‘Really?’
‘Yep, I mean, my granddad’s story, about that poor man. I think he’s still down there, somewhere.’
‘But he’s dead.’
‘Yes, but something must happen to us when we are dead. Mum tells me that Einstein proved energy cannot die, it just changes into another form of energy. And that’s what we are, isn’t it? Energy. His energy still exists. And if his is trapped…’ he trailed off, and I knew what he was saying. If his energy was still trapped, he might well be wandering the mine still.
‘I like the mine,’ he continued. ‘I think it holds a lot of secrets. I’d love to go inside, walk through its tunnels. Feel the energy that’s there.’
Neve didn’t reply; she was stunned into silence by what Jamie had said. The boy she had a crush on was good-looking, athletic, popular, and until that moment she hadn’t realised he had a depth to him as well. It made him even more attractive to her.
‘Do you think the police have given up yet?’ he asked quietly.
Before she could answer, torchlight shone into their faces. They were so caught up in one another they didn’t hear the advancing person. Neve felt her heart begin to race, thinking it was the man she had seen outside the mine a few weeks ago; the Drifter, the ghost. But, as soon as they were blinded, the torch was lowered.
‘Good evening,’ the voice said.
‘Hello?’ Jamie replied, his voice quivering a little.
‘What are you doing down here?’
‘We…’ I hesitated, heat burning into my cheeks.
‘We’re just, you know, hanging out,’ Jamie said, feigning embarrassment.
‘Oh, I see,’ said the man. ‘Have you seen any other kids down here?’ he asked. His form came into view, revealing him to be a police officer.
‘No, just us,’ Jamie said.
‘Sorry to disturb you.’ With that he turned and walked away. Neve mused he probably thought they were a couple making out, and not one of the group who had just robbed Mr Busby.
‘Shit, that was close,’ Jamie said after he was out of sight.
‘Yeah, lucky we look like an item,’ Neve replied.
Perhaps it was the adrenaline. Perhaps it was the fact she knew he liked her, Neve wasn’t sure, what she did know is that she wanted him to kiss her more than anything in the world. And she also knew, if it didn’t happen then, in that moment, it probably wouldn’t ever happen.
‘Jamie?’
‘Yes?’
‘Truth or dare,’ she smiled.
‘Dare,’ he said, his expression serious.
‘I dare you to…’
Neve didn’t finish her sentence, as Jamie leant in and kissed her on the lips.
Chapter 34
30th November 2019
Night
‘I think it’s time we spoke,’ the man said. I recognised the voice, but I couldn’t place him.
‘Who are you?’
‘I think you know who I am,’ he said. He started to move towards me, and I instinctively stepped back. He halted his advance. ‘I don’t mean you any harm.’
‘Have you been following me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Were you in the pub, the night I came back? Were you the man sat in the corner, watching me?’
‘Yes.’
‘And down the lane three days ago, was that you coming towards me?’
‘Yes, Miss Chambers, it was.’
‘How do you know my name?’
‘Oh, I know a lot about you.’
‘Did you knock on this door earlier? Speak to my father?’
‘I did.’
‘Are you the Drifter?’ I asked, terrified.
He laughed, a throaty rasp, making me wonder if he was sick. ‘I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts.’
I didn’t know how to respond.
‘You don’t remember me, do you? I’m not surprised. It’s been a very long time.’
The man took off his flat cap, and the streetlamp caught his aged and worn-out face. Thick stubble lined his cheeks and chin. His eyes sat dark and heavy with the weight of the world resting on the lower lids. And, finally, I knew his face.
‘Thompson?’
‘Hello Miss Chambers.’
DCI Thompson was the lead investigator into Chloe’s disappearance. He was the one who interviewed everyone I knew, including me. He was there when Chloe’s top was found – the man who prepared me to see it, to confirm it was hers. I didn’t doubt he would have been the man who arrested Georgia’s dad. And from what Hastings told me about him, Chloe Lambert’s disappearance had stayed with him.
‘I heard you retired.’ I tried to sound calm, but heard my voice crack.
‘I did, a very long time ago.’
‘Why have you been following me?’
‘I’m just trying to work things out.’
‘Work things out?’
‘Yep. And keep an eye on you.’
‘What do you want?’
‘The same thing I’ve wanted for over twenty years. I want to find out what happened to Chloe.’
‘DCI Thompson…’
‘I’m retired. Now I’m just Robert.’
‘Have you been here the whole time?’
‘What, since Chloe?’ he laughed again, one that turned into a cough. ‘No, no, I’ve been far away from this place.’
‘Then why did you come back?’
‘I heard from PC Hastings that Jamie has gone missing.’
‘Jamie has a history of going missing,’ I interrupted, sounding much more knowledgeable about Jamie’s comings and goings than I was.
‘Yes, and each time, I have come back to make sure he gets home safely.’
‘Why would you care?’
‘Because I think he knows more about what happened to Chloe than he lets on, perhaps. Or perhaps, I just care.’
‘And why are you here, outside my house?’
‘Miss Chambers, did you really see the Drifter again?’
‘Yes, but now I’m thinking it was you.’
‘How do you come to that conclusion?’
‘You were in the pub, down the lane. You were in the woods watching me just before we found Jamie’s top. You were there, by those garages watching my window.’
‘Miss Chambers…’
Listening to my words made me feel indignant. He wasn’t making sure I was OK; he was stalking me. ‘You scared me. You’ve been scaring me ever since I came back. I’ll call the real police if I see you round…’
‘Miss Chambers.’
‘In fact, I’m in my right mind to call the police right now.’
‘Neve,’ he said, and hearing him call me by my first name stunned me into silence. ‘I assure you, that wasn’t me.’
‘What?’
‘I saw you in the pub, I was keeping warm, having a drink, and was surprised as all hell to see you of all people step in. And when I was down the lane, I was looking around the old hut you used to hang out in when you were kids. Those other places, I assure you, that wasn’t me.’
‘It wasn’t you?’
‘No, I promise. And I’m assuming, if I’ve read your face properly, you have really seen him?’
I nodded. ‘I think he is behind Jamie and Georgia going missing. I think he is going after us one by one.’
‘I think so too,’ he said, and his words brought a lot of comfort. ‘I’ll find him, Miss Chambers, but in return I’ll need your help.’
‘Why? How can I help?’
‘Every copper has one case that haunts them, and Chloe is mine. I didn’t think I would ever solve it, but I almost made peace with it. But then you found Jamie’s top.’
‘I didn’t find it,’ I said defensively.
‘The collective “you”. The you from back then. Then, the top at the cemetery. Well, let’s just say, my gut tells me I might solve this thing after all.’
‘And how am I supposed to help with that?’
‘You were with Chloe hours before s
he went missing.’
‘Are you accusing me…’
‘Should I be?’ he asked, a glint in his eye. Like he was trying to work me out.
‘No, of course not.’
‘I’ve watched you, Miss Chambers; you seem bright, and my gut also tells me that you will help me unravel the truth. Will you help me put this case to bed?’
‘Shouldn’t we leave that to the real police?’
‘What, leave it with PC Hastings? Believe me, you’ll be far happier if I’m trying to work it out.’
‘Why?’
‘Because Hastings was convinced you had something to do with Chloe all those years ago.’
‘What?’ I knew why he seemed so angry at me in the police station a few days ago. Hastings thought I killed Chloe.
‘He wouldn’t let it go either, even when we had nothing connecting you to her going missing.’
‘Why would he think it was me?’
‘Sometimes a copper’s gut fails him, and his head gets in the way. Besides, he was young, too young for such a big case. And then you left town and…’
‘I was scared. My mum offered me a place to get away from here for a while.’
‘I know, Miss Chambers, I know. I spoke with your father a lot about what else was going on in the family home. I understand why you left. Hastings wouldn’t let it go. He was convinced, nearly got himself suspended for digging when he was told to stop. Needless to say, I don’t think he is a fan of yours. And between you and me, PC Hastings isn’t the brightest bulb.’
‘I went to him about the Drifter the other day. He didn’t believe me, and now you’ve told me all this, he probably thinks I have something to do with it all.’
‘Probably.’
‘I don’t have anything to do with this.’
‘I know, and I know you also didn’t have anything to do with Chloe.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, meaning it.
‘Hastings wasn’t with us the night we found Chloe’s top. He wasn’t there when I took you to it. I saw the look on your face. It wasn’t a look of someone who knew what they were about to see. I saw it shake you to your core.’
I had a flash of that night, the silence in the pub after someone squawked into the radio a top had been found. The smell of wet mud and coal dust as we ran through the woods, the taste of blood as I bit the inside of my cheek to stifle my cries when I saw Chloe’s jumper.
‘It did.’
‘I’d give Hastings a wide berth if you can. Miss Chambers, take my number, in case he gives you any hassle.’
He gave me his mobile number and I saved it under DCI Thompson, despite him telling me again he wasn’t a DCI anymore.
‘Thanks for this,’ I said. It was nice to have someone believe me.
‘No problem. So, will you help me find Chloe?’
‘Yes, of course I’ll help,’ I lied.
Chapter 35
1st December 2019
Morning
My subconscious mind quickly switched off after speaking with DCI Thompson, and I fell fast asleep, my mind thankfully knowing I needed to shut down and process what was going on. It didn’t last long, and just after three, I was wide awake again, staring at the ceiling. Focusing on the shadows created by the small rivets in the aertex. The brief conversation with Thompson played on a loop in my head, over and over, and I struggled to order the pictures. He had been there in the pub and down the lane but not in the woods or outside my house, and I believed him. He had no reason to lie. It weirdly confirmed what I already knew – the Drifter was back, but so was DCI Thompson, and I had merged the two in my mind.
We weren’t just facing one problem anymore. There were two ghosts from 1998 roaming the village, two people who were connected to that night. One of them knew what happened, one didn’t, both wanted to end it. And then, in the middle, there was me.
By the time dawn began to splinter the night sky, I had run and rerun the past ten days, since that message from Holly telling me Jamie was missing. I wanted to help rid the village of the Drifter somehow, I wanted him to be found. I just didn’t know how to go about it.
By the time Dad was up and moving I had been awake for nearly five hours, and needy for some company, I came downstairs shortly after he did. Walking into the kitchen he stood with his back to me, his hands clamped on the draining board, staring out of the window. I thought for a moment he was enjoying the sunshine which, although weak, was out, trying its best to warm the winter ground. But he wasn’t. The shed door was wide open, the lawn mower in the middle of the garden. Its cable had been unravelled and the plug was resting on the outside window ledge. By the back door were muddy footprints.
‘Dad?’
‘I don’t remember waking up,’ he said, his back still to me. I didn’t know what to say – what can you say to someone who knows they are beginning to lose who they were? How do I talk about it when he had lied, telling me everything was OK? I took a tentative step towards him, joined his side, placed my hand on top of his and squeezed. And for a while, we didn’t move. I just held his hand and we looked outside.
‘Neve, what do I do?’
‘Well,’ I said, fighting to keep my emotions under control. Dad had never asked for help before. ‘How about you put the kettle on while I tidy up?’
I smiled at him and gave his hand another squeeze, and he smiled back before moving towards the cupboard to grab a couple of mugs. Stepping into his large shoes to go into the garden, I couldn’t help but remember when I was a kid. I used to walk around in his old boots, pretending I worked down the mine. When I was little, I didn’t want to be a ballet dancer or a pop star like most of the girls in my class, girls like Chloe. I wanted to be a miner, just like my dad. And I would often put on his boots and helmet and pretend I was. I would dig holes in the garden, looking for coal, and Mum would despair when I came in, covered in soil and leaving the garden looking like we had a problem with foxes. She would tell me off, say I wasn’t being a proper lady. Dad wouldn’t say anything, he would just smile, catch my eye and give me a wink. Those moments made my heart burst. I hated myself for so easily forgetting them.
Through the open door, I looked through at him in the kitchen: small and sad and lost as he made us both tea. The weight of the world pressing down on him, like he had become the coal he once mined. Putting away the lawnmower, I came back inside and sat with him at the kitchen table.
‘What are you thinking Dad?’
‘Why on God’s earth did I think it was a good idea to mow the lawn last night?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said, taking a sip of my tea.
‘I mean, I can barely be arsed to do it in the middle of the day,’ he said with a wink, and I laughed tea out of my nose. He was there – buried under the worry and forgetfulness was my dad who made light of things. He laughed with me, just for a moment until the weight shifted back onto him.
‘I don’t want to go into a home.’
‘Dad?’
‘I’ve been thinking, and I don’t want to go into a home, it would kill me.’
‘You’re not going into a home,’ I said, hoping I sounded convincing.
‘Doctor McBride didn’t say I have a… what did you say it could be?’
‘A thyroid issue.’
‘That’s it, he didn’t say it was a thyroid issue. I just hoped when I said I couldn’t remember the name, you’d find something on the internet to explain it. I’m sorry I lied.’
‘Don’t be, I know you were trying to protect us both.’
He nodded, his eyes brimming.
‘Have the blood tests come back yet?’
‘I didn’t do them.’
‘Dad…’ I said, exasperated, but not at all shocked. ‘I watched you walk towards the nurse’s office?’
‘I did, but I didn’t go in. I just said I was waiting for someone. Before you came into that first appointment, he told me he was convinced it is… well, he didn’t say the words. It was like he couldn’t, but you kn
ow. What’s weird is, even with the lawnmower thing, I don’t feel like I have Alzheimer’s. I just can’t remember doing things. Does that make sense?’
‘I think so. Can I be honest, Dad?’
‘Yes, sure.’
‘This is the most you’ve ever told me about how you feel. Ever.’
‘Yes, I guess it is,’ he said, trying to smile again, but falling short. ‘I’m sorry, love.’
‘I always thought that after Mum left, you stopped caring.’
‘About what, about you? Of course not. Neve, you are now, and have always been my girl.’
It was my turn to well up; two decades of things unsaid sat just behind my eyes, desperate to come out. ‘So, why don’t you ever call? Why don’t you ever want to visit?’
‘When you grew up, I felt like I was a burden, I was an embarrassment.’
‘What, why?’
‘I lost my job, your mother. I was ashamed. And then you wanted to leave too.’
‘Oh, Dad!’ Reaching over, I hugged my dad and felt tears escape. I had been so selfish in assuming his distance from me was because of him not caring, not because of how vulnerable he was. I understood what DCI Thompson meant when he said he’d spoken with Dad and understood why I had gone. Dad thought I didn’t want to be with him anymore. I vowed would never let him feel like that again.
‘Shall we go back and see Doctor McBride? Both of us. Get those tests done.’
‘What? So, he can confirm I’m losing my mind?’
‘It might not be what you, I, or even Dr McBride thinks. We won’t know for sure until we do the tests. What do you say? I can call him right now.’
He offered a small nod and rubbing his arm I got up to make the call. After three rings a receptionist picked up.
‘Sherwood Practice.’
‘Hello, it’s Neve Chambers, my father Sean Chambers has been seeing Dr McBride about an ongoing health concern. I was wondering if I could make an appointment this morning for us to come and see him.’
‘I’m afraid Dr McBride isn’t in today.’
‘Oh, when will he be back in?’
‘I’m afraid we don’t know.’
‘What? Why not?’ My heart skipped, and I forced myself to be rational.
‘Miss Chambers, you are friends with Dr McBride, aren’t you?’
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