Cemetery Lodge: A BRAND NEW chilling suspense mystery by Hillman Paula

Author:Hillman, Paula
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thrillers & mysteries
Published: 2024-11-08T00:00:00+00:00

Ash

She is in silhouette when he first sees her. The murk of the day has been pressing heavily on his shoulders, but now he is lifted.

‘Cherie,’ he calls. ‘Fancy meeting you here. I’m starting to think you’re a serial snooper.’

She smiles and holds up her hands. ‘You’ve got me.’

Ash has so many things he wants to explain, but he’s never been good with those kinds of words. His essay writing was praised when he was a student, but no one on his course knew how many drafts he’d deleted before he was happy. He wishes he could do that now, delete the previous happenings with Cherie, the unkind words he’d used. Instead he tells her about the big funeral earlier in the week, and about his argument with Ginny Beck.

‘And she’s threatened to interview Dad again,’ he says. ‘Can you believe it?’

They walk away from the chapel, towards the lodge. He wants to ask Cherie in. He was heading back to check on Hal, but hesitates over mentioning the pilot case and equipment in his invitation. Would she think he wanted rid of it – and her?

‘I can believe anything of that woman,’ she is saying. ‘She’s got a bee in her bonnet about your dad, that’s for sure. Did you agree to her demands?’

Ash shakes his head sadly. ‘What can I do? It’s not a thing, is it, to refuse the police.’

‘It is, if you think your dad isn’t up to it.’

‘You’ve seen him, Cherie. What do you think?’

While he waits for an answer, he slides his gaze sideways. Some of her hair has escaped from the hood of her jacket and is sticking to her cheeks. She is biting her bottom lip.

‘He presents as an elderly man with nothing wrong,’ she says. ‘I’ll grant you that. But if you have a longer conversation with him, he talks on a loop, says the same things many times. That’s when you realise.’ She catches his eye. ‘Sorry if that sounds harsh.’

‘No. You have it exactly right.’ Ash pushes his hands into the pockets of his fluorescent jacket. Rain is dripping down the back of the collar. ‘I’m soaked. Do you want to come in for a drink?’ He gestures towards the lodge. ‘I’ve got a bit of time. We can talk some more.’

Cherie gives him a wry smile. ‘Go on then.’

Once they are inside, Ash hangs their coats in the porch and takes off his work boots. He wants to confide in Cherie, wants to bring up his overreaction the last time they met, but she is chattering into the space like she’s more nervous than he is. When she asks after Hal, he reminds her that his father likes to have a snooze before his midday meal, and he’ll probably be in his sitting room with the fire banked up. When Cherie comes back from checking, she is holding her finger to her lips.

‘He’s a creature of habit,’ she whispers. ‘Which is lucky for you. It’s admirable, the way you deal with him.

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