Phantom of the Hastings Caves: chapters 14 and 15

Chapter 14   The keycutter on the hill

“They’ve taken everything, Jack,” Jack’s dad said as he washed the dishes after their evening meal.

“No, they haven’t, Dad. They didn’t take Mum’s jewellery or our photos.”

“That’s true. Yes, that’s something to be thankful for. It’s a pity about the laptop, though. They took Joy’s as well. And her TV.”

“I know. ... Dad, I suppose they wouldn’t want cheap jewellery, would they?”

“Probably not. They’d go for the expensive stuff. Anyway, as Mum’s jewellery is under your pillow, they wouldn’t have found it.”

“How did you know it was under my pillow?”

“Because I change your bed every week. I’ve been doing it since Mum died.”

“Oh, yes. I forgot that.”

“Right, let’s go and put a bolt on Joy’s door. I bought an extra one when I was buying ours.”

“OK, let’s go there now.”

They went next door and rang the bell.

Madeleine answered the door to them.

She looked at the bolt in Jack’s dad’s hand and the toolbag Jack was holding.

“That’s a good idea,” she said. “But it won’t stop the thieves coming back when we’re not in.”

“No, but at least they won’t be able to use their keys when you are in,” said Jack’s dad. “Joy could have been seriously injured.”

“I know. But how did they get copies of your keys and ours?”

“That’s what the police were asking. Jack reckons it was the keycutter on the hill. She took our phone numbers, remember. She said it was so she could phone us when the keys were ready.”

“Yes, that was weird. I suppose there’s a way of getting people’s addresses if you have their name and phone number.”

“Yes, that’s what some of the takeaway restaurants do when you ask them to deliver your meal,” said Steve, who had come into the hall behind Madeleine. “They just type your name and the number you’re calling from into their computer, and then your address comes up. That’s how they know you’re not a hoax caller.”

“OK, let’s get this bolt fixed,” said Jack’s dad. “And then as soon as Joy’s got some spare money, it would be a good idea to get the locks changed.”

“I’m going to the hill to see if I can find out more about that keycutter,” said Steve.

“I’ll go with you,” said Madeleine. “We could go and see Dave in the caves as well. He’s been behaving really weirdly the last few days. I’m a bit worried about him.”

Chapter 15   I can’t get that girl out of my mind

Dave’s bedroom was warm and cosy. Dave could hear the music his dad was listening to downstairs. It was the Eagles singing Hotel California. It was one of his dad’s old favourites.

The song faded out. There was silence for a while. Then Dave heard another of his dad’s favourites starting up: Brown Sugar. His dad had been a Rolling Stones fan when he was young. He still played his vinyl records on his old record player.

Dave thought about the girl in the caves. She would be alone and lonely, deep down in a cavern, looking for something or someone or maybe hiding from something or someone.

Dave’s dad was still listening to Brown Sugar. If Molly had been at home, she would have danced around the kitchen to it. But she was at Joy’s house.

Dave’s dad had been really excited a few months before when the local newspaper had reported that the Rolling Stones had played in the caves in 1963. Dave supposed the gig would have taken place in the chapel or maybe the ballroom where the souvenir shop was now.

He wondered if the girl was wandering around the chapel now. She was probably still shivering. Maybe she was wearing his jumper.

Her voice haunted him. He walked up and down his warm bedroom. In his mind, he could hear her reciting the Smuggler’s Song in her gentle accent. He wished she could be in a warm room.

He’d felt annoyed when she had pretended she wasn’t there. She couldn’t have done that to a sighted person. But now all he could think of was that she was cold and frightened and alone.

He knew he wouldn’t sleep that night. He would lie awake, thinking of her trembling, cowering somewhere in the caves.

He decided he had to go and find her. He could make her some tea in the staffroom. And he could show her where the fan heater was.

But he knew his dad wouldn’t give him the keys to the caves at night.

Dave took his mobile out of his pocket and phoned Jack.

“Dave!” said Jack. “Are you all right?”

“Yes. I’m OK.”

“Do you know what time it is? I was asleep.”

Dave felt his watch.

“11.15,” he said. “Sorry. I didn’t realize it was that late.”

“Aren’t you tired, mate?”

“No. I haven’t taken my tablet.”

“What tablet?”

“Oh, it’s a tablet they often give blind people. It helps our brains to know it’s night time. When you haven’t got eyes, it can be hard for your brain to accept that it’s night time, and that messes up your sleep. But now they’re saying maybe we shouldn’t take them. They say they’re addictive.”

Jack sat up in bed and yawned.

“Jack? Are you still there?”

“Yes, I’m here. I’m just waking up from a nice, cosy sleep. OK, why haven’t you taken your tablet?”

“Because I’m worried about that girl.”

“What girl?”

“You know, the one who grabbed my arm and went with me to the caves.”

“Oh, the ghost.”

“She’s not a ghost. Ghosts don’t change their clothes.”

“How do you know ghosts don’t change their clothes?”

“OK, well, maybe they do, I mean, if you believe in ghosts. But she’s a real girl.”

“Dave ... she was almost see-through. Transparent.”

“Was she? You mean that day on the hill?”

“Yes, she was weird. And people don’t dress like that. She was wearing a pair of strange white trousers and a kind of folksy old top. They were the kind of clothes a farm worker would have worn hundreds of years ago.”

“Come on, Jack, you don’t believe in ghosts, do you?”

“I haven’t thought about it much. Dave, take your tablet. Get a good night’s sleep.”

“No, I can’t get into a warm bed and know that she’s there in the caves all cold and hungry.”

“Hungry?”

“Well, she must be hungry.”

“Ghosts don’t get hungry. Sorry, OK, what do you want, Dave?”

“I want to go down the passageway from your cellar and get into the caves. I want to make her a hot drink.”

“You mean now? Right now?”

“Yes. If you lend me the key to your cellar, I’ll go through your passageway to the caves.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“Oh, that would be cool. These things are always easier with a sighted person.”

“What things? Ghost hunting?”

“You know. … Finding a person.”

“Finding a person who doesn’t want to be found.”

“Jack, please...”

“OK. Come to my front door. Don’t ring the bell. Dad’s asleep. And he’s got a long day ahead of him at work tomorrow.”

Copyright text © 2013 Fiona Cullen

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 9781492309604