Читать книгу The Good Sisters: The perfect scary read to curl up with this winter - Helen Phifer - Страница 13

Chapter Three

The house no longer smelt old, damp and empty. It now smelt of plaster, wood filler and paint. There were two bedrooms finished and the en-suite bathrooms were plumbed in so that Kate could have a hot shower after a hard day’s graft. She had begun reading the old diary that she’d found on the very first day and had to stop because it was terrifying her. She’d discovered that the house had become a convent at one time, which explained the crosses when she’d moved in.

The first few pages had been written beautifully. Then the writing had changed as if the writer, Agnes, had been in a hurry to document what was going on. Kate read about a nun who had died here, in her house. She shuddered as a strange feeling washed over her. She had a great, great-aunt called Agnes who had been a nun. What if this book belonged to her? She pushed the thought away. Agnes was probably a popular name back then. It was probably just a coincidence.

The death of the poor woman sounded so violent. After she finished reading, Kate had then gone upstairs. She had gone into each bedroom, studying the floorboards for bloodstains. Unable to distinguish any from the paint splatters and dust, she’d given up after Ethan had asked what she was looking for. Kate had laughed and gone back down to put the small diary away because it had terrified her. She was just relieved that all of this had happened such a long time ago.

To take her mind away from the terror in that small book, she had spent hours poring over the magazines that her friend Sam had dropped off for her. Kate was trying to decide on a practical, yet perfect kitchen. She didn’t want to spend a huge amount of money. Because of the size of the room, it was going to be expensive – even if she picked a cheap one.

Ollie had been a godsend. She didn’t know what she would have done without him these last few weeks. He always stayed later than Jack and Ethan – the lads who worked for him. Kate often wondered what his wife thought about the amount of time he was spending here, but it wasn’t any of her business. For all she knew they could be on the brink of a divorce and his wife was glad to see the back of him. She wished she knew because the more time she spent with Ollie the more she liked him.

Kate sat down on the top step, an overwhelming feeling of tiredness taking over her. As exciting as this project was, it was taking it out of her. Today she hadn’t been able to shake the headache that she’d woken up with. She decided she needed strong painkillers washed down with a mouthful of vodka. She crept down to the kitchen for a shot of the ice-cold alcohol that was in the freezer compartment. After glugging down the tablets she went straight to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. Ollie was hardly going to find a forty-five-year-old alcoholic attractive, was he? And she still felt embarrassed by the need to use alcohol to get her through the day, although she wasn’t drinking as much now. She was making a conscious effort to reduce her intake.

As she patted her mouth dry, she looked into the mirror. Her life had gone almost full circle and she was lucky it didn’t show on her face. The wrinkles she had feared so much in her thirties hadn’t put in much of an appearance, except for the laughter lines around her eyes – although the last twelve months she hadn’t really had much to laugh about. Maybe they were crying wrinkles because she’d spent a whole lot more time crying than she’d ever done laughing.

The air, which was normally full of minute particles of plaster dust, smelt different. As Kate turned around to open the bathroom door, she inhaled again. What was that smell? It smelt like old leather, burnt skin and garlic all mixed together and it was rank. She looked around the bathroom then opened the door out onto the corridor. It was stronger out here.

The lads had all gone into town for their dinner – even Ollie had gone with them and he normally ate a packed lunch, but all they’d been talking about during the morning had been meat and potato pies and cream cakes from the bakery. She stood and listened to the house. It was so silent and still without the workmen banging around and singing.

Kate wondered if it was some kind of chemical that they’d used and walked along the hall to the room they had all been working in. The door was shut. She was sure it had been open when she’d passed it to go to the toilet. She heard her name being called and stood still. Was she hearing things? It sounded like Amy’s voice calling for her, but that was ridiculous. She waited, her head turned to the side.

‘Katie, where are you?’

It was so faint, but there was no mistaking it was Amy’s voice and Kate smiled briefly. ‘Amy, where are you? I’m here.’

Even though it was broad daylight, her heart began to race as she thought about her dead friend calling out to her from the same room where the crosses had appeared on the wall with no explanation. Both Jack and Ethan had strongly denied having anything to do with them when Ollie had questioned the pair of them.

She walked towards the room. Pressing her ear to the heavy wooden door, she listened to see if there was anyone inside or if it was her imagination. Call it her instinct or whatever, but her mind was screaming at her not to open the door whilst she was alone in the house. There was a loud thump from inside as if something heavy had been dropped from quite a height. It made her jump away from the door as her hands began to shake. What was that?

She pulled her phone from her pocket and pressed 999, her finger poised above the green call button, ready to ring for the police. If it was Amy inside there she wouldn’t scare her. Placing her head back against the door, she heard the sound of something heavy moving towards her. It was too big and clumsy to be her friend, who had been a tiny little thing. It sounded as though it had to drag itself towards the door.

Kate pulled back terrified. She wanted to know what was in her house. At the same time she wasn’t brave enough to open the door and see. She opened her mouth to shout that she was calling the police. Nothing came out. Instead she heard a loud thud as whatever it was caught the ladders on the other side of the door and they crashed to the floor. Which meant it was at the door and it would be coming through it very soon.

She forced herself to turn and run as fast as she could down the stairs and to the front door, where she slammed full force into Ollie. He was carrying a white paper bag with meat and potato pies inside. He dropped the pies to hold his hands out to catch her, but she was coming that fast she managed to knock them both to the floor in a heap.

‘Get out, we have to get out.’

***

‘What’s the matter, Kate? Have you hurt yourself?’

Ollie wanted to sound like a gentleman, but she couldn’t have really hurt herself when she was lying on top of him. He was slightly winded, but it was the pies that had sustained the most damage. One of them had exploded all over the inside of the bag and there was meat and potato filling seeping out all over the floor. She pulled herself off him and turned to look behind her. There wasn’t anything there.

‘Something was coming. There’s something in the bedroom. I don’t know what the fuck it was, but it knew my name. We need to get out and call the police.’

He stood up and held his hand out to pull her up from the floor where she was kneeling, her face whiter than the paint he had all over his hands.

‘Whoa, what do you mean? What’s coming?’

She shook her head and grabbed his hand, tugging him back out of the front door. He looked down at the mess that was his dinner on the floor, then followed her outside. She didn’t stop until she reached his van and clambered inside, slamming the door shut.

***

‘All right, Kate, what’s up with you? You look as white as a sheet.’

Ollie opened the door. He shrugged at Jack and Ethan, who were both sat in the back seat eating their pies.

‘Do you want to tell me what happened? Why you almost gave me a heart attack and crushed my dinner that I’ve been dreaming about eating all morning at the same time?’

Feeling stupid, Kate felt her cheeks begin to flush as she realised she sounded like a lunatic.

‘I smelt something weird in the bathroom. When I came out it was stronger on the landing and then I heard my friend Amy call my name. Only it couldn’t have been her because she’s dead. I followed the voice and the smell to the room you were working on less than half an hour ago.’

All three men were leaning forward, obviously wondering what she was going to say next.

‘I sound stupid, don’t I?’

Ollie shook his head. ‘No, not at all. You heard your name called, something smelt weird and then what happened?’

‘I couldn’t open the door. I was too scared so I listened and I heard the sound of something heavy. It was cumbersome and it was slowly moving towards the door. Well I knew you lot had gone to get some dinner and it scared me. There’s someone or something inside the house and I don’t know who or what it is!’

‘You wait here. Me and the masked avengers will go inside and investigate.’

‘Shouldn’t we just phone the police?’

‘I’m pretty sure whatever or whoever it is won’t want to mess us three around. We’ll be fine won’t we, lads?’

‘Speak for yourself, boss. If something scared Kate then who are we to doubt that?’

‘I don’t bloody believe it, you wimps. What’s wrong with you?’

Ethan got out of the van. ‘I’m not a wimp, but Jack is a complete wuss. Aren’t you, Jack?’

Jack gave Ethan the finger. ‘I’ll wait here with Kate, make sure she’s okay.’

Kate could feel her hands shaking and she clasped them together. She felt so cold even though it was a warm autumn day. She watched as the two men went inside her house and felt as though she’d just sent them in to their deaths, the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach was so intense.

‘I can’t stay here and wait. I have to go with them.’ She jumped out and ran to the door, closely followed by Jack who was muttering underneath his breath. She ran into the entrance hall and saw Ollie and Ethan almost on the top stair, stepping over the crushed pies on the floor. She ran as quietly as she could until she was on the step behind them. Ollie pointed to the bedroom that they’d been working in and she nodded. Ethan looked at Ollie who was now standing with his hand on the doorknob. He twisted it then threw the door open.

Kate, whose legs had turned to jelly, saw that the room was empty. There was no huge man in there with an axe waiting to kill them all, and no ghost of Amy. Ollie stepped inside followed by Ethan. They checked the en suite, but the door hadn’t been hung yet so they could see straight inside it from where they stood. All of them let out a huge sigh of relief except for Kate. She knew that she’d heard something inside there. She could also detect a very faint odour, the same as before, but it was residual and not as strong.

***

Ollie didn’t say anything. He was wondering if she’d been on the vodka again whilst they’d been gone. Alcohol could play strange games with a person. He stole a glance at her to see if she was a bit worse for wear, but she didn’t look like she was. What she looked was scared and he wanted to pull her close and hold her more than anything.

‘I’ll go and check the attic. Ethan, you and Kate can check the rest of the rooms on this floor. Jack, you go and check the ground floor. I’ll also do the cellar. Is that okay with everyone?’

They all nodded and Kate muttered, ‘I swear to God I’m not going mad. There was someone inside this room.’

No one spoke. They just went their separate ways and began to check every room, nook and cranny in the whole house. After ten minutes they all met up again in the kitchen. Kate had picked Ollie’s crushed pies up, which were still steaming hot, and put them onto a plate for him. He took one look at them and began to laugh. In fact he began to laugh so hard that tears fell from his eyes.

‘That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. One of them was yours, by the way, so should I divide that mess onto another plate.’

***

Kate smiled. Ollie had the nicest laugh she’d ever heard. Martin’s was such a loud, false guffaw, but this was a proper belly laugh.

‘No, thank you, I’ve done enough damage. I don’t want to deprive you.’

‘I already had one in the car on the way back. I swear I’m not eating that on my own. I’ll only eat half if you have the other. I’m not being rude, Kate, but you never eat. Even a pie in that state will do you a world of good.’

‘If you don’t mind sharing then that would be great. I’m actually starving. It’s the smell that’s making my mouth water. If I don’t look at the mess on the plate, I’ll be able to eat it.’

Ollie turned to take a plate from the cupboard and a knife from the drawer. After scraping half of it onto the other plate, he passed it to her. She picked up a fork from the draining board and began to eat, hoping it would stop the sick feeling in her stomach and stop her hands from shaking so much.

Ethan and Jack left them to it and went back upstairs to finish painting the walls of the room that had caused all the fuss. Ollie dead-eyed the pair of them, clearly warning them not to start gossiping about Kate when they got up there. He waited until they were out of sight and she’d finished eating.

‘So do you want to tell me what exactly you thought was going on, Kate? I’m worried about you. This is a huge house for one person to live in on their own. You’re bound to get a bit spooked. I know that I certainly would.’

‘I’m not hallucinating or drunk if that’s what you think. We both know that I drink, but I don’t drink through the day and I’ve been trying to cut down of an evening as well.’

She thought about the swig of vodka she’d downed her tablets with, but that didn’t count, did it?

‘I didn’t say that. I don’t like the fact that you’ve heard things. And what about those crosses? We haven’t got to the bottom of how that happened, have we? Does Martin know about this place? Because I’m worried he has something to do with it and is trying to scare you half to death so you’ll leave.’

‘I don’t know, Ollie. I didn’t think about that. You know I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s such a sneaky bastard. If he thought I was doing well for myself he’d jump straight in and try to rip it all away from me.’

‘Do you think we should get some basic CCTV cameras that cover the outside of the building and the drive? That way if anyone is sneaking around you’ll be able to see them and ring the police. I know it’s extra expense, but it would make me feel a whole lot better and you would feel a bit safer. I hate leaving you each night on your own.’

Kate felt her heart skip a beat at his last words. Had he really just said that or was she making a much bigger thing out of it than was completely necessary? Why the hell were all the nice men spoken for? He was such a gentleman and she hoped his wife appreciated just how lucky she was. If she was married to Ollie she wouldn’t ever want to let him out of her sight because he was too bloody perfect.

‘Do you mean that? I mean do you think cameras would make it better?’

‘It wouldn’t hurt. If you wanted I could have them fed through to my laptop at home as well, and then both of us could keep an eye on the place. I have to say, though, you are the bravest, craziest woman I’ve ever met. Not to mention stubborn. Most people would have run off by now and booked into a hotel. Plus if we catch Martin or one of his cronies on camera you can give it to the police and they won’t be able to deny it.’

‘Do you know anyone who could fit some cameras for me?’

‘I do. I’ll give him a ring now.’

He wandered off, pulling out his mobile phone, and she put the plates in the sink, filling it with hot, soapy water. She had no idea what had been upstairs, but she knew something had been and she didn’t think it was Amy. When she had a chance she would google what the hell that smell had been. Funny how it had all but dissipated when the men had come back. She didn’t believe in spooky stuff as a rule, but the footsteps, crosses and now this were making her wonder exactly what was going on.

This house had once been a convent, a holy place of residence, and women had lived here all alone then. The number of crosses and crucifixes around the building had been unreal. She would have to pluck up the courage to read the rest of the diary to see what exactly had happened here. She could also do some research to find out some more about the history of this place as well. When had it stopped being a convent and who had last lived in here?

Ollie had been right about one thing: she was stubborn. She always had been since she was a little girl. This was what she and Amy had dreamt about so there was no way she would turn her back on it just because she’d had a bit of a fright. When this place was open and she was a respectable businesswoman who was earning her own money, she would be able to take Martin to court and fight for custody of her girls.

She missed them so much. It was like a huge, gaping hole in her heart that couldn’t be filled. It ached and ached. She missed tucking them in at night and reading them bedtime stories. The smell of their freshly washed hair, as she kissed their heads goodnight, filled her nostrils. The pain that followed was so intense it was as if someone had taken a knife and pushed it right through the middle of her heart. Coupled with the loss of Amy, it was no wonder she’d unravelled as much as she had.

Kate felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She pulled on her jacket and walked to the front door. She needed some air, some space away from the house. She walked outside.

***

Ollie, who had been speaking on the phone to his friend about how many cameras were needed, watched her from the landing window. He wanted to run after her, walk with her, look after her. What was happening with him? He’d sworn that he’d never look at another woman after Ellen’s death but here he was beginning to feel attracted to a woman who wasn’t remotely interested in him. He was so angry with himself because he felt as if he was being unfaithful to Ellen even thinking about Kate in this way, but he couldn’t help it.

For the last five years he’d watched Ellen get sicker and sicker. It had taken away every feeling except despair from him. He’d forgotten how it felt to have every nerve ending in your body on fire just being in close proximity to someone you found attractive on every level. Not to mention the embarrassment of the erection he’d got when she’d knocked him to the floor earlier and almost straddled him. He’d had to push her off so she didn’t think he was some kind of pervert.

He watched Kate heading towards the stream and the woods, and wondered if he should run after her, take some time out to walk with her. Then his phone began to ring and he answered it, to confirm they would need at least four cameras to cover the building. When he looked up she was gone, and his heart ached for her just a little, enough for him to realise that he was in big trouble and falling for her whether he wanted to or not. He hadn’t been able to save Ellen, but if he tried maybe he could save Kate from throwing her life away and make her realise that he was there for her.