The Chrysalid Conspiracy (12 page)

“It was horrible,” she heard Amelia say. “I’ll never get it out of my mind.” It then dawned on her that for Amelia everything was just sinking in and Rayn knew that delayed shock was the worst kind to get through.

As she walked down the steps, the guy held Amelia by the shoulders and gently pushed her to arm’s length. She had her face buried in her hands. Wanting desperately to do something for her friend she had no idea what to say or do. Walking towards them she said simply “Hi!” She felt pathetic, but it was all she had.

Nigel looked at her and was immediately mesmerised. He stood there, holding a sobbing Amelia at arm’s length while becoming totally absorbed by Rayn. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her. Rayn caught her breath and was unable to break their mutual gaze.

“Rayn, this is Nigel, my hero,” said Amelia, in between sobs. “Nigel, this is Rayn, my friend.” Not getting any response, Amelia stopped rubbing her eyes and looked up. She had never seen Nigel at such a loss for words. She looked at Rayn and saw the same expression. Amelia started laughing between her fading sobs and gave Nigel a hearty thump on the arm. He broke his gaze and turned.

“Ow! What was that for?”

Rayn had turned away, struggling with the concept that she was way out of her depth.

“Blimey Amelia,” the young man said. “That cop and his mate, they don’t like you two at all.”

“You heard them?” asked Amelia.

“Yeah,” said Nigel. “They didn’t even notice me. It was like I wasn’t there.”

“What did they say, Nigel?” coaxed Amelia.

“What? Oh yeah… The one in uniform had a notebook and was saying that things didn’t add up. The older one said he didn’t need a notebook to tell him that you two were lying and covering something up.”

“Was there anything else?” Amelia prompted.

“Yeah. He said he thought the secretary was involved somehow. Then it got really weird. He said that the redhead was a firebrand who knew her way around, and the other one was dangerous. There’s something he doesn’t like about you. He finished up by saying “
We’ll come across those two again sergeant, gut instinct, you mark my words.
”

“That’s it?” Rayn blurted out. “I was bluffing like crazy. Gut instinct indeed! Amelia, you have to tell me what’s going on,” she commanded.

“Professor Melkins has died. The police have to ask questions,” Amelia answered evasively, nodding toward Nigel who had turned to pick up a bag of tools. “Any chance of a lift home, old friend?” she asked.

“Sorry, I’ve got to measure up here than pick up G-Dad from the builder’s merchants.”

“Pick up Granddad? reiterated Amelia. “Come to think of it, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, they called us in to board up the window in case anyone tries to break in”

“It’s on the third floor, Nigel,” Rayn pointed out.

“Tell me about it,” he said with a grin. “I’m the one who has to work on the outside.”

“Why you and Granddad?” asked Amelia. “Surely there are local people who can do this?”

“They called us ‘cos G-Dad built the office that guy dived from. It was for the guy before this one. G-Dad had just finished when he drops dead. He was furious when the new bloke moved that glass desk in. Still, as he said, he’d been paid well, so it was okay.”

“Has he done any other work here that you know of?” Amelia queried, much to Rayn’s and her own surprise.

“Yeah, they called him in to rebuild the library after the fire. He made all that shelving himself,” said Nigel with some pride.

“Fire? What that one last year during the holidays?”

“Yeah. He spent hours going through those books to see how many he could save. The insurance people were going to dump the lot, but he wouldn’t let them touch ’em till he’d checked them himself.”

“And did he save many?” Amelia kept digging. Rayn wondered where she was going with it. “And was Professor Melkins here then?”

“No, he didn’t save any. I got the impression he was looking for a particular book. And yeah, the professor was here then, he’s the one who hired him – no, I think it was the secretary. She’s the one who paid him, anyway. Look, I must do those measurements and go get the boss, see you both in the gym tonight, okay?”

The two girls agreed and watched as he drove off to the rear entrance, Rayn annoyed at herself for not being able to control the grin rearranging her face.

“Watch yourself, Rayn. You’re not quite fifteen and he’s twenty-eight. He only seems our age,” Amelia warned.

“I know Amelia, but I can dream, can’t I? I know one thing though.”

“What’s that?”

“I feel a hell of a lot better than I did half an hour ago. Now are you going to fill me in on what’s going on?”

***

Spurred into complete silence they stood and watched as two girls came running towards them down the steps, knowing instinctively they were the Vicar’s daughters.

“Oh turdles,” Rayn muttered under her breath. “Just what we need, God’s little helpers.”

“Hi, are you Amelia and Rayn?” said the taller one. Amelia guessed her to be older than herself, but not much bigger for it.

“I’m Amelia,” she replied.

“Yes.” Was all Rayn could say, with no enthusiasm.

“I’m Carrieanne,” said the girl. “This is my sister, Claire.”

Amelia judged Claire to be much younger than her sister, but she looked nothing like her. She had long black hair as opposed to Carrieanne’s shoulder-length brown hair, had much sharper features and a slightly darker complexion. Not even their eyes matched. Caz’s were brown while her sisters were a piercing blue.

Amelia noticed as they’d run down the steps that they were both slim and well-co-ordinated. Both were pretty, with Claire having the edge. The eyes should have made them look enchanting. But there was something not quite right, she decided, but couldn’t pin it down.

“What sort of name is Rayn?” Claire blurted out.

“A very wet one,” retorted Rayn. Amelia caught a glimpse of fire in Claire’s eyes.
This could be interesting,
she thought to herself.

Carrieanne appeared not to be aware of this initial skirmish and carried on talking. “Are you really the ones who found the body? What was it like?”

“You’re a bit gory, aren’t you?” snapped Rayn.

Claire leapt to her sister’s defence. “My sister is a reporter for our school newspaper. She’s very good at it and this is a scoop, so you back off.” The diminutive figure showed no fear or hesitation

Rayn picked up on the threat immediately but before she had a chance to respond Carrieanne smoothed in. “Look, I’m sorry,” she said turning to Rayn. “That didn’t come out well. What I meant was, what was it like for you?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to jump,” Rayn apologised. Claire said nothing. The silence was embarrassing and it suddenly occurred to Amelia what it was that was puzzling her about the sisters. Their faces were, with dark shadows under their eyes emphasising the premature lines of stress around them. The constant furtive glances back up the steps to the school entrance made her realise that they were absolutely terrified of their own father. Horrified, she said the first thing that came into her mind.

“Carrieanne, would you like to do a proper interview?”

Carrieanne’s eyes widened. “Would you mind? Really? That would be great. In the car on the way home?” she asked eagerly.

“Can you come over to the flower shop later?” Amelia replied, knowing she wouldn’t be able to talk in front of their father.

“Why the flower shop?” chimed in Claire.

“Because that’s where I live,” said Amelia with exaggerated patience.

“What, with the woman in the…”

“Where do you live?” cut in Rayn, and Claire was beginning to get the idea she wasn’t dealing with idiots.

“Sorry, I talk too much sometimes,” she said.

“Sometimes,” said Carrieanne. “More like all the time. We live on Church Lane. Where would you expect?”

“My bedroom looks directly out into the grave yard,” added Claire. “I’m going to have to become a psychiatrist just to stay sane.”

They were all laughing when their father came down the steps. The change in the two sisters was immediate. They became less animated and more docile. It was, as Rayn remarked later, ‘As if the lights in their eyes went out’.

“Sorry,” apologised the Vicar, “I needed to see the secretary. She’s taking this very badly, poor woman,” he sighed. Then, with a smile, he added, “It’s nice to see you getting on so well.”

Rayn and Claire eyed each other, they both knew these were early days. When they got to the car, Amelia and Rayn began to get an insight into the man himself.

“Amelia, in the front, please. Claire, in the middle.” It wasn’t a request.

“Oh dad, it’s always me. Why?” Claire’s voice had lost that aggressive tone and was almost a whine.

“Because you are the smallest and I say so,” replied her father in a ‘no-nonsense’ manner.

“But it’s stupid. We take up the same amount of room, no matter who sits where.”

“Claire. Sit in the back. Now!” He pronounced each word with exaggerated precision.

“Oh, all right then. But you’re argument is mathematically flawed.”

“Claire! Sit down and shut up!” Almost shouting, he was trying to keep his temper in front of his ‘guests’.

Rayn was startled by this exchange and was just about to offer to take the offending seat when Claire gave her an enormous wink. Carrieanne had her hand over her face concealing a broad grin. It was a wind-up. Rayn felt herself warming to these two. Mischief by stealth, and he didn’t even know he was a victim. Brilliant!

Amelia had been taking all this in as she climbed into the car. As she did her seat belt up, she pondered the wisdom of antagonising the driver before the journey.

“Would you like me to take that bag off you, Amelia? It looks heavy.”

Amelia said she was fine, but she had the uneasy feeling he knew exactly what her bag was concealing.

After a while Carrieanne spoke up. “Dad, Amelia said I can have a first-hand interview. I’ve got a genuine scoop.” She was really excited.

“Really?” said her father, then almost as an afterthought added, “I’d like to read it when it’s done.” Amelia’s stomach twinged at this, but Carrieanne continued. “You’ll have to buy a paper, then.”

“What? No discount for parents?”

“No way!” Carrieanne said firmly.

“What about the church then? Surely you can donate a copy?”

“Sorry, dad. If God wants a copy he can buy his own. We need the money.”

The four girls erupted into a fit of laughter, but the vicar remained silent.
He really doesn’t like to lose, not even within his own family,
thought Amelia.

Rayn put her head back. She was feeling quite claustrophobic, squeezed as she was against the door with her school bag on her lap. She was thinking about the strange conversation she’d just heard. It hadn’t made sense and was completely alien to her.

Her own mother would have been over the moon had it been her that had pulled off a ‘scoop’, but her delight would have been for her daughter, not the scoop itself. At no time did the vicar make any mention of his daughter’s success or excitement. No verbal ‘pat on the back’. The contents of the interview itself were all that interested him. It all seemed a bit odd. No wonder they enjoyed winding him up, she concluded.

Amelia turned to Carrieanne. “Can you come over at about seven? After my Mums physio has left?”

Carrieanne’s face wasn’t hopeful. She looked in the rear view mirror, trying to catch her father’s eye. “I don’t know. Would it be all right, dad? Just this once?” she asked.

The vicar of Tetherington found himself in what was, for him, an unusual position. He was afraid to agree to this interview as it may be taken as a sign of weakness by his children; yet, on the other hand, it fitted in with his plans, and the opportunity was too good to miss. “I suppose it will be okay. Just this once. But don’t be late home,” he said reluctantly.

The Vicar pulled up outside the flower shop and Amelia said, “Why don’t you both come over?” she offered. “See you about seven then. Rayn will be ready, she’s the one your interviewing. She was first on the scene.”

“Another fine mess you’ve got me into,” said Rayn as the girls drove off, quoting her favourite comedy duo.

“Me! I don’t think we’ve had much control over the events of the day, do you?”

“Maybe not, but you’ve got a lot of explaining to do, girl!” insisted Rayn.

“Explain what?” retorted Amelia. “You saw the same as I did, make up your own mind about it.”

“You know you really are a lousy liar. It doesn’t take an idiot to recognise there’s much more to this than you’re letting on. Now no more lies,” insisted Rayn. “You knew exactly what you we’re doing during that little drama when everyone else was running around like unfrocked politicians, and what about all that gobbledegook we were feeding the cops, not to mention the way that Vicar homed in on you as if he knew something we didn’t. No my girl, let’s get up to your bedroom and you can start telling. And no more of this stuff that comes out the back end of a bull, Capice?”

“Okay Rayn, you win. I’ll tell you what I know but I warn you, you won’t understand it any more than I do.” Amelia looked into the shop through the windows. “Ah, it looks as if you’ll have to wait a bit longer, my friend. Your mother’s here.” Rayn managed a pointless but very satisfying expletive as they entered the shop.

“Ah,” said Bridie as the girls entered the shop. “You’re just in time for lunch. How are you feeling?” Her face showed real concern as she looked at them.

Rayn gave her mum a hug as Lucy came in from the kitchen.

“Amelia! Oh my love, it must have been awful,” she said.

Amelia hugged her mother and hung on tight for a while. “I’ve had better days. If Rayn hadn’t been there I’d have come apart at the seams.”

“Well, at least you’re both home safe and sound. The school secretary rang up to tell us what had happened and that the Vicar was bringing you home,” said Bridie. “She sounded really broken up about it all, poor woman.”

“We think there was some extracurricular activity going on there,” said Amelia to her mother, “but we’re not sure.”