Secret Reflection (21 page)

‘God! What’s happened?’ Nancy stood at the door, her face pale with fright.

‘I don’t know. Kelly is in the passage. She’s unconscious.’ As his wife started forward he held up his hand. ‘Don’t come in … the bookcase could easily fall and there are broken bricks. Just let me go see how she is.’

Nancy nodded.

Tom disappeared behind the bookcase. There was now enough light to make out the scene.

‘Dear God!’

‘What is it?’ yelled Nancy, her voice frantic. ‘Tom? What’s happening back there?’

Tom emerged from behind the bookcase, his face drained of all colour.

‘It’s Deanna. She’s on the floor beside Kelly. I think she’s dead.’

Nancy tried to push past her husband to see, but Tom stopped her. ‘No – don’t. An ambulance is on its way but I reckon we should call the police.’ He handed her his mobile phone. ‘Can you call them while I check Kelly?’

Ashen-faced, she nodded slowly and flipped open the phone.

‘I’m Detective Inspector Mathieson, Thames Valley CID,’ the charcoal-suited man said, flashing a badge before Kelly’s eyes. ‘Can you tell me how you came to be in the passage?’

Kelly lay on a stretcher in what she assumed was a hospital emergency room. She’d come to but a moment ago to find herself surrounded by medics. Neither Tom nor Nancy were anywhere to be seen.

Kelly blinked. The inspector repeated his question.

A doctor pushed forward between her and the inspector. ‘I’m sorry, Matt, she’s got a concussion. You’d best keep your questions for later.’

‘C’mon, Helen, I’ve got a murder to solve.’

Murder!

Though she ached like she’d been run over by a truck, Kelly tried to sit upright. The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder and prevented her.

‘You shouldn’t move, you have a concussion.’

‘Is Nancy okay? Tom?’ she begged.

The doctor’s pleasant face loomed into her field of vision. ‘Your friends are fine,’ she patted Kelly’s arm, ‘they’re waiting outside. I’ll go tell them you’re awake.’ She turned to the inspector. ‘Don’t badger my patient, Matt.’

Kelly turned her head; something hammered in there, just behind her eyes. All she wanted to do was go to sleep.

‘You said murder?’ she mumbled.

‘Yes, looks that way. One Deanna Montgomery. Do you know her?’

Kelly went hot all over and for a second she felt light-headed and giddy. She had to breathe deeply before the room stopped spinning around her.

‘D–Deanna?’ She closed her eyes.
Deanna was just a teenage kid – who’d want to kill her?
‘We’ve met a couple of times. She’s a waitress at the bakery … and I think she has just started work as a housemaid at Stanthorpe House.’

He nodded. ‘Her body was found a few feet away from you in the passage behind the library. Can you tell me how that came to be?’

After taking in the full import of what the inspector just said she had to swallow back the lump that formed in her throat before she could speak. ‘I have no idea. I heard a noise and when I turned, something hit me. That is all I knew until I woke up here a few moments ago.’

‘Why were you in that passage?’

Again the room began to swim … her vision blurring at the periphery.

The inspector moved closer and pulled out a PDA.

‘Ms Reid?’ His voice became stern and clipped. ‘Can you answer my question?’

Her heart started to pound in earnest, her head too, and this man’s questions certainly weren’t helping any.

‘I was searching for something.’

‘What were you searching for?’ he asked, making a note onto his PDA.

‘A journal. It belonged to one of the former Lords Stanthorpe.’

‘Why were you searching for it? Is the journal valuable?’

‘I don’t know.’ Even in her befuddled state she knew she’d sound like a nutcase if she told him exactly why she had been skulking around in the passage. ‘I’m a journalist … I was searching for information about Stanthorpe House. Tom and Nancy asked me over to England to write a story for the hotel’s opening.’

‘What makes this journal so important that you went wandering about—’

‘Time’s up, Matt,’ the doctor cut him off as she came back into the room.

‘But I just have a couple more questions, Helen.’

The doctor shook her blonde head at him, her glasses strobing under the bright lights. ‘Not now. She needs rest. You can talk to her later.’

‘But—’

‘Later.’ Raising an eyebrow, the doctor almost dared him to argue. ‘We’ll take her up to a ward. After she’s had more tests, and some rest, I might let you talk to her again.’ To Kelly she said, ‘The orderly is going to take you upstairs to the ward. A nurse will come soon to draw blood and put in an IV. After that, your friends the Wentworths can visit with you for a few minutes but then you’ll need to rest.’ She smiled reassuringly and motioned to a big dark-skinned man who took hold of the bottom of her bed and started pulling it towards the door.

‘How’re you doing, kiddo?’ Tom asked once they’d exchanged a hug. Nancy sat alongside her, clutching her hand tight.

‘Apart from another monster headache, I think I’ll be okay. The doctor said it was just a bad concussion and a few grazes. No bones broken.’

Tom grinned. ‘I always said you were a hard-headed woman.’

She groaned and lifted a hand to her forehead. ‘Don’t make me laugh, Tom. It hurts too much.’

Nancy gave him a gentle whack on the arm.

‘Thanks, Nance,’ Kelly said. ‘I’ll pay him back when I’m feeling a bit better.’

‘So, Kel, what were you doing in there?’

She let out a weary sigh. ‘I was searching for a journal. John tells me the secret to his imprisonment should be in his cousin’s journal … Edward Ditchley’s.’

‘Edward?’ both Tom and Nancy said in unison.

‘Richard’s ancestor … who inherited after John disappeared. Look – it’s a very long story and I’m sure the nurse will come and chase you out any minute. The doctor says I’ll be stuck here for a day or two at least … can I get you to do something for me?’

Nancy squeezed her hand. ‘Of course.’

‘Two things, actually. First, in the side of my attaché case is a small red book, can you get it for me? – I’d like to read it while I’m here.’

‘Sure, I’ll bring it back first thing in the morning. And the other thing?’

‘Can you tell John what’s happened? – he’s probably beside himself with worry.’

Nancy’s eyes widened in shock. ‘But … I didn’t think you believed him. You said only yesterday that you still thought he was a hoax!’

‘Another long story – I’m still not certain, but I’m willing to keep an open mind.’
And, of course, there’s the fact that I think I’m falling in love with him
. She didn’t say
those
words aloud, it would have made them all the more real.

‘But how will we know where to find him? Nobody but you can see him.’

‘Maybe not, but if you go to my room and stand in front of the mirror … I’m fairly certain he’ll hear. Just tell him I’m in the hospital and I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

‘Okay.’ She cast her husband a dubious glance before smiling brightly at Kelly. ‘I know you had nothing to do with Deanna’s death, but do you have any idea what she was doing there?’

Kelly shook her head slowly from side to side, wincing with each movement. ‘Like I told the inspector, I heard a noise then something hit me. That was it.’

‘You know the police suspect you of Deanna’s murder, although the officer I spoke to couldn’t say any more,’ Tom said solemnly.

Even though she knew the truth her breath caught anyway.

‘I think I might know why they’d suspect me. Deanna may have been jealous that I’d had dinner with Richard. I got the impression she fancied herself in love with him. On Wednesday night, after her interview with you, I caught her in my room. She knocked me over when she ran out, telling me to go back to America. I still don’t know why she was
there although I did wonder whether she might be helping Richard orchestrate the projections.’

Tom pursed his lips. ‘Have you told the inspector any of this?’

‘Not yet. I’d only begun to explain about the journal when the doctor made him leave. I don’t think it’s prudent to mention John, though. I can’t prove anything where he is concerned and at this stage any talk about ghost hunts would only make them think I’m crazy.’

The doctor came in and smiled. ‘Hi you two. It’s very late, long past visiting hours.’

‘We were just leaving,’ Tom said as he helped his wife stand. ‘You’ll look after our Kel, won’t you, Helen?’

‘Of course. Now you’d better get out of here.’

Nancy reached over and kissed Kelly’s cheek.

‘You won’t forget about John?’ she whispered as Tom followed suit.

‘We won’t. You just rest up and we’ll come back first thing in the morning with something to read.’

Kelly squeezed Nancy’s hand.

As they left the inspector came back into the room. ‘Feeling any better, Ms Reid?’ he said by way of greeting.

‘A bit,’ she replied cautiously. She knew he was only doing his job but he made her feel very uncomfortable.

‘No questions now, Matt. Leave her to rest,’ the doctor warned.

‘All right. I just wanted to let Ms Reid know that I have placed a man outside in the hall.’

‘Why? I’m not about to run away.’

‘At this point you might be our best suspect, but if you’re innocent I can’t discount the possibility that you might also be in danger. If you’re not the killer … the real killer might think you saw something and want to make sure you can’t talk. Either way, I’ll feel better if I have an officer outside, guarding you.’

A wave of ice swamped her veins and she shivered. She hadn’t thought of that. Whoever had hit her no doubt thought he’d killed her as well. If he learned she was alive … she didn’t want to think about it. She tugged the sheet higher as if it could somehow shield her from any attempted attack.

‘I understand,’ she murmured.

The doctor ushered the inspector out then turned back to Kelly. ‘If you need anything at all, just push the button. If the headache gets worse let the nurse know immediately.’

‘I will. Thanks.’

‘Try and get some rest.’

John watched Tom and Nancy fussing about the room. He desperately wanted to ask them where Kelly had gone, but he was afraid they would run in fright and that would get him
nowhere. He figured that if he listened, they might say something about Kelly’s whereabouts sooner or later. So he was astounded when Nancy approached the mirror and looked into it as if she searched for something.

‘John?’ she said tentatively, a concerned expression on her face. ‘Are you there?’

He didn’t know what to do. A shudder coursed through him.

‘John? Please, if you’re there … I have a message from Kelly,’ Nancy said.

‘Where is she?’ he begged. ‘What happened to her?’

Nancy jumped back, straight into her husband’s arms, quivering noticeably.

‘What happened? Tell me!’ He hadn’t meant to yell but he’d been terrified since Kelly had disappeared from the passage. He had heard the commotion, but Kelly had placed the mirror down so he’d seen nothing.

Tom stepped closer to the mirror, studying it intently.

‘Please, tell me what has happened,’ John said again, more calmly this time.

‘She is in the hospital at Abingdon,’ a white-faced Tom explained. ‘Someone knocked her unconscious while she searched for a book in the passage behind the library. She said to tell you she’ll be okay, but the doctors want to keep her in a few days just to make sure.’

John sighed, his heartbeat finally slowing. She was not badly harmed. He had begun to fear the worst.

‘Did you see who hit her?’ Nancy asked hesitantly. ‘Can you tell us anything?’

‘Alas, Madam – I saw nothing. The candle extinguished then I heard a scuffle. It was not until you broke down the wall, Sir, that I could again see.’

‘Did you see Deanna?’

‘The young miss who came to the manor a few days ago? I do not believe so.’

Tom sighed. ‘Deanna’s body was found in the passage with Kelly. The police suspect Kelly of her murder.’

‘You must be jesting, Kelly could not bring harm to anyone!’

‘I wish I were,’ said Tom, still studying the mirror for some sign of the man with whom he spoke. ‘With no one else to suspect …’

‘Are you sure you saw nobody else lurking about tonight?’ Nancy asked.

‘I dearly wish I could provide a name, Madam, but alas, I cannot. I have seen not another soul this past night.’

Tom nodded. ‘We will be going to see Kelly first thing in the morning … would you like us to take her a message?’

‘Please convey my best wishes. I will keep watch, as best I can, until she returns home,’ he answered solemnly.

‘We will,’ Nancy said with a broad smile.

As they started to leave, he added, ‘And tell her she will be in my thoughts.’

Nancy gathered a small bag, a book and a few other articles as she left. John’s eyes narrowed. The book appeared vaguely familiar to him. Still, it was of no importance. He had more pressing concerns. Now they searched for a killer also … and he knew which of the searches would take precedence. He would do all he could to clear Kelly’s name, and if that
meant he must spend another twenty years in purgatory then he would do so. Gladly. And though his Maker had deserted him, he would pray for her every minute, indeed plead for her, until she returned to him.

Journal of Edward James Ditchley
,

Stanthorpe House, Oxfordshire, England
.

March 6, 1862

My Darling, vengeance is the sweetest thing. My new wife submitted, as I knew she would, even as your murderer railed against his prison. Young naïve Anne, she knew little of the ways of men, but I taught her. By debasing her, I debase him!

She claimed fear for the unborn babe when I demanded my conjugal right so I made her kneel before me and take me as a whore would. I stood before the mirror as I taught her how to please me. She sobbed so loudly she barely heard John’s shouts of protest. From the look of anguish upon her face I think perhaps she hears him and fears for her own sanity
.

That is well – they can both rot in hell. Once the child is born I can dispense with Anne as well. Perhaps the sorcerer can provide an equally appealing answer?