November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries) Book 1 (11 page)

“‘
Telephone?’ he breathed and again I recoiled at the stench of
his foul and rancid breath. ‘Can’t just bury my dog in the
cemetery; need permission from local council.’

“
As he spoke, I got a flash of his teeth, and they were nothing
more than brown festering stumps. I made a gaging noise and covered
my nose and mouth with my hand. He didn’t seem to be bothered by my
look of revulsion. It was a reaction I guessed he had come
accustomed to. Any pity I had once felt for him was now gone. I
just wanted him away from me and out of my house.

“
I pointed to the telephone that sat on the work surface on the
other side of the kitchen. ‘Make your call, then take your dog and
leave me alone.’

“
The man turned and hobbled back across the kitchen, leaving a
trail of muddy boot prints over the tiled floor. He picked up the
copy of the Yellow Pages that sat beside the phone and thumbed
through it with his grubby hands. Once he had found the number he
was looking for, he punched it into the phone with one black thumb.
I cowered in the corner of the kitchen and watched him raise the
phone to the side of his face. Stooping forward and with his back
to me, he spoke into the phone. I couldn’t make out one single word
of the conversation, as once again he spoke in that low, muffled
voice. After what seemed like an eternity, he placed the phone down
and turned to look at me once more.

‘“
I come back tomorrow night for the dog,’ he mumbled at
me.

‘“
Tomorrow night?’ I gasped. ‘No, that isn’t soon enough. You
take the dog now.’ I just wanted to be rid of this man.

‘“
They need time to dig grave,’ he said, sounding as if he were
gargling on a throat full of gravel. ‘I come back tomorrow
night.’

“
I glanced sideways out of the window and into the garden. The
dog was still hidden from view. What would another night matter?
Could I really expect this homeless guy to wander the streets with
his dead dog until the council had made preparations up at the pet
cemetery? I looked back at the man. If he had to come back
tomorrow, I would make sure Ethan was with me. I would feel safer
with him at my side.

‘“
You come back tomorrow night and take your dog or I’ll bury it
myself. I just want this over with,’ I warned him. ‘Now please
leave, my husband is due home at any moment.’

“
Hearing this, the man grunted, then shuffled back toward the
kitchen door. He opened it and stepped outside. I leapt across the
kitchen and wasted no time in locking it shut behind him. From the
safety of my kitchen, I watched the man head around the side of my
house. I raced to the living room windows and watched him hobble
away down the front garden, up the street, and out of sight. Once I
was sure he had gone, I went back to the kitchen and plucked up the
phone. I needed to hear Ethan’s voice. I needed his reassurance
that everything was going to be okay and that he would be back
soon. Then, as I looked down at the phone, a sudden thought
occurred to me. With my finger poised over the redial button, I
felt my stomach knot. I pressed the button, bringing the phone up
to my ear. I could hear the sound of a dial tone, then a click on
the line as the phone connected. But instead of the receptionist at
the council offices answering the phone, I heard the artificial and
robotic voice of the talking clock. With my heart thrumming in my
chest, I knew the strange man had only pretended to call the
council to make arrangements to bury his dog. So why then hadn’t he
taken his dead dog and why was he coming back tomorrow
night?

“
With my legs feeling weak at the knees, I cut off the voice of
the talking clock, and dialled Ethan’s number. He answered almost
at once.

‘“
Hey, Wendy, is everything okay? I’ve been trying to call you,
but the line has been engaged. I think your mobile must be switched
off too,’ he said.

“
I plucked my phone from my jeans pocket and could see that the
battery was dead – as dead as the dog outside in my garden. It was
with thoughts of that dog racing around in my mind that I couldn’t
hold back the tears that had been threatening ever since I had
discovered that man in my kitchen.

“‘
Hey, sweetheart,’ Ethan said down the phone, his voice now
brimming with concern. ‘What’s happened? Is everything all
right?’

“
Through my tears and running nose, I told Ethan everything
that had happened since he had left for work earlier that day. I
explained how the man had come back, then had come uninvited into
my house, then had pretended to ring the council to make
arrangements to bury his dog. ‘Please hurry home,’ I whispered into
the phone, just wanting to be held by him. ‘I’m scared,
Ethan.’

“
There was a long silence.

“‘
Ethan, are you still there?’

“‘
Wendy, I can’t come home, not right now, not until tomorrow
evening,’ he finally said.

“‘
What?’ I gasped. ‘You have to.’

“‘
The job for that client I told you about has turned into a
bloody nightmare,’ he started to explain. ‘That’s why I’ve been
trying to call you. I’ve had to drive to Birmingham…’

“‘
Birmingham? But that’s hundreds of miles away,’ I breathed in
horror.

‘
You’ve got to believe me, there was nothing I could do about
it,’ he said. ‘The client’s whole computer system has crashed. I’ve
got to go to their head office to reboot it. I’ll be back tomorrow
night, before this guy comes back, I promise.’

‘“
But what about tonight?’ I said, feeling suddenly angry and
let down by him. ‘What if he comes back tonight?’

“‘
Why would he?’ Ethan asked. ‘He said he would be back tomorrow
night.’

‘“
That man said he had phoned the council and that was a lie,’ I
reminded him. ‘I don’t ever want to see him again. He freaks me
out. I don’t think he cares about the dog. I think it was him who
killed the dog and left it in the garden.’

‘“
Why would he kill his own dog?’ Ethan asked.

‘“
To get close to me,’ I whispered, fearing that I was sounding
paranoid. But I couldn’t help how I felt. ‘He scares me, Ethan. I
don’t want to be here on my own with him hanging about.’

“
There was another pause, then Ethan said, ‘I have an
idea.’

‘“
What?’ I asked.

‘“
Pack a small case and book yourself into a motel further along
the coast. Book a room for a few nights. When I get back tomorrow
evening, I’ll be waiting for this man. I’ll make sure he takes his
bloody dog away. He won’t scare me so easily. Then, once he and his
dog have gone, I’ll come and join you. We could spend a couple of
days together… you know, have some fun. It will help you take your
mind off things. And when you get back home with a clear head,
you’ll be able to put this all behind you and forget that man ever
existed. What do you say? Does it sound like a plan?”’

‘“
Yes,’ I whispered into the phone. What Ethan had suggested
made sense, but I still wished he was with me.

‘“
So go pack some stuff together, and when you have the address
of where you’re staying, text it to me and I’ll meet you there once
I’ve sorted out this guy and his dead dog.’

‘“
Okay,’ I said, wiping the last of my tears away. I was
starting to feel a little better, knowing that I would never have
to see that man again once Ethan had dealt with him. Before hanging
up the phone, I added, ‘I love you, Ethan.’

“‘
I love you more,’ he whispered back, then the line went
dead.

“
So taking Ethan’s advice, I hurriedly packed a case and drove
along the coast to here, Havensfield, arriving yesterday evening. I
booked into the motel and as promised I text Ethan the address. I
then took a walk along the shore and made my way into town where I
bought myself a cup of tea. But once away from home, all those
feelings of fear and dread came rushing out of me. Although I now
felt safe, I feared for Ethan. He is kind and gentle and would do
anything for me. He would be no match for the giant of a man who
had scared me so much. It was then as I sat and sobbed that you
kindly came over and spoke to me,” Wendy said looking at
Kale.

“
I’m so glad I did now,” Kale said.

“
Once back at my motel, I kept looking down at the card you had
given me. You told me that you were a police officer, and I
couldn’t help but wonder if Ethan had been wrong in his reluctance
in calling the police after we had discovered the dead dog in the
garden. Fearing for what Ethan might find when he returns to my
house tonight I knew that nothing could be lost by speaking
discreetly to you and asking for your advice. That is why I have
come here this morning,” Wendy said, staring back at both of
us.

“
And I’m so glad you did,” I said, pouring her a cup of fresh
tea from the pot. “Not only is it the most interesting story I have
ever heard, you have done the right thing by taking your
boyfriend’s advice and fleeing your home.”

“
Do you think this man wants to harm me?” Wendy asked, her eyes
growing wider.

“
I think the harm has already been done,” I said, getting up
from my chair and standing by the window. I looked out at the
overcast sky. It was still raining.

“
What do you mean?” Wendy asked. The tremor was back in her
voice.

Ignoring
Wendy’s question, I turned to face her. Kale was staring at me as I
stood with my back to the window. “I have three questions I would
like to ask you,” I told her.

“
What are the three questions?” she asked back.

“
Apart from your boyfriend, who else have you told about the
plans you have to make improvements to your home?” I
asked.

“
No one,” she said with a frown.

“
What was the weather like the day that this stranger first
came to your home?” I said.

“
It was just like today, overcast and wet,” Wendy
said.

“
And my last question. Other than you, who else has seen this
strange man that has scared you so much?” I asked her.

“
Only I have met him,” she said, looking at me. Then, putting
down her cup, she got to her feet. “I haven’t imagined this man, if
that is what you are implying. I know that I am a writer and have a
vivid imagination, but everything I have told you is true. This man
really does exist.”

“
And that is what I fear,” I said, matching her
stare.

“
What do you mean?” she asked.

Ignoring
another of her questions, I said, “What is the address of your
motel?”

She told
me and Kale wrote it down in a notebook he pulled from his coat
pocket. “Go back to the motel and get some rest, as I believe we
will all have a very long and dangerous night ahead of
us.”

“
Why, what is happening tonight?” Wendy asked, looking at Kale
then back at me for answers.

“
We are going back to Little Choke to confront this stranger
who has scared you,” I said. “We will come and collect you tonight.
You will follow us back in your car. But you must not tell anyone
of our plan, not even Ethan if you care for his safety. Do you
understand?”

“
Yes,” Wendy said with a nod of her head.

“
We will see you at six tonight,” I said. “And do not worry.
This stranger will no longer trouble you after tonight. That I can
promise you.”

Wendy
picked up the small case she had brought with her, and I ushered
her back down the stairs and out of the front door. She stepped out
into the rain. I closed the front door and headed back up the
stairs to my rooms.

“
I told you it would be a great mystery, didn’t I?” Kale said,
his blue eyes bright and keen. “Have you ever heard anything so
strange?”

“
It is certainly that,” I said.

“
So what do you think, November?” Kale beamed with his boyish
grin. “I have my own theories, but I want to hear yours
first.”

“
Let me show you something,” I said, heading across the poky
room to the far wall where a pile of newspapers rested. Thumbing
through the pile, I pulled one out. It was tinged yellow and the
corners of the pages were curled up. I opened the newspaper and
pointed to a column of print.

“
What’s that?” Kale frowned.

“
Read it,” I smiled.

“
I’m going to sit quietly in my chair by the window and listen
to my iPod,” I said, heading back across the room.

“
What’s the newspaper cutting about?” Kale asked.

“
It tells the story of Veronica Straw, who went missing several
years ago,” I smiled, closing my eyes and switching on my
iPod.

Once
Kale and I had discussed and agreed on a plan of action, I
telephoned Sergeant Black. There was no answer. We didn’t have time
to wait for him to switch his phone back on, so I left a message on
his answerphone. We then set off to meet with Wendy Creswell as
earlier planned.

She was
waiting in the lobby of the motel. Once she had placed her case in
the boot of her car, we set off into the night, with Wendy
following behind. I had told that on the outskirts of the village
of Little Choke she was to overtake us, make her way to the pet
cemetery. I sat beside Kale as he drove along the coastal roads in
the direction of Little Choke. The earlier rain clouds had cleared
and the sky was now bright with moonlight. Kale and I spoke very
little, as both of us considered the course of action we had
planned. After Kale had read the newspaper article I’d given him, I
explained my theory. Together we sat in the fading light as rain
spattered the window by my chair. Kale put ideas forward for the
plan and I agreed. I liked Kale. He was fun to work with and his
enthusiasm for discovering the truth was as great as mine. We both
approached the mysteries we came across from different angles, but
we always met somewhere in the middle. He could be cocky at times,
but we made a good team and I trusted him.