Andy heard the side door open, Rob rummaging amongst the cargo of paper boxes and wrapped parcels for the toner cartridge. The side door slammed shut and Rob slowly walked to his destination. Head bowed, shoulders slumped, as if he was going to his own execution.
Poor Rob, Andy thought. It had been a hell of a morning for him. The nightmare, the dead boar, and his own sudden - and far from welcome - visitation.
That hadn’t helped matters. After telling him that Pearce had commissioned him to go to All Souls to track down Geoff Michaels, Rob had changed colour from white to green. It had made him fret over this Emma girl all morning, and so Andy Hughes did not have much of a navigator to help him with the delivery route..
Andy looked out of his window, watching pedestrians hurry past, eager to get back to work or back to the Christmas shops, anything to get out of the biting winter cold. Further ahead he saw bollards lower to allow the bus access to St Johns Street, snow shaking from the roof as the driver pulled into the narrow cobbled road.
He didn’t have any answers about this Emma girl. If she was travelling home today as planned she might be stuck in an area with weak signal, her phone’s battery might have run dry, anything. Or she might have been so disgusted at Rob’s behaviour that she was blanking him. That hadn’t put his mind to rest, either.
“What do you think, dog?” he said to Jasper. The collie cocked his head, the left ear folding inside out and falling flat again as he faced Andy. “Roberto worrying about nothing? Or is this connected to your master?” He gently unfolded the ear and scratched it. “Don’t miss your real daddy much, do you? Or are you hiding it?”
The dog licked his hand. Slowly, almost sadly. None of the manic restlessness Andy had witnessed earlier was here now.
“Yeah, you miss him. As do two other people. Three, if you count your caretaker. Guess he’s never been the same since Michaels’ moody either. But why is the general consensus that All Souls has the answer? Just because he was last seen there doesn’t mean he stayed there.”
Well, he’d find out soon enough. The delivery was expected at All Souls at noon. While Rob met up with Kiss-arse and assembled the furniture, Andy would “disappear” into the buildings of the college and begin his investigation.
Not that he was looking forward to going there. It was the incident in All Souls that had destroyed him fifteen years ago, and he had no urgent hurry to visit the scene of his crime. He shivered at the thought, but waiting for it was worse. Hanging around, anticipating. At least when he got there he could get on with the task he’d been sent to do.
Unless Pearce has hidden a few other surprises for me. He scowled at the thought.
Well, won’t know until we get there, will we? He decided to turn the van around, just to give him something to do until Rob came back.
He glanced in the side mirror and saw no vehicles were approaching. He popped the handbrake, spun the wheel and collided with something that made a heavy, metallic clattering sound as it crashed onto the road.
Like the passers-by on their way to the city centre, he froze, a horrified stare at the sight in front of the van. Rob’s words came back too late. Don’t make it third time lucky.
The mountain bike was emerald green, with an oversized tube frame and rusting bull bars on the handles. The rear wheel spun in the air. The rider, thrown a clear six feet from his bike, was a male in his late forties. His helmet had taken the full brunt of the impact with the pavement, Andy could see that by the deep scratches on the yellow plastic, and it looked like his thick rucksack had helped cushion his fall. But the body had taken some punishment as well. The rider sat up slowly, gingerly touching his knees and wincing.
Andy opened the door and jumped onto the ground. The rider leaned forwards, clutching his right elbow. Andy could see a hole in the green tweed of the jacket’s elbow, a white shirt speckled with blood spots.
“Are you okay, pal?”
“Do I fucking look okay, you bloody idiot?” Fury replaced pain in the man’s eyes. “And if you say ‘sorry mate, I didn’t see you’ I won’t be - ‘
Pain. Fury. Then recognition.
“Andy Hughes.” A hollow laugh. “Andy bloody Hughes! You always said that you’d kill me. Come back to make good on your promise, eh?”
Andy was uncomfortably aware of the scrutiny from the crowd of shoppers and lunch-breaking workers. They had formed a semi circle around the injured man and were in that awkward stage between going to help the injured man and waiting to see what would happen. But having his name called out and tied in with the word kill was not how he wanted to be remembered by them.
“Sorry, chap, I…Phil? That you?”
Philip Lotson got to his feet, still clutching his elbow. He staggered, almost slipping in the slush that was even now freezing again. This time the bystanders were even more reluctant to advance. They were keeping a more than healthy distance. Philip Lotson became aware of the audience. He flexed his right forearm, rolled his elbow.
“Thank you ladies and gentlemen, I’ll be fine now.” He turned to Andy. “Won’t I, Andrew?”
* * * * *
“How can he drive in a vehicle like this? You can’t even see through the damn windows…disgusting. God knows what his house is like.”
“I’ll be finding out later,” Andy replied. “I’ll take a picture for you.”
Phil was wiping the smeared grime on the passenger side of the windscreen with the sleeve of his jacket - and his good elbow. He stopped and stared hard at Andy.
“I’d appreciate that.” He had to shout to make himself heard over the roar of the fan heater. “I’d also appreciate you telling me why you’re in Cambridge.”
“I’m not here to kill you, Philip. I can assure you.” Even over the roar of the blower his softly spoken words were distinct, perfectly audible.
“So that attempt was just a bonus, was it?” He sighed. “Okay, I take that back. You’re not here to see me…or Kelly, I hope?” A harsh, protective glare.
Jasper looked uncomfortable. Andy reached down and switched the engine off. Pointless having it running: they wouldn’t be going anywhere until Rob got back. And with both of them talking and exhaling in such a confined space the cab was warm enough for now.
Andy leant his right elbow on the steering wheel and faced Phil. His face was impassive.
“Phil. I am not here to cause Kelly any grief. Or you, for that matter. I don’t expect either of you to forgive me for what happened, but please try and remember that it was a long time ago. I haven’t come to Cambridge for…for that.
“But I need your help. I’d asked Rob to put us in touch or arrange a meeting.” A thin, humourless smile. “No need for that now, as you can see.”
Phil snorted and stared at the Quayside.
“Funny how meetings with you always end up in someone getting hurt.”
Andy took a deep, self-calming breath. Let that one pass, he’s right after all.
“Phil. I need to know everything you can tell me about All Souls College.”
Phil turned back and stared at him.
“Why the interest? I’d have thought you’d want to forget All Souls, especially after what happened there.”
“I’ve had a long time to forget it,” Andy said with a slow nod. “But someone wants me to do a little digging.” Should I tell him about Pearce? No, best not. “Geoff Michaels is Rob’s lodger. Or rather was.”
Phil nodded, a suspicious look in his eye.
“That I know,” he said warily. “He disappeared last year. Stress of exams, family expectations…”
“Breaking up with his girlfriend, money worries, and so forth. Yes, I know the official story. But his parents aren’t happy with that. And…they want me to help find him.”
Phil was silent. Andy had thought he’d say something dismissive, to voice the same thoughts he’d had when Pearce gave him the job. Why ask you? What makes them think their son will still be there?
Instead Philip Lotson sil
ently watched the passing human traffic on Bridge Street. His brows were furrowed.
“Andy. I met up with Rob Benson a few months ago. First time I’ve seen him in years. He’s of the same opinion. He doesn’t believe Geoff went…willingly. He thinks the answer lies in the college as well. I told him that was rubbish. Part of me still thinks it is. But…”
He turned and faced Andy directly. His face was grim, pale and his eyes were red rimmed. Andy knew this was not the after effect of his collision with the van. This was something else.
“Your book.” Andy said grimly. “Rob told me you’ve started it off with All Souls. Something’s not right, is it? What have you found, Phil?”
Andy almost turned the engine back on to get the heater moving, but he knew it wasn’t the cold seeping into the van that made Phil Lotson shiver.
“That’s the problem, Andy. I’ve found nothing about that college. Apart from the basic details in the college prospectus and their brochures for the corporate catering market, the events of last year…nothing.”
“What about the college’s own archives, surely they have something?”
Phil snorted. “I’m sure they do. But you try getting to see them. Most of the colleges have been very forthcoming and helpful, many of the Fellows love talking about their college’s legends. The President of Queens spent a good two hours with me, just to make sure I knew everything there was to be known about their phantom punter.
“But All Souls…that’s a different matter. I tell you: everyone I spoke to, from the Head Porter to the Senior Tutor - even the bloody gardener - were abrupt to the point of rudeness. The Bursar virtually accused me of cashing in on one of their darkest moments, and the others made me feel that I was accusing them of hiding some secret.”
“Defensive.” Andy checked his watch. Come on Benson, what’s keeping you? “Guess they don’t like to be reminded of last year’s events. Media must have been pestering for weeks on end after last year…”
“And just when they think it’s all blown over, some nosy book-writing git wants to dig it all up again. That’s what I thought to begin with. Until this morning.” He told Andy about his email from the Master. “Hence my trip out today.”
“Very helpful all of a sudden. Perhaps he just wants to make sure you’re not going to put anything unauthorised in, or to play down the events of last year.”
Phil didn’t answer. He was chewing his fingernail and rubbing the sore elbow. He looked like he hadn’t had much sleep.
“Have you been having any nightmares recently, Phil?”
Phil turned his head, too quickly.
“Nightmares? No coincidence, Andy. He sent an email at exactly the same time I woke up from one. Exactly the same time. As if he knew about it…”
“Or had one himself?” Andy suggested.
“If he did, I hope to God it was nothing like mine. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It felt…too real for a nightmare. Kelly and Nick…” he swallowed noisily. Then a deep breath, his eyes squeezed shut, before continuing. “Last summer, when I took Kelly and Nick punting for the first time. The dream was an exact recreation of that day, a perfect memory - apart from the ending. They were killed, Andy. Sliced to pieces before my very eyes…”
Now Andy had the explanation for the drawn expression and the bloodshot eyes of his former tutor.
Andy bit his lip. It was obvious Phil really loved Kelly. And his kid…Andy would bet that Phil Lotson was a great father. A perfect family man. It made his own behaviour fifteen years ago that bit more shameful.
Phil’s eyes opened again, glanced briefly in Andy’s direction. They narrowed as they fell on him. Something else was going on here.
“What is it, Phil?”
When Phil told him his hands clenched on the steering wheel. Christ, no wonder he’s scared of me.
“You’ve…you’ve never dreamed of me doing anything like this before?”
Phil shook his head. “No. Not even…not even back then.”
Andy exhaled and relaxed his grip on the wheel. “Well. Guess that’s something.” Why a knife, for Christ’s sake? And why now?
It all seemed even more sinister when taking into account the other events of the last twenty four hours. His calling to Cambridge. Rob’s little “adventure” last night. The carcass in the back of the van, which seemed to have a connection with the kitchens of All Souls. And this Emma girl? The way Rob was acting it sounded like her silence had been enforced, because her disappearance was out of character. Andy’s shaven scalp prickled. Absence. Out of character…
Jen.
Everything was swirling around the college of All Souls like the clouds of a building hurricane. A storm was coming.
Another shaken, pallid face appeared next to Phil’s, distorted by the filthy smears on the glass. It made Phil jump. He groaned in pain as Jasper leapt over him and planted his front paws on the door handle, his rear claws digging into Phil’s belly. The dog barked a welcome at Rob, more saliva spraying onto the glass that Phil had just cleaned. The tail beat against Phil’s face, hairs sticking in his beard. He coughed, wincing, and tried to push the animal away from him.
Andy couldn’t help but smile at the sight. That changed when Rob opened the door and stared dully at the occupants of his van.
Jasper jumped onto the ground, sniffing around the bag of warm doughnuts he’d purchased on the way back to the van.
Rob’s face was pale and drawn. He looked like he was having difficulty standing. In his other hand was the company’s mobile phone, which threatened to slip from his shaking fingers.
“Rob?” Phil’s voice was filled with concern as well. Even Jasper had calmed down. He sat on the freezing pavement without protest, tail no longer thrashing. His warm brown eyes stared with loyal concern for his master, the tempting aroma of the doughnuts forgotten.
Rob acknowledged Phil with a nod. He stared at Andy and raised the phone.
“You won’t believe this. Jim’s phoned me, gave me an update on the pig. It’s gone.”
“That’s quick work,” Andy replied. “How did they get rid of it?”
Rob shivered as he replaced the phone. “You don’t understand, mate. They didn’t get rid of it. It’s gone. As in disappeared. Vanished.”
“Vanished?” Andy’s fingernails dug into the vinyl covering of the steering wheel. “How could it just…vanish?”
“No idea. Jim went outside to put some grit down on the path, came back and the pig had…well, he said it looked like it had been cremated. Higgins and Kiss-arse came over and then the ashes…blew away. He said nothing remains of it. Nothing. Not even the smell.”
Phil Lotson turned to Andy. “Vanished…cremated pig? What’s all this about?”
“Not a pig,” Andy replied. “A boar. A wild boar. Turned up in his van this morning. He doesn’t know how it got there.” He stared meaningfully at Rob.
“Wait a minute.” Phil said quickly. “A boar. Cremated?”
“Think so.” Rob nodded shakily. “Jim said it was all ash and charred bone - until it blew away.”
Phil stroked his chin thoughtfully. He stared hard at Rob.
“A cremated boar…and no trace remains?”
“Might be a couple of bloodstains I missed when hosing out the van.”
“No. It’s all clear in there,” Andy said.
Strange, when he had placed Phil’s bike and his own heavy rucksack in the cargo hold to clear space in the cab for three men and a dog he had noticed that the putrid stench had gone. As though it had never been there to begin with…
“Curiouser and curiouser,” he whispered.
“More than that.” Phil’s voice was hoarse. “You are aware that the cremation of a boar is the culmination of the Founder’s Feast of All Souls?”
Andy and Rob stared at him.
“Guess we’ll find the answers when we get to All Souls. See if your friend Cassell is around, wondering who’s stolen his carcass.”
Rob grinned at A
ndy’s comment. “More likely got his knob shoved up a Christmas turkey.” He took out a doughnut, offered it to Jasper who took it gently, almost daintily. Then to Phil. “Want one? I almost got us some bacon rolls. But after Jim’s call, the last thing I wanted was burned pig.”
Phil shook his head.
“Not like you, Phil. Well, you need to lose some weight anyway. Why aren’t you on your pushbike, anyway?”
“Ask your chauffeur.”
Andy grinned at Rob’s questioning glare.
“Third time lucky, as you said.”
“Oh for God’s sake…”
“His bike’s in the back of the van. Not much damage that I can see but I suggested we drive him to his appointment.”
“Appointment?” Rob stared at Phil suspiciously as he fed Jasper a second doughnut. “Where?”
“Same place you’re going.” Phil put a restraining hand on Jasper’s thrashing tail. “I have an invitation to meet the Master of All Souls.”
* * * * *
Andy Hughes drove the van back up Bridge Street with no further bike-related incidents. The red brickwork of Magdalene College glowed festively as they passed.
Andy was silent, concentrating on the drive, remembering instantly the best way to get to All Souls. Funny, only been back a few hours and it feels like I never left…
Castle Hill. Northampton Street, then down Queen’s Road. The Backs.
Andy felt himself relaxing, physically and mentally, as his eyes drank in the scene that symbolised all that was best about Cambridge. He marvelled at the icy beauty this harsh winter had bestowed to the expanse of trees, lawns, pasture and gardens of the riverside colleges. The silvery brown waters of the Cam flowed lazily, as if on the verge of freezing, as they carried away academic memories on their way to the fens. The Courts and gardens of most of the older colleges were visible, each linked by a bridge to the border of parkland on the west side. The sycamores and horse chestnuts, jealously guarding the vision of historic splendour from traffic-bound passers-by, had now been forced to relent. Their leaves had long since fallen in lazy showers of gold and russet, allowing brief glimpses of the hallowed architecture to those stuck in the slow moving queue of traffic on Queen’s Road.
The Caretakers (2011) Page 8
