CHAPTER TWENTY
My mobile rang as Zak was in the study, getting his things together before he left for his Gran’s.
It was Jaz.
‘Hey, there,’ she said. ‘I gather you’re at Bogg House with Zak. Can I bring Milo over to have a look while you’re there? He’s desperate to see the place.’
‘What?’ I hesitated, confused for a second. ‘No. I mean, of course Milo can see it. But we’re not there at the moment.’
‘You’re not?’
‘No, we’re at home. Zak’s just getting ready to go back to his gran’s.’
‘Right.’ There was a pause. ‘But we’ve just passed by Bogg House and the lights were on.’
‘Really?’ My insides turned cold.
‘Maybe the builders left them on by mistake.’
‘I doubt it. Danny has a real thing about wasting electricity. Mac told me he’s always going around switching lights off when they’re not being used.’
‘So . . . what’s going on?’
‘I don’t know,’ I muttered. ‘But I need to find out.’
Zak appeared at the study door, all ready to go. ‘Everything okay?’
‘Fine. It’s Jaz. Milo wants to see the house.’
‘Right. Wouldn’t it be best to wait until the place is finished?’
I pointed at the phone to indicate Jaz was still there.
He nodded. ‘Look, I’ll head away and leave you to chat, okay?’
‘Oh. Okay.’ I stared at him. Should I tell him about the mysterious goings-on at Bogg House?
As I stood there, frozen with indecision, he grabbed me and gave me a long, lingering kiss that left me quite breathless. Then he picked up his bags and strode along the hall, whistling.
Opening the front door, he turned and smiled at me. ‘’Bye, love.’ Raising his voice, he called, ‘’Bye, Jaz!’ And then he was gone . . .
*****
‘Ellie? Ellie, are you still there?’
‘Yes. Sorry. Zak had to go.’
‘Look, Milo’s suggesting we go over to the house with you? Just to check everything’s all right?’
‘Really?’ My shoulders sagged with relief. ‘Oh, Jaz, that would be great. It’s probably nothing but I won’t be able to sleep tonight for worrying that there really is something funny going on. Especially after seeing those footprints outside the window the other day.’
‘That’s what we thought. Hang on.’ She covered the phone to chat briefly to Milo. ‘We’ll be over at yours to pick you up in five, okay?’
‘Thanks, Jaz. I really appreciate this.’
‘No problem. Try not to worry. If it is those young quad bike tearaways, there’ll be safety in numbers, okay?’
*****
They picked me up and we drove most of the way in a tense silence.
I was feeling quite sick at the thought of what we might find. I kept remembering seeing the boy racing guiltily through the garden and running off up the lane. Had he brought his mates round for a laugh to explore the empty house?
They might just be messing around but I was finding it the very opposite of funny.
When we arrived, Milo parked in the lane and we got out. The hall light was on and a light also glowed in the window of one of the bedrooms. We walked silently through the garden and I let us into the house, fumbling a little with the key because my hand was shaking with nerves.
‘Hello?’ Milo called. ‘Is anyone there?’
‘What’s that smell?’ I whispered into the silence.
Jaz and Milo both sniffed the air.
‘Smells like plaster dust,’ murmured Milo, and at that moment, there was a hollow thump from upstairs, as if something heavy had been dropped onto the carpet.
‘Oh, my God.’ I clutched my heart in a panic. ‘Someone’s in here. Shall I call the police?’
But Jaz was staring anxiously after Milo. She grabbed my arm. ‘Come on. Safety in numbers,’ she said, and we followed him up the stairs.
I was rigid with panic, bracing myself for trouble – half-expecting one or more of the quad bike lot to race down the stairs and run out laughing into the night to escape us.
Or worse . . .
Reaching the landing, we paused. The silence was unnerving and I could feel the vibration of my heart hammering against my ribs. Someone or something was behind one of these half-open doors. Was I really ready to face them?
Milo and Jaz went ahead, checking the rooms.
But hearing a sound like a muffled sigh from the bedroom nearest to me, I stopped. Swallowing hard, I steeled myself and pushed the door wide, although I remained firmly outside.
Shocked, I stared at the mess of rubble that now lay on the carpet.
The fireplace in that room had been blocked off by previous occupants of the house. But someone had taken a sledgehammer to it and tried to open it up. The sledgehammer itself was lying on the floor. Whoever it belonged to must have dropped it, which accounted for the heavy thud we heard when we first walked into the house.
Again, I heard the muffled breathing.
Indicating this silently to Milo and Jaz – their supportive presence giving me the courage I needed – I took a deep breath and walked into the room.
A movement behind the door caught my eye and I spun round in fear. A figure stood there, dressed in dark trousers and enveloped in a big dark-coloured, hooded coat.
My heart almost leaped out of my chest.
Even with the face partially concealed by the hood, there was no doubting who it was.
Rhona?