The Air You Breathe (HEARTFIRE Book 3)

by Jave Kavfi

  "Yeah? So, I need to go have a word with the owners. You get on here. I'll mention this place to them, and they can work out what they want doing. As far as I'm concerned, it isn't in the remit of this job, and we don't touch it."

  "I'm happy about that – no intention of going near it. You seen the bird that owns the place? Talk about a MLTF – I wouldn't say no."

  "Yeah? In your dreams, mate," Caden tells him.

  He throws the doll on top of the collection of bones and makes his way to his car to get the wine. As far as he can work out, those bones are animal and not human remains, but he's staying well clear, just in case. There's absolutely no way he can become involved with anything that would bring the police sniffing around. If Evangeline was murdered, then he'll have to pass any information on to Gertie and she can take it from there, seeing as she's got the right contacts. His only concern is making sure he resolves this to Evangeline's satisfaction, and he's hoping like hell that can be done without involving any outside agencies.

  Tyler has caught up with him. "You mind if I give that doll to my ma? She'll clean it up and might make a few bob on it. Sells a pile of junk on a market stall in town. But she's also got a few decent pieces. She was going to ask if she can have a cabinet in the book shop to display some of the antiques."

  Caden shrugs. "Go for it. I'll ask Ana about the cabinet – she runs the place. She might be up for it. I'll get back to you."

  "The market's on all week because of the fair, so my ma will be there. Can't miss her. She's into the whole rockabilly thing. Have a word with her."

  "Will do." He certainly will – sounds like a good source of information.

  *

  "What happened to that envelope?" Lucinda asks Jonny.

  "It was just information on the summer fair that's coming up. No idea where I put it," Jonny replies. "It will take us weeks to sort this lot out." He stands with his hands on his hips, surveying the mountain of packing boxes in the kitchen.

  Lucinda holds up a kettle. "Well, at least we were organized enough to keep the tea and coffee things separate. We can ... Oh, I'll get it – it will be one of the men who are clearing the garden." She hurries to answer the knock on the front door.

  "Mrs Mortimer?" Caden says. Uh-huh, she's most definitely hot, in a classy kind of way.

  "Mrs Thomson. Mortimer before my marriage. But Lucinda is fine," she says, returning his smile.

  He holds out the wine. "I'm Caden. Henry employed me to work on the grounds. It's almost finished, but dismantling the maze will take a few more days. He wanted you to have this, as a house warming gift."

  "So kind," she says.

  "Are you happy with the work that's been done so far?" he asks.

  "Mmm ... it all seems to be going well. Looking much better."

  "Just one thing. We noticed an area that seems to be a pet cemetery. It's very run down, the fence is in a bad state of repair and some of the stones look kind of shaky. There are bones too, probably unearthed by a dog or some wildlife. That whole area needs attention, so you might want to discuss it with Henry, or whatever staff you employ to do the grounds."

  A man has appeared in the doorway and pushes in front of Lucinda. "I'll be taking over the arrangements for the rest of the work."

  "My husband, Jonny. Jonny, this is–"

  "I won't be requiring the services of your boss, seeing as he appears to be incompetent in terms of getting the job finished on time," Jonny says. "I doubt very much you lot know what you're doing. You in charge, are you? You don't look to be out of your teens. Those oafs out there look like a bunch of village idiots. No – after you finish clearing the worst of it, we'll dispense with your services."

  "Fair enough," Caden says. "Not easy getting staff to work here. Place appears to have a bit of a reputation." Not exactly tactful, but he wanted to see their reaction, plus the guy's attitude is annoying him. Oafs? Who the hell does he think he is? The woman seems taken aback by what he said, but no reaction from her asshole husband.

  "You know ... lying empty for years," she's saying. "Rumours spread over nothing. And forgive Jonny his bluntness. It's his first ever visit to the UK – still finding his feet here. It's frustrating, trying to get things done when you're not familiar with the area."

  "Sure. I'll be back tonight, just to make sure the work is up to schedule." He says his goodbyes and makes for the car.

  "Jonny – did you have to be so rude?" Lucinda says as soon as she closes the door.

  "Well, they're useless, and that one looks like he's barely out of school. Had the nerve to stand there giving you the eye – don't think I didn't notice."

  "Expensive wine. Very nice," she says, raising an eyebrow and holding the bottle up.

  He takes it from her. "So it is. That Henry fellow's got good taste. I'll put it in the wine cellar for now. We'll have it when we get something to celebrate."

  He goes to a corner behind the flight of stairs, pulls a lever and pushes the cellar door open.

  "Jonny?" Lucinda calls out. "How did you know the cellar's down there? No-one ever finds it."

  "You told me last time we were here."

  "I did? I don't remember. I was going to leave it as a surprise and keep you guessing – as a bit of fun."

  "You must have let it slip out," he says with a laugh. "Anyway, many of these old houses have a similar set-up, so not the first time I've seen it. What do you say we get back to the unpacking – we're burning daylight. Yes, a fine old house. I'm sure we're all going to be very happy here."

  Chapter 14

  "No school today? Ana asks Sarah as she comes into the shop.

  "Annual leave, thank god." She pulls her sunglasses off and screws up her eyes against the light. "I'll have a coffee, when you've time. I'm whacked."

  "Late night?" Ana asks cheerfully.

  "Yes ... well, you know what it's like. I got taken out to dinner. Wined and dined. A charming man. None of that pawing all over me. Seeing him again next week – he's had to go away on business."

  "Sounds lovely," Ana says, somehow not believing her. She looks ... sort of sad. Disappointed with life. But might as well take a chance of doing some digging. "Everyone's on about the Mortimer house opening up again. Do you know the family?" She's making fresh coffee in a cafetiere – Mr Cribber insists an actual coffee machine would be a waste of money.

  Sarah has been checking her face in a mirror. She snaps the compact shut and throws it into her bag. "Oh, I know her, all right, but the question is – does she know me? I met her last night with her family and she hardly gave me the time of day. Pretty certain she didn't recognise me. I've not changed that much, but now I'm thinking it was because she paid me no notice before. I might as well have not existed, as far as the Mortimer girls were concerned. They were ... so special – or thought they were. I suppose they considered me beneath them. Lucinda probably still does – I could see from the way she looked at me. That husband of hers wasn't any better. I mean, I was nothing more than the daughter of their cleaning lady." She gives a bitter laugh. "But look how well I've done for myself. All through my hard work and the efforts of my mother, who scrimped and scraped to make sure I had a decent education. I wasn't like them, born into money. Oh, thanks." She takes the coffee from Ana.

  "Evangeline – you knew her?"

  "That one – just as bad as her sister. No, worse."

  This is a shock. No-one has had a bad word to say about the Mortimer girls up until now. "They weren't so nice, huh?"

  Sarah takes a sip of her coffee and smacks her lips. "Nice? They were far from that, I'd say. Sweet as pie on the surface, demon's underneath. Devious. Above punishment. A pair of nasty little girls and Evangeline was the instigator of most of their vicious schemes. I've often thought her drowning was ... oh, I don't know what I'm saying. I've got the most terrible headache. I don't suppose you have any painkillers, do you?"

  "I'll see if my friend does." She shouts upstairs to Holly.

  Sarah stands up
. "On second thoughts, I might go home and rest. Thanks for the coffee." She's going out the door as Holly comes down waving a packet of painkillers.

  "Too late, she's off home," Ana tells her. "You know her?"

  "Duh... Dashbury isn't so big, everybody knows everybody. I hardly know all the old ones like her, though, and I was away at school most of the time. But she was one of my uncle's drinking buddies and she's Dean's cousin, but miles older than him. I sometimes saw her on school hols, hanging about the cottage, having sex with my uncle most of the time – yuck. That pair didn't do much talking and I hardly spoke to her.

  "She's turned out to be a total lush like my uncle but I should be nice to her, because she's had a hard life. The so-called stylist at the beauty salon in the High street told me. Not that I'd ever risk getting my hair done there – you seen the state of the staff? No, I was having a wax and Sarah was getting her hair done – you'd think she'd ditch the ginger. Anyway, Champagne – that's the stylist, but her real name's Joan – was saying Sarah has been trapped looking after her mother for years. She's bedridden, after a car accident. That's probably why Sarah gets drunk all the time and can't get a decent man. Who'd want her while she's lumbered with a cripple? She should put the old woman in a home. Plus, she's too fat and wears those horrible dated clothes and needs a make-over. Where's Caden?"

  "Out on business." She's not going to tell her Caden is at the market, hoping to get some info out of one of the stallholders. Holly would be right there and no-one would get a word in edgeways.

  Holly flops down on a chair and fans herself with a menu. "He's acting really weird with me. Making out he's not interested. Probably jealous because I went back with George, and decided to make me suffer. What are men like! Caden is something, isn't he? One minute all boy next door friendly, the next mean and moody with a bit of a bad boy vibe going on. I find it a massive turn-on, to be honest. I get these weird little shivers every time he's near me. And he's mad keen – got the worst boner when I was snuggling up to him last night. I'm going to entice him over to the flat tonight and have my wicked way with him."

  "The place George is renting for you? Don't you think Caden should keep away from there, seeing as he broke George's nose? I know he's away on a business trip, but what if he comes back and–"

  "Is Caden in trouble with the police?" Holly has thrown the menu down and stood up to lean on the counter.

  "No. Why would you ask that?"

  "Just that Dean was doing a check on him but couldn't find anything. In fact, he couldn't find any record of him at all – criminal or otherwise."

  Ana can hear herself gulping "And why would Dean be doing that?"

  "Oh, I don't know. He's very protective of me. And he tells me all about his police work. Sometimes shows me reports and things."

  "He shouldn't do that."

  "Why not? I don't understand them, so hardly look. Boring. Anyway, Caden has got nothing to hide, has he?"

  Chapter 15

  Tyler's mother looks exactly like him, apart from the fact she's all done up like someone from the 1950s. Her name's Maggie and she's a talker.

  "Curtis Mortimer was a dirty old man and none of the female staff were safe from him," Maggie is telling Caden. "That girl he married? The one who topped herself – Madeline, I think her name was. Wed at eighteen and dead by her own hands two years later. I heard she had a fancy man, and if she did, I wouldn't blame her. Mortimer was a weird one and doted on that younger daughter of his – thought the sun shone out of her arse ... hold on."

  She hands an item to a customer. "That'll be three quid, love. No, I can't do a discount – it's always discounted." The man puts the figurine back on the stall.

  "God give me strength... They want I should pay them for taking me stock? Friggen peasant," she shouts after the man. "Where was I?"

  "How Curtis Mortimer was a dirty old man and favoured his younger daughter."

  "Aye, that's it. You got a light?"

  He hits his pockets. "Sorry – I'll go get one."

  "Nah, hold yer horses." She digs into a capacious leopard skin bag, rummages and pulls out a lighter. "It's like the Tardis in here... Yeah, the only one that were safe from him was that Miss Patterson, though he probably had a go at her on a dry day. What's with your big interest in the Mortimers, anyway?"

  "I'm nosy. Working there and hearing stories."

  "Ha. Don't kid a kidder."

  "When I was there alone, I felt something. A presence." It feels right to tell her this, but he has no intention of going into too many details.

  "Thought as much. I always know when someone's got the gift. I'm the same. Don't like it though, and that's one of the reasons I stayed away from that place. Went there a couple of times and that were enough for me. Not a happy house, Ryden."

  "So you didn't have much to do with the girls, then?"

  "That pair? Kept away from them. Some thought they were like angels, but more like devils, if you ask me. Always up to no good and playing tricks on people. Bullied other kids. But they knew better than to mess with me, as I'd give them a good slapping if they came near." She pulls out a cardboard box from under the stall and throws a few more items in. "Bargain box – everything a pound. Do your purse a favour! Bloody skinflints..."

  "The cottage on the hill – who's in it, do you know?"

  "Yeah. Norman Watson – the gardener, or was. He's like a hermit. Sour-faced old git. They've been lucky having my Tyler working for them these past days. My boy's a grafter, just like me. His no-good father did a runner when he was a bairn, but that boy's turned out to be a credit to me. You want to give me a hand packing this lot up? I've had enough for one day. I'll be around with the stuff for the cabinet. Probably won't sell, but what can you do but try, eh?"

  "I'm not happy about this. I wanted to keep you well away from here," Caden is saying as he parks the car in the grounds of Ryden.

  "This isn't a channeling – you said. So I won't be in any danger. And you told me I'm safer with you beside me. You want me stuck at home alone? Holly's stomped off in a huff, because you're resisting her advances. Gone to the cinema to cry on Dean's shoulder."

  "I can't believe he ran a check on me again. It's the last thing I need – it attracts attention."

  "He's jealous and wants something on you. I think it was an unofficial check."

  "Doesn't matter. The guy's a dick."

  "I wanted to see this place anyway. Pretty impressive. Not to you, obviously, seeing as you were brought up in a castle. This will look like a little semi to you. Like a–"

  "Give it a rest. And you can talk, seeing as you went to that posh school."

  "So did you. What exactly did you get expelled for?"

  "Never mind that – we're trying to figure out a murder case here. So, it seems the Mortimer girls were not what they first appeared."

  "Depends on who you talk to. And there could be an element of resentment there. Well-off, beautiful, spoiled. Anyway, I've made another list of all the 'suspects'. Added details about the day of the picnic and before that."

  "Great, but don't leave something like that lying around."

  "I didn't – it's in my desk."

  He opens the car door. "We won't be long here. A quick check there's not been anything dangerous left out and we're off. That guy, Jonny – and I don't like the look of him – he'd probably try to withhold payment for practically no reason, and we need all the money we can get."

  "Still no dreams?"

  "Not the kind that pays the bills, no."

  They're looking over the lake. "There's something horribly desolate about this, Caden. Not only because I know the girl drowned here. Just a feeling of ... despair."

  "Yeah, I get that too, but keep in mind there must hardly be a lake in the world without bodies in it. Some will have dozens. The bed will have a good scattering of bones."

  She gives him a shove. "That's morbid."

  "But the truth. Stands to reason – you hear that? A dog. And
it sounds like it's highly pissed about something. Shit – that's a kid crying." They take off running towards the sounds.

  A little girl on a dirt track. Her arms are stuck out at her side and she's letting out a high-pitched terrified whine. In front of her is a large dog. Snarling, hackles up, bared teeth, drool dripping from its jaws; in a stance which means it's ready to pounce. Both Ana and Caden have their guns out.

  Caden's free hand goes up and he holds it palm towards the dog. There is no movement, only the sound of the three humans breathing, as the dog ceases the snarling, the menacing stance is no more and a whimpering begins. A small yelp and it turns, bolting into the trees with its tail between its legs.

  Caden looks at Ana in amazement. She's shaking her head. "What was that?" Her eyes are wide with astonishment.

  The girl is running away from them, in the direction of the house. They call for her to wait, but she's quickly out of sight.

  "That dog's dangerous," Ana is saying. "We need to warn the family."

  "No shit. I'm just relieved we didn't need to shoot it." He's trying his phone. "Damn. No signal. We need to get nearer to the house."

  "What was that thing with your hand?" she's asking, as they walk towards the building. "It was like you doing that halted the aggression and replaced it with fear."

  "I have no idea. Hang on..." He's made a call, but by the sound of his responses the girl has already told her parents. Caden shoves the phone back in his pocket. "Ignorant git. He hung up on me. To hell with him. The kid's safe and I've checked there's nothing dangerous lying around. Let's get out of here. Everything about this place gives me the creeps."

  "Coming from you, that is truly something to hear. Gabriela said your 'powers' were in their infancy – now I'm beginning to wonder if we only know half of it."