The Third Skull (Book one - The Discovery): A Paranormal Mystery Thriller

by Andrew Stafford

  Finn nodded.

  “How about Sophie, she’ll be left on her own with the children, do you think she’ll be okay about it?”

  “Don’t worry about her, she’ll be fine.”

  Finn returned home just after seven. He’d been getting home later over the last week and Sophie was suspicious. Normally he’d left the office as the clock hit five and was always home before six. His wife and children were his number one focus and work was just a means to an end. But she’d sensed something different about him. He’d changed.

  “How was your day? I didn’t think you’d be in the office so late, especially after this morning.”

  “That’s why I stayed late. I didn’t get in until ten and had loads to catch up on. Are there any beers?”

  “Yeah, in the fridge.”

  “Be a darling and get me one,” said Finn as he slumped in a chair.

  “Why don’t you go upstairs and say goodnight to Rosie, she stayed up hoping to see you before she went to bed. She was tired and couldn’t stay up any longer, but she might still be awake.”

  “Nah! I won’t bother, I expect she’s asleep.”

  Sophie went to the fridge, grabbed a beer, took off the top and handed it to Finn. He didn’t say thank you. She huffed, sat down and watched Finn slug his beer. His hair was long, and he had dressing on his face to protect the cut. He looked a mess.

  “What happened in the bathroom, how did you cut yourself?”

  “A shaving accident. Okay!”

  The tone of his voice suggested that she shouldn’t ask again. He dropped the empty beer bottle to the floor which rolled under the chair, stood up and announced he was off to have a shower.

  “Keep that dressing dry,” called Sophie as he left the room. He didn’t answer.

  Finn took a quick shower and strolled naked across the landing to the bedroom. He caught sight of himself in the full length mirror and didn’t like what he saw. He was a stone and a half over-weight with a paunch. Finn pushed out his chest and pulled his belly in with his hands.

  “You need to get your sorry ass to the gym. You’re disgusting,” said Finn looking at his reflection.

  He examined the ring and ran his finger over the two red patterns. He smiled. Things were going to change. He’d had enough of doing things for others. He'd become bored with providing for his family with nothing left over for him. After his meeting with Ian Tomlinson he was sure he was going to bring in a lot more money. Money he intended to spend on himself.

  Sophie was watching the soaps when Finn marched into the lounge and grabbed the car keys from the mantelpiece.

  “Where are you going?”

  “The gym.”

  “You don’t belong to a gym.”

  “Not yet. Wouldn’t you prefer to be married to someone with a fitter body than this? I’ve let myself go I need to tone up……… do you have a problem with that?”

  He threw the keys up and snatched them back from the air, winked at his wife and left the house.

  “What’s happening to you?” whispered Sophie as she watched Finn slam the car door and drive away.

  Chapter 24

  The following day Sophie was in the house alone with the children. It was Saturday morning and Finn had an appointment with the nurse at 9am to change the dressing and inspect the cut on his face.

  He’d enrolled at the gym and was planning to go every evening.

  Rosie sat at the kitchen table with a blank drawing book, a new pack of crayons and her favourite fluffy toys.

  “Hello.”

  Rosie looked up to see William again.

  “Have you come to play?”

  William nodded.

  “I wanted my sister to come and see you, but she didn’t want to.”

  “Why not? We could play together.”

  “Louisa’s shy.”

  “Does she have any toys?”

  William shook his head.

  They played for a while. Rosie picked up a pencil and paper, and William asked her to draw a picture of fields, a church and a wood full of green trees. In the sky Rosie drew an aeroplane.

  “What’s that?” asked William pointing to the plane.

  “It’s an airplane, silly.”

  William looked at her with a blank expression.

  “What’s an airplane?”

  “You know, you go up in the air and fly to your holiday.”

  William looked confused.

  “Why do you always wear those funny clothes?” asked Rosie.

  “These are my bedclothes, they’re the only ones I have.”

  “Do you wear them all of the time?”

  “I’m not sure, I can’t remember what I have on when I’m not with you. It’s a shame I can’t get Louisa to come with me, she'd enjoy playing with us.”

  “She can have one of my toys if she likes,” said Rosie pointing to her collection of teddy bears and dogs on the table in front of her.

  William smiled. “Can I take that pink one for her? She'd like it.”

  “Oh, but the pink bear’s Amy, and she’s my favourite. Take another one instead.”

  Rosie looked at William. He looked sad.

  “Okay, take the pink one, I’ve got lots of others. But tell her to keep it safe and don’t lose it.”

  William smiled. “Thank you. This will make her happy. I must get back to her…. goodbye.”

  Rosie looked up to say goodbye but William had gone. She closed her drawing book, put the crayons back in the box and scooped up her toys. She saw that the pink bear had gone.

  I hope she likes it thought Rosie as she climbed from the chair and walked to the lounge.

  “Have you finished drawing?” asked Sophie.

  “I’ve finished drawing and I’ve put my crayons in the box.”

  Sophie cuddled her daughter as Rosie clung on to her soft toys.

  “William played with me again this morning.”

  “Did he, what did you play?” asked Sophie with a serious tone.

  “We drew, do you want to see what we did?”

  Sophie nodded as her daughter dropped her toys, ran to the kitchen and returned with the drawing book opened to the picture she’d just drawn.

  Sophie was happy to see her picture was a nice one. No sign of burning houses, or children thrown into wells. It was a nice picture with a church and fields. There was what appeared to be aeroplane above the trees.

  “Is that a plane?” asked Sophie.

  “Yes, but I don’t think he’s ever seen one before.”

  Sophie smiled.

  “He’s got a sister called Louisa, but she’s too shy to play.”

  “That’s a pity. At least you’ve got William to play with,” said Sophie in a humouring tone.

  “I like William, but he’s very sad.”

  “Why do you think he’s sad?”

  Rosie shook her head.

  “So, what's your friend like?” asked Sophie as she moved a strand of hair from her daughter’s forehead.

  “He’s got dark hair, and he wears funny clothes.”

  “What style of clothes?”

  “He told me they are his bedclothes. But they’re nothing like my pyjamas. He wears what Wee Willie Winkie does,” giggled Rosie.

  “Does he have candle?” said Sophie with a smile.

  “Don’t be silly mummy, its light in our kitchen…. He doesn’t need one.”

  Sophie sniffed the air. There was a strong odour coming from the kitchen. She walked along the hall and stopped by the door. It was a damp smell, but not something nasty that one would associate with a damp house. It was as if fresh rain had soaked the ground after a dry spell. She’d smelt it once before in the house. She racked her brains as she tried to recall when and where. Then she remembered. It had been in the kitchen, the last time Rosie had mentioned playing with William.

  Rosie placed her toys on the carpet and played a game with them.

  “What are you playing?” asked Sophie as she walked back to
the lounge.

  “Schools mummy. I’m making sure everyone's here.”

  “Where’s Amy, your favourite pink one? Isn’t she at school today?”

  “I don’t have her anymore. I let William have her to give to Louisa.”

  “That was nice of you.”

  “I said that Louisa had to keep her safe and not to lose her.”

  Sophie smiled as she played along with Rosie’s game.

  The front door opened.

  “Daddy’s home!” shouted Rosie, just as Jack stirred in his cot.

  Finn stepped into the hall and Rosie threw her arms around his legs.

  “Is your face better daddy?” said Rosie looking at the fresh dressing.

  “Of course it’s not better, but don’t worry I’ll survive.”

  “I love you daddy.”

  Sophie watched at how distant Finn was from his daughter. He didn’t pick her up to cuddle her, which was something he always did. Instead he carried on along the hallway which gave Rosie no choice other to let go of her father’s legs.

  He entered the lounge and looked at her toys.

  “Rosie, pick up your things, and if you want to play you can do it in your bedroom.”

  Rosie did as he said and one by one picked up her toys.

  “Daddy, I saw William again today. He was in the kitchen again.”

  Finn’s ears pricked up.

  “Oh did you? What did you play?”

  “We drew again. Shall I show you?”

  Finn nodded. He remembered the drawing she did with her imaginary friend last time. He recalled the two circular patterns identical to the two on his ring.

  Rosie showed him the picture. Finn looked at it with a blank expression.

  “Do you like it daddy?”

  “It’s okay I suppose, you’ve done better.”

  Rosie looked disappointed.

  “I mean it’s not as good as the other one you did with William. Where’s the picture with the well?”

  Rosie ran to her toy box and rustled through her old drawing books then returned to him holding a crumpled and dog-eared drawing pad. She sat beside him on the floor and turned each page one by one until she found the drawing he wanted to see.

  “There!” she said as she handed it to him.

  Finn became intrigued by what she’d drawn.

  He pointed to the person pushing the handcart.

  “Who’s this?”

  “That’s Alice, and she’s pushing William and his sister in the trolley thing. She’s being chased by dogs…… look,” replied Rosie pointing to the stick animals behind the Alice.

  “And who is in the well?”

  “That’s William and his sister again. See the tree by the well? That’s the one in our garden. The one Auntie Heather calls Bread and Cheese.”

  “It’s called Hawthorn, Rosie, not Bread and Cheese.”

  “But that’s what Auntie Heather said it was.”

  Finn ignored her comment and pointed to the burning building.

  “Tell me about this again.”

  “I don’t know. It’s just a building on fire. Mummy told me off for drawing it. Alice, the lady, is in there.”

  “And who is Alice?”

  “William told me she is his nanny, but not like a nanny I have, a different one that his daddy paid to look after him and his sister.”

  Finn nodded and flinched as the pain from the cut shot through his face.

  “This is a superb drawing. Don’t listen to mummy, she shouldn’t have told you off……. can I keep this picture?”

  Rosie nodded and smiled.

  “Listen my sweetheart. If you play with William again and I’m in the house, come and tell me. I'd love to say hello to him…... I may have a few questions for him.”

  Sophie gestured to Finn that she wanted to speak with him, and away from Rosie. She nodded towards the kitchen as she rocked Jack in her arms.

  Finn followed her and shut the door to the kitchen.

  “Is everything okay Finn?”

  “Sure, everything’s just fine. Things couldn’t be better,” he replied as he rubbed the dressing on his cheek.

  Sophie shook her head and let out a sigh.

  “It’s just that you’ve become distant, as if you’ve gone off me, I don't think you love me anymore.”

  “As I said, everything’s fine.”

  “You’re not interested in our children, you’ve stopped reading Rosie her bedtime story….. you’re different.”

  Finn raised his eyebrows.

  “And the way you look? Why on earth are you growing your hair so long? It doesn’t suit you. It’s as if you’re going through a midlife crisis and you’re not even thirty.”

  “I thought I’d have an overhaul, sort myself out. You should be happy that I’m taking pride in my appearance.”

  “Pride? Pride? You look like a bloody pirate.”

  Finn smirked.

  “Why have you enrolled in the gym?”

  “As I said, I’m having an overhaul.”

  “I’ll tell you what I think you’re having, I think you’re having a bloody affair.”

  Sophie’s raised voice caused Jack to cry. She rocked him in her arms and kissed his head.

  Finn just shook his head.

  “You say you’re working late, you’ve always done your best to avoid working late and now you’re in the office every night.”

  “I’ve decided to put in extra hours. I’ve been talking with Tomlinson and I may get contracts from overseas. If I do there’ll be a lot of money involved, and I doubt whether you’ll be shouting and accusing me of having an affair then.”

  “I’m not shouting, I’m just asking what’s going on. Anyway, this is the first you’ve told me about overseas contracts. Will you be going away?”

  “Maybe, for a few days.”

  “And you didn’t think to speak with me about it?”

  “No, I didn’t think it’s any of your concern.”

  There was a frosty atmosphere during the weekend. Sophie was finding it hard to be around her husband. Usually a weekend in the Maynard household would be fun. They would take the children somewhere nice and if there was enough money in the bank they would splash out on a Sunday lunch. This weekend Finn kept himself to himself and was happy to spend hours in the bedroom doing sit-ups and push ups. He had become obsessed with his body.

  On Sunday evening Sophie tucked Rosie into bed and read her a story.

  “Where’s Amy, your pink bear? You always take her to bed.”

  “I told you mummy, I gave Amy to William so he could give her to Louisa.”

  “I know that’s what you told me darling, but where is she? Nanny Grace bought her for you and she’d be sad if you’ve lost her.”

  “She’s not lost, she’s with Louisa.”

  “But Louisa and William are your made up friends.”

  “No mummy, they’re real…. not made up.”

  “Rosie, please. I know what will happen, you’ll come in to see me when it’s late at night asking for Amy, so please tell me where she is now, I’ll get her and tuck her in with you.”

  “Mummy, don’t get angry with me. I don’t have her anymore. William took her. Amy’s with Louisa now.”

  Sophie had to bite her lip to stop herself from losing her temper. Things had become very stressful, and she was finding it hard to hold things together. She knew Grace would be devastated if Rosie had lost that pink bear. Grace had written on the label. ‘To Rosie, my favourite granddaughter’.

  After she’d kissed Rosie goodnight she went to the lounge to find Finn with his feet up, watching the television and drinking beer from a bottle.

  “Finn. There’s a kitchen full of dishes to be cleared away. Could you give me a hand please?”

  “Relax, do them tomorrow when I’m at work.”

  She sighed and went to the kitchen and tidied up alone. She had no intention of asking for help a second time.

  Half an hour later she
returned with a mug of tea to find Finn sitting in the same place, watching the television and drinking from the same bottle.

  “Have you seen Amy around anywhere?” asked Sophie.

  “Amy?” replied Finn clinging to the bottle.

  “You know, the pink bear mum bought Rosie.”

  Finn shook his head.

  “She goes everywhere with her and she never goes to bed without her, but hasn’t wanted Amy last night or tonight. I’m worried she’s lost her.”

  “Maybe she has,” said Finn in a nonchalant tone of voice whilst shrugging his shoulders.

  “She told me she gave Amy to William, you know her new made up friend. The funny thing is I can’t find that pink bear anywhere, it’s like she’s just vanished.”

  Finn put down his bottle and sat upright.

  “She gave the bear to William?” he asked with curiosity.

  “Rosie told me her imaginary friend has a sister called Louisa and she let him take the bear for her.”

  “William has a sister called Louisa?” said Finn pushing his hands through his hair.

  “Finn, why are you so excited? She’s misplaced the bear that’s all.”

  Finn didn’t know why he had become so interested in Rosie’s made up friend, but she said William had a sister called Louisa and this was making something stir deep inside. His mind connected the names. He remembered Rosie had mentioned a nanny called Alice. The names sounded so familiar

  William and Louisa he thought to himself. William, Louisa and Alice.

  Sophie watched as Finn ran his finger over the patterns on the gold ring, then looked towards the window and mutter to himself.

  “William, Louisa, Alice.”

  Chapter 25

  Late March

  Three weeks earlier the stone head had spoken to Heather. She’d heard the words as clear as a bell as they echoed along the hallway of her flat.

  She recalled the words.

  ‘Heather, I am Charles Nash. We need to talk.’

  It was the voice of a middle aged man with a slight Bristolian accent.

  She was doubting her sanity, especially after the strange dream in the graveyard and finding soil over her feet the following morning. Not to mention the rotten bouquet with the handwritten note from her mother.