by Wilf Voss
“I don’t know. I don’t think I could face working with horses again right now but it is just about all I know. I have a bit of money, I will take some time and see what happens. It’s a big world out there.”
“It is.”
Chapter 8
Present Day
Kate paused, she could hear the happy chatter of the staff in the tack room, she had called them together to have a discussion and she was not looking forward to the reaction. She pushed open the door and stepped into the muggy warmth. “Hi guys!” The staff shared greetings, smiling and laughing. “I need to talk to you about Caroline.”
It was as if a switch had been thrown, the room became quiet, Kate was aware of the number of people staring at her. Jacqui cleared her throat. “No...”
“What? Sorry?”
“No Kate.” Jacqui paused, looking around the room to the nods of agreement. “We don’t want Caroline back. It is nothing personal but...” She stopped. “Kate she is not well, to be honest we are worried for you.”
“Jacqui...” Kate frowned. “She is our friend.”
“Kate, she was...” She paused. “She almost killed Adam. Please, take her back to the hospital.”
“She has been discharged.”
“I speak for all of us Kate. I am so sorry, we love Caroline dearly, but we don’t feel we can have her back at the yard. It is her or us.”
Kate sat down heavily. “Okay, I hear what you are saying, I am sorry but I can totally understand.” She looked up. “Will you at least visit her; she is terribly lonely when we are not there.”
Jacqui nodded. “Yes, of course.” She smiled. “We are not trying to be difficult. Of course, we will go and see her. She is still one of us, just not well at the moment. We know it is not her fault.”
“Thank you...” Kate stood up and left the room. As she closed the door, she heard the happy hubbub start again.
***
“Hello...” Kate pushed open the front door. “I’ve been shopping; do you think you could help me bring it in?”
“Of course.” Caroline stood up and started to help Kate with the shopping bags. “Would you like me to cook tonight?”
“Oh that would be lovely.” Kate smiled, loading bags onto the kitchen worktop.
“To be honest, anything to keep me busy.” Caroline stopped. “Did you ask them?” Kate sighed. “Ah... That doesn’t sound good.”
“Caroline, they are just not ready yet.” She took her hand. “After what happened...” Kate paused. “Sorry, they were frightened, it will take some time. They have promised to come and see you. Let them build up the trust again.”
“Okay.” Caroline frowned.
“I know it is hard for you.”
***
Dinner had been uneventful and soon afterwards, both Adam and Kate were stifling yawns. Adam glanced at his watch and announced that it was time for them to go to bed. “We will see you in the morning Caroline. Sleep well.”
Unlike Adam and Kate, Caroline had done nothing all day, she could understand their exhaustion from rising early and working long hard hours in the open air. Caroline had sat on the sofa, bored gazing out of the window and wishing she could be back at the yard. She sighed.
Slumped on the sofa she was dulled by the soporific television programme, yawning and her eyelids heavy she dropped off to sleep.
It was pitch-black when she woke with a start, Susan smiled looking around the front room, this was not where she wanted to be, it was time to be proactive, it was time to go home and finish what she had started.
Moving carefully around the room Susan opened the front door quietly smirking, Adam and Kate could not stop her, Caroline was a weakling and had stepped aside easily.
It was only ten minutes later that Susan was standing silently on the main yard.
***
The yard was waking up with grooms starting to feed the horses and muck out. Susan had kept herself out of sight but now felt the time was right to return. The back yard was quiet the horses had been fed but the staff had started mucking out on the main yard as was usual.
Susan walked across the silent yard towards the last stable in the block; she leant over the stable door and saw Magpie standing eating his feed. “Hello Magpie.” The horse flung his head up, snorting wildly. “Oh you recognise me now do you?” Susan smiled. The horse dashed to the back of his stable.
“Oh now, now...” Susan reached for the stable door.
“Caroline? I wondered where you had ...” Adam stopped dead as he approached Susan. “What? Who are you?” The girl was wearing the clothes Caroline had been wearing and at a distance looked similar but this was clearly not Caroline.
“Hello Adam...” Susan sneered, pulling the stable door open.
“What are you doing?”
“I thought I would see an old friend.” Adam grabbed her arm, Susan snarled and pulled away walking towards Magpie. “Piss off Adam.” She reached out towards the scared horse. Magpie rolled his eyes and snorted. “Come here you stupid beast.” Susan grabbed a handful of Magpie’s mane. The horse suddenly felt nothing but fear of this woman and span running towards the exit. Susan was knocked to the floor by Magpie’s shoulder as he charged for freedom.
***
Caroline was dazed, she was lying on a floor of wood shavings; it was one of the stables. She had no idea what she was doing her; she had been in Adam and Kate’s front room. There were shouts in the distance, she was groggy and not clear what had happened. A shadow passed across the open stable door, she looked up and was about to greet Sarah when she started screaming. Caroline looked confused, Sarah had crouched down in the doorway and was sobbing and screaming for help.
Caroline struggled to pull herself to her feet, her shoulder and ribs were sore and she was dizzy. She eventually got up and walked towards the door.
She stopped dead, Sarah looked up at her. “You!” She growled. “What have you done? What the hell have you done?” She sobbed.
***
Kate was finishing up in the feed shed when she heard the thunder of hooves on concrete; she stepped out and saw Magpie galloping towards the driveway. She was about to run after him when she heard screams. A chill ran through her as she followed the sound to the back yard. There was a cluster of staff around Magpie’s stable.
“What is going on?” Kate tried to push her way to the front of cluster but was held back by Tracy, she was crying.
“No Kate... Wait for a moment.”
“Please Tracy what has happened.” She pushed her aside and suddenly saw what had happened. She gasped and found herself buckling at her knees. Tracy grabbed and supported her. “Oh God!” She knelt down.
Lying in the stable doorway was Adam. It was clear that he was badly injured, his head was covered in blood and there was a clear bloody hoof-print on the front of his shirt. Kate cradled his head. “Adam... Can you hear me?” She looked up. “For God’s sake call an ambulance!” One of the staff ran back to the office.
Kate was struggling to remember her first aid and was fighting to find a pulse; she didn’t know if she should be attempting CPR, she grabbed hold of Adam's still body desperately willing him to breath.
***
Tracy heard the ambulance approaching and ran to the main yard to direct the paramedics. “This way!" The paramedics leapt from the ambulance and dashed onto the back yard.
“Hello madam, can you let us get in please.” The first paramedic gently ushered Kate aside, she muttered and stood watching helplessly as they worked on Adam. The staff were consoling each other, sobbing and staring at Adam’s still form, which lay on the concrete.
It was minutes later that the two paramedics looked at each other; the first stood slowly and approached Kate. “Miss?” Kate turned towards the paramedic. “I am so very sorry...”
It was if her world had collapsed, a sudden pain flooded Kate’s body, she screamed and fought to grasp Adam, clutching at his body des
perately willing him to open his eyes and recognise her again.
“Kate...” Tracy gently took Kate’s shoulders. “Please, let them do what they have to do.” She helped her to her feet as the paramedics gently lifted Adam’s body onto a trolley.
Kate watched in silence as the ambulance pulled away.
***
Tracy had asked the staff to take Kate back to the flat, to keep her comfortable. Kate had fought against them but soon realised that Adam had been taken away. The paramedics had made it clear that she should wait; there was nothing she could do at the hospital.
Tracy watched as Kate was led away. “I know you are there.” Tracy stepped into the stable. Caroline walked slowly out of the shadows, head down her body visibly shaking.
Tracy lunged towards her smashing her fist into her face, Caroline crumpled, bleeding heavily from her nose. Tracy reached back and kicked her hard in the ribs, before falling to her knees and sobbing. “You killed him...”
“Tracy, no...” Caroline gasped. “I don’t know what happened.” She was cut short by another firm kick to her chest as Tracy lunged towards her again, she cried out in agony.
“I am calling the police. You won’t get away with this bitch!” She turned on her heel and walked from the stable. Caroline remained on the floor, desperately trying to breath.
***
Adam woke with a start, the pain in his chest took his breath away, and he staggered to his feet. Looking around he saw the back yard was silent and cast in half-light. Despite it being a warm summers evening he was chilled to the bone and shivered uncontrollably. He looked around, it was unnaturally quiet, it was then he noticed that the stables were empty. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, which was fogged with confusion.
He staggered for a step before having to grab hold of an open stable door; he was feeling sick and dizzy. There was a sound and he looked up to see Jacqui walking down the yard. Her head down, she seemed to be crying. “Jac’s what’s up?” Jacqui ignored him, walking past as if he was not there. “Jac’s what’s wrong?” He watched as she turned the corner and disappeared out of sight. Adam shrugged, whatever had happened the staff were ignoring him. He sighed, the argument with Kate, his mind ran back to the morning, no doubt he would have to eat some major humble pie as his row with his wife had put everyone against him.
Adam followed Jacqui onto the main yard. He was confused; it seemed to be early evening. He was sure it had been morning, he grabbed his forehead, perhaps he had hit his head, and it would explain his headache. In the distance, he saw Kate looking across the yard.
“Kate...” Adam called across the yard. Kate looked up for a moment, looking confused. “Kate?” She was in conversation with Jacqui and seemed to be ignoring him. He sighed, he should face the situation and apologise. He walked across the yard, strangely limping, as he approached, he was surprised that Kate didn’t look up. “Kate. Look, I am sorry. I was stupid.” He stopped; Kate had not looked at him and was still talking to Jacqui about the horses. “Kate!” Adam reached out to grab her hand.
Adam fell back. He had reached for Kate but his hand had passed through hers as if it was not there. She had stopped speaking and was looking around looking nervous. “Kate?” Adam spoke but it was clear that Kate could not hear him she suddenly burst into tears, Jacqui hugged her. Adam tried to approach but found that he could not get close to her, as he tried to touch her he found that he could not. He gasped, looking down at his hands.
“You can’t touch them...”
Adam span around, there was a young woman standing behind him. “What? Who are you?”
“Oh so many questions and you don’t even know the answer to the obvious one.” Susan sneered.
“What?” Adam paused, trying to stop Kate and Jacqui who had started to walk away. “Kate, Jacqui!”
“Oh and they can’t hear you either.”
“What?” Adam turned to face the girl. “What are you talking about?”
“You will find out, but let me save you some effort.” She smiled. “You cannot speak Kate again, and she can’t see you.”
“What?”
“Is that all you say?” Susan sneered. “What... What?” She aped Adam’s voice.
“Why can’t she see me?”
“How stupid are you?” She shook her head. “Duur! You’re dead.”
Adam felt the blood rush from his head, he blacked out and fell heavily to the floor.
***
Kate woke from a sleeping tablet induced disturbed sleep, she reached over but Adam’s side of the bed was empty, the realisation crept back, she had hoped for just one moment that she had been having a terrible nightmare, she sighed and pushed back the duvet. She had to move, there were things to do, she blinked back tears as she realised that all she would do now would be without Adam.
She dressed and drove to the yard; Jacqui stepped out of the office as she arrived. “Hi, how are you coping?” She paused. “You know you don’t need to be here.”
“What would I do Jacqui? Sit at home? No, I would rather be busy today try to keep my mind off things.”
“Okay, well we are all here for you.”
“Thanks Jacqui.” Kate watched as she walked away across the yard. This was home but now the stables felt alien to her, she did not want to give up but she could not see a way to carry on working at a place which had been as much Adam's business as hers. Everything would be a memory of him, she sighed. What should she do? There was time to decide but her mind was pretty much made up, she looked over what had once been hers, soon she would look to speak with an estate agent and look to move on.
***
Caroline looked up as the cell door opened. "Get up!" She dragged herself to her feet and followed the police officer back to the tiny interview room. She had been in here for many hours, going over and over again what had happened both in the kitchen at the stables flat and when Magpie had killed Adam.
"Tell me again what happened again with the horse?" The detective sipped at the bitter coffee before stirring in another sugar. "What were you doing in the stable?"
"I...” Caroline stuttered. She knew if she told them again that she didn't know they would just shout at her once more. "I wanted to see Magpie. I worked at the stables."
"Okay. You wanted to see the horse?" The officer shrugged. "And the next thing is Mr Bishop us dead, is this a coincidence after you tried to stab him just a few days before?"
"Sarge!" A woman poked her head around the interview room door.
"Interview suspended at thirteen twenty one hours." The police office stood and left the room leaving Caroline alone. She glanced up at the CCTV camera in the corner of the room. She sighed, she had no idea what would happen to her, and they had spent hours interviewing her, going around in circles asking the same questions. Why had she stabbed Adam, what had she done to Magpie to make him act in the way he did. She couldn't answer those questions or any of the others and she could feel the increasing frustration from the officers. She looked up as the door opened; the officer stepped back into the room. "Well you are very lucky."
"I'm sorry?" Caroline looked up.
"I think you had something to do with that horse, they don't just go mad and kill people normally. And I know you stabbed Adam Bishop but it seems there were no witnesses. Well nobody who would say that you did anything but slip while carrying a knife." He paused. "I know you are guilty as hell but we just cannot get a case that will stick with the criminal prosecution service."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that you will get away with it." He slammed his fist on the desk. "But I will be watching you; if you get as much as a parking ticket I will drag you in and find something to arrest you for."
"I'm sorry." Caroline sobbed.
"Oh shut up and stop the waterworks." He snarled. "It doesn't impress me." He stood up quickly knocking his chair to the floor. "Get out of here, before I change my mind."
Caroline stood up s
lowly; the officer opened the interview room door and led her through the police station. "So I am free to go?"
"Yes, for now you are. Now get out!"
***
Adam stared across the yard. He could see the staff were working, but there was none of the usual energy or laughter. The radio was silent and the grooms walked around slowly, some with tears in their eyes as they mucked out and swept the yard, even the horses seemed subdued obviously sensing the mood of the humans. He sighed, he had spent time trying to make contact with the staff, shouting and trying to get their attention but they clearly could not see him. He was trapped, invisible and silent He turned and faced the woman who was standing behind him. Susan was sitting on a bale beside one of the stables.
"I wish you wouldn't waste your time, you are wearing me out with all you’re running around." She picked her nails. "I told you, they can't see you."
"But why?" Adam stepped towards her.
"Oh, I have to get left with a stupid one!" She stood up grasping Adam's shoulders and walking him onto the back yard. She pointed down to some dark stains on the concrete. "That." She gestured. "Is your blood. You were hit by Magpie and, well how can I put this." She paused. "You are dead."
"I can't be dead?"
"Why not?" Susan shrugged. "Are you someone special? Superhuman powers, invincible?"
"No, I need to be there for Kate."
"Oh boo hoo..." Susan laughed. "You need to be there for Kate!" Adam lunged at Susan grabbing her around the neck. "Oh what a big man!" She struggled free. "You can't strangle me."
"Why don't you just piss off and leave me alone?"
"Because I like seeing you suffer. I have been here for almost forty years and you are about the only entertainment I have had."
***
Kate shrugged. "I am sorry; I have not been able to take this all in."
The funeral director smiled. "I can understand madam. This is a very difficult time for you. We can look after everything for you. I just need a few details."
"Okay." Kate took the form the man was proffering. "I just want it to be good for him. He deserves the very best." She grabbed for the tissues balled in her lap and dabbed her eyes.
***
Jacqui looked up as Kate opened the car door. "Sorted?" Kate nodded. "Okay."
There were so few words she could say, she had offered to help Kate, and she could only imagine the pain she was going through. She started the engine and they headed slowly back towards Redbridge. They drove in silence until Jacqui pulled up outside Kate's cottage.