Brenda sneaked a glance at Holly and leaned closer to me, so close I could smell the cigarettes on her breath.
‘This seems exactly the sort of thing someone should make a film about, don’t you agree? Mysterious deaths at the caves.’
‘Deathsplural?’
To my surprise, Brenda looked like she was about to burst into tears. She had a cross on a chain around her neck and she clutched it in her fist.
‘Patrick, come on,’ Holly said.
She seemed nervous. I had no idea what was going on. ButI was growing more intrigued with every passing second. Was Samir not the first person to die at these caves?
‘Who would I talk to?’ I asked Brenda. ‘If I wanted to find out more about the investigation? You said the police interviewed everyone? Is there a local station?’
‘I told you,’ said Holly, ‘there aren’t any cops here.’ She sounded irritated now. Exasperated that I still wasn’t leaving.
‘There is one, actually,’ Brenda said. ‘Susan Williams. She’s based in Inverness– that’s the nearest station– but she lives here. She’s the person you’d want to talk to.’
Holly made an impatient gesture and headed towards the door. But when I tried to follow Brenda caught my arm.
She had her back to Holly and she leaned in close.
‘How much do you know about them?’ she whispered.
‘Pardon?’
‘The Grants. This your first time meeting them?’
Holly was over by the door, waiting for me, a puzzled expression on her face. I confirmed that it was the first time I’d met the Grants.
‘And Holly has never told you what happened here? When they were kids?’
I could tell she wanted to tell me, whatever it was, but Holly looked like she was about to come over again.
‘You seem normal,’ Brenda said before I moved to join my girlfriend. ‘Be careful. Especially withhim. Charles Grant.’ She narrowed her eyes and a look of pure disgust crossed her face. ‘That lot buying a home here was the worst thing that ever happened to this place.’
I stared at her, and her expression changed. ‘You have a good night, though.’
Outside, I said to Holly, ‘What was she talking about? Something about someone else who died at these caves?’
‘Oh God. We’ve been here five minutes and she’s already—’ She broke off. ‘I can’t do this now, Patrick. Another time, I promise.’
She walked to the car and I waited a moment before joining her. A boy who had appeared out of nowhere before being found dead? Another death at the same place? Nobody willing to talk about it?
I thought about what Brenda had said.Holly has never told you what happened here when they were kids?
She hadn’t, and now was not the time to press, but I could almost picture it already. The opening credits, the camera panning across the frozen landscape, settling on the entrance to these caves. A voiceover, setting the scene…
Samir’s death on its own might not be enough for a whole documentary. But there was definitely a story here.
Was it, though, a story that involved my girlfriend’s family?
6
There was a blue Mercedes E-Class parked outside the Grants’ house, and as soon as we got out of our rental, the front door opened and a tall, skinny guy emerged, triggering the security lights. Watson ran out with him, jumping up excitedly.
‘There she is,’ Lewis said, and he and Holly embraced, briefly but warmly, and he grinned at me, revealing a set of teeth that were so white they must have been veneers.
‘Welcome to the edge of the world,’ he said to me. ‘Or is it the end?’
