The Good Sisters. Helen Phifer

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 checked 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 laughed 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 I should 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 an 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. 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. 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.’

      ‘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 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 to him? He’d sworn that he’d never look at another woman after Ellen’s death but here he was, 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 close 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 rang 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.