by Marja McGraw
“Oh, my God!” Mike said as he read the name on the piece of paper. “I never would have guessed. His last name is really Holt?” He handed the paper to David.
“I called the place where he said he worked and they said they’ve never heard of him. And I tried to call the house, but the phone is dead.”
“Let’s go!” David climbed back into the truck. Mike jumped in and Josh ran to his car.
“Lucy, you’d better say a prayer that we’re in time,” Josh said, putting the car in gear.
It was after three-thirty. There wasn’t much time, but none of them knew that for sure, even if they felt it. Both drivers took chances they wouldn’t have normally taken for the sake of time.
“Step on it, David,” Mike urged.
“I can’t go any faster in this weather. With the wind and snow we’re lucky to be making any time at all,” he said, frustration oozing from his every word.
“We’ve got to get there in time. It must have been Fernley who called, saying he was Josh. Kelly said his voice sounded funny, remember?”
“Yeah. Ted Fernley Holt,” David said. “Who would have guessed?”
“Obviously, not us,” Mike said, anger and more frustration coming through in his voice. He slammed his fist against the dashboard for emphasis.
“It shouldn’t be much longer now. I can see Josh and Lucy behind us. They’ve kept up pretty well,” David said, glancing in his rearview mirror.
Chapter Forty
“Hello, Amelia, or shall I call you Mother. No, I like Amelia better. I couldn’t call anyone mother who could stick me in that place. It was a factory, Amelia, a factory where they tried to make artificial souls for those of us who’d lost ours.”
I must have had a blank look on my face. I couldn’t quite comprehend what he was talking about.
“But Amelia, you look so shocked. I’m surprised at you. Nothing shocks a woman whose heart is made of stone.”
“Ted,” I said, in a shaky voice, “I’m not Amelia. It’s me, Kelly, remember?”
“Kelly, Amelia. You can call yourself whatever you want to. I knew you’d be back. I knew it. That’s why I kept the house ready for you. I wanted it to invite you in when you looked at it. I knew you’d be back.”
“Ted,” I said softly, trying to remain calm and not wanting to upset him, “what happened to Sharon?”
He ignored my question. I looked deep into his eyes and saw a hatred beyond anything I could have ever imagined, but there was more than hatred. I saw total, complete insanity, and I was practically petrified with fear. How could I have missed seeing this before?
“Ted, talk to me.” I knew I couldn’t run because he was so close to me. I had to stall for time and hope someone would come home. “What did Amelia – I – what did I do to you to make you feel this way, to make you hate me so much?”
He laughed, a little too loudly. “Oh, aren’t you the cute one. What did you do to me? You took my life from me, that’s what you did. You tried to hide me away, and when that didn’t work, you sent me away. You turned everyone against me, Mother!” He screamed the last words at me, making me flinch.
“Ted, try to calm down,” I said. His body was so tight that he was shaking. “Talk to me. Why did you push poor Ruth out of her window? Why? She could never have done anything to you. She didn’t even know you.”
“Oh, she could hurt me, Amelia. That prying little bitch. She had a crush on me. She followed me one night and saw me leave a note in the kitchen for you. She called me on it. She didn’t know what was going on, but she meant to find out so she could hold it over my head. She was out to get me, just like you.”
“But what about Richard?” I asked. Keep him talking, I thought.
“You ask too many questions,” he snapped at me. “I guess I can indulge you for now though. This one last time. It won’t be long before you won’t be able to ask any questions.”
I shivered.
“Richard got suspicious,” he said. “He’d been watching me too closely. One night he snuck into my room to search it, and he was there when I came out of the passages. He tried to blackmail me. We argued and I hit him. I think it surprised him,” Ted said, giggling. He shook his head like he needed to clear it. “He ran out of my room, but I caught up with him on the second floor at the top of the stairs. He tried to argue with me, so I hit him again, pushing him down the stairs.” His voice made it a very simple statement, which anyone should understand in his opinion.
“Anymore questions, Amelia?”
“Yes,” I replied. “What happened to Amelia and George Holt?” Whoops! He thought I was Amelia.
“That’s a strange question, coming from you, Mother.” He looked confused, but only for a split second. He answered me in his own way.
“You and father didn’t expect to see me that day, did you? You hadn’t been notified yet that I’d escaped from that hell hole, I’m sure.” He giggled again, a sound that made me shiver uncontrollably. I began to feel very cold. “I wish I’d had a camera to capture the look on your face when you saw me. You and father running to the car like that, trying to get away from me – your loving son.” He laughed again.
“I saw the fear on your ugly face, and I saw the guilt, too. When father drove away, I saw you grab the wheel and try to turn back. Did you honestly think you could make up to me? Or did you decide to try to come back to run me down? I couldn’t tell for sure. Would it surprise you to know I applauded when I saw the accident?” He sounded absolutely gleeful.
At least he was answering my questions, but a lot of what he said was confusing. I didn’t understand half of what the man was telling me. Where had Amelia and George sent Ted? And why didn’t anyone seem to know they had a son? Had they really hidden him away?
I thought I heard a groan. “Sharon,” I called.
“Shut up! She can’t help you. She’s had a little accident. No one can help you now, Amelia.”
“Don’t call me Amelia!” I screeched, losing control. “I’m Kelly! Look at me, Ted. I’m Kelly!”
“I told you to shut up,” he said in a low, quiet voice. That was worse than yelling at me. He raised his hand as if to hit me and I backed away. He giggled again. I hated that giggle. It sounded so – repulsive.
I heard Sharon groan again, so at least I knew she was still alive.
“Well, Amelia, it’s time to settle an old score,” Ted said.
“No!” I pushed him and ran for all I was worth.
“You’re not going to get away from me.” He sounded alarmingly calm. “I’ve waited too long for this sweet revenge.” His voice faded as I ran, increasing the distance between us.
I stopped running. I was confused and couldn’t figure out where I was. “Oh, no,” I whispered. “I’ve gone the wrong way. The stairs are on the other side.” Panic filled my heart. Pure, unadulterated panic. I heard running footsteps. I looked around in terror, trying to find somewhere to hide. I retraced my steps for a short distance and entered one of the small rooms. It was so dark that I had to feel my way along the wall.
I saw a light. He was coming closer, bringing the oil lamp with him. I stood just to the side of the door. He moved even closer. I heard a clink as he set the lamp on the floor.
He wants to keep his hands free, I thought.
I saw his shadow. He was coming toward the room. I clung to the wall, trying to melt into it, to become a part of it.
“I’m coming, Amelia, I’m coming,” he said, almost like a promise.
He stepped through the doorway, but I was in the shadows and he didn’t see me. I held my breath, my heart pounding, waiting until he took another step in. I felt a cough coming on and fought the urge.
“Ahh,” I grunted, shoving him away from the door. He grabbed my arm, but I managed to wrench it away from him. I ran again. I’ve always been a little afraid of the dark, but now it was my best friend, my only protection. I felt my way along, spider webs, cob webs, whatever, sticking to my hands.
&nbs
p; I reached the steps by a room and climbed up and down them as quickly as I could without falling. I could hear him coming again, but he left the light behind, so he was in the dark, too. I kept moving. More steps, up and down. He was closing in on me. He was more familiar with the passages.
I coughed and had to stop for a moment.
After what felt like an eternity, I reached the staircase leading down to the second floor. I stepped carefully, missed a step anyway, caught myself and kept going. I reached the bottom, took a couple of steps and tripped over something. Sharon moaned.
“Sharon,” I whispered. “Can you hear me?”
“Help me. I think my leg is broken, and my head hurts, really bad. I think I’m bleeding.”
“Oh, Sharon. I don’t know what to do. I can hear him coming. He’s after me,” I whispered, “not you. I’ll pull you out of the way and I’ll run. He’ll leave you and follow me. Just scrunch up against the wall as much as you can.”
“Okay, but be careful. Kelly, I hurt.” Her words tugged at my heart, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
I pushed her against the wall, knowing it took everything she had not to scream.
“Okay, Sharon, I’m going.”
Chapter Forty-one
BACK FROM WAVERLY
David and Mike pulled around to the coach house, jumped out of the truck and ran to the kitchen door.
“Jem,” Mike said.
Jem was throwing himself at the door, trying to get in. He heard Mike’s voice and whined, continuing his frenzied lunges at the door.
“Jem,” Mike repeated. The dog stopped for a moment as Mike opened the door, then tore into the house like he was crazed. The lights were out and the house was pitch black inside.
“Follow Jem,” Mike said. He and David ran after the dog.
Lucy and Josh pulled in beside David’s truck, finding the truck door open. Lucy began to cry.
“You stay here,” Josh said.
“No! I’m coming with you.”
Josh could tell there was no point in arguing with her. “Hurry up then.”
As Lucy and Josh entered the house they heard a piercing scream. Mike and David heard it, too. It sounded like it came from far off in the distance.
Jem made a snorting noise as his four legs moved with the precision of a machine and he ran into Sharon’s room.
“I’ll get the flashlight from my room,” David said.
“Hurry,” Mike begged.
Jem had already started into the open cavity in the wall behind Sharon’s bed.
“I saw the lights were out so I brought the flashlight from the car,” Josh said, as he ran in bringing light. His gun was in his pocket, but he didn’t mention that.
“Good! Let’s go.” David returned just at that moment and they all followed in Jem’s tracks.
Chapter Forty-two
I lost time by moving Sharon, but I had to do it. I couldn’t take the chance he’d find her and kill her. Life didn’t seem to mean anything to him.
I stopped to catch my breath. I was moving too slowly, but it was so dark. Suddenly I heard him, only a few feet away.
“Amelia,” he said in a sing song voice. “I took my shoes off so you wouldn’t hear me. You were always out to get me, but,” he giggled, “I’m going to get you instead.”
He reached out and grabbed me, this time with a vice-like grip. I couldn’t get away.
“Ted, please listen to me,” I begged. “Hear what I’m saying. I’m not Amelia. Please!”
“This time I’ll make sure you’re dead,” he said. He didn’t seem to have heard what I said to him. He put his free hand on my shoulder, sliding it toward my neck. I screamed.
“No one will hear you,” he said. “I made sure of that. I chose my time carefully. There’s no one here.”
I knew he was wrong. I’d heard something, but I couldn’t identify the sound. The blood was pounding in my ears. He hadn’t heard the noise and he moved his hand from my shoulder to my neck. Taking his other hand off my arm, he moved it to my throat and began choking me, cutting off my air supply. I tried to knock his arms away, but I couldn’t loosen his grip.
Slowly, slowly, he kept tightening his hands around my neck. He wanted to make it agonizingly slow. I couldn’t breathe. It was dark, but it seemed like things were turning even blacker. I needed to cough but I couldn’t.
Through the haze of my mind, I heard a thud, and his grip was broken. I thought I heard growling and voices as I gasped for breath. Jem began barking. He’d come to rescue me. The voices were closer.
I heard a cracking noise, like the sound of a firecracker. Ted’s voice. He was infuriated, making sounds, not saying words. Another crack, and something heavy landed next to me. My throat and head throbbed, and that was the last thing I knew.
***
Waking up in the hospital, I looked around and saw Sharon in the next bed.
“What happened?” Wasn’t that an original question?
“You missed most of it,” Sharon replied. “How do you feel?”
“My throat and neck hurt, not to mention the rest of my body. How about you?”
“Broken leg and cracked rib. No concussion though, but I’ve got stitches in the back of my head. He pushed me down the stairs.”
“Poor baby.” I coughed.
“It was Ted,” Sharon said.
“I know.”
“We learned more about him. Do you want to hear it now, or do you want to wait until later?”
“I want to know now.”
Sharon pushed a button and her bed raised so she was sitting up a little. “Okay, but it’s a long story. As a child he seemed normal, but somewhere along the line he crossed over. Just plain freaked out. He couldn’t relate to other people. He became more and more violent. The older he got, the more paranoid he became. He thought everyone was out to get him. It finally got so bad that the Holts moved to Holt House and virtually kept him a prisoner in his home, which really pissed him off, and convinced him that his parents were out to get him, too.
“Actually,” she continued, “they were afraid he’d hurt someone if they didn’t remove him from society. Well, as it turned out he did hurt someone. He pushed his father down the stairs. Sound familiar? He said his father had been spying on him.”
“He seems to have a penchant for pushing people. Down the stairs, out of windows,” I said.
“Yeah. Anyway, the housekeeper found Mr. Holt. Mrs. Holt had driven into Waverly for a doctor’s appointment and the housekeeper had been napping, but the noise woke her. Mr. Holt’s leg was broken, just like mine. The housekeeper called Mrs. Holt at the doctor’s office and he agreed to come back with her to treat the leg at Holt House. I guess doctors used to make house calls.” She paused as she glanced up at the door.
“Go ahead,” Mike said. He walked in and pulled up a chair next to my bed.
“Okay,” Sharon said. “Anyway, to make a long story short, the Holts decided they couldn’t handle him anymore, so they hired a couple of guys, big guys, to transport their son to a mental hospital in California.”
“Where did you get all this information?” I asked.
“Josh got most of it from Rose Mental Hospital,” Mike supplied. “They said that at first they couldn’t handle him at all without sedation, but after a while he started to respond to treatment, they thought. He was crafty, playing their game and biding his time. He hated the hospital, and for some reason he blamed his mother for everything. It was irrational reasoning, but he thought she hated him and wanted to get rid of him. Of course, you have to remember, he didn’t think there was anything wrong with himself. He was positive his parents just wanted him out of the way.”
“After he had the doctors convinced he was cooperative and responsive to treatment, he began making plans to escape,” Sharon said. “Which is exactly what he did after spending about five years in the hospital.”
“He escaped after strangling a male nurse, and hid out in the secret passage
s of Holt House from what we can put together,” Mike said. “That’s an educated guess, actually. We don’t think his parents even knew he was there.”
“Where are you getting these educated guesses from?” I asked.
Mike was quiet for a moment. “Kelly, Ted is dead. He rambled a lot before he died so we were able to draw some conclusions. He thought he was talking to Amelia. We also talked to his doctor in California.”
“I see.” I didn’t ask any questions about what he said.
“He finally showed himself to his parents,” Sharon said, “and he threatened them, scaring them so bad that they ran. Apparently, that’s when they were killed, while they were leaving the house to get away from him.
“The doctor said he believes Ted felt cheated,” she continued. “He hadn’t had his revenge against his mother, at least not the kind of revenge he wanted. He kept up the house though, and eventually you showed up. You must have been a dream come true for Ted, because you looked enough like Amelia to be her sister. He watched you out the window the day we first came out to the house for the auction. When you bought the house he set his plan into action, biding his time. He was going to rid the world of his mother, his idea of the ultimate evil, once and for all.”
“You guys are giving me chills,” I said. “This is so bizarre. I mean, it really was just a coincidence that we went to the auction in the first place.”
“Maybe,” Sharon said, “but it seems like too much of a coincidence, plus it almost cost us our lives.”
“Well, we certainly didn’t know I looked like Amelia. Although, I have to admit that once I saw her portrait, I became almost obsessed with the house.”
“I know,” Sharon said.
“He was so quiet, so clean and neat. I just can’t picture his as a murderer,” I said. “He seemed almost shy.”