Halton Cray (Shadows of the World Book 1) Read Online Free

P.M. but aren’t fixed to certain days. I could ask–’
    ‘Do you think your employer would fix your shifts
so that you can come here on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a start time of 3 P.M.?
You’ll be working until seven, and on Saturdays, it’s ten till six.’
    Before I could answer she went straight into my
salary of fourteen thousand pounds pro rata . It was clear that Stacey
had promised my services by the way Mrs Evans was setting this out. I barely had
time to think about it.
    ‘I’ll need you to start next Tuesday, and I’d like
you to be smart as well,’ she added, eyeing my jeans and trainers. I was sure
she didn’t mean any slur by it, but had simply forgotten that I hadn’t come
here to attend an interview.
    I nodded as she continued finalising other
details.
    ‘Before I go,’ I said, once able to get a word in.
‘Is there any news on Tess McQueeney? I read about her in the paper. She did
work here, didn’t she?’
    ‘That’s correct,’ she replied aloofly. ‘She’s been
found, safe and – well, there’s nothing to worry about.’
    ‘That’s good–’
    ‘Then see you on Tuesday.’
    ‘What happened to her?’ I persisted.
    ‘All I know is that she’s okay’ – she forced a smile
– ‘and can’t fit working here in with other things. It all got a bit much for
her. The main thing is she’s alive and well. So, I will see you on Tuesday?’
    I nodded, acknowledging the avoidance.
    Stacey was listening at the door, and she jumped
around like a child as I approached, as if I was about to take her on a
merry-go-round.
    ‘Eek! This is going to be so much fun!’ she squealed
each word, before glancing over my shoulder. ‘Why were you asking about that
girl?’
    ‘I was curious, Stace. I had no idea she’d been
found.’
    ‘Let’s hope she doesn’t want her job back. Fancy
lunch in The Jacobus to celebrate?’ She pointed in the direction of the estates
converted barn, a popular restaurant to one side of the car park.
    ‘Sure, but after a quick walk through the
gardens,’ I negotiated, following her out the house. She agreed reluctantly and
turned with me round the south side of the mansion.
    ‘At least the wind’s dying away,’ she sighed, as my
eyes wandered down to the Shockers River. It gurgled loudly, running east, dividing
the house and gardens from the meadows. Its water looked black from here with
an early autumnal mist crawling its way downstream, just inches above the
surface; their speeds unsynchronised so that the mist floated half the rivers
pace. It was the perfect setting for what sat about one hundred yards beyond,
in Spring Meadow. The Cray family mausoleum. Yet more ghost stories surrounded
it.
    We turned our backs to the river and took an
uphill path that ran alongside the house. The worn chalky-grey flagstones rose
by four steps ahead before sweeping away to follow the garden wall around the
estate. I loved two gardens in particular: the Sunken Garden, which I couldn’t
see from here, and the Topiary Lawn directly before us. Its trees mainly shaped
into giant chess pieces and mythical beasts, forming a small irregular
labyrinth. We played hide-and-seek amongst these not so long ago; some of the
trees so large you could pull back a branch and climb inside. The Head Gardener
never caught us and I bet he wasn’t pleased at the secreted doorways we left
gaping in his masterpieces.
    ‘Come on, Alex, I’m getting hungry!’ Stacey whined,
shooing off a bee as it buzzed past her head. Her stomach growled too as we
turned back for the restaurant.
    The hostess seated us near an open fire that
crackled with heat. I ordered our drinks while Stacey text her boyfriend the
good news, as if it was all settled.
    ‘So, did Darren enjoy his birthday?’
    ‘Yeah, it was great– oh! I forgot to ask you about
that guy. We saw you both leaving Carnelian’s. His name’s Mark, right?’
    I was sure I hadn’t mentioned his name. I nodded,
since it was true.
    ‘I knew I