Finn looked at the papers. He could vaguely recall working at the kitchen table. The past few days seemed as if he’d been in a morphine haze. His memory was clouded and muddled, only remembering brief snippets of what had taken place.
Butler was certain that Finn had worked out the elusive archetypon, the proof had been when he’d heard him refer to himself as Alexander Drake during the argument with his wife two days earlier. That could have only happened after Finn had seen it.
References to Drake, Alice Donaldson, William and Louisa would have infiltrated his mind from time to time, but to announce to Sophie that he was Alexander Drake could only have happened once he’d worked out the archetypon.
“Do you have another one, one without a cross? There must be one with a tick. Think man, think.”
Finn felt like a schoolboy being intimated by the headmaster. He was confused and couldn’t understand what he was supposed to do.
“Come on, think ………. concentrate. There must be one with a tick!”
“One with a tick,” whispered Finn.
He closed his eyes. Suddenly the image of a pattern drawn in red flashed before him. He focussed with all his might and then he saw it again, and this time he caught a glance of the tick.
“Yes, I see it, I can see it in my mind.”
“In your mind? It’s no good there. We need it here, in front of us,” demanded Butler in a raised voice.
“It’s not on paper.” said Finn.
“What do you mean, not on paper?”
“Shush, I’m trying to remember.”
Butler became agitated and paced around the room. Finn raised his hand gesturing him to keep still.
“Let me concentrate, keep still, you’re interrupting my thoughts.”
Finn opened his eyes and glanced around the room, and then he saw it.
It had being lying there untouched since he’d put it down two days ago.
“Of course,” he muttered.
He lurched over to the laptop, picked it up and lifted the lid.
Butler stood alongside Finn as he held the computer. The thing clicked and whirred into life.
The computer prompted Finn for his password and he stared at the incandescent screen.
“Bloody log onto the thing,” insisted Butler.
Finn’s mind was blank. He couldn’t recall the password and stood shaking his head.
“My password, what’s my password?”
“Is it your wife’s name, or your daughter’s?” shouted Butler.
Finn said nothing. He blocked out the sound of Butler’s voice which geared up a notch every time he spoke.
Finn remembered receiving the laptop as a Christmas present from Sophie and he could recall setting a password that was topical. It had been a week after Christmas until he’d got the thing out of its box and set it up. His fuddled memory did him no favours.
“New Year’s Day!” exclaimed Finn.
“What?”
“I set this thing up on New Year’s Day!”
“Okay, try 112006,” suggested Butler.
Finn shook his head.
“How about January06?”
Finn said nothing.
The two men stood in silence. Butler’s patience wore thin, he bit his lip as Finn did his best to remember.
He recalled Rosie showing him the stone face she’d painted with Heather on New Year’s Day.
He sat down, rested the computer on his lap and typed.
c h a r l i e 2 0 0 6
The little icon on the screen spun. Butler looked at Finn’s face, lit by the pale glow from the laptop.
“Any luck?”
Finn didn’t answer.
Butler watched the white glow reflecting in Finn’s face change to red. Finn’s pupils dilated as he gazed at the screen.
Butler took a pace forward, sat alongside Finn and looked at the screen. The radiance of what he saw was breath taking. He took the computer from Finn and placed it on his lap. A smile spread across his face as he gazed at what was in front of him. He ran his finger over the LCD screen in the spiral direction of the pattern. Years of searching were over. The old man swallowed hard as he struggled to hide his emotions. And then he spoke.
“Mr. Maynard you’ve done it, you’ve discovered the third archetypon.”
THE END OF BOOK ONE
Thank you for downloading and reading part one of The Third Skull. I hope you’ve enjoyed it.
To continue reading The Third Skull, please click here to purchase Book Two (The Revelation) from Amazon.
A Message from the Author
A personal note from Andrew M Stafford
Hello,
Thank you for reading The Third Skull. I’m grateful that you’ve chosen it and have taken the time to read it.
I am a relatively new author. If you would like to contact me with your thoughts on this story, you can email me at [email protected]
If you did enjoy it, I would be grateful if you would leave a review on Amazon telling other visitors to the site what you thought of The Third Skull. Positive reviews can really help new authors succeed and could help others decide whether or not to purchase a book.
It is easy to write a review and can be done by going to the Amazon page where you purchased the book and scroll down to where it says ‘Customer Reviews: Write a customer review’.
In the UK, you could try clicking this link to write a review.
In the United States you could try clicking this link to write a review
You may like to visit my website at:
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My very best wishes
Andy Stafford
Other Books by Andrew M Stafford
The Hill: A Paranormal Murder Mystery Thriller
‘The Hill reveals the world for what it is; a place where the impossible is real, and the dead speak with the living’
What if you were murdered? And what if by supernatural intervention you are given the chance to help the police find your killer? This is what happened to rookie police officer Ben Walker after he and his new girlfriend, Liz Mason became victims of a callous and brutal attack by Daniel Boyd, a grudge bearing drop out, and his gang.
Ben’s body lay alongside Liz, who was unconscious and barely alive at the bottom of Mill Tut, a Bronze aged burial mound in the beautiful Badock’s Wood in Bristol.
DCI Markland Garraway, who at the last moment is brought in to lead the investigation into Ben’s murder has a reputation of being a maverick detective who thinks outside the box.
The mystical powers of the ancient burial mound begin to influence Garraway’s attitude towards the case and soon he is alienated by his colleagues. Mill Tut, or The Hill as Garraway refers to it, opens up a Pandora’s Box of supernatural happenings which infiltrate his waking and sleeping life, creating a host of mental demons which the Scottish detective must learn to deal with.
Daniel Boyd has fled Bristol to evade capture for the crime he has committed. To those who know him, he’s vanished off the face of the earth. But can he escape the mystical powers of The Hill?
The power of The Hill does not only affect Garraway. It reaches out to many, including Christopher Jameson, who was born at the precise moment Ben’s life ended.
The Hill reveals to Garraway and the others who are affected by its influence, the world for what it is; a place where the impossible is real, and the dead speak with the living.
What people are saying about The Hill
Reviews of the Omnibus edition of The Hill from Amazon UK (Containing both Book One and Book Two).
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow 2 August 2015
What a fantastic book. I have been reading books for 50+ years and never ever have I come across anything like this one. I just had to keep reading and reading. The plot was unlike anything I have ever enc
ountered. Very well thought out and even believable. I was constantly asking myself if the story could be based on truth it was so convincing. I find it hard to believe this was the author’s first book.
The spelling was very good and the grammar (apart from 2 or 3 mistakes) was excellent far better than most books I buy on Kindle I sincerely hope there will be further books from this author.
Give yourself a pat on the back Andrew you deserve it.
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I've read on kindle, 21 April 2015
I loved this book, I felt as though I was there with the characters. Full of suspense and would love to see it made into a film. Can't wait for more by this author. Well done Andrew Stafford.
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb! 19 April 2015
This is a truly excellent book and a page turner from start to finish. It has a gripping plot and holds the attention all the way through. I can thoroughly recommend it as an excellent read.
5.0 out of 5 stars would make good viewing, 12 April 2015
Can't wait for his next book. Why don't they make films or tv dramas, would make good viewing
5.0 out of 5 stars A truly amazing read best book I've read by far 7 April 2015
A truly amazing read best book I've read by far and I read a lot. A fantastic story of which you feel every emotion cannot rate it highly enough truly brilliant
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book and couldn't put it down, 28 Mar. 2015
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. .would make a fabulous mini series or film.. highly recommend.
HOW TO BUY THE HILL
Purchase The Hill: A Paranormal Murder Mystery Thriller. (Omnibus Edition containing both Book One and Book Two) from your Amazon store.
Click the image above to purchase The Hill from your Amazon store
Or available for Free
The Hill - Ben's Story (Book One). A Paranormal Murder Mystery Thriller.
(50% of the Omnibus edition) for free from your Amazon store
If you enjoy Book One, you can go on to purchase Book Two from Amazon.
Andrew M Stafford
The Third Skull (Book one - The Discovery): A Paranormal Mystery Thriller Page 21
