The Ghost House Read Online Free PDF Page A

was turned blood red.
    This house will be so much happier with him gone, I shall be able to carry out my chores without being afraid that Edward is spying on me and waiting to scare me. He has the devil inside of him I am sure of it. On my way to bed I overheard his Lordship arguing with Lady Hannah and I know it was about Edward. I shall mention it to Cook but I know she will tell me to mind my own business and keep quiet. I think tonight will be the first night in weeks that I will sleep well.
    Annie was totally engrossed until a loud knock at the door brought her back to reality. She looked out of the window to see a familiar flash of luminous yellow. Someone was looking around the barns. She pulled on the pale blue woollen beanie hat she bought last year just in case it was someone she worked with and then opened the door.
    Jake was standing there grinning at her. He stepped forward and picked her up, lifting her off the ground.
How did he know where to find me? I never told anyone where I was staying
. Annie squirmed and glanced at the man behind Jake. She recognised Will. He had not long passed his sergeant’s exam and just been promoted to detective sergeant in CID. He looked embarrassed by Jake’s behaviour. When he finally put her down she felt guilty for not telling him where she was staying.
    ‘So this is where you’ve been hiding from me. I leave messages on your voicemail because you never answer your phone. If I’m lucky I get a cryptic text message. Whatever happened to the art of conversation?’
    Will looked at each of them.
    ‘Jake, I’m fine, I told you I needed some time to myself. I just want to be lazy and not have to worry about anyone except me.’ She felt the familiar flush as her cheeks began to burn at Will’s reaction.
    Will was trying his best to place her; she looked familiar. She only reached chest height on Jake, wasn’t wearing any make up and was wearing a cute hat, even though she was inside the house, which puzzled him. He could hear Jake muttering and caught the shut-the-fuck-up-look on her face. He realised where he knew her from: she was one of the coppers in the community office who worked with Jake.
    He coughed. ‘Sorry to break up your lovers’ tiff but we have work to do Jake.’
    ‘We are not having a lovers’ tiff, Jake is just overprotective and a pain.’
    Jake threw his hands in the air in mock submission. ‘Well, I’m sorry, Annie, but you can’t be mad at me because I care. I’ve been so worried.’
    She smiled and her whole face lit up. Will felt something inside his chest shift just a tiny bit. ‘No, I’m not mad but I have to get over this on my own, get myself together. You know how it is. He ruined my life for long enough.’
    Will had to stop himself from giving the pair of them a round of applause. He felt as if he had stumbled into some bizarre scene from a soap opera. ‘Right then, now you’re both going to live happily ever after it’s time to talk business.’ He winked at Annie. ‘A nineteen-year-old girl was reported missing a couple of hours ago and the alarm bells are ringing; we are very concerned for her welfare. We have a last confirmed sighting of her heading towards the Abbey last night so here is the million dollar question.’
    Annie finished it for him, ‘No, I’m sorry I haven’t seen or heard anything unusual.’ She opted to leave out the drama at the old house earlier.
    ‘Is it OK to check all the outbuildings just in case she’s hiding in one of them?’
    Annie nodded, pulled her jacket from the back of the chair and followed them outside. Between the three of them they searched each barn in a matter of minutes.
    ‘Sorry but it looks like there’s nothing but junk in any of them.’ She shrugged her shoulders by way of apology.
    ‘Don’t worry. I think you would have noticed someone creeping around anyway.’
    Jake strode over to join them. ‘What about the old house? It’s huge. She could be hiding out in