The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane-Part Four: Trick or treat

by Emily Harvale

  'We thought you'd got lost,' Ella said. 'We were about to send out a search party.'

  He grinned. 'Sorry. I wasn't aware that this village has no phone signal and I'd walked halfway up Frog Hill, only to be told by a villager that I would have to go to the very top, or ask the vicar for access to the steeple.'

  'Good thing it wasn't a Monday,' Ella told him. 'Although that would only matter if you went to Frog's Hollow, not the top of the hill.'

  'No doubt you're going to explain that to me,' he said.

  Ella did, but he shook his head and laughed when she'd finished. 'Superstitious nonsense.'

  'You tell that to Hettie.' Mia got him a mug and poured him coffee without asking if he'd like some. 'The curse killed her husband. A car hit him, tossed him in the air and he landed on his head. Although she still talks to him.'

  Gill laughed, taking the mug she handed him. 'Thanks. I'm beginning to wonder what I've got myself into. Anyway. I came back down and went to the church. I wanted to meet Tom after everything we discussed, and thought the phone was as good an excuse as any.'

  'And?' Ella asked. 'What did you think of him?'

  'He seemed friendly enough, especially when I mentioned that you and I were going on a date tonight. He asked where I was taking you and who would be staying with Mia while we were out. He told me to say that he would be extremely happy to pop round and spend the evening with you, Mia. Better to be safe than sorry, I believe he said.'

  'I bet he did.' Ella smiled at Mia. 'If you'd rather we didn't go out, we can postpone it. Or have a date night at the cottage. Gill can cook me a four-course meal and you can hide yourself away in the attic with those diaries. We'll bring you up a tray.' She winked at Gill.

  'I'm perfectly happy to cook something special,' Gill offered. 'But I wouldn't want Mia to shut herself away in the attic.'

  'Don't be ridiculous.' Mia shook her head. 'You've cooked for the last two evenings, Gill. You both deserve to go out on a proper date. I'll be absolutely fine. I'm looking forward to a quiet night in and to read more of the diaries. You two go out and enjoy yourselves. I can call Hettie and Fred if I'm worried, or Mum and Franklin.' She grinned. 'Or maybe I'll call Jet.'

  'From the look on your face,' Gill said, 'something more has happened with regard to Jet. Am I allowed to enquire what?'

  Ella told him briefly and he smiled. 'I'm looking forward to meeting him.'

  'He wants to meet you,' Mia said. 'You'll see him at Hettie's engagement party on Saturday.'

  'The woman who talks to her dead husband is getting married?'

  'Yep.' Ella grinned. 'And he's giving her away. Plus Prince Gustav will also walk down the aisle with her. But he'll be in a tiny, ornate cage.'

  'Prince Gustav? I'm utterly confused,' Gill said.

  'Welcome to our world,' said Ella.

  Chapter Thirteen

  After discussing the matter with Mia, Gill had decided to take Ella to the nearest town for dinner, rather than The Frog and Lily or one of the nearby villages. But he left Mia the number of the restaurant and both he and Ella said she should call them if she was in the least bit worried and they would come back home immediately. She had assured them she would be fine and that she would lock all the doors and windows but by the time she'd lingered in the bath, she was feeling far too warm to have the doors and windows closed. It was another balmy night and there was hardly any breeze. She wanted to continue reading Mattie's diaries, so she grabbed the next one from the hidden box and took it to her bedroom. She opened the French windows to allow what breeze there was to have greater access and propped herself against the pillows to read more about Mattie's life. She hadn't realised how tired she was after all the excitement of the day and before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

  When she first heard the rattle of the kitchen door, she thought she must still be dreaming but when she heard the smash of glass, she knew that she was not.

  Reaching instinctively for the bedside light, she flicked the switch, but nothing happened. She tried it again. Still no joy. She felt in the darkness for the landline phone beside her bed and breathed a small sigh of relief when her fingers touched it. Thankfully, the dial was backlit so she would be able to see the numbers.

  Except it wasn't and she couldn't.

  Not only had the power gone out, but so had the telephone line. It was completely dead. Not even a dial tone. Her mobile phone was useless. There was no way she could make a call.

  The stairs creaked as someone made their way up them. Mia pulled her legs against her chest for comfort and glanced around not knowing what to do. Should she call out? It could be Ella and Gill. But the footsteps sounded slow and careful. Ella always ran up the stairs, no matter what time of day or night it was. And they wouldn't have smashed glass. Or if they had, they would have called out to her and told her it was them and there was no need for concern.

  And Mia was concerned. She was trapped in her bedroom with no lights, no phone and no way out. Her eyes frantically searched the room.

  There was a way out. Not an easy one, but it was a way out. She scrambled off the bed, and raced to the French windows as quietly as she could. Because they were wide open, she didn't have to make a sound and she went out onto the balcony and climbed over the top. The glass roof covering the decking was beneath her but if she moved to the very edge of the balcony, she should be able to drop into the garden below, avoiding the roof. It was a long way down, but it was her only way of escape.

  She inched her way along and spotted the drainpipe. If she stretched out fully, she may be able to reach it. It was old and solid, and clearly made of lead, not the new plastic variety and she managed with a little effort to get her fingers around it. Somehow, she got her feet against the wall and climbed down the wall and pipe a bit like one of the old-fashioned toy monkeys on a stick her dad had kept from his childhood, dropping to the ground when she felt she could without causing herself an injury.

  The moment her feet hit the ground, she moved as fast as her legs would carry her. She ran around the side of the cottage, down the drive and to Hettie's cottage and banged on the door and rang the bell until Fred came and opened it. She fell into his arms, half screaming, half crying.

  'Someone's in the cottage. The lights are out and the phone won't work. Please call the police. And Mum. And Jet. Please call Jet.'

  Fred led her towards the living room but Hettie met her in the hall and wrapped her arms around her.

  'You're safe now,' Fred said.

  'Oh good heavens, deary. You come and sit with me. Fred will make the calls. I'll get you a brandy. Here sit down and tell me what happened. Are you hurt?'

  Mia shook her head. 'I'm fine. I climbed down a drainpipe. Just scared, that's all. Who would break in, Hettie? And why? Is this connected to the threats? Or is it just a burglar taking a chance?'

  Hettie poured her a drink and had one herself.

  'I don't know dear,' she said, pouring them both a second. 'But Fred will go and see what he can see.'

  'No! Please don't go, Fred.' Mia's eyes shot towards the hall. 'Whoever it is may be dangerous. Wait for the police. Wait for Jet.'

  'I'll just take a look outside,' he said. 'I've spoken to the police and they'll be here any second. There was no reply from Jet's, but I left a brief message on his answerphone. And your mum is on her way with Franklin. You stay here with Hettie and you'll be fine.'

  He was only gone a few minutes before sirens screeched down the lane and as Mia and Hettie made their way to the window to look out, two police cars pulled up outside Sunbeam Cottage. Fred spoke to the officers and they ran towards the cottage.

  'Let's sit back down,' Hettie said, 'and wait until they come and tell us what they've found.'

  Mia allowed Hettie to lead her back to the sofa and they sat huddled together until Fred appeared, smiling, followed by Lori who raced to Mia's side and threw her arms around her.

  'Are you all right, darling? Are you hurt? What happened? Why we
re you in the cottage on your own?'

  'I'm fine, Mum. Ella and Gill are on their date. Don't be cross. I told them to go. I wanted a night on my own. I didn't think for one minute that something like this would happen.'

  Franklin joined them. 'You okay, honey? What happened?'

  Mia nodded. 'I'm fine. Someone smashed the glass in the kitchen door, I think, and broke in. I heard footsteps on the stairs and I ran. I didn't see who it was. Have you seen Jet?'

  'Jet? Why no, honey. I haven't.' He gave her a curious look.

  'It's silly,' she said. 'I just wanted him to know.' She shot a look at Lori. 'Fred called him but there was no reply.'

  'He's probably in The Frog and Lily,' Lori said. 'Franklin, sweetheart, would you go and see?'

  He nodded and disappeared as quickly as he arrived.

  'Should Franklin be out?' Mia asked. 'Sorry. I wasn't thinking. I probably shouldn't have asked Fred to call and worry you all.'

  'Don't be silly. I would've been furious if you hadn't. Franklin's fine. Don't worry about him. It's you we need to be concerned about. Thank you for taking care of her, Hettie. And you, Fred. Thank you so much.'

  'No thanks necessary,' they replied, smiling.

  'I'm fine now, Mum. I was frightened. Really scared. But I'm safe and sound. And now I'm more angry than anything else.'

  'You're still in shock, darling. You'll experience a gamut of emotions, I'm sure. Let's get you home to our place. Can you walk?'

  'Mia? Mia?' It was Jet's voice and he came charging into the living room with an expression on his face of fear and concern. 'My God. Are you okay?' He crouched in front of her and took her hand in his.

  She nodded. 'I'm fine. Oh. You've cut yourself. Your hand is covered in blood.'

  He glanced at his hand and the thick red line running down it and wiped it against his jacket. 'Now it's not.'

  A terrible thought ran through her head. She'd heard smashing glass. Jet had blood on his hand. Could it have been him who had broken in? Was that why there was no answer on his landline?

  'Jet? How did you cut your hand?'

  He held her horrified gaze for just a second or two, and sighed. 'Not by smashing my way into your cottage if that's what you're thinking.'

  'How did you know the glass was smashed?'

  'Seriously, Mia? You think I did this?'

  Lori glared at him. 'It's a simple question, Jet. And I believe it deserves an answer.'

  Hettie poked him on the arm. 'You haven't been up to your old tricks again have you, young man? I remember what a tearaway you were when you were a very young lad.'

  His eyes narrowed and he looked directly at Mia. 'So much for believing me,' he said, getting to his feet. 'I don't know where or how I cut my hand. I was in such a rush to get to you when I heard Fred's message that I knocked a vase over. Maybe it was that. Or maybe it was a nail on the gate when I yanked it open. I have no idea. But I definitely didn't get it from your cottage, Mia. And I'll willingly let the police take my fingerprints to prove it.'

  'You may've worn gloves,' Hettie said.

  'Then I probably wouldn't have cut my hand on the glass'

  'I told him what happened,' Franklin said, from the doorway, pointing his thumb over his shoulder to indicate he'd met Jet outside.

  'I'm sorry, Jet,' Mia said, looking up into his eyes. 'I'm not thinking straight. Of course it wasn't you. I know it wasn't you. I'm sorry.'

  'I'm afraid I'm not so convinced,' Lori said.

  'Neither am I, deary.' Hettie poked him in the leg. 'Even though you're my favourite. If you had anything to do with this, you'll have me to answer to.'

  'I didn't. I swear to that. But frankly, I don't really care what you think. Or you, for that matter, Lori. All I care about is that Mia believes me.'

  'I do,' she said. 'I'm sorry I doubted you.'

  He smiled, knelt down again and ignoring the huffs and puffs of Hettie and Lori, he took Mia's hand in his once more. 'There's nothing for you to apologise for. I'm sorry for behaving like a jerk. You're in shock, and by the smell of it, you've had a brandy or two. You're entitled to suspect me. I would probably suspect me if I were you. Except I know I didn't do it. Where are Ella and Gill?'

  'Out on a date.'

  'Then once we get the all clear from the police, I'm coming to stay with you. Or if we can't go back inside, you're coming to stay with me.'

  'I'm sure you mean well, Jet,' Lori said, a little curtly. 'But I'm her mother. If anyone is staying with her it's me. Or she's coming back to ours.'

  'Forgive me, Lori, but if someone is trying to harm her, you won't be able to stop them, and nor might Franklin at the moment, although I know you'd both try.'

  'We surely would,' Franklin said. 'He's right though, honey.'

  'Besides, your cottage only has one bedroom. My house has several. You're welcome to stay with Mia at my house. And of course I know you'll stay with her if she returns to the cottage. What I meant was, I'm coming too. I apologise for being rude. I'm sure you understand, because I know you're feeling it too. I'm half out of my mind with worry. But that's no excuse for being rude. I'm sorry. Now I'm going to speak to the officers. I'll be back in a moment.'

  He raised Mia's hand to his lips and kissed it. It was such an old-fashioned gesture but it sent a burst of adrenaline rushing through her body and as she watched him walk away and turn and glance back at her and smile reassuringly, she knew how foolish she had been for even thinking for one moment that he could have been her would-be attacker.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Mia was still furious on Saturday evening as she, Ella and Gill walked into The Frog and Lily for Hettie and Fred's engagement party, and the place went quiet as everyone turned to look at her.

  'Why doesn't anyone believe me?' She glanced at Ella and Gill and shook her head.

  'We believe you,' Ella said. 'And so do Lori and Franklin, Hettie and Fred, and Jet, of course. That's all that matters. Oh God. Here comes Tom. I swear he's like a heat-seeking missile as far as you're concerned. Gill will get drinks. We'll go and sit at that vacant table. That way, you can avoid the inevitable questions at the bar.'

  Mia sighed. 'But not Tom.'

  Ella rolled her eyes. 'He'd find you on Mars. Oh, hi Tom.'

  'How are you, Mia?' He gave Ella a brief smile.

  'Fine thanks. Just wishing people didn't think I was an attention-seeking nutter with a drink problem.'

  'No one thinks that.'

  'Yes they do,' Ella said. 'Mia heard someone say it yesterday morning when she was in Justin's bakery.'

  Tom glared at her before smiling at Mia. 'I'm sure Justin set them straight.'

  Mia sighed. 'If telling the silly cow that "Mia doesn't drink that much, considering they all come from London," is setting her straight, then yes, he did a bang-up job. I only went in there because Ella's not entirely flavour of the month for Justin and having dumped him for Gill, Gill is persona non grata as far as almost everyone in the village is concerned.'

  'Oh good heavens. Well, not to me. And you can understand Justin being upset, although I suppose as he's leaving next week anyway, he shouldn't be. But Love makes us all behave strangely at times.' He threw Ella another brief smile and squeezed Mia gently on her arm. 'Anyway, I'm sure everyone else believes that Thursday night happened exactly as you said it did.'

  She raised her brows. 'Yes. That's why silence descended the minute I walked in. I'm not even sure Jet believes me. I haven't seen him since, so he's clearly not worried about my safety and I saw the look on his face when he came back inside after talking to the police. And they definitely thought I'd had too much to drink, fallen asleep and dreamt the whole thing, even though Hettie told them she had plied me with brandy for the shock.' She sighed again. 'Sorry. I didn't mean to rant. I'm angry, that's all.'

  'The silent treatment could've been meant for me and Gill,' Ella said. 'As you just said, they're not happy. They seem to have forgotten that it was Justin who effectively broke up with m
e first by taking the film role. I think they're now all blaming me for him leaving.'

  'Do you honestly think Jet doesn't believe you?' Tom asked, ignoring Ella.

  'He says he does, but I suppose I can see why he and others wouldn't. Only Ella, me, Mum, and now Gill, has keys to the front and back doors. There was no sign of forced entry. No smashed glass in the door, or any of the windows. The only smashed glass was my wine glass and the empty wine bottle that I'd left on the worktop because I couldn't be bothered washing them before I went upstairs. But how they could've fallen to the floor and smashed is a mystery. The police seem to think I'd put them too near the edge, in my so-called 'state of inebriation' and they'd toppled over. But I wasn't drunk and I would've noticed if they'd fallen. And there was no way a cat could've got in and knocked them down, as the police also suggested as a possibility. The doors and windows were shut down stairs. And I know I locked that kitchen door before I went to bed, even though they said it was unlocked. But a cat turning the door knob, coming in, knocking a glass and a bottle to the floor and then closing the door behind itself, seems as ludicrous to me as the truth seems to be to them. And there was hardly a breeze, let alone the wind it would've taken to blow that kitchen door open and shut again. I think whoever came in, didn't see the glass and bottle and knocked them over. I didn't dream it, Tom. Someone was coming up the stairs. I heard them. I hope Jet believes me.'

  'Well, I believe you, Mia. But why does it bother you so what Jet thinks?' He studied her face for a second or two and his entire body visibly stiffened. 'Or need I ask? I suppose I should've guessed Jet would win. He always does. Enjoy your evening, ladies.'

  Mia and Ella glanced at one another as Tom marched off.

  'That was weird,' Ella said, heading towards the vacant table. 'Tom's clearly in a strop because you prefer Jet to him.'

  'He'll get over it. Can you see Jet?'

  'Not yet. But he'll be here. He wouldn't miss Hettie's engagement party. Especially as he's agreed to be Fred's best man.'

  'She loved the cage and jacket I gave her for Prince Gustav. And she also loved the idea of him going down the aisle. But she asked me if I'll carry the cage and walk in front of her.'