The Case of the Haunted Cot

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

‘Thank you,’ Miller said, starting the words when Keith stood before him, and finishing as the door clicked shut in his face.

For a few moments, Miller could think of nothing except how desperately he wanted to help Keith and Sophie Fullwood. Keith had been distracted and clearly upset as Miller spoke with him, and he’d hinted that Sophie had left due to an argument. Miller had been careful not to pry, and even more careful not to mention Price. He didn’t even take the door shutting personally, and probably would have forgiven Keith even if it had broken his nose.

Miller picked up the clipboard from where he’d left it against the wall next to the door. Earlier, at the last minute as he’d waited for Keith to answer the door, Miller realised Keith might have recognised the clipboard as Price’s, and so he’d quickly put it out of sight.

If Price was right, and this was all due to some kind of interference, then Miller really should help him get to the truth. And it was a far better outcome than there being a baby girl in trouble on the other side. And he wouldn’t really get a better chance than this, what with Sophie being away from the flat.

Miller started by knocking on the door opposite the Fullwoods’ flat; it wouldn’t hurt to ask some questions. As he waited for an answer, it occurred to him that he had no idea what to say. Lying was his first instinct, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. Miller imagined Price would be able to dream up all kinds of clever lies, but Miller wouldn’t. So with lying out of the question, that left telling the truth. But how much of the truth to tell, and in what way to tell it? Probably best he didn’t mention Price.

It was a moot point, anyhow; nobody answered. Miller wasn’t so certain in what he was doing that he would want to come back later, and he was beginning to wonder how many people would be in at this time in the afternoon. He would try a couple more doors, but that was it.

Miller tried the next floor down, the flat directly below the Fullwoods’. Again, nobody answered. Again, Miller questioned why he was doing this. He should be going straight home to listen to the tape Keith had given him. His intrigue was greater than his fear of what he might hear. He might well have strong evidence of the paranormal in his pocket.

And yet Miller was propelled to knock again, just in case. He even put his head to the door, to see if he could hear anything on the other side. Nothing.

‘I wouldn’t bother,’ said a soft, friendly voice.

She was ascending the stairs, carrying a couple of shopping bags. She smiled at him, and her eyes narrowed questioningly, like she was trying to place him somewhere. Miller didn’t recognise her; perhaps she’d seen him on that show.

‘He’s not really been around for a while,’ she said. ‘You here to look at his heating?’

‘No, I’m not. I just wanted to ask him a few questions.’

Once at the top of the stairs, she walked right up to Miller, closer than most people would get to a stranger.

‘Don’t I know you from somewhere?’

‘No, I don’t know, maybe. Did you —’ Miller interrupted himself as he felt his pocket vibrate. ‘Sorry, just a second.’

The text wasn’t from a number Miller’s phone knew, which meant there was only one person it was likely to be.

Meet me at the nearest Tesco superstore when done questioning. Get every piece of information you can. Don’t let them down. P.S. There’s no God and you’re going to be worm food when you die.

He didn’t put his name at the bottom, but the P.S. was a big giveaway. Replacing the phone in his pocket, Miller turned back to the woman in the hallway. She had come even closer to him, completely oblivious to personal space.

‘Yeah, I was on TV the other night,’ Miller said, and her face lit-up, as if she was meeting an actual celebrity. Miller tried not to look smug about it. Mainly because he had no reason to be; it was a small appearance on a — he assumed — relatively unwatched show. But if she did recognise him from there, he might just be able to use his pseudo-celebrity status.

‘Mind if I ask you a few questions?’