The Darkest Summer

by Unknown

  ‘Sera?’ he began, closing his eyes and shaking his head. ‘I am a fool. I should not have told you.’

  I held my hand up to stop him. ‘Rubbish. You should have told me before,’ I said, hurt that he couldn’t confide in me. ‘I don’t understand why it had to be a secret?’

  He rose slowly, wincing as he straightened his leg. ‘I had to know what happened to my father. I wanted to investigate without anyone becoming suspicious. People are rarely open if they suspect you are trying to find out information. You must surely understand this?’

  I probably would have if one of the people he had been researching hadn’t been Mum. ‘You’ve been tracking my mum like she’s some sort of villain. She’s not. Are you implying that she had something to do with this man’s disappearance?’ I shivered despite the heat.

  ‘Sera, I…’

  I was furious at him. How dare he investigate my mother behind her back? Behind mine?

  ‘She might have known Hazel in the eighties,’ I said, still finding this nugget of information, that they were ever remotely close, a bit odd. I hesitated. Something niggled in my mind. I struggled to bring the memory forward. Yes. Hadn’t Mum told me I didn’t know Hazel as well as I thought when we’d argued once? Maybe if I hadn’t been in such a mood with her I would have realised the significance of what she was saying. That they had been friends previously and fallen out over something big enough to stop them talking for years despite their daughters being best friends.

  My fury returned. ‘What exactly are you accusing my mother of doing? Shacking up with someone else’s bloke? Seriously? Is that it?’

  ‘Sera.’ He went to comfort me.

  ‘No,’ I pushed him away. ‘I’m going. My mother was right about you hiding things. I stupidly thought we could be friends.’ He grabbed my arm as I turned to leave, holding me back. ‘Let me go.’

  ‘No. You will listen to me, or I will come to your house and tell you.’

  ‘No. You won’t.’ I snatched my arm away from him. I ran to the car, aware he couldn’t catch up with me before I got inside.

  ‘Sera, please stop.’

  I ignored his pleas. If anyone was going to tell me what happened, it was going to be Mum. I’d had enough of his revelations, and her secrets. I needed to confront her and find out what had happened all those years ago.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  1990 – Scotland

  Mimi

  Changing his mind about taking us for a drive, Vinnie told Callum to drive straight to East Loch house. My disappointment was soon forgotten as we drove through the large stone pillars and up the long, curved driveway. Callum slowed down so we could see the imposing stone building where we would be house guests for the next couple of days.

  ‘Wow,’ I whispered in awe. It was a stunning place, with a large curved frontage three storeys high, vast arched windows either side, flanked by a sequence of smaller windows. The house was on a slight hill, with wide steps leading up from the front garden and huge trees either side. I could see it backed onto a wood, probably a forest, and couldn’t help feeling that the place was rather spooky.

  ‘Right, let’s get going,’ Vinnie said, impatiently. ‘Now remember, you two, I want you to be on your best behaviour. You’re staying at the home of Lord and Lady Panmoe. He’s a bit of a letch and she’s an old cow, but I have important business with him. If I have to reprimand you for anything, anything at all, mind, there’ll be hell to pay.’ Hazel and I nodded silently.

  The car stopped at the back of the house where a high turret appeared atop the front door. Unnerved now that we had arrived, I could feel my stomach fluttering. I took a deep breath to try and calm down and followed the others out of the car.

  ‘Here, take your cases,’ Vinnie said, as Callum practically threw them at us. ‘As soon as we’re settled you can go back to London, Callum. I don’t know how long I’m going to be staying here and the girls can make their own way back on the train if I need them to leave earlier than me.’

  The door opened and two large lurchers bounded out to greet us. Hazel shrieked and stood behind me for protection. Brave, as ever, I thought sarcastically. They were followed by a florid-faced man, with wild grey hair and a skinny woman dragging on a long black cigarette holder. They came out to welcome us. He looked Hazel and me up and down and raising one of his bushy eyebrows, turned his attention to Vinnie, slapping him on his shoulder and grinning. ‘Bought a couple of dolly birds with you, I see. Good man. We could do with some fresh blood here.’

  ‘Old tosser,’ Hazel mumbled. I couldn’t help smiling.

  Unfortunately the woman, who I presumed was his wife, saw me and narrowed her heavily made-up eyes. She walked up to us with a smile that that looked more threatening than friendly. ‘Girls, welcome to East Loch House. Come, it’s too hot out here and I’m sure you could do with a drink. We’ll leave the men to their chatter.’

  Despite the smile on her face, I sensed that she didn’t like us, so wasn’t surprised when, as soon as we were inside the tiled hallway and out of earshot from the men, she turned on us. ‘Listen, you little tarts. If I catch either one of you giving my husband the eye again, I’ll tell Vincent. And I’m sure you have the intelligence to know that he wouldn’t be impressed.’

  I realised she had confused my amusement at Hazel’s comment for flirtation towards her revolting husband. ‘You’re mistaken,’ I tried to explain, not wishing to make the wrong impression, however vile this woman seemed.

  She took a deep drag from her cigarette holder and exhaled into my face. I instantly started coughing. ‘I didn’t come down with the last shower. I know a girl on the make when I see one.’

  Furious, I opened my mouth to argue, when Vinnie and Lord Panmoe walked in, followed by Callum. I forced a smile and glanced at Lady Panmoe’s expression, if I hadn’t witnessed her reaction to us seconds before, I wouldn’t have believed it possible.

  A maid hurried into the hallway. ‘Show these ladies to their room and take the gentleman’s case up to his.’ A butler appeared and instructed the maid to take us to the west wing. We followed her to a door, which we assumed was to be Vinnie’s as she placed his case next to it.

  ‘Your room is this way,’ she said, leading us down the hall and opening a door. ‘You’re to be sharing.’

  We thanked her and finally left alone, looked around the grand room. It has seen better days and I imagined that we weren’t given one of the better suites in the house because of our lowly status.

  ‘Not quite what I was expecting,’ I admitted, walking over to the large sash window and looking out across a lawned area to the side of the house and over to the woods. ‘What do you think of Lord and Lady Muck?’

  ‘Horrible,’ Hazel said. ‘The novelty of being here has already worn off.’

  I nodded. ‘I know what you mean.’ I unpacked my small case and hung up the cocktail dress Vinnie had bought me. It was emerald green chiffon and the most beautiful dress I’d ever seen.

  ‘Vinnie seems different somehow,’ I said to Hazel as she dressed.

  ‘He’s not as nice as we thought,’ she whispered. ‘His girlfriend hasn’t really gone home, she’s in a private clinic. I heard him telling Callum to phone up and check on her.’

  ‘Why? What’s wrong with her?’

  ‘I heard Callum telling him after that her broken arm and ribs are healing slowly.’

  I could see the pain on Hazel’s face. ‘Do you mean Vinnie hurt her?’ Did she?

  Hazel nodded. ‘You mustn’t breathe a word of this to anyone. And be careful around him. We shouldn’t fight. We should look out for each other.’

  That was a fine thing to suggest after her attacking me like she had, but I agreed. I wished I could have been more shocked, but there was something about the way I’d seen Vinnie behave to some women in the club that made me suspect he had a much darker side to him.

  We freshened up and reapplied our make-up, before returning downstairs. Following the sound o
f laughter and music, we entered a large room. I guessed there must have been fifteen or twenty people there, some drunker than others.

  ‘These lot must have been drinking all day,’ Hazel said, changing the subject.

  Vinnie broke off from his small group and came to join us. ‘Looking gorgeous, girls. Right, I want you to be charming to your hosts. There’s a lot riding on tonight, so don’t let me down.’

  I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing, but decided to use the event as practice and pretend I was acting a part in a play. I soon forgot my nerves when a couple came over to chat to Hazel and me.

  * * *

  A couple of hours later, one of the male guests went around the room holding two silver bowls. He held one out to each of the guests to take a piece of coloured paper.

  Not wishing to stand out from everyone else, I dipped my hand in when it was my turn and pulled out an orange piece of paper. Not sure what to do with it, I waited with everyone else until they had each taken a turn. His lordship then picked up a spoon from a nearby table and tapped the side of his glass, calling for everyone to be silent.

  ‘I believe the time has come for the evening’s entertainment,’ he said grinning widely and showing off a mouthful of discoloured teeth. ‘Each of you now has a piece of coloured paper. You have to find your partner, who will be the person of the opposite sex with the same colour as you.’

  Everyone began laughing. Hazel and I joined in the fun and milled around the room like the others until we located our partner. Partner for what, I couldn’t imagine, but was intrigued to discover more.

  I was joined by a tall, pale man, who seemed to be enjoying the evening less than the rest of us. ‘Hello,’ he said, reaching out to shake my hand. ‘I’m Alastair, and you are?’

  ‘Maureen,’ I said, hoping to impress him.

  ‘You look very pretty, Maureen.’

  ‘Thank you,’ I said, smiling at him. ‘I wonder what we’ll have to do now?’

  He glanced around and lowered his voice. ‘You don’t know?’

  ‘No.’ I looked around me, noticing his lordship pinching Hazel’s bottom and was holding up his yellow piece of paper next to hers. Vinnie was glaring at her, which was odd. Surely the person he should be giving looks to should be his host.

  ‘Right,’ his lordship bellowed. ‘Off you go.’

  I looked at Alastair for an answer. ‘Where are we supposed to be going?’

  He cleared his throat and putting a finger into his wing collar, pulled it slightly away from his neck. ‘To a bedroom.’

  I stared at him, confused. ‘A—’ I could see the others hand in hand, arm in arm, laughing at each other. Vinnie was accompanied by a woman who looked as if she’d won a prize, which, judging by the rest of the guests, she had. Hazel, on the other hand, looked as horrified as me to discover what we were in for. She was trying not to panic as she was dragged out of the room.

  ‘We’d better go, too,’ Alastair said quietly as he took my hand.

  I snatched it away from him. ‘Don’t. I’m not taking part in this sordid game.’

  He leant down and whispered, ‘I promise I dislike this as much as you, but we need to go to a room and at least pretend we’re taking part. Unless you want to upset that crook you came here with?’

  I didn’t have to think twice. He seemed genuine and I just had to hope that he was. ‘Fine.’ I took his hand and he led me upstairs.

  ‘Which is the way to your room?’

  ‘Why mine?’ I was terrified and didn’t like the idea of him knowing where I was supposed to be sleeping later.

  ‘Because if we go straight to your room rather than to mine, then I can leave you there after we’ve spent some time together, so that they think we’ve, you know, slept together. At least then you won’t have to wander the corridors alone trying to find your way to your room. Who knows what could happen with this drunken bunch around?’

  ‘Okay.’

  We went to mine and Hazel’s room. I could hear her getting angry with his lordship and Vinnie saying something to her I couldn’t quite catch.

  Inside the bedroom, I sat on the dressing-table stool, whilst Alastair sat on the end of my single bed.

  ‘I’m sorry you’ve been brought here tonight. It must be shocking for you.’

  I nodded. He looked sad and I couldn’t help wondering what he was doing here. He seemed decent enough. Then I remembered that he’d been talking to a woman earlier.

  ‘Your wife is here, isn’t she? Don’t you mind her going off with someone else?’

  He lowered his gaze and stared at his hands. ‘I’m only here because she enjoys this sort of thing.’

  I gasped. ‘Why don’t you refuse?’

  ‘Because I love her and don’t want to disappoint her.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous,’ I said disgusted with his weakness. ‘Why would you want to stay married to someone who sleeps with other men?’

  He didn’t answer. We sat in silence for about half an hour until we heard a commotion down the corridor. We stood up and rushed to the door to see what was going on.

  ‘Hang on a second,’ he said, unzipping the back of my dress.

  ‘Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?’

  He untied his bow tie and unbuttoned his shirt. ‘We can’t go out there without at least looking as if we’ve been getting up to stuff in here. ‘Mess up your hair a little. We need to be believable.’

  I imagined Vinnie’s anger, if he thought I hadn’t done as he expected and did as Alastair suggested.

  ‘Right, now we can go,’ he said, opening the door.

  Vinnie was outside alone with Lord Panmoe and Hazel. He had Hazel by the wrist and seemed to be apologising to the older man, who by the looks of things had raw claw marks on his cheek. He looked from me to Alastair and smiled. ‘Nice to see one of my girls knows how to behave. Go to bed now, Mimi. Hazel will be along in a bit.’

  I watched Alastair disappear into another of the rooms and went back inside.

  Leaning against the closed bedroom door I tried to make sense of what had happened. This wasn’t the party I’d been expecting. And Vinnie wasn’t the man I thought him to be. He’d practically prostituted Hazel and me out to these revolting people, and all for a business deal.

  I heard Lord Panmoe shout that he wanted someone, I presumed Vinnie, out by the following morning. Not wishing to be caught still dressed when he had told me to go to bed, I quickly undressed, washed and got into my bed.

  I closed my eyes willing myself to sleep away my disappointment. Tonight had begun so well.

  I must have dozed off eventually because when I opened my eyes it was pitch black. I kicked off the sheet in the hot, stuffy room and walked over to the window to open it further. I pulled back the curtains, allowing the moon’s brightness to flood in, cutting the room in two, and turned to go back to bed. That’s when I noticed Hazel’s bed was empty.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  2018 – Oakwold, New Forest

  Sera

  ‘Sera,’ Henri shouted from the doorway of the farmhouse. ‘Let me explain.’

  Ignoring Henri’s pleas for me to listen to reason, I turned the key in the ignition and as soon as the engine spluttered into life, pressed my foot down on the accelerator and drove away as fast as I could towards home.

  Unable to hold back any longer, I gave into the tears that almost choked me. Damn Henri. How could he expect me to react favourably after admitting he’d been tracking Mum for so many years? I reached out, unclipping the glovebox and rummaging around until my hand found a tissue. ‘Bastard,’ I sniffed, blowing my nose as well as I could manage with only one free hand.

  I parked the car outside the house, not bothering to find somewhere shady. Wiping my eyes with my fingers, I composed myself as much as possible. I didn’t want to scare Katie by letting her see me in a dishevelled state. Opening the front door, I walked through to the living room, but it was empty. I could hear Mum’s voice
in the kitchen. She must have recognised the echo of my footsteps in the hall because she began speaking to me before I’d even reached the door.

  ‘I was listening to the news on the car radio, when I collected Katie earlier,’ she said, washing her hands. ‘They’ve given warnings about fires breaking out around here. You know how frightened I am of those things,’ she said without waiting for me to reply. ‘Apparently, the temperatures we’re experiencing now are the hottest for nearly five hundred years. They’re estimating that almost fourteen thousand people have died in France already due to the intensity of the heat and it’s not much cooler here.’

  I watched her drying her hands, waiting for her to stop talking so I could ask her to sit and listen to what I had to say.

  ‘They’re even having problems trying to find places cool enough to store the bod—’ She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed me and frowned. ‘What’s the matter?’ She waved for me to sit.

  I peered out of the back door. Spotting Katie going down the steps to the garden I realised, with relief, that she mustn’t have heard me come in. I sat down and blew my nose once again, lowering my head into my hands to try and gather my senses.

  ‘It’s fine,’ Mum said. ‘She can’t hear us.’ She pushed the back door until it was almost closed and sat facing me. ‘What’s happened? Tell me.’

  I could see the concern on her beautifully made-up face and didn’t want to worry her any longer than I had already. I explained about my visit to Henri’s and repeated everything he’d told me. I expected, well, hoped mostly, that Mum would laugh it off. Tell me not to be so sensitive, which would have been her usual quip for something like this. Instead, she leant back in her chair, unblinking and silent. The colour in her face drained and for the second time in as many days she looked as if she was about to pass out.

  I moved forward, resting my hands on her knees. ‘Mum? What is it?’