A Spectre in the Stones

by John Kitchen

  “Don’t make no difference. You just be round by the bikes, break time, and I’ll give you the envelope down the showers after school.”

  “I’ll think about it,” Lloyd said, but when he said that, Craig grabbed his collar and the look in his eyes said everything. He was lethal, and if Lloyd challenged him, there’d be no restraint.

  “Okay – I thought about it,” he said, grinning, and the malice faded.

  But that evening, as soon as he’d got the envelope, he went to find Justin. He’d told Rudi what was going to happen and he explained that, for his own safety, he didn’t want him involved. Rudi had protested, but Lloyd was insistent.

  Justin was out by the hillock, raking leaves again.

  “I got another envelope,” Lloyd said. “And we got to make Dave do something about this one, because Craig Donovan is really getting out of order. It’s like the guy thinks I’m in his pocket.”

  Justin wiped his hands on his trousers and carefully slit open the envelope.

  There was a piece of folded paper inside. It didn’t have any writing on it; straightaway Lloyd knew the homework thing was a sham. But he’d always known that.

  Justin was careful, opening the paper.

  Inside was a neatly folded piece of tissue, probably from a toilet roll, and it was sellotaped. Justin didn’t touch it. He just lifted it to his nose and sniffed. Then he folded it again and slipped it back into the envelope. “Cannabis,” he said. “Like I thought.”

  When they got to Dave’s office, he knocked and waited. If it had been Lloyd he would have barged in, but that was because Lloyd still hadn’t got his head around this diplomacy stuff.

  The usual pert “enter” came, and straightaway he could see Dave wasn’t pleased. “What do you want?” he snapped.

  Justin took the envelope and placed it on the table. Then he looked straight into Dave’s eyes and said, “I think you should take a look at this, Dave.”

  Dave picked the envelope up and looked from Justin to Lloyd. “Is this the homework Craig’s doing for some kids?” he said. “I told Lloyd to let it rest; it’s a bit unethical, but the boy’s showing initiative and I want to encourage that.”

  “Take a look in the envelope,” Justin said again.

  It was clear Dave didn’t want to. For a moment he just sat there, his pale eyes staring. Then he sighed and leaned forward, easing out the folded paper. When he saw the tissue sellotaped to the inside, he just went red from the neck up and looked at Justin. “Do we know what this is?” he said, and there was a kind of catch in his voice.

  “Don’t touch it,” said Justin. “You don’t want to get fingerprints on it, but I’ve had a sniff. It’s cannabis. I’d know that smell anywhere.”

  Dave stared at the paper and he was drumming his fingers on the desktop. His face was still bright red. Even the bald patch was red and his eyes glinted behind his rimless glasses.

  At last he got up. “Well, we’d better get Craig Donovan in here, then, hadn’t we? Find out what it’s all about.”

  “What are you going to do about it?” Justin asked, and straight away Dave sat back in his chair again, looking up, and his fingers touched the tip of his lips, making that gothic bridge. “I think it’s better to keep it in house, don’t you?” he said. “I mean, if we can nip this thing in the bud – gate him for a couple of weeks, let him know we’re on to him… and we’ll watch him like a hawk from now on. I dare say the boy will have learned his lesson. And… I mean, the reputation of Sarson Hall – if this was to get out, the press will be down here like vultures, and all that media coverage…”

  Lloyd looked at Justin, and Justin’s face was set. He was shaking his head all the time Dave was talking and that was a relief to Lloyd because, if nothing big was done, he knew he’d get it. Craig was like a mafia boss around here.

  “No way can you do that, Dave,” Justin said. “He’s supplying drugs to kids in school, and he’ll be part of a chain. That’s a big offence. You brush this under the carpet and it’ll make you an accessory. Either you call the police now, or we’ll have to take this into Brookley Police Station ourselves.”

  Dave was fiery red by now and his mouth was twitching. “But our reputation – Sarson Hall – the other kids,” he said.

  “Never mind the reputation. Craig is breaking the law and he’s coercing Lloyd into working with him. And I’m not letting that happen. Call the police.”

  Lloyd’s stomach was churning. It was like a scene out of a film. He watched Dave’s hand creep across to pick up the telephone. He pressed a button on the intercom, and his voice was clipped. “Get the police, will you?” he said. “Tell them we seem to have issues with drugs… tell them it’s urgent.” He put the phone down and glared. “Well, should we get Craig Donovan in now? Confront him?”

  “Not till the police get here,” Justin said. “You get him in here now and he’ll concoct some story before they arrive.”

  He sat in one of the chairs opposite Dave’s desk and looked up at Lloyd. And, for the first time, he smiled.

  “Grab a pew,” he said. “And don’t look so scared. You’ve done great.”

  “I don’t know so much about that,” Dave said. There was a malicious smirk on his face. “He’s been delivering the stuff for Craig. It seems to me he’s pretty much involved.”

  “That’s rubbish,” said Justin. “The kid was bullied into delivering the stuff and he reported it, twice – three times actually, because he came to me last week, and I told him to report it to you. You told him there wasn’t any harm in it, so the guy came back to me. There’s nothing wrong with what he’s done. He deserves a medal.”

  Dave was tapping the fingers of his mitred hand, and he had that supercilious look. They didn’t say anything more. They just sat there, waiting until voices outside told them the police had arrived. Two uniformed officers came in, a man and a woman – and the change in Dave took Lloyd’s breath away.

  He was up shaking their hands as soon as they were inside the door and he was telling them about Craig, and how Lloyd had been suspicious, and how, in line with the policies of the home, Lloyd had brought his suspicions to the attention of one of the staff, the gardener here. There was an envelope Lloyd was being cajoled into delivering, and they’d found a suspicious package in it. They didn’t know what it was – Dave suspected cannabis, but rather than open it, he immediately called the police.

  Lloyd’s eyes were wide, but Justin just gave a half-grin and shook his head.

  “Have any of you touched the package?” the female officer said.

  “No – at least, I haven’t. You didn’t touch it, did you, Lloyd?” Dave said.

  “You know very well we didn’t touch it, man. We was the ones what told you not to,” Lloyd said, and Dave looked at the police with a simpering ingratiation.

  “Very streetwise, some of these boys,” he said.

  He told the secretary to fetch Craig and the tension grew.

  When Craig came in, Lloyd watched him to read the expression on his face, and it was fascinating. He could see the guy was thinking on his feet. He took in the sight – Dave, the open envelope, Justin and Lloyd, and the two police-officers; the first thing on his face was blind panic, but then another look at Lloyd and there was a sudden adjustment. He contrived to look surprised and innocent, and he said, “You want to see me? Lloyd Lewis, is it? He got himself in trouble?”

  It didn’t surprise Lloyd, but it scared him because he knew what line Craig was going to take.

  “Do you know anything about this envelope?” the female officer said.

  “Don’t think so,” Craig said. He made a grab at it, but the male officer stopped him.

  “We don’t want you touching it now, do we, young man? Your fingerprints will be all over it if you do that.”

  Craig caught Lloyd’s eye and, with his finger, he quickly drew a line across his throat. “No. I never seen that envelope in my life,” he said. “What is it? Something Lloyd Lewis brought in?
”

  “We suspect that it’s cannabis,” the female officer said. “Stuff being distributed at school?”

  Craig shook his head, the innocent look on his face again. “Isn’t nothing to do with me,” he said. “I don’t do drugs. If it’s Lloyd Lewis what brought it in, then you’d best ask him. I seen him, come to think of it, handing over envelopes like this, break time, to some of the older kids. I could give you their names, if you like.”

  Lloyd’s blood was up. He couldn’t believe it. “What you on about, Craig Donovan? I wouldn’t touch that stuff. My mother died because of that kind of stuff.”

  “It’s okay, kid,” the female officer said. “We’re pretty certain it isn’t you. Besides, when we do fingerprints, it’ll show up whose dabs are on the paper, won’t it?”

  Craig made another grab for the open envelope, but the male officer was on to him.

  This time the woman said, “I think you’d best come down the station to answer a few questions, don’t you?” She looked at Dave. “Mr Trafford, would you be kind enough to accompany him?”

  “Most certainly,” Dave simpered. “It’s my duty, after all.”

  It made Lloyd feel sick.

  “The WPC will be back later to get a statement from you, Lloyd, if you don’t mind, and from you, sir?” The male officer looked at Justin.

  “No problem,” said Justin, and Lloyd looked unblinkingly into Craig Donovan’s face.

  “Me too, no sweat,” he said.

  Craig glared at him, but Lloyd’s eyes didn’t flinch and he watched intently, as the two officers eased him towards the door.

  As he went, he turned to face Lloyd again, and Lloyd saw him mouth the words, “You’re dead.” But then the police-officers shoved him outside and he didn’t see any more.

  Chapter 15

  It didn’t bother Lloyd.

  If Craig felt better after mouthing off a few threats, that was okay.

  He’d sorted him and he’d got him off his back. That was the main thing.

  Later the WPC returned and took the statement.

  The other kids were quick to pick up that Lloyd had grassed on Craig, and that didn’t make him very popular. There was plenty of abuse flying around – and a few pot shots with bread rolls at dinner, but that didn’t bother him either.

  He didn’t know what time Dave got back from the police station.

  Justin told him next evening that Craig was being held in some sort of kids’ remand home. Dave hadn’t arrived back till late the previous night and he’d been at the police station for most of the day. Word was he wasn’t too pleased, but that didn’t surprise Lloyd.

  James and Jenny were setting off from London early the next morning, and they planned to stay the whole weekend.

  When they arrived, they greeted Lloyd and Rudi with hugs, and there were kisses from Jenny.

  After that they went straight to Dave’s office.

  He was back now, because the police had charged Craig – he was coming up in front of the magistrates on Monday.

  They were with Dave for a long time, and that worried Lloyd.

  “Do you think he’s trying to put the skids under us?” he said. “To spite me, like, because of Craig Donovan?”

  But Rudi shook his head. “He wouldn’t dare. The professor wants us to do this, and you know what Dave’s like; he can’t stand up against big people. He picks on us because we can’t fight back, but people like the professor – he won’t do anything.”

  When they did come out, James was on his mobile, and they were both smiling. “Just getting the boy out of bed,” he laughed. “He’ll be over with his van in about ten minutes. We’re to go to the kitchen while we’re waiting, for a coffee. Mr Trafford arranged that.”

  “He don’t mind us doing this, then?” Lloyd said.

  James grinned. “He didn’t have any grounds to object, did he? Besides, he’s got other things on his plate – thanks to you uncovering the dastardly deeds of one Craig Donovan.”

  When Justin arrived they did some manoeuvring of vehicles. James and Justin drove across to Brookley and left Justin’s van there.

  Then they had a look at the stones from the mound and James confirmed they were sarsen stone – probably, as Justin had said, trimmings from building the hall, but he didn’t think there was much chance of finding anything connected with the Beaker folk underneath them.

  When they’d finished with the stones they looked at the map and worked out a route so they could trace the broken ley lines back to Brookley Henge. Most of the land between Sarson Hall and the henge was down land, with free access, so there wasn’t much danger of trespassing on private property.

  Lloyd was excited. He’d come up with a theory, and there was a professor from London University showing him big respect – and now they were on this field trip – just like students doing an archaeological project. And, if his theory worked, it would mean another piece of the jigsaw fitting, and now he felt he was beginning to get his head around this stuff.

  It was all good – Rudi and Jenny carrying the picnic basket, the professor and Justin with the maps and compasses and him with the divining rod.

  He moved around the approximate line Justin and James had plotted and his mind was focused.

  It wasn’t long before he’d picked up something too – a small patch of earth force making the divining rod shudder. “There’s something here,” he called, and the professor watched closely.

  “Can you demark the area of the force?” he said. “So we can have an idea of its actual size?”

  Lloyd moved around the patch until the divining rod fell limp, while Justin and the professor marked the area with stones.

  “It’s about four square metres,” James said, and they were just about to mark it on their map when Lloyd noticed something.

  “It’s moving. Look – there isn’t nothing there now, not where you put them stones. I’m picking the stuff up over here.” He’d moved to the left and the rod was in motion again, not strongly, but the force had definitely shifted. “It’s like I figured: these lines, they’re like magnetic forces. And they’re being pulled in different directions – like – being pulled by Sarson Hall and Brookley Henge and Avebury and, with the different forces pulling them, they don’t stay still.”

  James nodded. “It certainly looks like it,” he said.

  They set off again, moving steadily towards Brookley Henge and, all along the way, there were patches of force – broken – unstable – never anchored to one spot – and, when they arrived at Brookley late in the afternoon, they found the same instability along the course towards Avebury.

  “It’s just as you said, Lloyd,” James said “Disrupted ley lines. The way you’ve thought this through with Rudi and Justin – it’s quite amazing.”

  “It wasn’t no sweat,” Lloyd said. “As soon as I come here, I knew I’d got to get my head around it. Understanding stuff, that’s how I get by, isn’t that right, Rudi?”

  Rudi grinned. “I think the way you get your head around things is brilliant.”

  Jenny was laughing. She was sitting on one of the up-ended stones pouring coffee. “I think you’ve all been fantastic,” she said. “If you just take a look at that map and see what you’ve located, and all in one day.” She looked at James. “Do you think we should go back to London this evening instead of staying here? The boys’ beds are still made up and we can have a picnic on the Heath tomorrow – go somewhere in the afternoon. It might be more fun than just hanging around here – and hopefully, in London, we won’t have this weird twilight weather to contend with.”

  “Would that be okay with Dave?” Lloyd said, and James grinned.

  “We did have it in mind as a plan B, so we’ve already raised the subject with Mr Trafford. He’s fine with it.”

  The idea of going back to London, to the house in Highgate was just perfect, and it was only as they headed back to Sarson Hall to collect their overnight things and the travel bag, that Lloyd thought o
f Caitlin. If they were going to be away again, it would mean trouble for her. He’d have to warn her before they left.

  There wasn’t an easy way either.

  “Couldn’t you not go?” she said, and he felt really bad because, this time, it wasn’t a trip connected with the ghost; it was unadulterated pleasure.

  They were on the seat outside the main hall and he was getting more confident with her now. He took her hand and looked into her face. “You got to believe me, Caitlin, man,” he said. “I’m getting my head around this stuff, and the ghost guy will be gone soon. Then you’ll be able to sleep like a baby down the North Wing.”

  “Yeah?” she said.

  “And I’ll be back tomorrow night, no sweat.”

  He didn’t know what else to say. Part of him wanted to cry off going, for her sake, but that was a big ask. “You’ll be okay. You block up your door like you done last week. Then, even if you do start sleepwalking, you won’t be able to get out. You won’t go down that cellar.”

  She didn’t look confident, and in her weak smile there was a hint that he’d betrayed her. He felt guilty and, to cover the guilt, he put an arm around her. “You’ll be okay,” he said again.

  En route to London, they dropped Justin’s van at Didcot. They’d be returning by train, and they’d need the van to get back to Brookley. The day in London, with the ramble and picnic on the Heath was magic. They went to Regent’s Park in the afternoon, to an amazing open-air theatre; they were doing a matinee there – a comedy, and James had managed to get last-minute tickets.

  All day Lloyd felt he was hovering somewhere near the seventh heaven, and Rudi, he could see, was in the stratosphere.

  But there was a blow at Regent’s Park, and it knocked him sideways.

  It happened during the interval.

  James was chatting to Justin as they were coming back with drinks and cake.

  Lloyd didn’t catch everything they were saying but, as they neared the table, he overheard James say, “Get up there by eleven tomorrow morning. I’ve talked it through with Ted Barnes and he’s delighted you’re going to be on the trip.”