Restless Dead (Harry Grimm Book 5) by David Gatward (english reading book TXT) 📗

We can’t just assume he was seeing things, regardless of the circumstances and the death of your mother.’

‘I know,’ Ruth said, ‘but I can’t see it, can you? Why would anyone want to come out here and look at the house? There’s no reason to it! No reason at all!’

‘Perhaps not,’ Liz said, ‘but we still have to take it seriously and treat it as we would any other report of an intruder. That’s why we’re here. But what we’ve seen today, what you’ve told us, perhaps we can all keep an eye on him for a while?’

‘You have a job to do,’ Ruth said, ‘and if doing that in any way helps Dad realise he needs some help, then all the better, if you ask me.’

A noise from the kitchen door interrupted the conversation.

‘Anthony!’ Ruth said, as Liz turned to see a pale, teenage boy walk into the room. He was wearing a faded green army surplus jacket over a black Motley Crue hoodie, black jeans, and black lace-up boots. ‘What are you doing here?’

The boy stood there for a moment, staring at nothing.

Liz said, ‘Didn’t you say he was at school?’

‘Yes,’ Ruth said, ‘and he is, just not today. Migraine, isn’t that right, Anthony?’

‘Yes,’ the boy said with a faint nod, though Liz thought with the height on him calling him a boy was pushing it because he was getting into young man territory now. She noticed scratches on the backs of his hands. They weren’t bleeding, but they looked fresh, like he’d caught them on a rose bush.

‘I saw the police car outside,’ Anthony said.

‘Look,’ Ruth said, ‘let’s get you home, shall we? If your head is still bad then getting up and walking around isn’t going to do it any good, is it?’

‘Why are the police here?’ Anthony asked.

Liz rose to her feet. ‘I’m PCSO Coates,’ she said, then looked at Ruth, who gave a quick nod. ‘Can I just ask if you saw or heard anything strange around the house today at all, perhaps outside in the garden?’

‘Strange how?’ Anthony asked. ‘What do you mean? What’s happened?’

‘Nothing has happened,’ Ruth said. ‘It’s just that your grandad thought he saw someone outside the house earlier, that’s all.’

‘Really?’ Anthony asked. ‘Where? Who?’

‘It was round at the back of the house,’ Liz said. ‘Have you seen anything?’

‘Nothing,’ Anthony said, and Liz caught him flick a glance at his mum. ‘I’ve been off, with a migraine.’

‘And you didn’t hear or see anything?’

‘Nothing,’ Anthony said.

‘You’re sure?’ Liz pressed.

‘Totally,’ Anthony said. ‘I’ve been out for the count. And I’ve had my curtains closed the whole time. Darkness helps with the headaches a little.’

Ruth looked over at Liz. ‘I think I’d better get him back home, if that’s okay?’

‘You do that,’ Liz replied. ‘I’ll go and see if I can find your dad and Constable Blades.’

Following Ruth and Anthony out of the kitchen, Liz made her way back into the main body of the house.

‘Thanks for your time, Ruth,’ she said. ‘And nice to meet you, too, Anthony.’ But as she went to leave them, she asked, ‘Those scratches on your hands, Anthony. They look fresh.’

Liz watched Anthony turn his hands over and stare at them.

‘There’s a bush outside,’ he said. ‘I must’ve brushed past it when I came over. Didn’t even notice it.’

‘Yes, I suppose that would be it,’ Liz said.

‘It could be the ghost,’ Anthony said then. ‘What Grandad saw, I mean.’

Liz caught the roll-of-the-eyes from Ruth as the boy’s mother tried to hurry him on.

‘Less of that, young man!’ she said. ‘Honestly, far too vivid an imagination!’

‘I’ve not seen it myself,’ Anthony continued, his mother trying to shove him along the hall, ‘but that’s why the house has that bit missing, you know, in the middle?’

‘Right, that’s it, enough!’ Ruth said, her voice louder now, firm and commanding. ‘Into bed, or I’ll drive you to school this instant!’

Before Liz could ask Anthony anything more about it, he was bustled off along the hall, his mother shooing him with her hands.

‘Ah, there you are!’

Liz turned to see Jen and Mr Fletcher approaching.

‘All checked, then?’ she asked.

All the windows are secure,’ Jen said. ‘I’ve checked all the locks, doors, and windows in every room. I’ve advised he get a proper security system installed, but he’s not exactly keen.’

‘All utterly unnecessary,’ Mr Fletcher said. ‘But thank you anyway. Did you have a nice chat with Ruthy?’

‘I did, and I met your grandson,’ Liz said. ‘He mentioned something about the house . . .’

Liz paused then, thought about what Ruth’s son had said, about what the family had gone through, about Mr Fletcher’s not entirely stable state of mine at that moment, and decided to say nothing more.

‘Mentioned what?’ James said. ‘What did he say?’

‘Oh, it was nothing,’ Liz said, and she shone a bright smile at the man. ‘We’ve got everything I think, Mr Fletcher. So, we had best be off. If we do find anything out about who you saw, then we will obviously be in touch.’

‘And if you see anything at all, you know where we are,’ Jen added.

James walked them to the back door, then waved goodbye as they wandered over to the car.

‘Well, that was fun,’ Jen said, as Liz shut the passenger door. ‘Not a happy house, is it?’

Liz shook her head. ‘No surprise, really, with what’s happened.’

‘Yeah, it’s pretty much the worst thing ever,’ Jen said.

Jen turned the car around and headed them back down the track leading to the main road, ready to turn left and back on towards Hawes. ‘I think we all know, though, that there was no intruder,’ she said. ‘He’s obviously just tired, dealing with something truly horrible, and just not coping well.’

As they waited at the road for a sudden flurry of traffic to pass, Liz glanced back up to the house, her eyes drawn to the dark space between the main dwelling and the smaller one off to its left.

‘It is an odd place, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘What