Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Ireclined against the squashy blue sofa in the annexe, on which I’d thrown three cushions covered in buttercup-and-cream fabric which I’d just bought that afternoon from the local furnishings shop, Sitting Comfortably.
‘How are your drawings coming along for Super Shark?’
Caleb’s close-cropped hair was burnished red under the sitting-room lights and there were small ink marks on the tips of his fingers. ‘I was a bit behind last week, but the promise of an impending deadline can really focus the mind.’
My brother had started off supplying cartoons for the Hell versus Heroes comic several years ago, but when his ability was spotted online by a new children’s book publisher, he agreed to come up with illustrations for a series of new books featuring a character by the name of Super Shark.
Through the gap in the curtains, the evening sky was twisting into coils of orange and a thin line of dark seeped towards the horizon like spilt ink.
Caleb leaned forward, a tattoo flexing gently on his bicep.
It was of Blaze, Caleb’s first creation: a blond, long-haired Nordic prince who possessed the powers of telepathy and speed.
‘Listen, Poppy, I’ve got a number of contacts around here.
I can call a few of the guys and get them to give you some quotes for the work you need doing. ’
‘That would be great.’ I smiled with relief. ‘There’s so much to do.’
‘You’ll get there,’ encouraged my brother. ‘And although I don’t have the same attachment to the cottages as you do, you know you can rely on me.’
‘Thanks.’
I plucked an iced biscuit from the plate on the table in front of us.
Caleb spoke. ‘There was some guy asking around about the Scarlet Highwayman this morning.’
My thoughts conjured up pictures of my surprise visitor. ‘Oh yes, I know about him. Tall, dark hair, Australian accent … that’ll be Mason Cooper.’
He looked confused. ‘No, he didn’t look like that. This fella was shorter with blond hair, smartly dressed.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Yep. All suited and booted. Bit of a smooth-looking guy.’ Caleb frowned.
‘He seemed vaguely familiar.’ An edge of envy was traceable in his voice as he added, ‘His suit probably cost more than I make in a year.’ Caleb’s eyes widened with recognition.
‘Actually, I’m sure he was the same guy I spotted the other day.
He was lurking around down by the harbour.
’ He rubbed his peppering of red stubble.
‘I was delivering draft designs to the Lavender Hotel for their new kids’ menu.
Did I tell you I’ve suggested a character called Sid the Seagull for them?
’ At this point, my big brother beamed with self-congratulation.
‘Good for you,’ I said, eager to hear more. ‘Now, what about this stranger?’
‘Oh aye. Well, he was hovering about near the harbour, trying to speak to some of the locals.’ Caleb hitched up his mouth at one corner dismissively.
‘I couldn’t hear everything he was saying, but I did catch him mentioning the Scarlet Highwayman.
That soon sent the folks round here fleeing in the opposite direction. ’
I looked across at my brother. ‘It’s almost as if the Scarlet Highwayman has been erased from Port Starr’s history, isn’t it?’
He reached across to my coffee table and picked up a finger of buttery shortbread. ‘Are you surprised? He hasn’t been flavour of the month around these parts for years.’
I shrugged. ‘I think people have read him all wrong. I don’t believe he did some of those things that he was accused of.’ I flapped my hand. ‘I mean, the poor guy isn’t here to speak up for himself, is he?’
Caleb munched on his shortbread. ‘You’ve always been an incurable romantic, Popps. He was a highwayman who robbed and terrorised these parts for years. He even committed murder, for pity’s sake.’
I opened my mouth to argue but decided against it. Most of the other Port Starr inhabitants held the same opinion of the Scarlet Highwayman as my brother did.
I thought about Mason again and now this other mystery man, both asking about our infamous highwayman. ‘Don’t you think it’s a bit more than a coincidence there’s now two people here in Port Starr suddenly asking about the highwayman at the same time?’
He considered my question. ‘It is a bit weird, but it could just be one of those things.’
I sat back on the sofa. I didn’t believe that for one minute.