Chapter Three.
William
The stranger went back and forth to her vehicle multiple times.
It was called a car, although they’d not existed when I’d been living.
In each box she brought in were cleaning supplies.
That was confusing. Had she bought the lighthouse, or was it being rented?
Could this be a cleaner? Who was she? Mops, buckets, and similar items flooded in, and eventually, she slumped near the door.
“Well, Leafpoint, that’s my workout for today,” she said.
“We have a busy day tomorrow. We’ve a skip being delivered for all the rubbish that’s collected, and I’ve got a plumber and electrician to attend.
Neither is from Penhaven, as nobody from the village had the balls to come.
I managed to hire some older teenagers to help this weekend move the heavy stuff out. ”
She walked to the sink and turned it on. She flinched at the dirty stream that came out and let it run until it became clear. “Guess I’d better buy some bottled water until this is tested.”
That puzzled me. Why would she need that?
I needed answers, and now!
Lyra
Just as I was finishing for the day, I heard a noise and stopped. I could have sworn I could hear singing. Glancing around, completely confused, I frowned. It had sounded like a sea shanty.
“Is someone here?” I called. The door was locked; there was no other way in. There was no other sound, and I shook myself, laughing. Damn, I was as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof.
“Get a grip, Lyra Jasper. It’s because of the state of the lighthouse, you’re imagining things,” I muttered to myself.
“Jasper?” I swear someone said, and without a second thought, I scurried away. It was getting late; I was stressed and worried and clearly not working with all cylinders firing. In the morning, after a good night’s sleep, everything would look better.
When I returned to the hotel, Thea was already there.
“How was your day?” she asked.
“People are damn rude in the supermarket,” I replied.
Thea snorted. “They ignored you too?”
“No,” I explained what happened, and Thea’s eyes went wide.
“Wow, terrible service! That sucks. So is Leafpoint in a poor condition like Seareef is?”
“Yes. The entire building needs a thorough clean.”
“Same. I spent a fortune on cleaning stuff today. Guess it’s good I didn’t get my manicure done.” Thea waggled her fingers, and I snorted at her short nails.
“Yup. What’s happening about food? I’m hungry. Should we find a restaurant or check if Mrs Penrose will let us order takeaway?”
“No need, my dears, I’ve cooked a stew and fresh bread too. There’s a nasty storm coming in tonight.” Mrs Penrose looked out of a window and flinched.
“Didn’t you say the council lighthouses don’t work?” I asked, looking out at the developing bad weather.
“Yes, they collapsed or are in a state of disrepair,” Mrs Penrose admitted.
“What about the ships out at sea?” Thea demanded, sitting up.
“The coastguard issued alerts during yesterday evening, plus this morning,” Mrs Penrose remarked.
“What about a fire or something?” I asked.
“No, dear, in this rain, we’d never get it lit. Leafpoint shall light the way. We can only pray and hope their captains heed the warning.”
My stomach sank; I glanced out the window. “Wait, did you say the Leafpoint was active?”
“Yes.”
“But there’s no one there, Mrs Penrose. I’ve been there twice. The only footsteps in the dust belonged to me. Plus, I checked the lantern room as well; it’s oil-lit, not electric.”
Mrs Penrose squeezed my shoulders. “Lyra, Leafpoint and the other three will light the sky tonight. Since Boxing Day, they’ve been working again. Every night, since the council-run ones collapsed, the Jasper lighthouses have protected ships and warned sailors away from death.”
I swapped glances with Thea and had never felt so helpless. Perhaps I wasn’t cut out for this.
William
I hauled the canteen through the hatch and filled the oil bowl.
Around me the storm broke, and rain lashed the windows.
Like all lighthouse keepers, I sensed it in my gut.
There was a ship floundering out there. Within a moment, I lit the Argand lamp, and the beacon shot out, a warning to sailors to stay away.
I wiped down the fogged-up glass and waited.
Minutes later Seareef’s light followed, and then Clamshell’s, and finally Kingfisher’s.
Shoulders relaxing, I turned back to the sea.
The storm’s ferocity was increasing, and tonight would be hazardous.
The ship might sink, but at least it would be able to steer clear of the dangerous shoreline.
Deep below me, wickedness stirred, almost gleeful until it realised I’d lit the lamp.
Yes, I might be deceased, but I wouldn’t neglect my duty.
Since the night I had fallen, I hadn’t walked away and I wouldn’t—even if I was dead. The evil would stay trapped by me for eternity. Eternal peace might be taken from me, but my prisoner had lost its freedom too.
Lyra
Both Thea and I sat on the window seat, staring out into the darkness. The Gull’s Nest was situated just out of town and higher up. Below we could see the town lights spread out, but nothing else. It was pitch-black out there.
“Lyra, I’m scared,” Thea said.
“Me too. But Mrs Penrose seems so confident. Thea, I don’t know about Seareef, but I can tell you, Leafpoint is in no…” I broke off in disbelief.
Thea followed my gaze and gasped. The storm hid Leafpoint, but from its general direction, a bright light shone.
“No, I’m imagining it,” I murmured.
“That makes two of us,” Thea said, pointing, and I turned my head and saw a second beam. Seareef.
“The town has to be playing tricks. Either those council-run lighthouses work, or someone is accessing ours. Seems not only are we unwanted, but we’re also a joke. Keep things close to your chest, Thea. Don’t trust anyone,” I warned.
Thea nodded as we both exchanged a glance. Why would the supposedly kind Mrs Penrose lie to us? What was going on in this town?
Wearily, I straightened my back and cracked it with a wince. Today had been a long day. Upon arriving, I immediately headed upstairs toward the lantern room.
I checked every level, finding no trace of an intruder. Worse, on the lantern room’s floor were two sets of footprints, but they showed up nowhere else inside the lighthouse. That had completely confused me. Anyone else would be screaming ghosts by now. Not me. Nope. I didn’t believe in them.
With a frustrated huff, I headed down the steps.
It was three o’clock; I’d been cleaning for hours.
The good news was that the kitchen counters, cupboards, and drawers were scrubbed clean.
To my surprise, they were sturdy and not rotten.
They needed repainting, but otherwise, they were in perfect condition.
The floor had been swept, and I could see the original tiles under the crap I’d removed.
The entire kitchen smelled of bleach, and I had cleaned the windows and opened them, letting in fresh air.
They were such cute little arched windows.
The winter chill didn’t bother me as I’d worked up a sweat.
All the rubbish was cleared, bagged up, and taken to the newly delivered skip.
I managed to drag out some of the broken furniture myself and throw it away.
I’d also received some good news. According to the electrician, the wiring had been updated within the last five years and met current standards. The plumber gave me a similar report.
The surveyor wasn’t due for a few days, and the builder was coming tomorrow. I glanced down as my phone beeped. I almost cursed as I saw an email from Joseph with the certificates for the plumbing and electrical wiring. That could have saved me some pennies.
The water was now running cleanly, and the plumber had assured me it was clean and safe to drink. Joseph had evidently arranged for the utilities to be turned on weeks ago.
The teens were coming tomorrow, which made me wonder why I had scrubbed the kitchen, as they’d only dirty it by bringing the furniture down.
I made a mental note to contact a painter and decorator.
I could do plenty of things, but painting was not my strong point.
As I washed out my cloths, I began mentally making a list of what I required for the kitchen.
Basically, it was everything. Kettle, toaster, cutlery, you name it, and I needed it.
Sadly, I wasn’t overly keen on retail therapy, but I smiled at the idea of the huge online shopping giant I used.
Thank God it offered next-day delivery. But I needed a white goods store.
With a grin, I turned to pack items, then stopped dead. By the stairs, I thought I saw a shadow, but it was gone so quickly it made my skin crawl.
What on earth?
I bit my lip in worry and, taking my courage, checked every level once more. There was nothing. Not even anywhere to hide.
Feeling a frisson of fear run up my spine and wondering if I was going mad.
I headed downstairs back to the kitchen.
My phone pinged, and I opened it, gasping.
Tears welled in my eyes as I saw a screenshot of Cale and Serena.
Underneath was a caption by Serena, ‘Amazing what happens when you get rid of dead baggage.’ That was clearly aimed at me.
“You can’t just let go. You have to keep driving the knife in,” I whispered. “Both of you can laugh, but Serena’s useless without me to do her job. As for you, Cale, money and status mean more than love. You’ll never get mine back.”
I puffed out my cheeks and calmed down. “I’ll never fall for your lies again or accept your bullying. Go to hell, both of you.”
Saddened and putting them out of my mind, I grabbed the car keys and headed out. I needed to buy some items from the shops before they closed. A kettle, cups, and some groceries. I’d have help tomorrow, so I had to be able to feed them.