Page 135 of Serenity Falls

‘No, we looked everywhere.’

The noise came again. Milo stood, listening. Another thud. He walked over to the bookcase. ‘Sounded like it came from over here.’

‘Maybe it’s an animal or a rat in the walls.’

‘Maybe.’

‘Forget it. We should go.’

But Milo remained hovering by the bookcase. He ran his hands over the books. I could tell, just from his stance, that he was frowning. He turned. ‘None of these are real.’

‘What?’

‘The books. They’re just spines, stuck in. It’s fake.’

I rose and walked over, running my hand over the books. He was right. They were just dressing.

‘But why?’

I looked back at the room, and I realized something else. There was no fireplace. Outside, there was a chimney, but there was no fireplace in here. That’s when it came to me. The thing that had been scratching at my brain. When I was small, I remembered going to Winsom Wonderland. What kid didn’t? One of the attractions was a walk-through wooded area with a creepy ‘Witch’s Cottage’. The cottage was ramshackle, crawling with ivy and creepers, camouflaged among the trees. Tiles were missing from the roof; a window was broken. Inside was a dusty, cobwebby living area. Just like this.

‘It’s all fake,’ I muttered.

‘What?’

‘This room, this cabin. It’s all fake. Like a set.’

Milo looked back at the bookcase. ‘In which case, all good fake bookcases should have a hidden room behind.’

He started to pull at the book spines. I was about to tell him to leave it when one moved. He pulled harder. The book slid out, there was a low, grinding sound, and a section of the bookcase slid open.

‘Shit,’ I whispered.

Milo grinned, like he’d known it was there all along. ‘Abracadabra.’

And then we both jumped as something black and white scuttled across the floor and out through the broken window. I managed to hold back a shriek. Just a ’coon.

Milo laughed nervously. ‘Guess we know who was making the noise. Must have got trapped.’

A pause. We looked at each other.

‘So,’ he said. ‘Want to see what else is inside?’

Before I could reply, he ducked through the secret door into the darkened room beyond.

‘We need the flashlights—’ I called after him … and then I heard a click and the room flooded with light. Electricity. This place had electricity. After all these years.

‘Are you coming?’ Milo called.

I stood outside the door, feeling that this was a bad idea, a very bad idea … and then, of course, I followed him.

38

Lori’s house is a smart town house not far from Main Street. It’s white, with a balcony and a palm tree out front. Number 15 is engraved on a metal sign by the shiny black door. A new Mini Cooper is pulled up by the kerb. There’s a space a couple of cars behind it, so I edge in the big yellow SUV and stick it in park.

I feel nervous. My hands are sweating, and I realize I am breaking one of my most British rules – turning up unannounced. I climb out of the car and walk up to the front door. Then I take a breath and press the bell.

It seems an eternity until I hear a buzz and Lori’s voice comes through the door cam. ‘Dan! What a surprise. Hang on. I’ll just come downstairs.’