The Netherwell Horror

by Lee Mountford

  ‘You did see it,’ the old man called after her, but Beth ignored him. ‘I know you did. I ain’t crazy. Something is going on here. Something is wrong.’

  Though she didn’t reply, Beth couldn’t disagree with the man. She then heard her mobile phone start to ring and retrieved it from her pocket, welcoming the distraction.

  It was Erland.

  18

  ‘Hey,’ Beth answered the call. ‘What have you got for me?’ She tried to keep her voice even and calm, which took effort.

  ‘Well,’ Erland replied, ‘I still don’t know that you’re doing all that way up north, but you’ve landed in the middle of something, that’s for sure.’

  After speaking with Sadie Orson earlier Beth had called her friend, hoping for a favour: to try and find out anything he could about the recent murders in town. In addition, she asked him to dig up anything he could about the Kent family. It was an open net, one she’d hoped Erland would cast as wide as he could, as quickly as he could. He’d been confused as hell at her request, of course, and had instead wanted to make sure Beth was okay after her sudden departure from the paper. She’d insisted she was fine but said that she really needed his help. Erland was great at what he did, had a lot of contacts, and in the past had proven he could dig up things that most people would miss.

  However, that was back home. Netherwell Bay was a long way away, and Erland’s connections wouldn’t likely extend this far. Still, Beth needed all she could get.

  ‘Go on,’ Beth said, keen to hear what her friend had dug up.

  ‘Well, there isn’t much to know, but the local police up there have put out an official statement. They say they are investigating an incident at a cave but as yet haven’t given any indication as to what that incident might be. So not a lot of help there. But I do know a couple of reporters in the North East, and one of them knows a journalist near Netherwell, just a few towns over. He has a connection within the police force up there. There’s a lot of buzz over the story. Problem is, the paper this journalist sub-contracts for can’t run anything major yet, as nothing is corroborated.’ Beth understood, and actually appreciated the publication’s morals and patience, something her old boss didn’t have any of. Erland went on, ‘But I know that three people were killed. The deaths are being treated as murders, and… well… I don’t really know how to say this, Beth. They were fucking ritualistic killings, or something like that. Really savage, as well.’

  ‘Sorry, did you say ritualistic?’

  ‘That’s right,’ Erland replied. ‘Apparently there were some kind of symbols left on the ground. Like what you’d see in a bad horror movie. The bodies, what was left of them, had been left on display. Whoever did this had no intention of hiding the mess.’

  ‘Jesus… any idea on the deceased?’

  ‘Two men and a woman, apparently, but no formal identification. At least, none that has been leaked.’

  Beth held her breath. Two men. Could one of them have been Josh?

  ‘I have to ask, Beth. What’s going on up there? Seems a bit weird that you travel to the arse-end of nowhere, just to get away from it all, only to end up in the middle of a story that looks like it’s set to go nationwide at any second. I’d heard nothing of it till you called, but something like this is going to catch on. How did you end up at ground zero? Is this something you had been following?’

  ‘No,’ Beth said. ‘I swear. It’s just been the craziest coincidence.’

  ‘Jesus,’ Erland replied. ‘That is some coincidence. And such a random place for you to end up, too.’ Beth could tell that he didn’t really believe everything she was saying. But she was thankful that he didn’t pull at that thread any further just yet. ‘So, are you going to cover it while you’re there?’

  ‘Cover it?’

  ‘The story. Working or not, you’re still a reporter, aren’t you? And stories like this almost never fall into our laps. Could bring in some good money if you go freelance.’

  ‘I hadn’t thought of it,’ Beth replied, and she meant it. She had other things to worry about that were much more important to her.

  ‘I find that hard to believe,’ Erland replied. She could understand his scepticism, given the work ethic he was used to seeing from her. ‘You’re always looking for the next big scoop.’

  ‘Not this time. I just wanted to relax and get away from everything.’

  Erland was silent for a moment. ‘So why follow it up in the first place? Why even call me to look into it?’ Another pause. ‘Is everything alright up there, Beth? I mean, are you okay?’

  ‘I’m fine,’ Beth said, but even as she said the words she didn’t really believe them. She doubted they sounded sincere. ‘Look, Erland, I just want to know what’s going on. That’s it. There really is nothing to worry about.’

  ‘Honestly, I’m not sure I believe you. But you know you can count on me if you need to.’

  She had to keep from breathing a sigh of relief. Right now, the last thing she wanted was to have to explain herself or get into what was going on here. Erland helping out and even while he knew he was being kept at arm’s length meant a lot. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Did you find out anything about the Kent family?’

  ‘A little, but not much. The journalist I know had heard of them and gave me a few tidbits. They certainly don’t sound like a well-to-do family, despite the persona they try to convey. He says they’ve gone hand-in-hand with that town for as long as he can remember, and the rumours are that they have their claws into everything. Nothing happens there without their approval, and they own quite a lot of the property there too. This journalist thinks they have ties to some pretty unsavoury characters, but they keep themselves removed enough to never get drawn in officially. I get the impression they aren’t nice people, Beth. Do you think they’re involved in these murders somehow? Is that why you wanted more info on them?’

  ‘I don’t know yet,’ Beth said, honestly. ‘Still looking into it. But I’ve heard them mentioned around here, even met one of them. A guy named William. Did you turn anything up on him?’

  ‘No, sorry. No specific names were mentioned. Also, I couldn’t find anything on the girl you asked me to look for, that Alicia Kent. But, with a little more time, I think I might be able to find something. Want me to keep looking?’

  ‘Couldn’t hurt,’ Beth said.

  ‘You still aren’t going to tell me why you want to find her specifically, are you?’

  Beth gave a pause before answering. ‘Sorry,’ was all she said.

  ‘Christ,’ Erland sighed in response. ‘I really don’t like this, Beth.’

  ‘It’ll be fine,’ she said. ‘Anything else about the Kents?’

  ‘The only other things I could find were online, but it’s more to do with the town’s history. It’s a little sketchy, but what I have found is more than a little fucking weird.’

  That seemed in line with Beth’s experience of this place so far, and she was less than surprised. ‘Okay, what have you found?’

  ‘Well, there have been a few… how do I put this… events over the years. In the early eighteen hundreds, the population of the town severely dropped. There isn’t too much detail, but what I’ve found suggests that a lot of people disappeared. No other explanation is given, just that it was sudden and unexplained. There have been a few murders down the line as well, and many were—get this—occult or ritualistic in nature. Ring any bells?’

  ‘Shit,’ Beth said. ‘So the town has a history of things like what happened here yesterday?’

  ‘It would seem so. Again, the details on these records are sketchy. To be honest, you’re probably in the best place to learn more, if you want to. Is there a library in town? They would likely have records that are more detailed than what I’ve managed to pull up online.’

  ‘I have a place in mind,’ Beth replied.

  ‘Good. There was a similar thing happened a little over fifty years ago, too. Nineteen sixty-eight. A spate of disappearances, I’m gues
sing, as the population that year dropped quite a bit again. I couldn’t find anything to explain it. The only thing I found was from the Online Newspaper Archive. There was a small story in a North Yorkshire paper, which mentioned Netherwell. A trio of killings that apparently had occult symbology present. That was in sixty-eight as well, around the same time as the disappearances. But other than that, it was like everything surrounding the events was scrubbed clean.’

  ‘Three killings? So, what, history is repeating itself?’

  ‘I have no idea,’ Erland replied. ‘Like I said, the information isn’t very detailed. But there are records of the Kents being associated with the town stretching back as far as I could find. If you give me a little more time, I know I could uncover more, but I wanted to let you know what I’d found so far. Especially those past killings that seem to echo the ones from yesterday. I found that very fucking strange.’

  ‘Me too,’ Beth agreed. ‘No way that it’s a coincidence.’

  ‘Indeed. Which is why I’m more than a little concerned you’ve ended up in the middle of it all. Can’t you just pick another place to relax in? Leave Netherwell Bay behind?’

  ‘I’ll consider it,’ Beth lied.

  ‘So, that’s a no, then?’ Beth didn’t reply so Erland carried on, ‘Just tell me what’s going on, Beth. Maybe I can help.’

  Part of her dearly wanted to tell Erland everything. The thought of confiding in a friend that would listen and understand was alluring, and for a moment she forgot why she was so reluctant to tell him. But then she remembered: Beth had no idea what it was that Josh had done. She also didn’t even know if he was still alive. If it was really bad, then Beth knew the more people involved, the more difficult it would be to try and smooth things over. Keeping everyone out of the loop seemed the safest option. And, in truth, putting her trust and faith in people did not come easily to Beth.

  ‘You’re already helping, Erland,’ Beth said.

  He sighed. ‘Fine. Want me to keep digging?’

  ‘If you don’t mind, and it doesn’t get you in trouble at work.’

  ‘That’s no problem,’ Erland said. ‘Mark doesn’t even know what I do most of the time anyway. Speaking of which, you didn’t tell me what happened between the two of you, and why you ended up quitting?’

  Beth’s gaze suddenly fell on someone up ahead. Someone she definitely needed to talk to. ‘I’ll tell you everything, Elrand, and soon. But right now, I need to go.’

  ‘Fine,’ Erland said, sounding anything but. Beth felt bad, and it seemed like she was taking advantage of their friendship a little, but at the moment, especially considering the situation she was in, she didn’t feel like she had a choice.

  ‘Thank you, Erland. I really do appreciate all of this. When I’m back, we will catch up, and then I promise I’ll tell you everything.’ Beth ended the call, not sure herself if she intended to keep the promise she had just made. Her eyes were focused on a man she’d spotted walking towards her along the street, with his black Border Collie in tow.

  19

  ‘Jim!’ Beth shouted, drawing looks of surprise from the townspeople around her, as well as from Jim himself. Soon, however, the confused frown on the old man’s face fell away and a quick look of recognition took its place. Then, the frown returned.

  ‘You again?’ he asked, as Beth jogged over to him. ‘Thought I made myself clear to you yesterday.’

  She nodded. ‘You did. And I’m sorry.’ She realised that a little honesty might help grease the wheels of information. All Beth had to go on was her gut, and she felt confident Jim was a good person at heart. ‘Look, you were right yesterday. I wasn’t being entirely truthful with you.’

  ‘Is that right?’ Jim asked, still eyeing her suspiciously.

  ‘Yes. And, again, I’m sorry. But the truth is, I’m here looking for someone. I don’t know what’s happened to them, and all I know is they were here the last time we spoke. I’m terrified that this person could have been one of the people you found dead over in that cave. Please, Jim, I’m begging you, can you help me? I just want to know a little more about what you saw. If I give you a description of the man I’m looking for, maybe you can tell me if any of the people you found dead match that description?’

  Beth realised that her eyes were watering. She was starting to feel overwhelmed. Just saying the words out loud—that she was scared and needed help—acted as a kind of release, and the pent-up frustrations and worries started to wash over her like a tidal wave. These tears weren’t an act. She wasn’t trying to dupe Jim into pitying her and talking, but Beth was well into her second day here now, and she had turned up precisely nothing. Indeed, even if Josh had been alive when she’d arrived, he might still be dead now. If that were true, she would have failed him.

  She saw Jim’s stern features soften.

  ‘Who are you looking for?’ he asked.

  ‘My brother,’ she told him as her voice started to crack. ‘I got a voicemail from him yesterday. I haven’t seen him in years, but he sounded scared. I mean really scared. Said he was here in Netherwell Bay. I’d never even heard of this place before. But I can’t find him, and I’m worried something has happened. Please, Jim, I’m sorry I wasn’t completely honest with you, but I wasn’t sure what else to do. I don’t know what Josh has gotten mixed up in and I didn’t want to get him into any more trouble.’

  ‘Your brother is Josh Davis?’ the old man asked, not sounding surprised at the connection.

  ‘Yes!’ Beth exclaimed.

  ‘I figured that might have been the case,’ he said. ‘You look a little like him. Talk the same as well.’

  There it was again. Why were these people so fixated on Beth’s accent? Did it just reinforce that she was an outsider and not welcome here?

  ‘Do you know Josh?’ Beth asked, keeping focused on what she needed to do.

  ‘A little,’ Jim said. ‘Saw him around town every now and again. Didn’t mix with him, though. I don’t particularly like the company he keeps. Never have.’

  ‘The Kents?’ Beth asked.

  Jim raised his eyebrows in surprise but nodded his confirmation. ‘That’s right. You heard of them?’

  ‘A little,’ Beth admitted. ‘Heard nothing good about them, though. Even met one… wasn’t a fan.’

  ‘Sounds right. They are a bloody sickness in this town. Always have been.’

  ‘Please, Jim, do you know if my brother is still alive? Was he one of the bodies you found?’

  Jim looked to the ground. ‘Horrible sight that, you know. Seeing those poor people. The state they were left in… it was sickening. I recognised one of the faces, a girl, but the other two I can’t say I knew.’ He looked back up to her, his eyes a little wet. ‘No, I don’t believe Josh was one of them.’

  Both of her legs wobbled slightly, and Beth had to fight to keep from bursting into floods of tears. She felt instantly lighter, like an unbearable load was lifted. It was disorientating. Of course, this didn’t mean everything was going to be okay. Beth still had to find Josh, and even if he hadn’t been one of the three murdered out on the beach, something could still have happened. However, she allowed herself to feel the slightest bit of hope.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said, and her voice cracked a little as she spoke. ‘Do you know where I can find Josh? Do you know where he lives?’

  Jim shook his head. ‘No, can’t say I do. Sorry.’

  ‘I heard he was seeing a woman, one of the Kents…’

  ‘Alicia,’ Jim confirmed.

  ‘Yes. Do you know where she lives, then? Perhaps I can start there.’

  ‘Probably with the rest of the Kents,’ Jim said. ‘They own a few houses up on the outskirts of town. Fancy ones. Not on the beaten path, though. You have to know where you are going to find them.’

  Beth’s eyes widened. She felt like in the space of only a few minutes of talking with Jim she had made more progress than from the rest of her time here combined. Hell, if she had just been honest with h
im from the start she might already have Josh back safe and sound.

  ‘Can you show me?’

  ‘You might want to re-consider,’ Jim said. ‘It’s a private estate that’s walled in. Not something you can just walk into. I don’t think hiking up there and demanding to see your brother would do you much good.’

  ‘I have to try,’ Beth said. ‘If Josh is here there has to be a way I can get to him.’

  Jim shrugged. ‘Sorry, I don’t know what to tell you. Not a lot of help in that regard, I’m afraid. He used to be fond of a drink, so you could try the Trout and Lobster again, or the Ship Inn. They’re the main pubs in town. Might get lucky and find him there.’

  It was an option, but a woolly one, and not one that gave Beth any kind of certainty. Perhaps a last resort, then. After the recent revelations, Beth felt like she was finally gaining some momentum. If Jim wasn’t going to tell her where to look, then surely it wouldn’t be too hard to find out where the Kents lived, private property or not.

  ‘However, I still think you should leave town. You seem like a nice person. Believe me, you don’t want to get caught up in what’s coming.’

  The comment certainly struck Beth as odd. ‘What do you mean? What is coming?’

  ‘Evil,’ was his reply. ‘Something from a long time ago. The killings on the beach? It’s just the start.’

  A sudden chorus of screams caused Beth to jump. She looked beyond Jim, farther up the street, to see a group of women scamper away from a small alleyway that cut through between two buildings. The women were yelling in fright as they eventually stopped and looked back.

  ‘What’s that about?’ Jim asked, looking back as well. Beth felt her heart rate accelerate a little. She wasn’t sure why, but her first thought was that perhaps another body had been found.

  ‘No idea, but maybe we should find out,’ Beth said, and started to walk up towards the group of three women. They seemed panicked and one was almost hysterical. Beth felt Jim by her side as the two approached the group. Others drifted towards the terrified women as well, concerned, asking if the ladies were okay. Beth got close enough to hear the reply.