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

‘So, where do we start?’ Jim asked.

Harry thought for a moment, thinking back over the last couple of weeks, running through what had happened and what he’d just been told.

‘It’s not just where, it’s how,’ Harry said. ‘Matt?’

‘Boss?’

‘Time to get that Action Book out.’

Chapter Twenty-Two

As Harry had driven back up the lane to Black Moss House, he’d noticed how the fells behind the place had taken on a more foreboding air than when he’d last seen them. The weather was coming in now, and it was bringing with it the first breath of winter, icy cold, and rolling in front of it was a fearsome storm, pushing it down the hills towards the house.

As Harry climbed out of his car, the storm hit, whipping rain at him like chains on a wheel, but it wasn’t enough to rid the air completely of the acrid stench from the burned-out cabin.

Harry took a moment to have a look around the remains, pulling up his collar against the rain. It was a ruined thing now, grey with ash, with black bones of burned wood sticking out. And it was where James Fletcher had died. Harry knew the man had been unconscious, but he still wondered if James had known what was happening, if the agony his body would have felt as the flames took hold had somehow reached down into his subconscious, tried to wake him, and failed.

Turning back to the house, Harry walked over to where Matt was standing with Jen and Jadyn, at the back door of the house, waiting for him.

‘It’s properly coming in now, isn’t it?’ Matt said. ‘Reckon it’s settling in for the day as well.’

‘More likely the whole week,’ Jadyn said.

‘Then let’s get ourselves inside,’ Harry said and knocked at the door, which opened soon after.

Ruth Fletcher stood staring at them and Harry wondered what she looked like when she wasn’t exhausted and burned out from the sorrow and the tears.

‘Yes?’ Ruth said.

‘Can we come in, please?’ Harry said. ‘There’s something we need to discuss.’

‘Is there?’ Ruth said, and Harry saw not just the pain in the woman’s eyes and the exhaustion, but confusion, too. ‘What? And why are there so many of you? What’s this about? What’s going on?’

‘Please,’ Harry said. ‘If it’s okay? I know this is a really difficult time, but this is important.’

Ruth stepped back from the door and Harry followed Matt inside, with Jen and then Jadyn coming in behind. Ruth closed the door and Harry was struck for a moment by the sudden soft quietness of the house, the wind and rain silenced by the thick wood and walls now between them and the storm.

‘Through here,’ Ruth said, and she led Harry and the others down the hallway and into the lounge.

‘Is the rest of the family here?’ Harry asked as they stepped into the room. It was a cold space, and gloomy, but there was the faint sweet smell of an open fire in the air.

‘Yes,’ Ruth said. ‘Well, Pat and Dan are. Anthony’s at school today. I said he should stay home, after what had happened, but he insisted on going. I think he just wanted to keep busy, you know? Rather than just sit around and dwell on it all.’

‘That makes sense,’ Harry said. ‘If you could fetch Pat and Dan, though, that would be very helpful. But we will need to speak to your son as well, after school.’

‘You’ve not said why you’re here yet, though,’ Ruth said. ‘Or why there’s four of you.’

Harry saw the worry in Ruth’s eyes, but he didn’t want to say anything until they were all together. He hadn’t called to announce their arrival for the same reason, not with what it was they now had to discuss.

‘Please, if you could just get Pat and Dan, that would be great,’ Matt said.

Ruth left the room, confusion and worry sketching lines into her already weary face. A moment or two later, Patricia entered the room and Harry was put in mind of a sleek, grey racing yacht, shoving its way through to the front. Dan, her husband, followed after.

‘I can’t say that it’s good to see you,’ Dan said. ‘And I’ve a horrible feeling that whatever this is about, it’s certainly not going to be anything to make me change that view, is it?’

‘It’s probably best if everyone sits down,’ Matt said, and he gestured at the sofas and chairs which Harry then noticed were all pulled into a circle around a coffee table.

Patricia said nothing and immediately set about rearranging the chairs.

‘Well, come on, Dan,’ she said. ‘We can’t have them like this, can we? Not after last night!’

As Dan helped, Ruth entered the room carrying a tray of tea and biscuits, which she set down on the table.

Once Patricia had finished, Harry took a seat and the others followed his lead. Ruth poured out the drinks and passed around the biscuits.

‘Can we just get on with this, please?’ Patricia said. ‘It’s not like today isn’t bad enough already without all of this, too. Not that we know what all of this actually is.’

Dan said, ‘I’m sure that whatever the police are here about, it’s important.’

‘It is,’ Harry said. ‘And it’s about James, your father.’

At this, Harry saw three pairs of eyes all sweep around to stare at him, wide and fearful. The eyes of his officers were all sat in faces impassive and professionally expectant, because they knew why they were here and what was to come next.

‘What?’ Ruth asked. ‘What about Dad? What now? How could there be anything else?’

Harry explained then that he had spoken with the pathologist and that they had received an initial report from the fire scene investigators.

‘We know how he died and why,’ Patricia said. ‘Dad was upset, and I think that bloody séance just pushed him over the edge. God knows why we agreed to it. But he wasn’t right after it, none of us were. And he must have just