The Good Sisters: The perfect scary read to curl up with this winter

Kate, whose legs had turned to jelly, saw that the room was empty. There was no huge man in there with an axe waiting to kill them all, and no ghost of Amy. Ollie stepped inside followed by Ethan. They checked the en suite, but the door hadn’t been hung yet so they could see straight inside it from where they stood. All of them let out a huge sigh of relief except for Kate. She knew that she’d heard something inside there. She could also detect a very faint odour, the same as before, but it was residual and not as strong.

***

Ollie didn’t say anything. He was wondering if she’d been on the vodka again whilst they’d been gone. Alcohol could play strange games with a person. He stole a glance at her to see if she was a bit worse for wear, but she didn’t look like she was. What she looked was scared and he wanted to pull her close and hold her more than anything.

‘I’ll go and check the attic. Ethan, you and Kate can check the rest of the rooms on this floor. Jack, you go and check the ground floor. I’ll also do the cellar. Is that okay with everyone?’

They all nodded and Kate muttered, ‘I swear to God I’m not going mad. There was someone inside this room.’

No one spoke. They just went their separate ways and began to check every room, nook and cranny in the whole house. After ten minutes they all met up again in the kitchen. Kate had picked Ollie’s crushed pies up, which were still steaming hot, and put them onto a plate for him. He took one look at them and began to laugh. In fact he began to laugh so hard that tears fell from his eyes.

‘That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. One of them was yours, by the way, so should I divide that mess onto another plate.’

***

Kate smiled. Ollie had the nicest laugh she’d ever heard. Martin’s was such a loud, false guffaw, but this was a proper belly laugh.

‘No, thank you, I’ve done enough damage. I don’t want to deprive you.’

‘I already had one in the car on the way back. I swear I’m not eating that on my own. I’ll only eat half if you have the other. I’m not being rude, Kate, but you never eat. Even a pie in that state will do you a world of good.’

‘If you don’t mind sharing then that would be great. I’m actually starving. It’s the smell that’s making my mouth water. If I don’t look at the mess on the plate, I’ll be able to eat it.’

Ollie turned to take a plate from the cupboard and a knife from the drawer. After scraping half of it onto the other plate, he passed it to her. She picked up a fork from the draining board and began to eat, hoping it would stop the sick feeling in her stomach and stop her hands from shaking so much.

Ethan and Jack left them to it and went back upstairs to finish painting the walls of the room that had caused all the fuss. Ollie dead-eyed the pair of them, clearly warning them not to start gossiping about Kate when they got up there. He waited until they were out of sight and she’d finished eating.

‘So do you want to tell me what exactly you thought was going on, Kate? I’m worried about you. This is a huge house for one person to live in on their own. You’re bound to get a bit spooked. I know that I certainly would.’

‘I’m not hallucinating or drunk if that’s what you think. We both know that I drink, but I don’t drink through the day and I’ve been trying to cut down of an evening as well.’

She thought about the swig of vodka she’d downed her tablets with, but that didn’t count, did it?

‘I didn’t say that. I don’t like the fact that you’ve heard things. And what about those crosses? We haven’t got to the bottom of how that happened, have we? Does Martin know about this place? Because I’m worried he has something to do with it and is trying to scare you half to death so you’ll leave.’

‘I don’t know, Ollie. I didn’t think about that. You know I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s such a sneaky bastard. If he thought I was doing well for myself he’d jump straight in and try to rip it all away from me.’

‘Do you think we should get some basic CCTV cameras that cover the outside of the building and the drive? That way if anyone is sneaking around you’ll be able to see them and ring the police. I know it’s extra expense, but it would make me feel a whole lot better and you would feel a bit safer. I hate leaving you each night on your own.’

Kate felt her heart skip a beat at his last words. Had he really just said that or was she making a much bigger thing out of it than was completely necessary? Why the hell were all the nice men spoken for? He was such a gentleman and she hoped his wife appreciated just how lucky she was. If she was married to Ollie she wouldn’t ever want to let him out of her sight because he was too bloody perfect.

‘Do you mean that? I mean do you think cameras would make it better?’

‘It wouldn’t hurt. If you wanted I could have them fed through to my laptop at home as well, and then both of us could keep an eye on the place. I have to say, though, you are the bravest, craziest woman I’ve ever met. Not to mention stubborn. Most people would have run off by now and booked into a hotel. Plus if we catch Martin or one of his cronies on camera you can give it to the police and they won’t be able to deny it.’

‘Do you know anyone who could fit some cameras for me?’

‘I do. I’ll give him a ring now.’

He wandered off, pulling out his mobile phone, and she put the plates in the sink, filling it with hot, soapy water. She had no idea what had been upstairs, but she knew something had been and she didn’t think it was Amy. When she had a chance she would google what the hell that smell had been. Funny how it had all but dissipated when the men had come back. She didn’t believe in spooky stuff as a rule, but the footsteps, crosses and now this were making her wonder exactly what was going on.

This house had once been a convent, a holy place of residence, and women had lived here all alone then. The number of crosses and crucifixes around the building had been unreal. She would have to pluck up the courage to read the rest of the diary to see what exactly had happened here. She could also do some research to find out some more about the history of this place as well. When had it stopped being a convent and who had last lived in here?

Ollie had been right about one thing: she was stubborn. She always had been since she was a little girl. This was what she and Amy had dreamt about so there was no way she would turn her back on it just because she’d had a bit of a fright. When this place was open and she was a respectable businesswoman who was earning her own money, she would be able to take Martin to court and fight for custody of her girls.

She missed them so much. It was like a huge, gaping hole in her heart that couldn’t be filled. It ached and ached. She missed tucking them in at night and reading them bedtime stories. The smell of their freshly washed hair, as she kissed their heads goodnight, filled her nostrils. The pain that followed was so intense it was as if someone had taken a knife and pushed it right through the middle of her heart. Coupled with the loss of Amy, it was no wonder she’d unravelled as much as she had.

Kate felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She pulled on her jacket and walked to the front door. She needed some air, some space away from the house. She walked outside.

***

Ollie, who had been speaking on the phone to his friend about how many cameras were needed, watched her from the landing window. He wanted to run after her, walk with her, look after her. What was happening with him? He’d sworn that he’d never look at another woman after Ellen’s death but here he was beginning to feel attracted to a woman who wasn’t remotely interested in him. He was so angry with himself because he felt as if he was being unfaithful to Ellen even thinking about Kate in this way, but he couldn’t help it.

For the last five years he’d watched Ellen get sicker and sicker. It had taken away every feeling except despair from him. He’d forgotten how it felt to have every nerve ending in your body on fire just being in close proximity to someone you found attractive on every level. Not to mention the embarrassment of the erection he’d got when she’d knocked him to the floor earlier and almost straddled him. He’d had to push her off so she didn’t think he was some kind of pervert.

He watched Kate heading towards the stream and the woods, and wondered if he should run after her, take some time out to walk with her. Then his phone began to ring and he answered it, to confirm they would need at least four cameras to cover the building. When he looked up she was gone, and his heart ached for her just a little, enough for him to realise that he was in big trouble and falling for her whether he wanted to or not. He hadn’t been able to save Ellen, but if he tried maybe he could save Kate from throwing her life away and make her realise that he was there for her.

Chapter Four

Kate found a narrow, overgrown path that led to a stream, which was bubbling away with the recent rainfall. There were some stepping stones across the stream that were covered in green moss. She had no idea how she’d known this, she just had. As she cautiously stepped onto the first one, she expected her feet to go from under her and land arse first in the freezing-cold water, but she managed to keep her footing. Only four more to go.

She stepped onto the next, then the next until she reached the other side and jumped the last bit. Landing on the slippery banking, she almost fell. After windmilling her arms around she managed to catch her balance and let out a sigh of relief. This side of the river was much darker than the open ground she’d just crossed. There were lots of trees and she could just make out where the narrow path continued. Having no idea where it led – but now intrigued – she began to follow it, enjoying the silence of the woods around her.

Whoever had lived in the house must have used this path quite a lot. After ten minutes she saw a clearing in the trees and the tall spire of St Mark’s church came into view. She carried on walking and smiled to see the clearing open onto a worn, wooden gate. It was like the book she’d read when she was a girl: The Secret Garden. The gate didn’t look as if it had been used in a long time. The black, cast-iron latch was rusty. Still, Kate had to try. She needed to know where it led to. She felt as if she’d been brought here or even as if she’d been here before – a very long time ago.

After jiggling it around, it gave enough so that she could lift it. The gate was stiff, swollen with years of rainwater, and she had to tug it with both hands. It opened a tiny bit – just enough for her to get both hands through the gap. She wrapped them around it and pulled as hard as she could. It didn’t open all the way, but it opened just enough for her slender figure to squeeze through. As she did she turned around and was surprised to see she was in the vegetable garden of another large house. The long, overgrown, neglected vegetable garden. It looked as if the current owner didn’t have a lot of time or love for tending his garden.

This house was almost as big as the one she lived in. It had the same Gothic, arched, tall windows and was built of the same red brick. Whoever had built her house had also built this one. She felt a cold shiver run down the length of her spine and wondered if she should even be here. Was she trespassing? Probably, but she wanted to go and ask the owner if they knew about the house and its history. There was obviously some kind of connection between them.

Taking the least overgrown route to the house, she fought her way through the dense blackberry and gooseberry bushes. Their sharp thorns snagged her jacket and caught the soft skin on her hands more than once. By the time she’d reached the back door of the house she was out of breath and itchy. She didn’t dare to knock on the back door – that seemed so rude – but she couldn’t see a way to get to the front door.

There was a padlock on the gate and she wasn’t about to start climbing over the garden wall. Someone might call the police and think she was a burglar. That was all she needed. Martin would have a field day. She’d come this far. It seemed stupid not to at least give it a knock and speak to whoever owned it. She walked up the three steps and banged on the back door twice, then she stepped away. It didn’t seem as if there was anyone in. She couldn’t hear any noise and the curtains were drawn.

Kate was ashamed to say that she didn’t even know who any of the locals were. They changed almost as much as Martin changed his girlfriends. She lifted her hand to knock again when the key turned in the lock and an extremely good-looking young man opened the door. His expression was one of mild confusion as to how someone was knocking on the back door when the gate was clearly padlocked.

‘Can I help you?’

‘I’m really sorry to be so rude. I wondered if I could speak with the owner. Is he in?’

‘He is. Why don’t you come inside? Can I ask you, though, how on earth you got here?’

Kate felt her cheeks begin to burn. Answer that without sounding like a complete weirdo, you idiot.

‘I erm, I followed a path from my house through the woods and it led to the gate at the very back of the garden.’

‘Is there a gate out there? I never even knew that. The day I moved in I took one look at that garden and walked straight back inside the house. Gardening has never been my thing. I much prefer playing Call of Duty when I get a minute. Terrible, I know, and not very healthy, but we all have our vices.’

He started laughing and Kate joined in.

‘Sorry, I didn’t even introduce myself. I was so shocked to hear someone banging on the back door I thought I was hearing things. Tell me, did you fight your way through all those brambles? That must have taken some doing.’

‘I did and I’m sorry. I bet you think I’m a right weirdo but honestly I’m not. I’m Kate Parker and I live in the big old house on the other side of the woods.’

She held out her hand, which he took and shook firmly.

‘I’m Father Joseph, but you can call me Joe. I don’t really do all the formalities unless I have to. It’s nice to meet you, Kate from the other side of the woods. Now what can I do for you, because there must be some reason you decided to break and enter into the jungle of my back garden?’

Mortified to realise the man was a vicar, Kate was about to splutter an apology when he laughed again.

‘Gotcha, I don’t care. If you’re brave enough to enter the back of beyond there must be a good reason.’

‘I just wanted to know if anyone knew the history of that house I’ve bought? It looks very similar to this one only bigger. I’m in the process of renovating it. I’m turning it into a bed and breakfast, but there have been a couple of strange incidents and it just made me wonder who lived there before. Well I know it was empty for at least twenty years and I know it was a convent in the 1930s, but I don’t know anything else.’

‘Ah I think I know the place you’re talking about, although I’ve never seen it myself. I’ve only been living in the vicarage three months and I’m still getting my bearings. It’s a shame Father Anthony wasn’t here; he would know. He was the parish priest here for a very long time – over thirty years. Would you believe that he took over from Father Patrick – who was here even longer? I’m sure Father Anthony would know all about your house, but he’s not been very well. He’s in the retirement home.’

‘Oh that’s a shame, bless him.’

‘If you like I can make some enquiries. I’m going to visit him tomorrow. If he’s well enough I’ll ask him if there’s anyone you can talk to. Have you tried the records office at the library?’

‘No, not yet and that would be brilliant, thank you. I’ll go into town when I have a minute. I’m up to my neck in renovations. The builders are knocking the house to bits.’

‘Ah I see. When you say strange things have happened, what exactly do you mean?’

Kate didn’t want to say that she thought someone who smelt of old leather, burning flesh and garlic was in her house, and that they were possibly putting up crosses on her freshly painted walls like they were going out of fashion, in case he thought she was completely off her head. She wanted to tell him something, however. He had the kind of face that made you want to confess your sins without setting foot inside a church.

‘Earlier on I thought I heard my friend calling my name when there was only me in the house, only she died three months ago. When I’m on my own at night, after the builders have gone, I hear footsteps on the floor above me, but whenever I go and check there’s no one there.’ She stared at him, waiting to see if he would start to laugh at her, thinking she was mad. He nodded his head.

‘Would you like a cup of tea?’

‘Yes, please.’

‘Sit down. I’ll make us a strong pot of tea and then we’ll talk.’

She sat down on the hard wooden chair and watched as he poured boiling water into the teapot. It was very relaxing watching someone else take over for a change. He put a cup and saucer in front of her and took a packet of chocolate biscuits out of the cupboard, shook half of the packet onto a plate and put it on the table.

‘My mum would be so proud if she could see me now.’ He winked at Kate, who laughed. For a priest, he was a funny guy.

‘So, Kate from the other side of the woods, it’s time to talk serious. Do you believe in ghosts? Spirits? Zombies? The undead?’

‘I suppose so. I can’t say I’ve ever really thought about it. What has that got to do with my house?’

‘For want of a better word, I’ve always been fascinated with anything that wasn’t quite normal. I wouldn’t usually disclose that to someone who I’ve only just had the pleasure of meeting; however, I get the impression that you need my help so I’d be grateful if you could keep this between us. I loved reading and hearing about ghost stories when I was a kid, then as a teenager I used to go on ghost hunts with my friends. Granted most of the time we were pissed and wouldn’t have heard a ghost if it had been screaming in our faces, but we did it. You name an abandoned building and we would go, in the dark with a crappy old camcorder and a torch. Any old hospital, church, cemetery, you name it we went there.’

‘I don’t understand. How do you go from being a ghost hunter to becoming a priest?’

‘Because, Kate, this is where it gets serious. I saw some scary stuff that I can’t deny existed and if that exists then so must God. In fact I scared myself so much I couldn’t stand to be on my own. So I figured the best way to get over it was to become a priest – plus you get a free house and it’s not the worst job in the world.’

He began to laugh, that infectious laugh. ‘I can’t believe I’m telling you my deepest, darkest secrets when we’ve only just met, but there’s something about you, Kate. You remind me of myself a little. What I’m trying to say in the most ridiculous way ever is that sometimes things that go bump in the night can’t be explained in a rational way. Of course we should always, always look for ways to debunk stuff – that’s a given – but when things can’t be explained then we need to look for other explanations. These incidents you’ve told me about, I find a little worrying.’

‘So you think my house is haunted then?’

‘No, I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is just because it doesn’t sound rational don’t discount it. You’re doing a lot of renovating by the sounds of it so it could just be the house settling at night or it could be that all this work you’re doing has disturbed something that had once been at peace. However, there are different types of haunting. There are your benign spirits who just want to stay where they were the happiest, or they might not even realise they’re dead. I look at this way: they are still living their life in a different time frame to you and I. Sometimes we get caught up in each other’s worlds, usually only for the briefest of moments, but it does happen. And then there are the real, scary, serious hauntings of either a person, place or even an object. I don’t want to scare you, but if there is something in your house calling your name and mimicking your friend; well then, you need to be very careful because this isn’t a residual haunting. It’s intelligent.’

Kate shuddered. The thought of spending all her money on a haunted house was not an attractive one. She sipped her tea, wondering if she’d made a mistake coming here or whether she’d been led here by someone who was looking after her. Her first thought would be Amy; her friend wouldn’t want her putting herself in any danger be it spiritual or conventional.

‘I can see by your face you’re not impressed with me, Kate, and I’m sorry. I just believe in being honest. I don’t want you to spend months hoping it will go away if there’s another reason for it.’

‘No, it’s not that at all. I just never expected my walk in the fresh air to clear my head to end this way. It’s all a bit bizarre.’

‘Maybe you were meant to find me. After all that took some determination to cross the jungle out the back. Why don’t I give you a lift home – save you ripping what skin you have left on your hands to bits – and I can take a look at the house for you? I’ll make some enquiries and be back in touch as soon as I find something out. How does that sound?’

‘Bloody marvellous. Thank you so much, Joe.’

He nodded and stood up. ‘To be honest I was stuck and was just about to lose my life, so maybe you were sent to save me from that bloody game that has taken over everything.’

He picked up his keys from the dresser in the hall and she followed him to the front door. An old VW camper van painted pale blue and cream was parked outside.

‘Wow I’m impressed. You don’t see many priests driving one of those.’

‘Thank you; to be honest you don’t see many priests like me. I like to be different and besides she’s been on many a ghost hunt with me. She knows how things work.’

He opened the door for Kate and she climbed in, wondering what exactly Ollie would think when he saw her getting dropped off in this by a man half her age who wasn’t wearing anything that remotely resembled a vicar’s outfit. Joe jumped in and started the engine, which sounded like a tank.

‘She’s a bit noisy, but you soon get used to it.’

Kate nodded. Her hands were stinging now. She needed to go home and wash the scratches before they got infected. She just wanted to put her pyjamas on and drink a bottle of wine to blot today out. Clear her mind of what happened earlier, of thoughts of her ever-growing crush on Ollie and of her new-found, slightly crazy friend. Could today get any stranger? She hoped not. She didn’t think she’d be able to cope with it.

As she directed Joe to the drive of her house, she saw Ollie hanging out of the first floor window shouting up at Ethan who was hanging out of the one above. Her heart lurched. Good job health and safety didn’t visit often. She watched as Ollie turned to see who was driving the camper van. He lifted his hand to cover his eyes and squinted. As they got nearer the surprise on his face when he realised she was in the passenger seat made her heart beat faster. Stop it now, woman.

‘I see what you mean. This house does look a lot like the vicarage. I didn’t even realise it was here. There’s certainly some connection. Don’t you think?’

‘Yes, now that I’ve seen it I think there is. Are you coming inside?’

She looked at his face, which had lost all the ruddiness from earlier; there was a fine film of perspiration on his forehead as they drove nearer to the front door.

‘No, I can’t. Not this time. I’ll just drop you off if you don’t mind. I’ll be in touch as soon as I find something out about the history of the house. Is that okay with you?’

Puzzled, she nodded her head. Why wouldn’t it be okay? She barely knew the man; he didn’t owe her anything. He stopped the van to let her get out, some distance from the entrance.

‘Thanks again for the lift and erm, I’m sorry about the trespassing.’