Page 81 of Electric Kiss

“Oh God, I can feel the evil wafting out of the bricks,” Luke said as they circled the perimeter.

Archer had opted not to go up the back stairs, instead going through the front door. He told his siblings that this was their ancestral home, and if they wanted to go in, they wouldn’t sneak around. Nine against one was enough to keep Cynthia in her rooms while they roamed. Not that they knew anything important was with their mother. They didn’t care about snooping undetected.

Imelda led the way holding Daisy’s hand. Nate held her other one, and the rest followed behind like protection detail. Her hands became sweaty, and she tried to pull away, but neither her husband nor her mother would let her go.

At the top of the stairs, they looped back and turned left to walk along the wide corridor. The red patterned carpet didn’t meet the skirting board. A thin strip of wood flooring and a gold runner edged the carpet. Nothing else was in the corridor. No paintings or small tables with lamps like there had been when Daisy was a child and teenager.

“Has she stripped everything away?” Jason muttered.

“Maybe. Less dusting,” Archer said, ever the practical one.

There were titters behind Daisy, and she gave herself a small smile. Finally, they reached the end of the corridor, and Daisy saw the end room had its door wide open. Then a woman stepped into view.

Imelda pulled her hand from Daisy, raised both palms to her mouth, and pressed them hard. Daisy looked at her mum, who had tears coming down her face.

“Melly?” Imelda said through a sob. “Is that really you?”

“Come here, child,” Melly said and opened her arms.

Imelda ran at full pelt to the woman, and she wrapped her in a hug. Both women were crying. Then a sniff sounded to Daisy’s side.

Daisy looked and saw Maggie standing there, trying to contain her cries.

“Who is that woman?” Nate asked.

“That’s Maggie’s mum, Melly. She looked after us when we were kids. She was the cook then, taught Maggie everything she knew,” Archer said, coming up and wrapping an arm around Maggie’s shoulder and bringing her close.

“I better get Mum back to the chair. She is fit as a fiddle and sharp, but she can’t stand for very long,” Maggie said and bolted forward to her mum.

“This is like a reunion,” Heidi said and wailed.

“Good Lord, are your hormones going to be like this the entire time you’re carrying our child?” Jason asked.

Daisy heard an oomph, and she smiled. She knew Heidi had jabbed him in the side, and her brother was exaggerating the hit.

“Do you want to go into the playroom?” Nate asked.

He turned her by her shoulders and kept his hands on them while he dipped his chin and kept eye contact with her.

“Yeah, let’s do this,” Daisy said.

“Okay, which door?” Nate asked.

“This one,” Luke said, pointing to a closed door to their right.

He opened the door and looked in, still keeping his hand on the doorknob.

“There is nothing in here. Bare floorboards. Not even curtains. You should be fine,” Luke said.

“Okay,” Daisy said, nodding and letting Nate take her into the room. She expected to lose her mind, freeze on the spot and then shake uncontrollably, but with Nate’s hand in hers, she felt nothing. Not a thing. Then she glanced at the radiator. The green paint was peeling. She remembered crouching next to it, the armchair to her other side. It was a great hiding spot.

“The chair in your workshop used to be over there,” Daisy said, pointing.

“I can get rid of it if it upsets you?” Nate said.

“I think I’m going to be okay. Let’s go and join Mum, Melly, and the others,” Daisy said.

She dropped Nate’s hand to hug him and kiss his cheek. “Thank you for holding my hand.”

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