The Netherwell Horror

by Lee Mountford

  ‘What the…’ was all the man could mutter as he struggled to get his bearings. Eventually, his confused gaze settled on Beth, who stood with her arms folded, though she had an amused smile on her face.

  ‘Oh, sorry,’ he said, composing himself and pulling free his headphones. He brushed his shirt and waistcoat down and then ran a hand through his floppy hair. ‘That was unprofessional of me.’ His cheeks flushed red.

  ‘It’s okay,’ Beth said. ‘Reading stuff like that,’ she nodded to the book she had just dropped, ‘would put me to sleep, too.’

  ‘Huh?’ The young man looked genuinely confused. Then he looked down to the tome Beth had motioned to. ‘Oh, I see.’ He gave a laugh that sounded awfully proper and polite. ‘I suppose it might seem that way, but it is actually quite fascinating.’ He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  ‘Pythagorean Theorem? Fascinating? Really?’ She chuckled.

  The red of his cheeks deepened, and the man cast his gaze away from Beth in embarrassment. ‘Yes, well, I guess it is a bit of an acquired taste. But things like that tend to hold my interest.’

  ‘If that’s true, how come you were asleep?’ Beth asked, still smiling. She could tell the young lad wasn’t too comfortable talking to a woman, probably not something he did a lot of. ‘Out partying all night last night?’

  ‘Partying?’ Again, he seemed genuinely confused.

  ‘Yeah,’ Beth said. ‘You know, out getting drunk with friends.’

  ‘Oh, gosh no,’ he said, looking slightly appalled. ‘I’d never... I mean, that kind of thing is not…’

  Beth laughed. ‘Relax, I’m only teasing.’ She held out her hand to him. ‘I’m Beth.’

  The man looked at her hand like it was a foreign object. Eventually, he took it in a soft and limp grasp. ‘Aiden,’ he replied with an awkward smile.

  ‘Pleased to meet you, Aiden,’ Beth said. ‘Sorry if I scared you. It probably was a bit much just to get your attention.’

  Aiden shook his head. ‘Oh, no, the fault was mine. I shouldn’t have been sleeping. My apologies.’

  ‘Don’t mention it,’ Beth said with an amused chuckle. There was a brief silence, which Aiden apparently felt the need to fill.

  ‘Can I help you with something?’

  ‘Possibly,’ Beth said, and then proceeded with the story she had come up with on her walk over from Sadie’s house. She didn’t know if Aiden was trustworthy, even though he seemed unassuming and socially awkward, and didn’t know how much information she would be safe divulging. She had prepared a story in case she had met William Kent here, and she hoped that it could act as a cover to help dig up further information without explicitly mentioning Josh. ‘I’m gathering information for a book I’m writing.’

  ‘A book on what? Netherwell Bay?’ Aiden asked with a confused frown.

  ‘Not exclusively,’ she replied. ‘It is going to be a bit of a guide to lesser-known coastal towns across the country. I’ve not long been in Netherwell Bay, but it is a fascinating little town. Not many places I’ve visited have their own Heritage Centre, so when I learned of this place, I thought it would be perfect for my research. What better place to learn about the town and its history? I assume this Centre is open to the public?’

  ‘Erm, it is, I guess. I have to admit, though, we don’t really get many people in.’

  ‘Oh, really? Well, in that case, is there any reason to keep it open?’

  Aiden took a moment. ‘The owner of the centre, who owns the building itself as well as the collections you see here in this room, feels it is important to preserve the town’s history. So, this is a kind of labour of love. That works well for me, as it feels a little bit like home for me.’ Aiden cast a longing gaze around the room.

  ‘So, you’ve worked here for a while?’ Beth asked.

  ‘Not worked. I volunteer,’ Aiden said. ‘A little bit of a labour of love for me, too.’

  ‘That’s nice,’ Beth replied. ‘Are you related to the owner yourself?’

  Aiden shook his head. ‘I’m not.’

  ‘But you are a local? Lived here all your life?’

  Aiden nodded, then narrowed his eyes at her. ‘This feels a little like an interview.’

  Beth laughed. ‘Sorry, that’s just the reporter in me coming out.’

  ‘You’re a reporter?’ Aiden asked, his eyes widening a little.

  ‘Well, I used to be,’ Beth said. ‘But I’ve been writing books for a few years now. Just eking a living out that way. The royalties aren’t great, but it’s much more rewarding.’

  Aiden nodded. ‘I see.’ He studied her, and Beth could tell the man was trying to figure her out, weighing up if he believed her or not.

  ‘So…’ Beth said. ‘Am I okay to use this place for my research?’

  ‘I guess so,’ he replied. ‘Everything you see in here can be studied and inspected, but we do insist nothing leaves the site. So you will need to do your research here.’

  ‘Cool. That works for me. Is there anything else, or is it just this room? Pretty big building for it all just be condensed into one area.’

  Aiden shook his head. ‘Just what is in here, I’m afraid. The rest of the building is off limits.’

  ‘No problem,’ Beth said. Already her mind was working on a way to subtly drive the conversation towards Alicia Kent. Hopefully she could get Aiden to divulge where that girl lived—if he even knew. Beth, however, didn’t get the opportunity, as the front door behind her opened. She turned to see a man enter. His dark, almost soulless eyes immediately landed on Beth.

  ‘Hello, Mr. Kent,’ Aiden said. ‘I’d like you to meet someone. This is Beth.’

  A smile crossed the man’s lips. ‘Good morning, Beth. How can I help you?’

  16

  Beth left the question hanging in the air.

  Whoever this ‘Mr. Kent’ was—William or not—he was an imposing figure, standing over six feet tall. At a guess, Beth would have said six-two, maybe more. He looked to be in his fifties, with brushed-back greying hair that was streaked with a few surviving strands of black. The years had started to sag the skin around his thin face a little, and there were distinct ageing lines around his eyes and mouth. However, despite this, he still had traditionally handsome features: a narrow, symmetrical facial shape, high cheekbones, dark eyes, and a healthy tan, as well as a strong posture, with his shoulders thrust back and chest pushed out. His smile was an easy one, revealing perfect white teeth.

  He had an athletic frame, too, indicating that he either worked out, or at least looked after himself. He wore an open blazer with a sky-blue shirt beneath. The buttons were not done all the way up, revealing his chest underneath. His clothing reminded Beth of the way her old boss, Mark, used to dress, only this gentleman seemed to pull the style off with ease.

  The man continued to stare at Beth expectantly, but Aiden answered the question he had asked.

  ‘She is in town writing a book,’ the young man said. ‘Studying coastal towns throughout the country, I believe.’

  Mr. Kent raised an eyebrow. ‘Is that so? How quaint. Who’s your publisher?’

  That seemed like a random question, and it threw Beth for a loop. ‘I… don’t have one as yet. I’m going to shop around when the book is done.’

  The man smiled and nodded. ‘Is that so? Well, how long have you been in Netherwell? Have you found anything of interest yet?’

  ‘Since yesterday,’ Beth replied. ‘I’m really just getting started. Though, I am obviously aware of what people are talking about at the minute, and of the police presence on the beach.’

  Mr. Kent held his smile. ‘Yes, horrible business, that.’ His tone, however, was still upbeat and almost jovial, as if the deaths were of little concern or interest.

  ‘Have you heard anything about it?’ Beth asked. ‘Apparently a number of people have been killed.’

  He simply shrugged. ‘I believe there has been a statement by the police indicating they are investigating an incident, bu
t they haven’t released much more detail than that as yet.’ Beth made a mental note to follow up with that, as she hadn’t been aware of any statement, although she hadn’t checked any of the news websites that morning, either.

  ‘Truly horrible,’ Beth said, trying her best to sound sincere.

  ‘Something to include in your book, though, eh? Quite fortunate timing, if you look at it that way.’

  ‘That’s not really the angle I’m going for with the book. It’s more of a travel piece.’

  ‘Well, we don’t get a lot of tourists here,’ Mr. Kent said. ‘Despite its rich and interesting history, the town seems to be dying. Has been for a number of years now.’

  ‘That’s sad,’ Beth replied. ‘But what is so interesting about the history of Netherwell Bay?’ Beth was padding for time, trying to draw the conversation out a little without giving anything away.

  ‘Oh, where to start? It would take me a whole afternoon just to cover the bullet points, I’m afraid,’ he said.

  ‘Well… I have the time.’

  ‘I don’t, I’m afraid. Apologies, but I really am quite busy, so I’ll have to cut this short.’

  ‘No problem,’ Beth said. ‘Thank you for your time anyway… Mr. Kent, was it?’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, William Kent.’

  It was him.

  ‘Pleased to meet you,’ Beth said and held out a hand. William simply left it hanging and kept his eyes on hers. Beth slowly and awkwardly withdrew the gesture. ‘Would it be okay if I looked around here? Aiden said this centre was open to the public?’

  ‘Ordinarily yes,’ William replied. ‘But not today. I am going to have to close the Centre.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Yes. Something has come up.’

  ‘Can’t Aiden watch the place for you? That’s what he was doing anyway.’

  William Kent’s face clouded in an instant. ‘I am in need of Mr. Chambers’ assistance. The Heritage Centre will be closed for the rest of the day. Come back another time.’ His tone was short and curt. Beth knew immediately that questioning the man had been a mistake.

  ‘Understood,’ Beth said, feeling the opportunity of getting closer to Josh slip away. However, she didn’t want to push things too much. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’

  Beth then started to walk from the building, holding her breath as she passed William. For some reason, she half-expected him to reach out and suddenly grab her. He didn’t grab her, though he did stare at her, unblinking, until she reached the door.

  ‘Can I ask a quick question?’ she said, deciding to push something that had been bugging her. William Kent didn’t verbally approve the request, but raised his eyebrows, which Beth took as a sign to proceed. ‘A lot of the books on the shelves here,’ she motioned to the shelves around the room, ‘many of them seem to cover rather odd subjects. Mathematics and geometry and things like that.’

  ‘Yes,’ William replied impatiently.

  ‘Well, what is the connection? Why have these kinds of books displayed in a place that is supposed to cover the history of your town?’

  William sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. He didn’t look amused. ‘What does geometry mean to you, Mrs… sorry, I didn’t catch your last name?’

  Now it was Beth’s turn to pause, as she didn’t want to reveal her surname to him. If he did indeed know Josh, then it would reveal a link that Beth didn’t want known. ‘Andrews,’ she eventually lied.

  Mr. Kent’s smile retuned, but it wasn’t a nice one. Beth knew she had waited too long with her reply. She quickly added, ‘And it’s Miss. I’m not married.’ She desperately hoped that made her lie more believable.

  ‘Miss Andrews,’ William repeated in confirmation. ‘So, as I asked, what does the term geometry mean to you?’

  It certainly was an odd question. ‘The same as it means to anyone else, I assume,’ Beth replied. ‘Spaces, shapes, patterns, that kind of thing.’

  William shook his head, looking disappointed, even annoyed. ‘That is an incredibly simplistic explanation, if you don’t mind me saying, Miss Andrews. To be expected, I supposed.’

  ‘What do you mean by that?’

  ‘Precisely what I say. Now, I think we are finished here. If you don’t mind…’ He then nodded towards the door behind her. Beth didn’t give any response and simply turned away. However, it didn’t seem that William Kent was quite finished yet. ‘Your accent,’ he said, just as Beth was reaching for the door. She turned back.

  ‘What of it?’

  ‘Not a local one.’

  She was getting tired of hearing that. ‘No, it isn’t. Is that important?’

  William Kent shrugged. ‘Not really. Probably just a coincidence.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked.

  ‘Nothing much. I just know someone else with a similar twang, is all. And, if I’m honest, you have a look of him.’

  Beth felt a chill run up her spine. ‘Not sure who you mean,’ she said.

  ‘I’m sure you don’t. Now, if you don’t mind, I must ask you to leave, Miss… Andrews.’

  17

  Beth walked quickly away from the Heritage Centre.

  She felt her skin flush with anger and annoyance at how stupid and reckless she’d been. William Kent knew Josh, and now he’d obviously figured out there was a link between Josh and Beth. The older man was clearly smart. While Beth had been trying to play him to gain information, he’d turned that on its head. William had simply returned to his premises, found a strange lady there, and quickly and efficiently sussed her out.

  Beth, however, still had nothing.

  Well, not quite nothing. She now knew for certain that there was a link between William Kent and Josh. William had made that perfectly obvious with his less-than-veiled insinuation.

  The question still remained: if Josh was still alive, then why had he been so scared yesterday? Beth just prayed he hadn’t done something that couldn’t be undone.

  She was unconsciously moving back to the centre of town, lost in her own frantic thoughts, when a conversation between an elderly couple drew her attention.

  ‘You’re being ridiculous, Brian,’ the lady said. ‘Same as you were last night when you woke me up at a stupid hour. It’s your medication, I’m telling you.’

  ‘It isn’t,’ the gentleman said defiantly. ‘I know what I saw.’

  They had been slowly walking in the opposite direction as Beth, but on the same side of the road, so she was close to them as they passed each other. The words from the old man had caught Beth’s attention, and she stopped and watched the old couple shuffle their way past.

  They were carrying a few bags between them, and he was wearing a cotton beige coat and flat cap. She was dressed in a blue shawl and ankle-length navy skirt. The man reminded Beth of Droopy the Dog, with a long, tired face.

  The old woman saw Beth staring and stopped. ‘See?’ she said to her husband. ‘That young lass there thinks we are crazy.’

  ‘Don’t care,’ the man said. ‘I saw it. I’m telling you, I saw it.’ His voice, though defiant, had a certain fearful edge to it.

  ‘Don’t mind him, dear,’ the old lady said to Beth. ‘Don’t know how much you heard, but the old fool is just getting confused. He had a bad dream he thinks was real.’

  Normally, Beth would have given the bickering pair their own space and not really listened to what had been said. But, given what she had seen since her arrival in town, how could the conversation not spark her interest?

  ‘What was it you think you saw?’ Beth asked without really thinking. It was none of her business, of course, but she had asked anyway.

  ‘You don’t want to know,’ the woman said, shaking her head.

  ‘Out at sea, last night,’ the man began, and Beth felt her heart seize, remembering her own experience. ‘There was… something… out there. Can’t really explain what. A monstrous thing.’ The poor old man seemed to be shaking at his recollection, and Beth—feeling fear rise in herself
—could fully understand why. Could it be? Had someone else seen the same thing she had?

  ‘You’re a bloody fool,’ the woman repeated. ‘He had a dream, brought on by his heart tablets. Couldn’t tell the difference between what was real and what wasn’t. Woke me up at an ungodly hour, clutching his chest and looking white as a sheet. Thought he was having another heart attack, I did.’

  ‘I saw it!’ the man insisted.

  ‘Well there was nothing there when I looked,’ the woman stated. ‘Nothing at all.’

  ‘I saw it,’ he repeated, and Beth could hear the pain and confusion in his voice. There was wavering and doubt, and the questioning of his own sanity. It was something Beth had experienced herself recently.

  ‘Do you live up on the cliff, near the Overview Lodge?’

  Both sets of eyes went wide.

  ‘Yes,’ the man replied, nodding enthusiastically.

  ‘How the devil did you know that?’ the woman asked.

  Then the man’s face dropped in realisation. ‘You saw it, too, didn’t you.’

  Beth didn’t reply at first, feeling like a rabbit caught in headlights as both the old woman and her husband stared back at her expectantly. The old man almost looked hopeful. The old woman’s face was a picture of confusion. Beth didn’t know what to do. If she corroborated the old man’s story, then that was admitting that the thing out at sea—the towering, nightmarish behemoth—might have been real. Her mind wasn’t ready to accept that. Also, would it really help the old man?

  But, if she denied it, then it might plunge the gentleman back into swirling confusion and self-doubt. Something Beth knew all too well since arriving in Netherwell Bay.

  The tapping figure in the window and those infantile abominations on the beach both flicked into her mind.

  Beth shook her head. Her decision was made. ‘Sorry, I didn’t see anything,’ she said.

  ‘How did you know where we lived, then?’ the woman asked.

  ‘Lucky guess,’ Beth said. She suddenly wanted to be away from the two of them. Not through any dislike of them, but because she was struggling to come to terms with the fact someone else had seen the same thing she had. It made her head spin. So, she turned and walked away from the confused couple.