last went down there. I think you’ll like what I’ve done with the place.’
He threw open the door with a flourish; cold, musty air rushed out to greet them. He pulled Jane’s arm, nearly wrenching it from its socket, and shoved her aside. She crashed into the wall and fell to the floor, cradling her stomach, then screamed as he took hold of Charlotte and dragged her in front of the doorway. He clasped the girl’s hair in his hand and held it to his nose, breathing in deeply. ‘I wish it could be different,’ he murmured, then jerked his hand away as he glared at her, his face fixed in a snarl.
Jane pulled herself up into a sitting position, and watched helplessly as, with a wild yell, he gave Charlotte a hard push. She saw Charlotte’s arms spin frantically in the nothingness as she teetered on the edge of the step, then she plunged down into the darkness. Jane flinched when she heard her friend’s head hit the ground with a terrible crack.
She tried to shuffle away on her bottom as he turned around, but in two strides he was there, next to her. Something hit her on the back of the head, and everything went dark.
45
With the heavy black storm clouds blocking out the sky, it was dark as night, even though it was only half past six. The rain didn’t let up for a second, and visibility was low even with the windscreen wipers on the highest setting. Andy slammed on the brakes and the car screeched to a halt.
‘Back up a bit, we’ve just passed the turning.’ Maggie bent over the phone on her lap, squinting at the map on the screen.
The engine whined as Andy pushed down the accelerator and the car shot backwards.
‘Okay, here, stop!’ Maggie shouted.
They peered out into the dark, trying to make out the road through the sheeting rain. Andy wrenched the steering wheel around. It was nothing more than a dirt track, just wide enough for the car; branches from nearby trees scraped along the windows as they jolted along. He had to concentrate to keep the car straight, the wheels sliding and losing traction in the slippery mud. The headlights created a tunnel through the dark, illuminating the rain. The darkness around them became more oppressive, as if it wanted to crush them and make them a part of the shadows forever.
Chloe leaned forward from the back, her hands gripping the seats in front of her. ‘Where is it?’ she muttered, her voice cracking from the tension.
‘It can’t be much further, Chloe,’ Maggie replied. Her eyes hurt from searching the road ahead, waiting for the farmhouse to suddenly loom out in front of them.
‘Shit!’ Andy shouted, and slammed on the brakes. A hare stood transfixed in the headlights, its eyes shining like beacons, before it bolted into the undergrowth.
‘Nearly there,’ Maggie murmured, her heart beating furiously. She wondered for a moment if Ollie had had the courage to carry out his part of the plan, then pushed the thought away. No time to worry about that.
The car turned into an enormous yard, stopping a few feet from the front door of a farmhouse. Andy turned off the engine and they sat in silence, their breathing just audible above the rain. Maggie blinked several times, trying to readjust to the darkness outside. She could see the shape of the house, but all the windows were dark.
‘Is this the right place?’ Chloe asked. ‘Why aren’t there any lights? Do you think he’s taken them away again?’ Maggie heard the sound of hysteria in her voice and turned to her.
‘Maybe he’s out,’ she suggested, trying to reassure her. ‘This could be our chance to save them, get them out of there before he gets back. It’s definitely the right house, Chloe.’
‘Okay.’ She took a deep breath.
Andy turned to them. ‘Shall we go?’
‘You can stay here if you prefer, Chloe,’ Maggie said, seeing the girl’s nervous expression.
‘No.’ Chloe shook her head. ‘I’m coming with you.’
Maggie nodded in reply, then grabbed the torch she always kept in the car and stepped outside. She was drenched within seconds. She put her hands over her head and raced over to the front door, closely followed by the others. She shone the light on the door and saw a smear of blood near the lock. Chloe gasped.
Maggie’s mouth was dry. ‘Christ.’ The torchlight wavered as her hand shook.
‘It doesn’t mean we’re too late, Maggie,’ Andy said.
‘I know.’ She knelt down at the letterbox, water streaming down her face, and lifted the flap to peer inside. She reeled back, choking on the pungent fumes that hit her, and bumped into Mike and Chloe, huddled under the narrow portico over the door. Andy bent down too, and stood up quickly, making a face.
‘Petrol,’ he said, coughing. ‘It stinks of petrol.’
‘We’ve got to get in there,’ Mike cried. He pushed against the door, but it stubbornly refused to budge.
‘There’s got to be an entrance round the back,’ Maggie said. Andy took off immediately and disappeared around the corner. Maggie, Mike and Chloe raced after him and caught up just as he reached the back door.
‘It’s locked.’ He slammed his fist against the glass pane, then turned and searched frantically in the grass around them before darting forward and picking something up. The pane shattered with a loud smash as he lobbed a rock through it.
‘Good one, Andy. That got us in.’ Mike went to the
door as Andy caught his breath.
Chloe gave a nervous giggle. ‘Men. We could have just rung the doorbell, saved us all the trouble.’
Mike shoved his arm through the broken window, trying to find the handle. He grunted as the door clicked open. ‘We’re in, that’s all that matters right now,’ he said grimly. ‘Shit!’ He clasped his hand to his chest, blood dripping from a gash in his palm.
Maggie pushed them inside, relieved to be out of the wind and the rain. She waited a few seconds for her eyes to get accustomed to the gloomy interior.
‘Even if he’s here, he probably won’t have heard anything, not with that racket going on outside,’ Andy said, keeping his voice low. The house echoed with the sound of the rain, and the wind whistled through the old window frames. ‘Grab yourself a tea towel and wrap it around your hand, Mike, till the bleeding stops.’
Chloe glanced around, her eyes wide with horror. ‘God, that smell. Does he really mean to set fire to the place?’
‘Not if we find him first,’ Andy said. ‘Keep holding that tea towel tight around your hand, Mike.’ Maggie opened her mouth to say something, and he shook his head. ‘It’ll be all right, it’s just a scratch.’
‘Just don’t faint on us.’ Maggie gave them a half-smile, trying not to show her own fear. She could see the hallway beyond the kitchen, full of shadows, and wondered if James was out, or if he was lurking in the dark, waiting for them, ready to strike the match that would mean certain death. ‘Don’t switch any lights on. If he’s around, he’ll know someone’s here. Let’s go.’
They crept out of the kitchen into the hallway. The stench of petrol was overpowering, making them gag, and they covered their mouths and noses with their hands the best they could.
‘Mags, use the torch,’ Chloe whispered, her voice trembling.
Maggie fumbled for the button, then aimed the beam at the ground and swept it around. The light from the torch illuminated some petrol cans stacked tidily against the wall, but there was no sign of anyone. A chill ran down her spine. ‘We’ve got to try the doors, see if they’re in any of the rooms.’
‘There’s a door right behind you,’ Andy said, flashing his phone on it.
Maggie swung around. She hadn’t noticed it before, but there was a wooden door, with a round brass knob, just like the one… the one David used to open and shove me inside, in with the cobwebs and the spiders, and leave me there until I was hoarse from crying…
‘Mags.’ Mike put his uninjured hand on her arm. ‘It’s okay, we’re here with you. Nothing bad’s going to happen.’
She nodded and reached out for the handle, her hand shaking. ‘Get a grip, Maggie,’ she muttered and opened the door.
There was no smell of polish or brass cleaner, as she’d expected. Cool, musty air blew out over them with a promise of damp earth and old brickwork. She shone her torch inside. A flight of stone steps led down into the shadows, the bottom shrouded in darkness.
‘They were in the cellar in that other house,’ Chloe said, gripping Maggie’s hand.
‘You two stay here. Andy, let’s go.’ Maggie squared her shoulders and took a step forward.
Then a loud thud came from upstairs.
46
More souls for my fire to cleanse. I can hear them down there, moving around, whispering, wondering where I am. They’ll find out soon enough, and then they’ll wish they’d stayed away.
I only wanted to be with my little girls, why can’t anyone understand that? Interfering busybodies, just like those doctors, giving me pills when all I wanted was my family. Maggie’s down there as well; dear, sad little Maggie, she’s even lonelier than I was. It was such a shock when I saw her in the café, but then I thought how appropriate it is. Like it’s meant to be.
She’s welcome to join us and become a part of our family. The others too. The fire loves everyone. The more there are, the brighter it burns.
47
They all stared at each other, their faces white in the gloom.
‘What the hell was that?’ Andy used his phone to light up the hallway, chasing away the shadows.
‘What do we do now? Up or down?’ Chloe asked.
‘The petrol’s here, he kept the girls in the cellar last time,’ Maggie said, uncertain.
‘Maybe James is upstairs,’ Andy said. ‘You three go down, see if the girls are there. I’ll go upstairs.’
‘No,’ Maggie replied.
‘There’s no time to argue. He could go crazy at any moment. If you need me, yell.’ Andy took off without waiting for her answer, keeping close to the wall.
‘Shit,’ Maggie said. ‘Why is he always this stubborn?’
‘Come on, Mags, we need to see if Jane and Charlotte are down there. Let’s get going.’ Chloe’s eyes were wide with fear, but she didn’t step back. Maggie was impressed by her courage. The girl was clearly terrified, but she was still determined to find her sister.
‘Okay, stay behind me, and get ready to run back upstairs with Mike if James is down there. You can go and get Andy.’
They went down the stairs, Maggie shining her torch on the next step in front of her. The floor at the bottom was rough concrete covered with a layer of dirt and debris. And a rusty-coloured bloodstain, dark against the grime. Chloe gave a small scream, and put her hand over her mouth, gasping.
‘Find them, Mags,’ Mike said, his voice gruff with emotion.
The torch revealed a steel door in front of them. Maggie jerked the handle, but it was locked.
‘No!’ Chloe shouted and began pounding on the door. ‘Jane, Charlotte, are you in there?’
‘Ssh,’ Maggie said, pulling her back. ‘Listen.’
Muffled cries came from inside the room, and rasping noises, as if someone was dragging a chair across the floor.
‘Oh my God, they’re in there,’ Mike said. Chloe stood beside him, tears streaming down her face.
Maggie felt adrenaline surge through her body, giving her some much-needed energy. ‘We need Andy, he can help Mike open the door. You two stay here, I’ll go and get him.’
‘Mags,’ Mike said.
‘There’s no time. I’ll be straight back. Use your phone for light.’
Chloe gave her a quick hug. ‘Be careful.’
* * *
Back in the hallway, everything was quiet. Too quiet, Maggie thought. She turned off the torch and crept along the hall to the stairs. There was a window at the top, on the landing, a slightly lighter rectangle of grey that helped her see her way up the stairs. The wind howled, and the sudden drumming of rain against the glass made her jump. Lightning flashed, illuminating everything briefly, and she recoiled in shock at the sight of a body lying just inside the bedroom in front of her.
‘Andy!’ she cried. She took a step towards him, but a voice came from the shadows at the far end of the room.
‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you.’
Maggie peered into the dark, trying to make out where he was. ‘James?’
‘Don’t go near your friend, Maggie.’
‘How do you know my name?’
He stepped forward out of the shadows, his face half obscured by the gloom. ‘I know all about you – nice article, by the way. Very well written, I thought. I’m glad someone so articulate is investigating the case, it makes such a difference, don’t you think? Oh, and I know about your family, Nicola and Richard. Especially Richard.’
Maggie’s shoulders drooped. ‘Your mother told you?’
‘Mother tells me everything. Yes, I know about Richard… my father.’ He spat out the last words in contempt. He paused, his head held to one side, then nodded. ‘Yes, I know. You’re right. I know she’s the enemy. I’ll be careful, don’t worry.’
Maggie tried to make sense of his words, confused by his ramblings. Why did he keep tilting his head as if listening to someone speak?
He smiled at Maggie and took a box of matches out of his pocket. ‘Fire purifies the soul, did you know that? Does your soul need purify
ing, Maggie? My sisters’ did, and so did Mother’s. Their sins were cleansed away, all the badness gone. It was beautiful to see. You’ll find out soon, you’re going to join us. You and your friends.’
He struck a match.
Maggie could see his face now, distorted by the flickering flame he held in his hand. In the half-light it seemed an ageless face, without laughter lines or wrinkles, the face of someone you would pass on the street without giving them a second glance.
‘Mother told me some things about Richard. Not everything, but enough. I found out the rest,’ James continued, dragging Maggie back to the moment. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the match, the flame almost at the end now.
‘Then at the clinic, Doctor Pearson – such a nice man – helped me sort myself out and made me realise the importance of family.’ As he said the last word, he reached over and touched the dying match to the curtain. The fabric glowed briefly, then began to smoulder. James moved closer to Andy’s body.
‘He was very good to me, almost like a father. It’s a pity he tried to stop me tracking down Richard. He didn’t see what hit him.’ James giggled suddenly, a high-pitched gurgle that made goosebumps rise on Maggie’s arms. The fire started to catch hold on the curtains and a languid flame began creeping upwards.
‘So I went down south to Bedhampton and found Richard. It wasn’t hard.’ James appeared lost in his memories. ‘I watched them, and you, going about your lives, the perfect family. He had it all – the pretty wife, nice house in a nice area, and a son.’ He lunged at Maggie and grabbed her by the shoulders.
She screamed, terrified. Her heart beating wildly, she glanced around for anything she could use as a weapon, and saw Andy stirring on the floor.
‘He had a son,’ James shouted, spittle flying in her face. ‘I knew he’d never want me, not when he already had a perfect son. Why would he? But I wanted, no, needed, my family, just like you needed yours. Right, Maggie? Always going round to your sister’s, always the odd one out, no husband, no kids, no future… but you got all that through your sister, didn’t you? A glimpse of what your life could be like, before going back to your dreary flat in dreary Hilsea, and your dull, selfish existence.’ His face was mere inches from hers, he was gazing into her eyes like a lover would, just before leaning in for a kiss. His voice softened. ‘But I wanted more, so I decided to forget him and bring my sisters back instead. My little girls. The three musketeers, back together again.’
