“The house, Mum. Once it’s finished, we’ll sell it on. That’s what Pete does for a job.”
“Oh.” She turned back to Theo and continued scratching his ears. But I could tell she was upset.
“Don’t worry. It won’t be for a while yet. There’s still the driveway to do. Then we were thinking of having a little break before we try to sell this time.”
“And then what?” She looked at me pointedly.
“Then we’ll buy another,” Pete said, suddenly behind me.
“But I like this house. Can’t we keep it?”
“We can’t afford to, Mum. We need to sell in order to buy the next project.”
Sorry, Neil mouthed.
“Where will we go next? Auckland? Gisborne? I’ve always wanted to go to Oamaru,” she said, as though accepting the situation.
“Maybe England?” I ventured. “We could go and see Charlotte and your little grandbabies—what do you think about that?”
“My Charlotte?”
I nodded.
“She’s in England?”
Another nod.
“I can’t go to England. I don’t have a passport.”
“We can send for one.”
“What if they don’t let me in the country? I know someone who wasn’t allowed to come into New Zealand because they had a criminal record.”
I licked my lips and rubbed them together before responding. “Yes, that is sometimes an issue, but you’re English—remember? You were born in England even though your family left for New Zealand soon after.”
“So that means I can go back there?”
“Yes. Would you like that?”
“Where would I live?”
“With us. Or with Charlotte.”
She nodded and continued petting Theo. I knew what the next question would be.
“We’ll need to find Theo’s owners before we go anywhere.”
“What if we can’t? Can I take him too?”
“I don’t think so. But let’s not concern ourselves about that yet. Who wants a cuppa?” I jumped to my feet, wanting to change the subject while I was ahead.
A while later, when Mum walked Neil out, I heard Theo barking incessantly once again. I found him in Mum’s room, his eyes firmly fixed to the corner.
“Come on, boy. Let’s go for a walk, shall we?”
He rushed to my side, whimpered, and then ran back and continued barking.
“I don’t know why you come to this spot. It’s the back door you need to go through.” I grabbed his collar and he reluctantly followed me outside.
Chapter 34
The rumble of a truck on the driveway had Pete jumping from the bed and hurriedly throwing on his work clothes. “Bloody hell, what time is it?”
I groaned and rolled over to peer at the clock through squinted eyes. “Seven-forty-five.”
“I’m shattered. What was wrong with him in the night?” Pete nodded at Theo, who lay in the corner on his cushion.
Theo, his head on his paws, looked suitably embarrassed, as though he knew we were talking about his nightly antics. He’d woken us twice barking to go out, although the second time he didn’t even need to relieve himself. In the end I brought his bed into our room and settled him in the corner, he’d not made a peep since.
“I don’t have a clue. The second time he freaked me out, his hackles were up and everything.”
Pete sat on the edge of the bed to tie his bootlaces. “Maybe he heard something outside? There was definitely something on the roof one night last week—I heard footsteps right above my head.”
Someone knocked at the front door, and Theo barked.
Pete patted the dog’s head and rushed from the room.
I lay looking up at the ceiling, relieved I hadn’t heard something clomping across the roof. I would’ve cacked myself.
Theo whined, his head cocked to one side, clearly hearing whoever had arrived talking to Pete.
“I’ll take you out soon, boy. Just let me have five more minutes.”
Pete returned moments later. “The digger’s arrived, but no bloody driver. He’s messaged to say he’s crook—whatever that’s supposed to mean.”
“It means he’s sick.”
“Doesn’t help me out, does it? What’s the point of paying for a digger by the hour if it’s parked up doing nothing?”
“Can’t you do it?”
He shrugged. “They said I’m not insured—that it had to be one of their drivers. I’ve told the delivery guy I’m pissed off and he’s going to lodge my complaint. I’m blowed if I’ll be paying the hire charge for it to just sit there.”
“Don’t blame you. You should’ve got the keys off that guy and just done it yourself—it’s not like you haven’t got experience.”
“The keys are with it. That’s what’s making me angry. I could do that job with my eyes closed.”
“I’d do it, if I was you. It’s their fault the driver hasn’t shown.”
“I’ll have breakfast and then if I’ve heard nothing, I will. Otherwise a full day’s gone to waste.”
I climbed out of bed and pulled on an ivory satin robe before heading through to the back of the house with Theo at my heels. He paused as we passed Mum’s bedroom door and emitted a low guttural growl.
“Hey, buddy, what is it? Can you hear something in there?”
The door suddenly swung inwards causing me to cry out in surprise and Theo jumped backwards and hid behind my legs. Mum appeared in the doorway looking as though she’d just woken up.
“Gosh, Mum, you startled us then.”
“What’s all the racket?”
“Sorry, did we wake you? Theo’s being highly cautious today. I’m making breakfast just as soon as he’s had a quick run. You hungry?”
“Starving.”
By the time Theo and I had returned from the garden, Pete and Mum were in the kitchen, which was a first. It’s not that Pete couldn’t cook. In fact, he was pretty good once he set his mind to it, but he rarely bothered. Mum was stirring a pan of beans on the stove and they both shooed me out of the room. I didn’t need telling twice.
After fetching Theo’s bed through from my room, I headed back for a shower. A scratching sound coming from the front of the house caused a shiver to curl through the hairs on the back of my neck, then cascade down my backbone.
What the hell was it?
Hugging my arms about myself tightly, I ventured forwards. My internal voice was screaming at me to turn around, but for some unexplained reason I was propelled towards the front door.
My heart raged in my chest and the sound thudded in my ears.
I reached the top of the hallway and paused at the door to the larger bedroom, catching a woody scent lingering in the air. Cigarette smoke? Although Pete smoked like a chimney, he would never do it indoors and it didn’t smell like his usual brand.
Twisting the knob, I couldn’t breathe, my chest felt tight and my head dizzy.
I suddenly found myself in the old room. The drab patterned carpet a far cry from the neutral tones and décor it had been changed for.
The bumping sound was louder now. I knew what it was, but was too scared to look. I peeked out through trembling fingers, and a scream caught in my throat. A crushing pain in my chest ran down my arm. Was I having some sort of heart attack? I knew what I was seeing had to be my imagination, but it seemed so real.
Dad, hands bound behind his back, was hanging by a rope from his neck, his foot hooked behind the handle of the wardrobe door.
I spun away and dropped to my knees beside the bed, burying my head into the blankets. Trying to block out the vision of the moment Dad had actually died. A moment in my past I’d been the only witness to, albeit from the other side of the wall, but I’d never told a living soul about.
“Please, leave me alone,” I sobbed.
Another louder, thudding sound made me scramble further into the corner, absolute terror coursed through my veins. But then something shifted. T
he scent, sweeter, like fresh laundry, replaced the stale tobacco smell. The sound of birds outside the window replaced the bump, bump, bump of Dad’s feet.
Once again, breathing halted, I peeked through trembling fingers into the altered bright bedroom. No sign of anything from the past.
Was I going mad?
Slowly climbing to my feet, I headed into the hallway, feeling totally bewildered and disorientated.
Thudding behind me once again caused my feet to leave the floor, and a cry escaped my lips. Someone was at the front door.
Tentatively, I opened the door and the gruff courier driver shoved a package in my direction before bounding down the stairs and into his van.
I stared after him, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
“Oh, there you are.” Pete was suddenly behind me. “Is that for me?” He nodded at the parcel in my hands.
“Oh, sorry. I guess so.” I handed him the package.
“They must be the hooks I ordered for the garage. Are you okay? Are you crying?”
The breath hitched in my throat as I wiped away a stray tear from my cheek. “Something blew in my eye when I opened the door.” The lie fell from my lips too easily, but I daren’t tell him what had actually happened after the strop he’d thrown last time.
“Yes, a storm is heading in apparently. I’ll need to get onto that digger work pronto if I want to get it finished today.”
“Did you hear from the driver?”
“Nope. I’m gonna take your advice and do it myself. Your breakfast is ready, by the way. Your mum fried the eggs.”
“Did she?” That surprised me more than Pete cooking. She’d shown no desire to cook even a piece of toast since arriving home, apart from the casserole she’d supposedly cooked with Neil.
We walked down the hallway, arms linked.
“It’s all coming together, babe,” he said. “And your mum didn’t seem bothered that we might be going to England, so maybe we can start making plans. What do you think?”
“I’ve already told you what I think,” I snapped. “I’m not ready yet. But keep asking till you get the answer you want, like you always do.” I pulled away from him, suddenly angry, and stomped through to the kitchen.
Chapter 35
After a relatively silent breakfast, I cleared the table while Pete finished reading the paper and Mum played with Theo on the carpet.
The wind was howling outside.
“I doubt you’ll get much done out there,” I said, nodding out the window.
He got to his feet and folded the paper, knocking back the dregs of his coffee. “I’ll have a good go.” His voice was flat, clearly sulking again, but I didn’t care.
I rarely snapped at him and knew it was out of character for me, but, after what had just happened, it was probably understandable. The worst of it was, I couldn’t discuss it with anyone. Not even Charlotte—she had enough going on in her own life.
I was convinced I was probably heading for a nervous breakdown. What other explanation was there? I’d been highly stressed walking into that room, so maybe my fear had caused an episode—taking me back to that awful, guilt-ridden time. My brain thoughtfully compiling the sound I’d heard with what Neil had told me about Dad’s death, and creating a visual connection of the two.
Pete headed outside, and moments later I heard the digger start up.
I shook my head. “Awkward bugger,” I muttered.
Once I’d cleaned up, I raced to my bedroom, determined to have a shower this time. The steady drone of the digger outside masked any other sounds my brain threw in the mix, and I managed to clean myself up and get dressed without any further delusional episodes.
“Look at this,” Mum said, when I returned to the lounge. “Roll over!”
Theo dropped to the carpet and rolled onto his back, his tongue lolling out comically.
I laughed and joined them both on the floor.
When Neil arrived, we were giggling like schoolchildren. Theo had been getting a little carried away with the trick and rolled over too far causing his cast to bonk him on the head.
We spent another mad half-hour trying to teach Theo silly tricks. Mum was in hysterics when he sat up and begged, despite the plaster cast. It was the most animated I’d seen her since she’d been released from prison.
Afterwards, I took Theo out the back for a toilet break. The weather had turned nasty and had started to rain, so I covered his leg with a plastic bag to stop it from getting wet. We were both relieved to be back indoors a few minutes later.
Leaving the three of them in the lounge, I pulled out the ironing board in the snug, determined to get stuck into the huge mound of ironing I’d been putting off for days.
An almighty thud shook the house and almost rocked the iron off the stand.
I gasped and steadied myself.
Seconds later, Neil and Mum appeared, looking as worried as I felt.
“What the hell was that?” I asked.
They both shook their heads.
“Could it be the mine blasting?” Neil asked.
“It was one hell of a blast if it was—it shook the house.” I suddenly remembered Pete and the digger and ice ran through my veins.
As if reading my mind, Neil shot off up the hall towards the front door. I followed close behind.
We ran out onto the deck into a blizzard. The wind howled and battered us from every direction, and the rain came down as though in a solid sheet.
Pete was out of the digger, standing beside it, looking perplexed.
“What have you done?” I yelled above the sound of the wind.
He shouted something back, but I couldn’t tell what.
“Come on in.” I beckoned wildly, and ushered Neil back indoors.
Moments later, Pete burst through the front door and slammed it behind him, kicking off his boots.
“What happened?” I asked.
“I was rushing. Trying to get the last of the driveway sorted before the storm hit.”
“And…?”
“And I crashed the bucket into the steps. Made a right mess of them, babe. I’m angry with myself.” He removed his jumper and headed into the bedroom.
Neil winced at me and I rolled my eyes in response before following Pete.
“Is there much damage?”
He nodded, pulling off his sodden jeans. “That bloody digger operator has a lot to answer for.”
“They won’t be liable—you’re not even meant to be using it.”
He wrapped a towel around his waist and climbed on top of the bed. “I know that, but it doesn’t stop me from being pissed off. The entire side wall needs rebuilding.”
“Oh, well, there’s nothing we can do about it for now. We’ll need to wait till this weather dies down. Is it safe? I mean the veranda’s not about to fall off too, is it?”
He hitched up one shoulder moodily. “How should I know?”
“Erm, because you’re a builder.”
He flashed a warning glare my way. “Okay, snarky knickers. I had a look, but it was impossible to tell what’s going on out there till I move all the damaged concrete away.” His words were said through gritted teeth.
I took the hint and went back to my ironing, allowing time for his temper to cool down.
“I’m going back outside,” Pete said sheepishly from the doorway of the snug a short time later.
I glanced from the window, surprised to see the storm had passed and, apart from a moody grey sky, there was no sign of it ever being there.
“I’ll come out in a sec.”
After finishing the last of the ironing, I placed a pile of clothing on each of our beds before heading out to inspect the damage for myself.
Pete was moving the digger backwards and I prayed he’d not damaged the machine. It would be a costly enough mistake as it was without having a massive repair bill on top. As he reversed, the sound of falling rubble startled me.
Once he was parked up, Pete jumped from the
digger and ran back towards the steps. I made my way to the side steps and around the front of the house.
“What a bloody mess.” Pete scratched his head in frustration. “I liked these steps too—I’m sure they’re original to the house.”
“Yes, they are. I remember them as a kid. Uncle Declan did the pebble-dashing on them not long before he died. That’s one of the few clear memories I have of him.”
His eyebrows shot up at my words and he dropped to his knees beside the damaged steps, shifting the lumps of concrete to the side of him.
It suddenly occurred to me what he was thinking. I also bent to take a closer look.
“What’s that?” Pete asked, pointing to a dark, square object situated within the structure of the steps.
I crawled forwards, trying to get a better look. My stomach flipped when I realised it was a metal box with a large keyhole.
A thought whizzed through my head. Could it be…?
I scrambled to my feet, unable to verbalise anything, and ran inside. Moments later, I returned with Mum and Neil on my tail.
“What? What is it?” Pete asked.
Still too excited to talk, I reached inside the cavity and fumbled with the key in the lock.
The key turned with a loud clunk.
Chapter 36
The breath caught in my throat and I turned and eyeballed Pete.
My thoughts were in a spin. What if…?
“Open it!” Pete was down as far as he could get, but I was in the way.
“What is it?” Neil asked again. Both he and Mum were peering down at us over the top of the rail.
Neither of us replied.
I pulled the door of the box open—hardly breathing. Then I peered inside.
It was practically impossible to see, so I leaned a little further in and reached inside. I hated spiders or the thought of creepy crawlies of any kind, but the desire to find out what was inside far exceeded any fear or phobia.
My fingers glanced across something hard and, oh, so cold. I gasped and pulled my hand out again, just a little, before reaching in further, allowing my entire hand to wrap around the solid, brick-shaped object. It was heavy.
Legacy of Lies- The Haunting of Hilda Page 15