2.0 - What Lies Below

by Helen Phifer

  ‘Ha-ha, funny guy.’

  He grabbed her in a bear hug and pulled her close. She let him. Hugging him back, she sighed.

  ‘That’s one big sigh, lady. Come on, let’s have a coffee and some cake. You can tell your Uncle Aden everything.’

  She smiled. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

  ‘Me neither. If Waterstones find out I’m such a good bookshop manager and bake the best cakes in Camden, they’ll offer me thousands and snatch me away from you.’

  ‘God, I hope not. I couldn’t cope without you.’

  ‘I take it I’m forgiven for Zara’s poetry reading?’ He winked at her and she laughed.

  ‘Just.’

  As they went inside, Stella stood for a moment. She inhaled the air, which was filled with the smell of paper and ink; it was her idea of heaven, and it was all hers.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  S eth decided he had to speak to Alfie whether Glenys wanted him to or not. He wasn’t angry with the lad, but he needed to explain that he couldn’t go around pulling stunts like that. It wasn’t funny; poor Maddy had looked terrified yesterday. He really liked her, and it had been so long since he’d felt this way about anyone. The last thing he needed was Alfie scaring her so much that she packed up and went back to London. His last girlfriend had left him without so much as a goodbye, and it had broken his heart.

  He opened the pub door and spied Maddy’s car. At least he knew she was still at Lake House for now; she couldn’t go anywhere without the Beetle. He still had her keys in his pocket and would drop them off to Andy, then go and find Alfie.

  A loud thud from upstairs filled his heart with fear. He ran back inside and up the stairs.

  ‘Dad!’

  He found his dad on the floor outside the bathroom, the skin on his face devoid of all colour and his eyes glazed. Bending down, Seth shook him gently. ‘Dad.’

  He pulled out his phone and rang for an ambulance, but he knew it was too late. Cradling Jacob in his arms, he held his head on his lap and stroked his hair, as tears streamed from his eyes.

  He heard the sirens as the ambulance finally entered the village, the sound piercing the morning air outside, echoing around the empty streets. Finally, voices shouted from below in the pub. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Upstairs.’ The heavy footsteps pounded up the narrow staircase and he felt relieved to see the familiar red, ruddy face appear at the top step. The paramedic, John, was also a member of the Mountain Rescue Team in his spare time, and Seth had known him for years.

  ‘Oh mate, I’m so sorry. Is he breathing?’

  Seth shook his head.

  ‘Did you do CPR?’

  ‘No. I think he was dead before he hit the floor.’

  John didn’t question Seth any further. They had both seen enough dead bodies up on the mountains to know. ‘I’ll have to call the police, mate, it’s a sudden death.’

  ‘What? He had terminal cancer. It was going to happen sooner or later.’

  ‘I know and I’m so sorry, but you know how it is. It’s protocol.’

  Seth nodded; he did know how it was. He just didn’t like the thought of his dad’s death being so matter of fact. He’d envisioned Jacob lying in his bed, with Seth holding his hand, when he passed. Not this. It felt so wrong, yet he knew this was what his dad would have wanted. No drama, no lingering on for days, just bam, lights out, Jacob Taylor has left the building.

  John knelt next to him and began to unpack the defibrillator.

  ‘I have to run the line and make sure. It’s all standard procedure, even though you and I both know he’s dead. I’ll get a bollocking if I don’t.’

  Seth nodded again. Tenderly moving his dad’s body back onto the floor, he stood up grabbed a pillow from the bed and pushed it under his head then took a step back so John could do what he had to.

  Now what? His whole life was about to change, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for the responsibility of running the pub on his own. He’d stayed here because of his dad, but now there was nothing to keep him in the village. He was free to do as he pleased, which was a sobering thought. He was forty-two years old, single, no children…and now he had no family.

  Footsteps came running up the stairs and he stared at the red-faced vision standing in front of him.

  ‘Oh no! I heard the ambulance and saw it stop outside and knew it was something bad.’

  John shook his head at Seth, confirming what he already knew.

  ‘Glenys, there’s nothing we can do. It was so sudden.’

  ‘What do you mean there’s nothing you can do? Have you even tried jump-starting his heart?’ She was glaring at John, who was talking into his radio.

  Seth grabbed hold of her arm, leading her back downstairs. ‘Yes, but I knew the moment I heard the thud he was dead. John is just following protocol. Dad died before he hit the floor. And in a way, it would have been exactly what he wanted.’

  She let out a sob. ‘Oh God, I’m sorry. I’m crap with people dying and stuff like this. Are you okay? Come on, let’s have a drink or something to calm our nerves.’

  He sank down onto the chair by the fire which had been occupied by his dad less than twenty-four hours ago. The newspaper he’d been reading was still on the table, and Seth reached out to stroke it. Glenys crossed towards him; a glass of amber liquid clenched in each hand. Sitting down opposite him, she passed one glass to him and downed the other herself.

  He took it and did the same, grimacing. He wasn’t a brandy drinker, but the warmth as it burnt his throat and began to heat his frozen insides, numbing the pain in his chest, was a welcome sensation.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  C onnor stretched out in the double bed, weary after the long drive. He’d taken a detour to Kendal when he’d realised it was getting harder to keep his eyes open, and found a Premier Inn, booking in under a false name. The teenager on the desk had barely made eye contact with him when he’d asked for a credit card, and Connor had passed him his emergency card – the one he’d taken out in Maddy’s name, but had so far never used.

  The police might have issued an alert of some kind for him, so was keen to cover all his angles. His main priority was to find the house where she was staying, and until then he’d try anything not to risk getting caught.

  Turning on his side, he reached out and picked up the leaflet that he’d picked up from the display in the reception area, and a map of the South Lakes printed inside it. He was missing having his all-singing, all-dancing iPhone, which he’d left at home and bought a cheap pay-as-you-go from the garage. Luckily, the hire car had satnav installed, otherwise he would never have made it this far. He knew the police could ping a mobile phone to track a location, so there was no way he wanted to risk that.

  He didn’t have a clue how strapped for time and money the police were, and whether they would make much effort to try to find him for a GBH. He knew he’d left Stella alive, despite her injuries. He’d only wanted to hurt her enough to make her regret ever letting Maddy leave him like this.

  Feeling recharged after a good rest, he decided to have a shower and some breakfast then drive the rest of the way. Judging by this map, it appeared to be a straight run on the A591. When he arrived at the village, he would need to find somewhere to hide. Hopefully, there might be a public car park where he could wait until it got dark. He wanted to surprise Maddy when she was at her most vulnerable; if she ran and it was dark, she wasn’t going to get very far over hills and mountains.

  The churning in his stomach was a mixture of excitement and nerves; he wanted this to be perfect. If only he had brought his smartphone so that he could capture the look on her face when she opened the front door. He could have recorded it to keep forever.

  Connor didn’t believe he was going to get caught, but he didn’t really care if he was. What mattered most was that he executed his plan in all its bloodthirsty, gory action. It was a shame really that Maddy was going to die. Her story was going to make an exce
llent book or film for someone else to write one day in the future.

  Connor smiled. He might even write it himself and then he could finally have his five minutes of fame.

  Chapter Forty

  M addy opened the fridge door and stared inside; she needed to replenish the wine. It’s not that she wanted to drink any just yet, but if she was inviting Seth for a picnic, it would be rude not to offer him a glass or two. She also needed fresh bread, cheese, and meat. Did the village have a decent food shop? It must have, or how else would they all survive when the weather got really bad in the winter?

  Pulling on her trainers, she walked out of the front door and stopped, sighing heavily. She’d forgotten that she didn’t have a car, and it was quite a walk along the main road to the village.

  Standing with her hands on her hips, she looked around. It wasn’t as if she could phone a cab out here, like she could at home. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to ask Seth if he’d taken her car to the mechanic, and he might even offer to pick her up.

  She dialled the number he’d given her, but the call rang out before going to his voicemail. Her heart skipped a beat; she hadn’t realised just how smooth and sexy his voice was.

  ‘Sorry to bother you, Seth, it’s Maddy. I was just wondering about my car, but I’ll ring you later. Bye.’

  She ended her message, then tried the number of the pub. This time the phone was picked up after the fourth ring, and a woman’s voice echoed down the line.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Sorry, is this the right number for The King’s?’ Maddy asked.

  ‘It is, what do you want?’

  How rude was this woman? Maddy was shocked. She’d be telling Seth he needed to teach his staff how to answer the phone. You couldn’t talk to people like that.

  ‘Is Seth there?’ she tried again.

  ‘He’s very busy.’ And the line went dead.

  Maddy stared at her phone then dialled the number again.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘I need to speak to Seth, please. Can you ask him to answer the phone?’

  ‘Look, I’ve already told you he’s busy. Ring back later.’

  ‘Wait! I don’t care how busy he is. Please tell him Maddy would like to speak to him.’

  ‘Is it important? Is it a matter of life and death?’

  Maddy was puzzled. ‘Well, no. It’s not that important or serious.’

  ‘Then you can ring him later. He’s with the police. He can’t speak now.’

  The line went dead again, and Maddy wondered what the hell was happening. Why was he with the police, and who the fuck was that ogre?

  Shrugging her backpack over her shoulders, she slammed the front door behind her and headed in the direction of the jetty. She’d noticed a worn, narrow path running alongside the lake yesterday, and hoped it might lead to a public footpath and a shortcut to the village.

  The sun’s rays reflected off the lake, glistening beams of light, as she walked. It was going to be a warm day – perfect for a picnic. She could lay a blanket on the end of the jetty and they could sit there, paddle their feet in the water, chat, and eat. She couldn’t think of anything more perfect, and the more she thought about Seth, she realised how much she liked him.

  She wasn’t looking for another relationship so soon after Connor, but she wasn’t going to ignore the signs or the opportunity if one came along. Even if it only turned into a brief, summer fling, maybe that was exactly what she needed – something to give her life purpose, but without the commitment.

  A niggling sensation in her stomach made her wonder who the rude woman at the pub was. What if she was Seth’s partner? They hadn’t really discussed if either of them was in a relationship, but she’d just assumed that he was single because there was no wedding ring and no telltale mark where a band might have been worn. And for all she knew, he might have a girlfriend or a fiancée. At least if she turned up at the pub, she could find out what the hell was going on and why he was talking to the police. There were so many questions running through her mind.

  She followed the lake until she reached the dry-stone wall bordering the edge of the grounds. There was a dip in the wall where a broken pile of loose stones made it easier to clamber over. She stood on them and scrambled over, slipping and falling over the other side, and landing heavily on her ankle.

  ‘Damn it! Ow, that hurt.’ Sitting on the grass, she looked around to see if anyone had seen her spectacular dive, but there wasn’t anyone that she could see. She just hoped there wasn’t a party of walkers on the fell watching her through binoculars and having a right old laugh at her expense.

  She rubbed her ankle. Christ, she was so clumsy. Since she’d arrived in the Lake District, she’d almost severed an artery in her arm and bled to death, and now she might have broken her ankle, miles away from civilisation, stranded on her own.

  The laugh which escaped from her lips and filled the air startled her. Stop it with the drama, girl. You’re getting way out of hand. This made her laugh even louder.

  A rustling from behind the huge expanse of bracken behind her made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and stopped the laughter. ‘Who’s there?’

  It occurred to her how vulnerable she was, sitting on the grass with her legs splayed out in front of her. Pulling herself up, she scanned the bracken, looking for movement. More rustling, as the branches began to stir, filled her heart with cold fear.

  ‘Who’s there?’ she demanded. ‘I can hear you.’

  A loud baa, as a woolly ewe burst out of the bracken onto the long grass in front of her, almost gave her a heart attack. The relief which flooded through her made her smile until she felt a hand grab her arm, and she shrieked so loud that this time it did echo around the valley.

  She turned to see a teenage boy who let go of her sleeve and stumbled backwards in horror at the sound which had come out of her mouth. He had both his hands up, palms facing outwards, as he bent his head away from her.

  ‘Jesus Christ!’ she shouted. ‘You gave me a heart attack.’

  The boy mumbled, ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry’ over and over.

  Maddy realised she’d terrified him even more than he had her and took a small step towards him.

  ‘It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. I’m Maddy. What’s your name?’ She smiled at him, holding out her hand towards him.

  He looked up at her, not sure what to do with her outstretched hand. After a minute, he grabbed and kissed it, then let it go again.

  ‘Alfie. I’m Alfie.’

  She smiled. ‘Nice to meet you, Alfie. Do you live around here?’

  He nodded frantically.

  ‘That’s good. I fell over and twisted my ankle. Do you know how to get to the village?’

  He nodded. ‘I know you did. That’s why I came to see if you were all right. I can take you there. I know a shortcut.’

  Maddy’s instinct had been right; she’d known someone was watching her. He was tall, but his full lips were parted slightly, and he gave off an air of innocence that suggested he was mentally younger than his age.

  Relief flooded her entire body. ‘That would be amazing if you could show me. I’m new around here and I don’t want to get lost.’

  He nodded again. ‘I know you are. You live in the house.’ He pointed behind them to Lake House.

  ‘I do. Have you been inside there lately?’ She realised she’d probably found the culprit who had left the wet wedding dress and confetti, but she wasn’t mad at him. This must have been who Seth was talking about yesterday.

  He shook his head. ‘No, sir. I haven’t been inside. It might have been the lake people. Come on, I’ll show you the way.’

  He began walking fast and she hobbled behind him, hoping her ankle wouldn’t protest too much. She had no idea who the lake people were, but she didn’t care. As far as she could see, there were no other houses this side of the lake, but obviously he wasn’t going to admit it was him.

  Chapter Forty-One

  A den li
fted the mug to his lips and blew the steam away from the tea; Stella mirrored him with her own drink. They were perched on stools behind the small counter, facing each other.

  ‘So, what are you going to do?’

  She shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’

  Before she could continue, a man and women – both wearing smart suits – entered the shop. Aden bent towards her and whispered, ‘Police, you can spot them a mile off.’

  Stella put down her mug, brushed chocolate brownie crumbs from her top, and stood up, smiling at them. ‘Can I help you?’

  The woman smiled back. ‘Stella Sykes?’

  ‘That’s me.’

  ‘Detective Constable Emma Sloane, and this is my colleague DC Mike Burns. Can we have a word with you?’

  ‘Does it need to be in private?’ Stella was aware of Aden staring open-mouthed at DC Burns as if he’d just set eyes on the long-lost love of his life.

  ‘It’s up to you.’

  ‘Come on, we’ll go upstairs to my flat.’

  Stella led them out of the shop and up to her flat, hoping they were going to tell her they had that prick Connor in the cells and he was crying like a baby. She led them inside and tried to ignore the broken glass and blood still on the floor.

  ‘I’m afraid we’re having a bit of trouble tracing Connor,’ DC Sloane began. ‘Can you give me a list of friends, contacts, addresses where he might be lying low?’

  Stella shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know any of his friends or contacts. Have you tried his home address?’

  The detective nodded. ‘Several times. We have a plain-clothes officer giving it passing attention, and the building security guard has promised to ring should he turn up. How well do you know him?’

  Stella tried to stop her cheeks from betraying her, but she could feel the faint redness that always began at the base of her neck begin to burn just below her clavicle.

  ‘Not very well. He’s a friend of a friend.’