The Shadow House(78)

‘What?’

‘I won’t be long. And I’ll have my phone on me. Please?’

Kit stared at me. And then, almost as if she knew exactly what I needed from her, Kara lifted her head from my shoulder, yawned and reached for him. ‘Oh,’ he said, hesitantly reaching back. ‘O-kay.’

I passed her to him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling into him. I smiled. My little teammate.

Kit patted her uncertainly on the back. ‘Um,’ he said. ‘Alright. Yep. This is fine.’

‘Thank you,’ I said. ‘Everything you need is down at my place. There are bottles next to the sink and a tin of formula in the kitchen, the instructions are on the back. Change her nappy, feed her, burp her, then put her straight down in her cot. She needs her bunny and a nightlight, and white noise helps. If she cries, give her a pat. I’ll be back before you know it.’

I kissed my daughter and squeezed Kit’s arm. In any other context, the look on his face would’ve been funny.

‘Don’t worry,’ I told him. ‘You’ve got this.’





RENEE





36


‘This way, Oliver, hurry.’

‘Where are we going?’

‘Somewhere safe.’

‘But where?’

‘Come on, we have to move.’

Renee slowed down, reminding herself that while she knew the path like the back of her hand, poor Oliver had no idea. At least they’d taken the easier path through the break in the trees near the greenhouses; the forest path was technically shorter, but the terrain was much trickier. This way, they’d be at the house in no time.

‘Come on.’ She reached back for his hand – but Oliver was dragging his feet.

‘Mum keeps calling,’ he said, holding up his phone.

‘Don’t worry about your mum. She knows you’re with me.’

‘I’m not worried about her,’ Oliver mumbled, shoving his phone back in his pocket. ‘She’s obviously not worried about me. She doesn’t believe me. She didn’t even listen.’

‘Now, that’s not true. Your mum and Layla, it’s not their fault they don’t understand; they’ve never seen things like this. But I have, and I know what to do.’

As the paddock opened up and the farmhouse emerged from behind the trees, Renee’s heart rate picked up. Home, she thought automatically.

‘What about Violet?’ said Oliver. ‘Maybe we should bring her with us? She got the boxes, she’s in danger too, right?’

‘She’s already up there,’ Renee said without even thinking. ‘She said she’d meet us.’

‘Really? She never told me—’

‘All the kids know to come up here,’ she lied. ‘To hide, I mean. If something happens. This is the safest place. She probably assumed you already knew.’

Ollie was quiet. ‘I’ll call her,’ he said at last. And then: ‘Shit.’

‘What?’ Renee turned to see Ollie staring in horror at his phone.

‘It’s dead,’ he said. ‘The battery, it’s gone. I can’t call her, I can’t call anyone. I have to go get a …’

He trailed off as somewhere in the distance, somebody screamed. ‘What was that?’

Renee slowed right down. ‘Just the party,’ she murmured. But they both knew the scream hadn’t come from the direction of the village.

They locked eyes.

‘Let’s go,’ she said. ‘Quickly.’


Renee held the front door open, ushered Oliver inside then shoved it closed with her hip. When she was sure the latch had clicked into place, she went straight to the cupboard by the bathroom where she kept the cleaning products. Reaching for the top shelf, she felt for the lantern and pressed the switch. Warm yellow light flooded the hallway.

‘Ah, that’s better,’ she said, feeling pleased that she’d thought to replace the batteries.

Oliver hung back by the front door, staring uneasily at the farm tools on the wall. ‘Do you have a phone charger?’

Renee didn’t answer.

‘I think we should go back down and find my mum,’ he said. ‘She might be worried after all.’

‘It’s alright.’ Renee held the lantern out in front of her and gave him her warmest smile. ‘I’m sure she’ll realise where you are in due course.’ Hurrying to Gabriel’s room, she began removing the dustsheets. Then she tested the window, checking it was firmly locked.

Oliver watched her from the doorway, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans.

When the room was ready, she beckoned him inside. ‘Do try to make yourself comfortable,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry there are no blankets, but it’s a warm night so I guess you wouldn’t need them anyway. And you won’t be here for long.’

Oliver shuffled forward uncertainly. ‘What do you mean?’

Renee looked around the room. It was so bare, so empty. ‘One way or the other, it’ll all be over soon.’ She went to the mattress and patted it. ‘Come and sit.’

He sat. Then, as she crossed back to the door, he stood up again. ‘Jenny?’ he said, a tremble in his voice. ‘Where are you going?’