The Devil Inside, page 26
‘You think they mean to hurt her?’
The detective’s cheek twitched. ‘Hard to say. So far, whoever it is has kept their distance. But if these murders are somehow connected, we don’t want to take any chances.’
When the police were done with their interviews, they fingerprinted everyone with access to the Barn House and storage room, dusted the doors for fingerprints then left saying they’d let them know if anything came up—and to let them know if anyone thought of anything else.
Dae, Craig and Lexi accompanied them to the Barn House. He was glad of their company—they might be able to help distract Mel from all this craziness that suddenly seemed to be completely centred around her.
When they got inside, Mel refused to put Arwen to bed in her cot. She sat in one of the lounges, Arwen in her arms, and stared out the window that overlooked the valley. The others gravitated to the kitchen, talking quietly, giving them some space.
He let her sit there for a while, holding her hand, his arm around her, hoping she would lay her head on his shoulder. She didn’t. She continued staring blindly out the window, the only sign she knew he was there the occasional clenching of her fingers around his.
In the half shadows of the room, the circles under her eyes looked even darker than they had before yesterday, her face so pale. Too pale. ‘Come lie down,’ he whispered. ‘I’ll lie down beside you. Hold you.’
She smiled up at him, the smile grateful and yet weighed down with hopelessness. ‘That sounds lovely, but …’ She shook her head. ‘I’m too edgy to lie down.’
‘Do you want me to call Prof Alan?’ He looked around. ‘Actually, I thought he was going to be here by now.’
Her lips thinned. ‘Oh, I forgot to tell you. He texted me last night to change the time of our session to four.’ She pressed her lips together.
‘What is it?’
She shuddered, her shoulders hunching. ‘I’m going to let him do the hypnotherapy.’
He sat upright and swung to face her. ‘You don’t have to do that. I know how much it terrifies you.’
‘It does. But it terrifies me more not knowing what Mama and Papa did to me. Why keep these secrets? Why do I have memories of smoke and blood and fire? Of running and terror? Why do I remember people talking about murder? And why have I never remembered any of this before?’ Her lips firmed as her chin trembled. ‘I have to know, Phil. I have to.’
‘Okay. But I’ll be there with you. Every step of the way. If you want.’
‘I want.’ She gripped his hand like she’d never let go. But the terror didn’t leave her eyes. If he let her sit here and mull over everything, it would make her stress far worse. He stood and pulled her to her feet. ‘Let’s go and do something.’
‘Like what?’ Her gaze roamed the room, flittering from her painting nook to their friends in the kitchen, to Bev and Jerry who had arrived with sandwiches and Bev’s famous mince slice and scones.
He had to get her out of here. ‘Why don’t we take our little princess here down to see the horses?’
‘Could we?’ Mel’s eyes lit up and he took a moment to bask in the sun of her smile and eager nod.
He helped her rise to her feet and told the others their plan.
‘Sounds good. But I think I’m going to keep going over the diaries, if you don’t mind,’ Dae said.
‘Maybe I should do that too,’ Mel said.
Craig waved her back. ‘What? And take the fun away from us?’
‘Fun?’
‘I feel like a potion’s master and a spy.’ He wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh.
‘I might join you later,’ Jerry said. ‘I’ve got some errands to run first.’
‘Sure,’ Craig said. ‘Any help is welcome.’
Jerry said his goodbyes and ran down the stairs.
‘You go for your walk,’ Lexi said, waving them to the door. ‘And when you’re finished, join us if you feel like it.’
‘Thanks.’ She nodded, looking relieved. He shot his friends a grateful look, then headed outside with Mel and Arwen, his heart aching with pleasure when she reached for his hand.
The noon sun was bright and he wished he’d brought sunnies and a hat for himself, Mel and Arwen. But the stables weren’t far and soon they were inside the slightly cooler shade of the barn, hay dust glistening in the rays of sunlight that fell from the high windows on one side. Karl waved to them as they came inside. He was saddling up Old Sarg. ‘What are you two doing here? Beg my pardon. You three. Hello, Princess.’ He flashed a smile. ‘Doesn’t she look pretty today?’
Phil’s chest filled with pride as he looked down at his little girl. ‘She looks pretty every day.’
‘That she does.’ He ran his callused finger down her cheek, beaming when she gurgled and tried to grab for his finger. Then he sighed. ‘No matter how much I’d like to, I can’t stand here yapping now. The police being here yesterday and then again this morning have put me back a day. The horses need feeding and the stables need to be mucked out, but one of the boys just called in to say the fences in the mountain paddock are down. They’re herding the cows that escaped now, but I need to get out there and help get that fence back up.’
‘You’ve had a lot of trouble with fences lately.’
‘Yes, we have. Someone’s been playing at some mischief.’ He scratched his head. ‘For the life of me, I can’t figure out why.’
‘Where’s Tony? Don’t you have someone to help?’
‘It’s Tony’s day off. And I sent my other hands out with the gear to fix the fence. I just came in to saddle up Old Sarge in case I need to go up into the hills to bring back any strays.’
‘We can help you with the feeding now,’ Mel said.
He looked at her fondly. ‘That’s not necessary. I was about to call up to Bev and Lexi and see if they could come down here and take care of it.’
‘Oh no. Don’t do that. We’ll take care of it. Please.’
‘But you’ve got the little princess with you.’
Mel looked at Arwen then up at Phil. ‘We can get her pram, can’t we? She can sit in style and watch us work.’
‘I think it’s all organised then,’ Karl said, chuckling.
He nodded at Karl. ‘Go. We’ll take care of the horses.’
Karl slapped him on the back. ‘Thanks, mate. I’ll walk you out.’
‘Do you mind if I stay here and reintroduce Arwen to Starlight?’
Phil screwed up his mouth. ‘I don’t know. You heard what the police said …’
‘You’ll only be gone a few minutes. And it’s broad daylight. And nobody knows I’m in the stables, so who would find me even if they were looking for me?’ She opened her eyes wide—damn, he could never say no to her puppy-dog eyes. ‘Please.’
‘I’ll stay with her.’
‘You sure?’ he asked Karl, knowing the man really had to go.
‘I can stay for a few minutes. You won’t be long, will you?’
‘No. I’ll run.’
‘Great.’
Phil hurried along the path to the Barn House and let himself in through the front door. It was empty—the others must have gone straight up to the main house after they left. He imagined his mates would be pouring over the diaries and if he knew anything about Lexi, she’d be trying her best to write down everything she remembered from the documents she’d looked at with Mel last night. She’d apparently put the notepads they’d been using into the box with the documents when she’d packed them away, so they were gone too.
His friends were going to do everything they could to help Mel find out the missing bits of her past. He was so lucky to have them in his life.
He rushed to Arwen’s room and grabbed the pram, practically running as he took off up the hallway. He was halfway to the door when a rumbling sounded below him—the garage door opening. Perhaps Dae or Craig were going to Mansfield to get some other ingredients they needed to help them crack the diaries. Mel needed breastfeeding pads to put in her bras and if they could get them for him, it would save him a run.
He raced down the stairs, hoping to get to his friends before they left.
He jumped down the last four steps, skidding on the polished concrete floor, and saw a figure over by the convertible he’d bought for Mel when they’d arrived in Australia. Both Dae and Craig had keys for it and had been using it on and off when the roads were dry, so he didn’t have an issue with them taking the car without asking now. He was just glad he’d caught them before they left.
The boot was up, shielding the identity of whoever it was as they leaned over it.
Phil loped over to the car. ‘Hey, mate. Can you get some—’ Jerry snapped upright, an expression on his face Phil had never seen. ‘Jerry? What are you doing with Mel’s car?’
Jerry moved to push the boot down, but it was too late. Phil had already seen.
The mop of dark hair. The glasses pushed askance on a face grey with death, blood matted on one side from where the skull had so obviously been caved in. ‘Jerry?’ He stared up at the nurse who’d become like family. ‘What did you do?’
Jerry stared at him for a moment before shutting the boot with a snap that made Phil jump. ‘I didn’t do anything,’ he said, his voice colder than Phil had ever heard from the usually friendly nurse. ‘I’m just trying to clean up my brother’s mess.’ He sighed, as if all the problems of the world had suddenly landed on his shoulder.
Jerry stared at him, then his eyes flickered wide to something just behind Phil. ‘Anatoli, no!’
Pain exploded in Phil’s head. Lights sparked, then darkness grabbed him and dragged him down into nothing.
***
Melissa was getting worried. Phil knew Karl had to go, so why would he take so long? A lot had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Had he had another panic attack? ‘I think I should go and see what’s keeping Phil,’ she said to Karl as he filled a feed bin.
‘I’ll come with you.’
They set off, Arwen cooing softly. She glanced about them. The farm was so quiet with all the hands out working and everyone else up at the main house. She glanced back at the man beside her. ‘Sorry to be keeping you from your work. I’ve really put a spanner in the works for you, haven’t I?’
‘You’re not to worry about that, Melissa. You’re family.’
She swallowed hard. ‘I’m probably just being silly. Maybe Dae or Craig asked him to come up to the house.’
From the look on his face, he thought that was just as likely as she did. ‘Worrying over the man you love is never silly.’
The man she loved. That love had come to fill every part of her. She just wished she could figure out why it caused her so much fear. When this was over, she would do everything she could to access the memories to tell her why.
The closest door into the Barn House was the one that led into the garage. She reached for the door, but Karl grabbed her hand and pointed at the slightly ajar door. It should be locked. There was something jammed into the locking mechanism, stopping it from closing.
A shout echoed from inside.
Karl held his fingers up to his lips and gestured for her to stay, then slipped inside.
She stood there in the heat of the sun, hesitating. Should she go and get someone?
The sound of a scuffle echoed to her, a strange soft crack then a thud. A moan. Had Karl hurt himself?
She slipped inside. The lights were on, although, after the brightness of the sun, it seemed dim. It took her eyes a moment to adjust as she edged forward.
Two men were standing over by the car Phil had said was hers. One of them was definitely Jerry. The other was Tony, the stable hand she’d met the other day. Where was Phil? And Karl?
She moved closer. Something was wrong with Tony and Jerry. They were arguing. And there was something harsher, colder, angrier about them.
A memory slammed into her: a boy staring down at her, his blue eyes cold as he reached down to pick her up. He squeezed, making her cry out. Someone rushed into the room. Mamochka. She grabbed her from the boy, holding her close as she sobbed. ‘Anatoli. What are you doing in here?’
‘I came to see my sister.’
Sister?
The word snapped her back into the present like a punch in the stomach, making her gasp. Loud enough that the two men stopped and turned to face her. Tony—his bright blue eyes suddenly cruel—smiled. ‘Hello, sestra.’ His accent was different, thicker. He stepped over something on the floor, making his way towards her.
‘Anatoli—don’t.’ Jerry grabbed for the man, almost tripping over what lay on the floor.
Melissa’s gaze flickered down to it, her heart clenching in her chest. ‘Phil.’ Blood ran across the side of his face. And Karl beside him, a bloody patch on his chest. ‘What have you done?’ She lurched forward, but Anatoli grabbed her.
‘Not so fast, little sestra.’
His breath was hot in her ear, his words not making any sense and yet, they did. Oh god. They did. It was him. His voice. The one who’d called her. The one who’d been in the hospital. She hadn’t seen his face clearly, it had been so shadowed, but she recognised the voice now. Why hadn’t she recognised it before? He’d had a different accent. As Martin. Then as Tony. And now he sounded Russian as he had on the phone. She struggled against him. ‘Let me go.’ Her arms tightened around Arwen as the baby made a squalling cry, the rough treatment waking her. ‘You’re hurting Arwen.’
‘Let her go, Anatoli,’ Jerry said, taking a step towards them, a gun suddenly in his hand.
Anatoli barked out a loud laugh, the noise making her ear throb. ‘You won’t shoot. You would never take the chance of hitting your precious Millanushka.’
The gun wavered in Jerry’s hand, his expression a torment. ‘Babushka is going to kill you if you hurt her.’
‘Babushka cares nothing for her. She isn’t true Orloff blood. And Babushka cares only for pure Orloff blood. She will praise me when I find our money and set our family back in our rightful place.’ Something cold and metallic pressed against her forehead. ‘Step back.’
Jerry paled and did as he was told.
‘Jerry?’ Melissa said. The look on her nurse’s face was nothing like she’d seen before, but even so, she couldn’t help saying, ‘Jerry, help.’
‘Jerry?’ Anatoli scoffed, his arm a vice around her. ‘He’s not Jerry. He’s our brother, Sergei. He had me kill Gavin last year so you would need a replacement. Then when Lexi got her precious Professor Carlton to refer a nurse he knew to take over from Gavin, we made sure we met him on his way up here. I killed him and Sergei took his identity and came in his place. And none of you ever guessed. Not even you, little sestra. He thought you might feel it, didn’t you, Sergei? The familial connection?’
‘Leave her alone, Anatoli. You’re scaring her.’
‘Scaring her? She should be scared. Stupid bitch is just like your stupid bitch mother.’
‘She was your mother too.’
‘Stepmother. She was a betrayer. A whore. She thought she could have a life away from us. She stole from us. Her actions killed our father. And now this bitch has the answers we’ve long been seeking and she won’t share them.’
‘She can’t remember. I told you that.’
‘We can make her remember. I told you that.’ His arm tightened around her waist, squeezing the air from her. Arwen screamed, great warbling wails of distress. Melissa held her high so she was safe from being squeezed, but she was obviously picking up on her mother’s stress. Anatoli didn’t seem to care. Just held her tighter until she could only gasp. ‘Tell us where it is,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘Give us back what is ours.’
Tears spilled from her eyes. She was afraid, so afraid, that he’d turn that anger on the baby. ‘I don’t know … what you’re—’
‘Don’t lie to me.’ Arwen screamed in response to his yelling, her little legs kicking out. ‘Shut that baby up or I’ll shut her up for you.’
‘No. No. Don’t hurt my baby,’ Melissa sobbed, curling herself down over Arwen as much as she could.
‘Then tell me what I want to know, little sestra.’
‘I will. I will. But please. Don’t hurt Arwen. Let Jerry take her. Let him get Phil and Karl help and then I’ll tell you.’
‘I told you, you stupid bitch. He’s not your precious Jerry. He’s Sergei. Our family might have indulged him by allowing him to train as a medic in the armed forces, but he’s as much a nurse as I am.’
‘Please, let him help.’
‘Anatoli. Let her give me the baby.’ Jerry—or Sergei—took a step closer. ‘You can’t get anything out of her with the baby screaming.’
For a brief moment, Anatoli’s arm loosened and Jerry drew closer, his arms out. Melissa let out a sob of relief—no matter who he was or why he was here, she was certain Jerry would never hurt Arwen. ‘Thank you,’ she managed to say around her stuttering breath.
He reached for the baby.
‘I don’t think so.’ Anatoli threw her sideways to sprawl on the floor, banging down hard on her shoulder as she twisted, trying to protect the baby in her arms. She heard a soft crack and out of the side of her vision she saw Jerry drop to the ground.
Had Anatoli shot him? Shot his own brother?
No. Her chances of getting help for Phil and Karl and getting Arwen to safety evaporated.
She tried to scramble up—she had to get away, but Anatoli grabbed her, hauling her up by her arm. She screamed, her shoulder protesting the treatment. He clapped a hand over her mouth, his teeth bared as he said, ‘It took a lot of effort to get everyone out of the way today so I could come and fetch you. But I’m happy to go up to the house now and take care of everyone there as well.’
‘No. No, don’t.’
‘Then come quietly. And shut that baby up or I’ll shut it up for you.’
She jiggled Arwen madly, making shushing noises, glad when Arwen quietened a little.
He aimed the gun at her and gestured to the car. ‘Get in.’
‘There’s no baby seat,’ she said.
He just looked at her—such a cold, uncaring look. More memories of the boy—the younger version of him—flashed in her mind, but she couldn’t grab a hold of them, couldn’t let them in now. She had to protect her baby. ‘Please, let me take Arwen upstairs. I can put her in her cot. Someone will come and find her there. You don’t need her, Anatoli. You only need me.’
