Page 182 of Love at First Fright

It took me a moment to place him. Then recognition hit like a slap.

“Shit.”

“What?” Brad rounded on me.

“That’s Father Ashworth. From St. Augustine’s in the village.” My mouth fell dry. “I met him when I went for supplies. He’s the priest.”

Brad’s frown deepened. “What the hell is he doing here?”

Father Ashworth carried a small black briefcase with him, head bowed against the rain. Harrison hefted something from the boot—a power tool, orange and black, unmistakably an electric saw. The scream of its blade sliced through my imagination.

My dread crystallised into something sharp and cold.

The trio hurried towards the entrance. Brad stepped back as they pushed through, bringing a gust of wind and rain with them.

Evelyn’s eyes widened when she saw us lingering there.

“We’d hoped you’d already be gone,” Harrison said bluntly. Water dripped from his hair onto the flagstones.

Brad’s spine straightened. “I told you, the mechanic said afternoon.”

Father Ashworth’s gaze found mine. Something calculated flickered behind the performative warmth. “Hello again, Charlie.”

My hands clenched. “What’s going on?”

Brad echoed me, sharper. “Yeah. What’s going on?”

Father Ashworth set his briefcase upright, smoothing his wet robes with a theatrical flourish. “I’m here to cleanse this house of its demons.”

Silence. Rain drummed against the windows.

Evelyn shifted her weight, guilt written across her face. “Father Ashworth reached out to us a couple of days ago. And after we spoke to him about the situation, he very generously offered to help.”

“How kind,” I said to the priest, voice flat. “I remember everything you said to me that day, about people taking advantage of vulnerable clients. Really charitable of you to give up your time like this.”

Father Ashworth’s fingers stilled on his robes. A flash of something crossed his face—irritation, maybe. I’d bet my last quid there was a hefty church donation in the Lancasters’ future.

“Please know that we’re really grateful for your efforts,” Evelyn said quickly, addressing Brad and me. “Both of you. What you apparently discovered about the basement—that might end up helping us enormously.”

My blood turned to ice. Behind me, Bat gasped.

“What… what do you mean?” The words barely left my throat.

“When you told us yesterday that the source of the house’s evil was in the basement.” Evelyn gestured vaguely towards the floor. “We passed that information to Father Ashworth. We’re here to open it so he can perform the exorcism.”

“No!” The word tore out of me.

“No!” Bat’s shout overlapped mine, inaudible to everyone but me.

“That door needs to stay sealed,” I said, not caring how deranged I sounded. “If whatever’s down there gets out, it could kill us all. You don’t understand—”

A crash erupted from upstairs. Then another. Glass shattering? Something heavy hitting the floor?

I spun towards Bat, his face the very picture of alarm.

“The library,” he said, head tilted towards the high ceiling.

Harrison lifted the electric saw. “Right. I don’t believe we’re going to find anything in that bloody basement, but let’s get this over with. You two stay here. Better yet, go wait in your car for the mechanic.”