CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
They stood on the jetty. Sometime during the night the rain had stopped but the trees kept up a steady dripping and the lake at their feet was a deep, dark shadow.
Michaela turned to Trisha. ‘Which way round should we go, do you think?’ Trisha was gazing out over the lake. She pointed to the right. ‘That way,’ she said. ‘A better view of the place from that angle. The garages and drive and stuff.’ She turned and looked at Michaela. ‘I hope they’ve locked that horrible building. It’s going to give me the creeps just walking past it.’
‘It’s back in the trees. We won’t even have to look at it.’ Michaela took a deep breath. Patted her pockets. Cell phone, check. She picked up the backpack at her feet and shrugged it on. Inside it was the new torches and binoculars, a flask of coffee and some sandwiches. They could be waiting for hours for Gardener to leave the place. Thought Michaela, the whole plan was a bit wishy-washy. She looked out over the lake. At least it wasn’t raining.
They trudged alongside the lake without speaking. Michaela took her phone out and switched it to silent. Not that she supposed anyone would be calling her. She tucked it back into her pocket regardless.
Trisha looked over at her. ‘What if he doesn’t go out?’
Michaela shrugged. ‘Don’t know. Play it by ear, I guess.’ She stopped walking.
‘What’s the matter?’ Trisha asked.
Michaela pulled off her woolen cap and tugged her fingers through her hair in her habitual gesture. ‘What’re we doing?’ she asked. ‘I’m not entirely sure this is a good idea. We don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into here.’
Trisha turned around and stared at her. ‘We’re saving an old lady from her nasty predator of a kid. That’s what we’re doing. We agreed it was the right thing to do. What’re you getting cold feet now for? It was you who put the whole thing together. If you hadn’t bothered to suss out the fact those lights and shit were a con, that old woman would be a sitting duck.’
Michaela groaned. ‘That’s the problem, Trisha. What if I’m wrong? What if I’ve got it all completely wrong? Here we go sneaking around, poking our noses into stuff that has nothing to do with us. What if I’m wrong?’
Trisha walked over to Michaela. Looked her straight in the face. ‘Michaela, what if you’re right?’
Michaela squeezed her eyes shut a moment. Then she nodded. ‘Okay, let’s go then.’
Trisha nodded. ‘Okay?’
‘Okay.’
They turned and headed along the lake. Soon the beach narrowed and disappeared and they had to walk amongst the trees instead. The damp air settled around them.
‘It’s a bit bloody quiet in here,’ said Trisha.
Michaela nodded. ‘Creepy isn’t it? A good setting for ghosts, when you think about it.’
‘Especially at this time of year,’ Trisha agreed. ‘I’ve only been here before during the summer. It’s a great spot then. Spent most of my time swimming and sunbathing.’
‘I would have been afraid of getting caught,’ Michaela said.
Trisha shook her head. ‘Nah, easy enough to check the good Doctor’s schedule. Wasn’t a problem.’
They subsided into silence as they got closer to the old pool house and lodge.
They stopped when the pool house squatted in front of them through the shadows.
‘I hope the bloody door’s been locked now,’ Trisha whispered.
Michaela nodded. There was something unhealthy about the place, the way it jutted out of the black earth like a plant growing in a cellar, pale from lack of life. She shuddered.
‘Let’s keep moving,’ she decided.
There were no signs of life at the lodge. Michaela and Trisha planted themselves behind a bush and debated their next move.
‘Let’s just stay and watch a few minutes,’ Michaela said. ‘If nothing’s happening, one of us can scoot around and check out the garage, see if there are any vehicles there. At least we’ll know then if Gardener is home.
Trisha was nodding agreement. She fished around in the backpack and pulled out the binoculars. ‘Let’s have a squizz then, shall we?’
Michaela tried to get comfortable. She was taller than the bush, had to crouch, contorted, to stay hidden. At least she sure hoped she was hidden.
‘Can you see anything?’ she asked.
‘Yeah, there are lights on upstairs, but that’s all I can tell you. No sign of anyone moving around. Maybe it’s just Selena there and she’s resting or something.’ Trisha scanned the property. ‘Can’t see the garage from here, which is a bummer.’ She handed the binoculars to Michaela. ‘I’m going to go see if the car’s there. If he’s out, then we knock on the door and see if we can talk Selena to getting out of here. Good enough?’
Michaela hesitated. ‘I think we should wait a bit longer. See if anyone is moving around.’
Trisha checked her watch, shook her head. ‘It’s already getting late. There’s nothing to wait for.’ She moved away. ‘I won’t be long; you stay here and keep an eye out.’ She disappeared into the trees.
Michaela peered after her for a moment but the shadows and undergrowth just here were too deep. She turned back to look at the house. Looking through the binoculars, she scanned the windows. Lights were on upstairs but there was no movement anywhere. She moved the binoculars down to the lawn and drive. Trisha had been right; the garage was out of sight. There was no sign of anyone.
Michaela checked her watch. It felt like hours since Trisha had crept away into the trees. Coming up twenty minutes. She should have been back by now. It should only have taken her, what? Five minutes? Maybe ten?
Michaela stared through the binoculars again. There was no movement. Nothing had changed. She gritted her teeth and strained her eyes. She would have to go have a look. Something must have happened. Where was Trisha?
She reached for her backpack, tucked the binoculars inside and threaded an arm through the straps. Turning she prepared to slink around to the lodge, approaching it with extreme caution.
She caught a movement in the trees. Trisha! At last. She took a step forward and something hit her. Pain blossomed in her head, and everything went black as she sank to the ground.