Read Online No True Echo by Gareth P. Jones - Free Book Online Page A

valley?’
    â€˜Things are simpler here, yes.’
    I made a big jump to the other side of the path to avoid an enormous muddy puddle, which Scarlett had just walked straight through.
    â€˜You look like a demented frog,’ she said.
    â€˜A demented frog?’ I replied, but Scarlett wasn’t laughing.
    We were approaching a cluster of trees at the edge of the field. I had never been to this spot before. It was the sort of place that tourists liked. The valley was full of holiday cottages for city folk to hire so they could ramble through nature and get away from the hustle and bustle of their normal lives – an idea that made no sense to me.
    â€˜Just over that ridge is a farmhouse,’ said Scarlett. ‘I’m going to need to go in and you have to stay put. No matter what happens.’
    â€˜What might happen?’
    â€˜This is ridiculous,’ she exclaimed. ‘Why did I even let you come along with me? You’re  …  well, you’re you.’
    â€˜Thanks  …  I think.’
    â€˜I didn’t mean it as a compliment. Listen, Eddie, something is happening in the house down there that is going to change everything and Cornish is trying to prevent it. When I succeed in stopping him, I may not come back. Do you understand?’
    â€˜Not really.’
    She sighed. ‘But do you understand that I’m asking you not to follow me?’
    â€˜Yes, I understand that.’
    The rain was taking a break so I lowered my hood, only to feel a huge drop land on my head when we stepped under the trees. I followed Scarlett to a point where we could see the farmhouse she had been talking about.
    The walls were covered in ivy and the brickwork was patchy and old. The whole place looked mouldy, neglected and rundown, but a light on inside indicated it was not as abandoned as it appeared.
    â€˜Stupid girl. Why did I come this way?’ Scarlett muttered, looking at the steep, muddy slope down to the farmhouse.
    â€˜Rascal is managing all right.’ I pointed out the cat scampering down the hill, then jumping over the stream that ran in front of the house.
    â€˜The cat,’ she whispered. ‘This is bad.’
    â€˜You’re really worried about the cat, aren’t you?’
    â€˜The cat couldn’t have got out of the car itself, which means someone let it out, which means someone is behind us.’
    She said it so seriously it made me want to laugh, but from the way she was looking at me I didn’t think this would go down well.
    Then we heard the gunshot.
    â€˜Stay here,’ said Scarlett, and she went skidding, slipping and sliding down the slope, reaching the bottom in seconds. She glanced back up at me, to check that I hadn’t followed, then jumped over the stream and went into the farmhouse.
    â€˜Stop right there.’
    The voice came from behind me. I turned and saw, standing behind me, the police officer who had come to our school on Thursday.
    â€˜Was it you who let Rascal out of the car?’ I asked.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜The cat.’
    â€˜Yes. It was an accident,’ she replied. ‘My name is PC Liphook. I need to talk to you about the stolen car parked in the field up there. This is very serious but if you do everything I tell you now, we don’t have to make matters any worse. I heard a gunshot.’
    â€˜Yes, it came from the farmhouse,’ I said.
    â€˜Is that where your girlfriend went?’
    â€˜She’s not my girlfriend. I do like her and I think she likes me – you know, in an irritated kind of way, but I don’t think it’s black and white. You know, not like penguins.’
    â€˜Why are you talking about penguins?’
    â€˜It seems to be what I do when I get nervous.’
    â€˜Is there an easier way down?’
    â€˜I don’t know. I’ve never been here before.’
    I could tell Liphook was considering the best thing to do next but the sound of