Read Online Meanwhile Gardens by Charles Caselton - Free Book Online Page B

send the savings she had been entrusted with, but – where would she send them?
    Old George’s Cavern, Kensal Green Cemetery, London?
    Rion smiled and picked up her wellworn copy of
Face the Fear and Eat It
– the book that had propelled her to London in the first place.
    Sitting in the sun Rion was unworried. It would all be ok. The realisation that her family could no longer touch her made her smile and smile.
    Today she was enjoying her freedom, the sun on her face and doing nothing. Absolutely nothing.
    And as for the storytelling later?
    Rion stretched and wiggled her toes, she would think about that when the time came.

    Ollie was in his workroom when the phone rang.
    “I’m not disturbing you am I sweetness?”
    Ollie looked around him. He had been up since early that morning, returning calls, replying to the most urgent of faxes and emails, placating angry clients. “No, Auntie Em.”
    “I’ve just put the phone down on poor Gem. It seems she had another haunting experience on her way to work this morning.”
    “Another one?”
    “At exactly the same place apparently.”
    “Further on from the gasworks?”
    “So I believe, she was a bit upset and it was hard to understand exactly, anyway, she’s refused to walk back.”
    “I could go and get her Auntie Em.”
    “Thanks for offering angel,” he was such a kind boy she thought, “but I’m going to collect her from work later, the thing is – I need a favour.”
    “Ask away.”
    “Well, Auntie Gem has refused to walk down the canal until – well – until that part is exorcised.”
    The penny began to drop, albeit slowly.
    “And you want me to – ? Auntie Em you know how terrible I look in priestly garb, remember Nicky’s Halloween party? I mean I just can’t carry it off and besides – ”
    “Sweetness, I was only going to ask you to investigate – just so we can tell Gem there is no ghost and nothing to be afraid of…”
    Ollie wasn’t exactly thrilled but he felt he had to satisfy his own curiosity anyway. “It’ll have to be later on.”
    “You’re an angel, angel.”
    It was close to four thirty when Ollie knocked on Nicky’s door. He could hear music coming from her studio which normally meant she was working.
    Nicky opened the door and looked him up and down.
    “You’ve got quite good legs you know – ”
    Having decided his tracksuit bottoms were too cumbersome Ollie had changed into shorts.
    “– but shouldn’t you have a day’s break between exercise?”
    Ollie closed the door behind him and followed her into the large open room on the ground floor. “Well, if I stop now I’ll never start again. I’m not disturbing anything am I?”
    The studio was set up for a shoot. Hum raced to the other side of the large piece of black material that split the room in two.
    “I was just taking some pictures of – you two know each other don’t you?”
    Ollie stuck his head around the screen to see an instantly familiar face. Dressed all in black, with vibrantly patterned pink socks, the man sat on a stool in the middle of the space. Hum sniffed him curiously.
    It was Will.
    Or was it Andy?
    “Oh. Hi,” Ollie nodded, his heart beating furiously.
    “Andy needed some shots done. He’s off to Japan later this month.”
    Trying not to show too much interest Ollie looked at the floor and grunted.
    “Hey,” Nicky was unable to contain her excitement. “Angie just called – the shoot with Vance has been confirmed!”
    “Do you think it’ll happen this time?” Ollie asked, still not daring to lift his eyes from the floor.
    “We’ve been told she’ll be in town for the Awards at the end of the month – so a step closer.”
    “That’s great – I really hope it happens,” Ollie said, before remembering why he was there. “Could I borrow your ipod Nicks? Mine’s bust.”
    “Don’t worry, I’ve got some Bush tunes,” Nicky nudged him in the ribs and grinned. “It’s on the counter.”
    Acutely aware of Andy’s