The House on Everley Street (Death Herself Book 2) (21 page)

Epilogue

One year later

“When can Daddy come home?” Scott asked as he climbed out of the car and pushed the door shut. “He seemed a little bit today, more like he used to be.”

“The doctor says he needs to stay there for a while longer,” Sarah replied, opening the boot and pulling out grocery bags. “It's looking better than before, though. They'll start by letting him come home for day visits, maybe for weekends, and then they'll take it from there.”

“But he'll be okay in the end, won't he?” Scott continued, grabbing two of the bags and heading toward the house. “He's not going to be there forever, right?”

“No, not forever,” Sarah replied, slamming the boot once the final bag was out. “Just until he's okay again.”

“Do you really think he'll get better?” Katie asked, with a hint of fear in her voice. “Every time we go and see him, Scott says he thinks he seems better, but I don't think he's right. I don't think he seems different at all.”

“The truth is somewhere in the middle,” Sarah told her. “He's getting better slowly, but he might never be completely well. It's just a matter of taking small steps each day and hoping that eventually...” She paused for a moment, seeing the concern in her daughter's eyes. “Whatever happens, it'll be okay. Your father has problems, they went undiagnosed for years, but they've been recognized now and you might not see it, but he's making real progress.”

Katie frowned.

“Now take these bags inside,” Sarah continued, “and I'll start thinking about dinner.”

As Katie headed into the house, Sarah leaned into the car and grabbed her bag. As she locked the doors and prepared to go inside, however, she heard footsteps getting closer, and she turned to see a smart, twenty-something guy approaching. Well-dressed and with a kind smile, the guy seemed a little hesitant.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Sarah Myers?”

If you're a journalist,” she replied, instantly becoming defensive, “I really don't think I can help you. My husband's health is a private matter -”

“I'm not a journalist,” he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender, “I promise. I'm not here to dig into his personal details, I'm a researcher.”

“I'm still not sure I can help you,” she continued, glancing at the house to make sure the children were inside, before turning back to him. Over the past year, she'd dealt with scores of journalists, and they never quite seemed to give up digging into the story. “We're dealing with things privately.”

“My name is Daniel,” the guy told her as they shook hands. “I was very sorry to hear about what happened to your husband, I hope your children are okay.”

“They're just fine,” she said cautiously.

“And you? The whole experience must have been extremely harrowing.”

“I'm fine too.”

“That's great.” He paused, as if he was a little nervous about continuing. “I'm actually here to ask you about Hannah.”

“Hannah?” Pausing, Sarah felt relieved and uneasy at the same time. In all the drama surrounding the events a year ago, the presence of Hannah had been one thing she'd kept very much to herself. After all, she had no idea how to answer the inevitable awkward questions. “Listen, I really have no -”

“I know you know who I mean,” he added, interrupting her.

She paused again. “What did you say you were researching again?”

“I guess you could say I'm researching Hannah herself,” he continued. “I'm sure I don't need to tell you that she's... elusive. Something of an enigma.”

“I really don't think I can help you...”

“I think you can,” he replied, before smiling. “I'm sorry, that must have come across wrong, but... The truth is, I've been researching Hannah for a while now. Digging into the story, following leads, tracking down people who might have come across her. It's not easy, people tend to not talk about her much, some people even seem to doubt she exists, but I
know
she does.” He paused. “I also know she was involved in what happened with your husband last year.”

“I haven't seen her since then.”

“I know that too. She's not exactly famous for sticking around. She never has been.”

“I don't know anything about her,” Sarah continued. “Not really. I don't know how to get in touch with her, if that's what you want. Hell, I don't even know her surname or where she comes from.”

“I figured. Everyone basically says the same thing. She turns up like a whirlwind, she does whatever she needs to do, and then she gets out of town real fast.”

“So you understand that I can't help you?” she replied. “There's literally nothing more than I can tell you.”

He paused for a moment, before nodding. “Okay,” he said finally. “Okay, I get that. To be honest, I'm kind of used to people saying things like that. I guess Hannah isn't the kind of person who stops to chat about herself much.”

“She definitely isn't,” Sarah replied. “Listen, I don't mean to be rude, but I have to get inside and make dinner for my kids. I wish you well, I really do, and I'm sorry I can't help you, but... Good luck.”

“Thanks,” he said, taking a step back. “I've got a feeling I'm going to need it.”

“And if you happen to bump into her some time,” Sarah continued, “could you give her a message for me? Could you tell her... Thanks. Just thank her for me again, okay?”

“Will do.”

“She really helped my family,” Sarah added. “Tell her John really appreciated the copy of his mother's novel, too. I think it really helped him and...” She paused, realizing she'd probably said too much. “Well, I hope you track her down eventually.”

Turning, she headed along the driveway. The sudden appearance of some guy asking about Hannah seemed a little odd, and his questions had reignited some thoughts she'd managed to avoid for the best part of a year. Reaching out to grab the door handle, she couldn't help but wonder who Hannah had really been, and where she was now.

“Mrs. Myers?”

Turning, she saw that Daniel had followed her and was now standing just a few feet away, still smiling.

“I'm sorry,” she told him, feeling a little unnerved, “like I said, I can't -”

“I know what you said,” he replied, interrupting her as his smile began to fade, “but the thing is, I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist.”

She froze for a moment. “Listen -”

Before she could finish, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back, before pushing her forward again and sending her crashing through the window next to the door. Landing hard on the hallway floor, her skin torn by broken glass and with more pieces falling all around her, she let out a gasp as she tried to get up, only to find that the impact had broken or fractured her hip.

“Mummy?” Katie shouted, as she and Scott raced through from the kitchen.

“Run!” Sarah screamed, as she heard the door being broken down. “Get help!” Turning, she saw Daniel stepping calmly into the hallway, and after a moment he reached down, grabbed her by the collar, and hauled her up until their faces were just inches apart.

“Like I said,” he said firmly, as his pupils expanded to reveal a hint of speckled red and yellow coloring in the center, “I really must
insist
that you tell me everything you know about Hannah.”

BOOKS IN THE DEATH HERSELF SERIES

#1 – Alice Isn't Well

#2 – The House on Everley Street

#3 – Harper's Hotel Ghost Girl (coming soon)

OTHER BOOKS

BY AMY CROSS INCLUDE

Horror

3AM

The Farm

The Scream

Tenderling

The Haunting of Emily Stone

The Girl Clay

The Prison

Asylum

American Coven

The Night Girl

Devil's Briar

Ward Z

Ward Z: Revelation

The Last Priest

The Devil's Photographer

Fantasy / Horror

Dark Season series 1, 2 & 3

The Hollow Church (Abby Hart 1)

Vampire Asylum (Abby Hart 2)

Dead Souls volumes 1, 2 & 3

Lupine Howl series 1 to 4

Grave Girl

Graver Girl (Grave Girl 2)

Ghosts

The Library

Journey to the Library (The Library Saga 2)

The Ghosts of London

The Werewolf's Curse

Thriller

Ophelia

The Dead City (Ophelia 2)

Fallen Heroes (Ophelia 3)

The Girl Who Never Came Back

The Dead and the Dying (Joanna Mason 1)

The House of Broken Backs (Joanna Mason 2)

The Pornographer's Wife

Dystopia / Science Fiction

The Shades

Mass Extinction Event series 1 to 4

Also by Amy Cross

THE GIRL CLAY

Ten years ago, a scared little girl was supposed to lead a doomsday cult to a new level of spiritual awakening. Today, that same little girl is on the run, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of a vengeful minor deity.
Rebecca 'Clay' Layton knows that one day the past will catch up to her. Ever since her mother took her to live with the Cult of Attaroth, something has been different about Clay: not only does she have a striking ability to communicate with the dead, but she has also drawn the attention of a dangerous, unstable entity that wants to use her as his instrument.
Attaroth is both a god and a demon, all rolled into one. He has Clay in his sights, and he's determined to draw her back into his game. When he forces her to travel to the remote town of Silverglade, however, it becomes clear that Attaroth's plans are far darker than anyone could ever have expected. After ten years, a horrific prophecy is about to be put to the test, and Clay's blood is required.
The Girl Clay
is the story of a little girl who was pushed too far, and a woman who finally has to stop running and face the demon from her childhood.

Also by Amy Cross

ASYLUM

After killing her younger brother, Annie Radford is sent to Lakehurst Psychiatric Hospital. But Lakehurst hides some dark secrets. Patients are regularly subjected to 'special treatment' in the basement, while the cruel Nurse Winter rules the hospital with an iron fist.

As Annie struggles to retain her sense of identity, she finds herself being drawn deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Lakehurst. Suffering under the horrific conditions imposed on her at Lakehurst, Annie starts to doubt her own sanity, especially when she once again starts to hear the voices that plagued her when she was younger.

Who is the strange old man in the attic? What does Jerry keep in a jar in the basement, and why is he so keen to continue with his macabre and vicious experiments? Where did the husks come from? And how is this all linked to mysterious radio signals being monitored in a forest hundreds of miles away?

Also by Amy Cross

THE PRISON

One hundred years ago, a horrific mass murder resulted in the permanent closure of Hardstone Women's Prison. Now the prison is being re-opened, but as a new generation of prisoners arrive to fill the cells, something evil is waiting in the shadows.
Amanda Weir doesn't remember killing her children. All she knows is that she woke up with their bloody bodies in her arms. Sentenced to life in prison, she arrives at Hardstone and tries to adjust to her new life. All she wants is to forget her old self, and to find some way to live with what she did. After all, there's no way she could be innocent...
There's something else at Hardstone, however. Something lost and alone, something angry. The ghost of a little girl has been spotted several times, and the prisoners have learned a valuable lesson: whenever the ghost is seen, anyone who looks into its eyes will be dead within a matter of days. But what does the ghost want, and exactly how far has its influence spread in the lives of the prisoners?

Also by Amy Cross

THE NIGHT GIRL

When she starts her new job as a night shift assistant, Juliet Collier has no idea that she's about to meet a mysterious entity that lurks in an abandoned part of the building.

Soon, Juliet finds herself granted a gift that means she can kill indiscriminately, and apparently without consequences. Meanwhile, eleven years earlier, a young Juliet makes a terrible mistake that sets her on a dark course.

The Night Girl
is the story of a girl whose decisions lead her to a devastating end-point, as she struggles to reconcile the voices in her head with the reality in front of her eyes.