For Pauline and Nanette
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A Deadly Lesson
Chapter 1
“No!” Grace raced into the newly opened storage locker. She was vaguely aware of cries of outrage behind her as she ran forwards.
She crouched down in front of the distraught figure of a teenage girl. The girl was pressed into the corner of the unit. Her knees were pulled to her chest and her shaking arms were wrapped around them, as if trying to draw them even closer to herself.
Tears ran down the girl’s face and she was crying out, “Stop! Stop!”
Grace put her hand out towards the girl, but before she could say a word she was pulled to her feet. A burly-looking man glared at her and barked, “No one is allowed in before the bidding starts! Out! Now!”
“But ...” Grace began.
The man was in no mood for listening. He roughly pulled Grace out of the unit and placed her in front of the grim-faced auctioneer.
Grace looked back into the unit. The girl had gone. Grace then looked at the auctioneer. Her breath caught. She had never seen him looking so serious. Sylvester Sylver, the man who was leading today’s auction, frowned as he studied Grace. In a low voice he said, “Grace, what on earth are you doing? You know the rules, you know you’re not allowed inside a unit before you buy it. Would you like to explain yourself?”
“I ...” Grace said. Words seemed to be having trouble coming from her mouth today. She looked straight in front of her. The other bidders glowered at her. She gulped. She could feel the hate coming from them. She glanced at Frankie, her brother. He had his back turned to her. He must be devastated at what she’d done.
“Well?” Sylvester prompted. “Grace, you’d better give me a good reason for not throwing you out of the auction.”
A thought suddenly came to Grace. She forced a smile on her face as she brightly declared, “A mouse! I saw a little mouse! It was trapped under a box at the back of the unit. It looked frightened. I’m so sorry, Sylvester, but I couldn’t let it suffer.”
At the mention of a mouse some of the braver bidders took a few steps backwards.
Relief washed over Sylvester’s face. “A mouse? Grace, you’re too kind-hearted. Because you’re so wonderful I’ll forgive you this time. Just don’t ever do that again.”
There were a few jeers from the bidders. Sylvester held his hands up to placate them. He said, “All right, no need to turn nasty. Grace was doing a good deed but I will ban her from bidding on this unit. Okay? Now, settle down and we’ll begin. Who will start me off with a bid?”
Sylvester gave Grace a quick wink, she gave him a small smile of thanks and muttered, “Sorry.”
With her head down she walked towards Frankie, he still had his back to her. She thought about the teenage girl that she’d just seen. Grace knew she wasn’t supposed to go into the lockers but there was something so heart breakingly sad about that girl that she hadn’t been able to stop herself. She’d wanted to tell the girl that she could see her, and that she’d be able to help her – if that’s what the girl wanted.
Grace sighed. Seeing ghosts in these storage units was hard enough, but not being able to tell anyone else about it was even harder.
She tapped Frankie on the shoulder. She wished she could say to him, ‘Hey, sorry about that but I saw a ghost and I had to run in and talk to her.’ And then Frankie could say, ‘I understand. Let’s buy that unit and then we can help that poor ghost.’
That was never going to happen.
Frankie ignored her tap so Grace tapped even harder. No response. Grace walked round and stood in front of him. Frankie swiftly turned so that his back was facing her again. Grace grabbed his arm and pulled him to face her.
She recoiled at the look of disgust on his face. In a quiet voice he said, “How could you? How could you embarrass me like that? I’m so ashamed of you.”
Grace opened her mouth to speak. Frankie’s hand shot up, palm facing her. “Go away. I don’t want to talk to you.”
Grace felt a sudden heat on her cheeks and her throat felt tight. Shame swept down her body and she began to tremble. She had to get away!
She turned away from Frankie and looked around the storage unit. The van! Grace raced towards it, flung open the passenger door and threw herself in. Warm tears gushed down her cheeks and huge sobs of pain escaped from her. She sunk lower in her seat, she felt like she wanted to be invisible.
Grace suddenly stopped. These weren’t her reactions. Frankie had spoken to her much more harshly than that before, and she’d given him just as good back. Grace wiped her wet cheeks. She was experiencing the ghost’s feelings. A feeling of overwhelming shame and of needing to run away. Oh! That poor girl! What had happened to her?
Grace knew without a doubt that she had to help her. She’d helped other ghosts in the past, particularly ones that had been murdered. Had that girl been murdered? Did she need Grace’s help?
Grace sat up straight. She looked in the mirror. She shrugged, she’d have to do. She put her hand on the handle of the door, a renewed sense of purpose gripping her. There was something about that girl that was crying out to her.
Grace swivelled her body towards the door. And screamed.
A face stared back at her.
Chapter 2
Big Bob grinned at Grace and opened the door for her.
Grace’s hand was over her heart. “Crikey, you scared the life out of me.” Grace got out of the van and smiled up at her friend. Big Bob was an old friend of her dad’s. They had toured antique fairs together. Big Bob had been a great help when she and Frankie had first started working in the storage auction business. And he’d been a great listener whenever Grace had needed to talk about her mum and dad.
Big Bob gave her a bear-like hug. He released her and said, “You’re looking well, Grace. I haven’t seen you for a while. How are you? And how’s that brother of yours?”
Grace shrugged. “I’m fine. I’m working full-time at the shop now. I couldn’t face going back to my teaching job, not after ... you know.”
Big Bob said, “I know. Losing loved ones always makes you re-evaluate your life. Are you enjoying working at the shop? Have you refrained from killing Frankie?”
“Just about,” Grace said with a grin. Her grin dropped. “I think he’s the one who feels like killing me at the moment.”
Big Bob let out a bark of laughter. “I saw what happened! I can’t believe people took it so seriously. I’ve known this crowd a long time and you wouldn’t believe the things they get up to when they think no one’s looking. Did you really see a mouse?”
Grace didn’t like lying to Big Bob. Maybe one day she’d tell him about her ability to see ghosts. She thought he’d be more understanding than Frankie. She said, “I saw a poor creature of some sort.”
Big Bob studied her for a moment and then nodded. He indicated his head towards where the auctions were taking place. “Whatever you saw put the other bidders off. No one wanted that unit. There was only one person who was brave enough to bid on it.” Big Bob held a key towards Grace. “I bought it on your behalf. It cost me all of ten pounds. And no, I don’t want that ten pounds back from you. Call it a gift. Here’s the key to the lock I’ve put on it. Off you go, go and rescue that poor little mouse, or whatever it was that you saw.”
Grace couldn’t help herself, she threw herself into Big Bob’s arms and hugged him again. She said to his chest, “Thank you so much!”
Big Bob patt
ed her shoulder and then moved her back. He said, “It’s wonderful to see you looking so happy. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Grace nodded, she could feel tears tickling her eyes. She’d done enough crying in front of that kind man, he didn’t need to see any more. She held the key firmly in her hand and made her way over to the unit that Big Bob had bought. The door was now closed and secured with Big Bob’s padlock.
The group of bidders had moved on to the next locker which was about ten lockers away. Grace saw Frankie looking back over his shoulder at her, a mystified look on his face. Grace gave him a cheery wave and then she unlocked the unit. She pulled the door up, aware that Frankie was still looking at her. Oh, she was so tempted to stick her tongue out at him!
She walked into the unit and pulled the door halfway down behind her. If the ghost reappeared she didn’t want anyone to see her apparently talking to herself.
Grace quietly called out, “Hello! Are you here? I’m Grace, I ran into this locker earlier. I can see ghosts.” A pause. “Well, I can’t see you at the moment. Can you show yourself to me? Please? I only want to talk to you.”
Grace heard a sob. It was coming from the same corner that she’d seen the ghost in earlier. Grace walked towards the ghost. The corner was shimmering as if heat were radiating out from it. Grace said, “Please show yourself. I won’t hurt you.”
There was some more shimmering, then the figure of the girl reappeared. She was still sitting down, her arms around her knees. Tears flowed down her face.
Grace sat next to her and smiled. “Hello, I’m Grace. Can you tell me your name?”
The girl sniffed and muttered, “Abbie, Abbie Quill.”
“Hi Abbie.” Grace took in the girl’s appearance. She had long brown hair, dark brown eyes and a pretty face. She was wearing a floaty kind of top, deep purple in colour. Grace could make out the black leggings too, along with a pair of sparkly purple trainers. Abbie’s arms relaxed and her knees moved away from her body. Grace’s heart missed a bit when she saw the badge pinned to Abbie’s top.
Grace pointed to the badge and said, “Eighteen. Is it your birthday?”
Abbie gave her a small smile. “It was my birthday. I died when I was eighteen.”
“Oh, that’s so sad,” Grace said. “Can I ask how you died? If you don’t mind talking about it.”
Abbie picked at a sequin on her trainer. Ghost tears landed on the concrete floor. She said, “I was run over.”
Grace wished she could put her arm around her.
Abbie looked up, her face suddenly startled. “I told them to stop! I shouted at them to stop! But they wouldn’t! They saw me and they wouldn’t stop!”
She burst into fresh tears and hugged her knees again. Grace felt useless. She’d have to speak to Abbie as calmly as she could.
“Abbie, I’m sorry you’re hurting. I think you’ve appeared to me for a reason. I’ve got a difficult question to ask you, is that okay?”
Abbie nodded and buried her face into her knees.
“Were you murdered?”
Abbie looked up, a calm look appeared on her face. She nodded and said, “I was, I was murdered, I know I was murdered but why? Why would they do that to me? I said I’d keep quiet. I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
Grace asked her next question. “Do you know who killed you?”
Abbie began to shimmer. “No! Stop! I can see them! I can see the lights on the car! They’re coming closer. Stop! Stop!”
A cold breeze enveloped Grace and Abbie disappeared.
Chapter 3
Grace didn’t know if Abbie was still there but just invisible, or if she had gone altogether. Either way she knew she had to get this storage unit emptied and get the items back to the shop. It was likely that Abbie was attached to one of the items in here.
For the first time Grace looked around the unit to see what was stored here.
Boxes, and more boxes. Grace stood up and opened the nearest one.
Books, and more books.
“Great,” Grace muttered. “These are going to be heavy.” She spoke to the corner where Abbie had been sitting. “I don’t know if you can hear me but I’m going to put these boxes in my van. And then I’m taking them back to a shop that I run with my brother, Frankie. I’m hoping that you’re attached to something in here. If you are, please could you try and show yourself with the correct item.”
Grace waited. She heard a faint sob but Abbie didn’t appear. Grace said, “I’m going to pull the van up to this unit. I won’t be long.”
Grace rushed out of the unit and over to the van. Within minutes she had reversed the van and was putting the first box of books into the back. She was right, the boxes were heavy. She had a fleeting thought of asking Frankie to help her, but she could imagine what his reply would be.
She broke in to a sweat as she lifted more and more boxes. She wondered where these boxes had come from. A charity shop that couldn’t sell them? Someone who was downsizing? Who knew how items ended up in these storage units?
Grace put the last box into the van. She closed the van doors and lowered the metal door on the unit. She took Big Bob’s padlock off and pressed her lips together as she thought about her next actions. She’d have to give this back to him. Which meant she’d have to go and find where the crowd of bidders were. And that meant finding Frankie.
Grace smiled to herself. Frankie must be wondering how she’d got this locker. Had Big Bob told him? She’d soon find out.
Grace set off walking along the row of lockers. She could hear voices around the next corner. As she rounded the corner she spotted Frankie. He saw her and gave her a wave. Then he seemed to remember that he was mad with her, his hand shot down and he shoved it into his pocket. His bottom lip stuck out and he tried to glower at her. Grace laughed. He looked like a constipated baby. Big Bob was standing at Frankie’s side.
Grace made her way over to them and handed Big Bob the padlock and key. “Thanks for the unit. I’ve packed everything into the van.”
Big Bob smiled and said, “You are more than welcome. And what did you do with the little mouse?”
“I’m dealing with it.” Grace said. Frankie had turned his back on her again. She gave him a hard prod and said, “I’m taking the van. I’ve got some stock to put in the shop.”
Frankie spun around. “You’re not taking the van! What am I supposed to do?”
Grace had a few options ready, Big Bob beat her to it and said, “You can have a lift with me, Frankie. I’ve brought a lorry with me today. See you later, Grace. Drive carefully.”
“I will, thanks,” Grace said and turned away.
Frankie grabbed her arm and said, “What’s going on? How did you get that locker? What’s inside? What did Sylvester Sylver say to you?”
Grace tugged her arm free. She gave him a satisfied smile and said, “I thought you weren’t talking to me. See you later.”
With her head held high Grace walked away from her brother. She’d explain everything to him later, but for now, he could stew in his own sulky juices. If that was even an expression?
A few minutes later Grace started up the van. Abbie appeared at her side and gave her a shy smile.
“Hello! I’m so glad you’ve turned up again, I was beginning to worry,” Grace said. “We’re going to my shop now, well, the one I own with my brother. We can talk on the way.”
Abbie nodded and looked closer at Grace. “Can you drive this van? I’d be scared, it’s huge.”
Grace drove out of the storage facility and on to the main road. “It’s not that big, I’m used to it now. Do you drive?”
Abbie gave a humourless laugh. “No, but I’ve been trying to learn since the minute I turned seventeen. I’ve taken my driving test three times and I still haven’t passed. I’m such an idiot.”
Grace frowned. She kept her eyes on the road and said, “You’re not an idiot. A lot of people have trouble driving and it’s nothing to do with knowing speed limits and a
ll the other stuff. It’s to do with nerves. Let me tell you something, Abbie. My parents died in a car accident, nearly two years ago now.”
Abbie gasped. “Oh! How awful!”
Grace nodded. “It was, it still is. My dad was driving my car at the time, he insisted. It was my birthday and we were going out for a meal. My car was ruined in the crash. I couldn’t face driving for a while. I needed to start driving again so that I could help Frankie when we bought things from these storage units. I was scared stiff the first time I drove this van, my legs were so wobbly! But I did it.”
Abbie looked out of the window. “You’re much braver than me. I just can’t do it. Every time I take my driving test I fall to pieces, I can’t remember a thing. No one understands, they think I’m stupid.”
Grace slowed the van down and came to stop at the side of the road. She turned to face Abbie. “I’m going to tell you something now that I’ve never told anyone else.”
Chapter 4
Abbie gave Grace her full attention.
Grace smiled and then said, “I can drive this van but I can’t drive a car. Frankie’s been on at me to get my own car, he said I can’t keep borrowing the van. I’ve been to a few car dealers on my own, I’ve even booked test drives. But every time I sit in the driver’s seat of a car I freeze. All the memories of the night of the car crash flood into my head and I can’t move. I wasn’t even driving the car that night. I’ve made a fool of myself every time I’ve booked a test drive. I’ve mumbled and muttered to the poor sales assistant that I’ve changed my mind. Goodness knows what they thought about me!”
Abbie nodded. “I get like that when I do the test. It must be something in our heads that’s stopping us.”
Grace looked out of the window. “I think I know what’s stopping me. The last time that I drove a car my mum and dad were alive. I can’t bear the thought of driving a car knowing that they’re dead. That’s a ridiculous thing to think, isn’t it? I know it’s ridiculous but I can’t get past it.”
A Deadly Lesson (Storage Ghost Murders Book 5) Page 1