Page 23 of Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake
‘Because the nasty monster looks through the window at me.’
‘Really? What kind of a monster?’
Her chin wobbles a little as she thinks. She looks up at meand my heart clenches to see her eyes so full of fear. ‘It’s a horrible faceand it’s got all blood on its eyes.’ She lets go of her doll and touches herown eyes and her cheeks to show me where.
‘Oh, my goodness. When have you seen it?’
‘In the night. It always comes in the night.’
‘Right. And what do you do? Do you tell your mummy?’
She shakes her head. ‘Mummy would cry again so I just hidein bed and then it goes away.’
‘But your mummy knows about it.’
She nods. ‘She said it was a bad dream and that there’s nosuch thing as monsters.’
‘I think she might be right, you know,’ I murmur, drawingher into a hug.
She pulls away, looking up at me defiantly. ‘It’snota dream. It’s real. It is, Ruby. It looks like a nasty doll.’
I nod, not really knowing what to say. It’s clear Jodie’sseeingsomethinghorrible, but it can’t be real, surely? A doll withbleeding eyes? What could be causing her to have such a nightmare vision?
I smile at her. ‘It’s probably time for ice-cream, don’t youthink?’
She brightens immediately, scrambling to her feet. ‘Let’sgo.’
‘Hey, there. Your ice-cream’s melting,’ smiles Bee, meetingus in the hall. ‘Quick, quick, quick!’
Jodie runs ahead of us into the kitchen.
‘How do you like the unicorn poo?’ Bee groans. ‘Lovely,isn’t it?’
‘Truly delectable. Um... she was tellingme about seeing a doll at her bedroom window?’ I glance at Bee worriedly. ‘Iknow it’s not real but it sounds like she was really scared.’
Bee sighs wearily. ‘She’s always had a vivid imagination,’ shemurmurs, as we linger in the living room, out of Jodie’s earshot. ‘I thinkshe’s picking up on my fear over these letters I’ve been getting. I haven’tmentioned them, obviously, but kids can tell when things aren’t right.’
I nod. ‘We need to get to the bottom of who’s sending theletters. Do you think it’s definitely your ex?’
‘Yes.’ She nods but looks bemused at the same time. ‘Maybe. Idon’t know. It’s not his style to be so horribly sinister. If he wanted accessto Jodie, he’d just come and batter on the door and tell me straight.’ Sheshrugs helplessly. ‘But I just don’t know who else it could be.’
‘What about that awful woman who’s got it in for you?’
‘Norma?’
I nod. ‘Do you think it could be her sending you theletters? To make you scared and want to leave?’
‘I never thought of that. Of course, Norma would probablylove to see the back of Jodie and me. She seems to have a real grudge againstus.’ She looks perplexed. ‘I don’t like her, Ruby, but I still can’t imagineher stooping that low and penning those letters.’
‘And you don’t think you should go to the police aboutthem?’
She shakes her head. ‘They wouldn’t take me seriously. It’snot as if the letters are openly threatening. The writer of them is actuallyvery careful to make the wording seem perfectly innocent.’ She goes to acabinet and opens a drawer. ‘Look, here’s the first one I received.’
Dearest Bee and Jodie
Welcome to Port Castleton. I do hope you’re enjoying yourtime here.
A word of warning, though. A flat situated on the groundfloor near a busy road isn’t a good place for such a young child to be living.Bad things can happen when your back is turned, even just for a second.
