Read Online ON DEVIL'S BRAE (A Psychological Suspense Thriller) (Dark Minds Mystery Suspense) by Faith Mortimer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Faith Mortimer
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his gaze linger on her mouth, and she felt as if he was caressing her. “That’s not so very remarkable. We do get walkers in these parts, even in winter.” He stopped and gave her a strange look. “I presume this someone…scared you in some way. Can I ask what happened?”
Cassandra bit her lip before looking away. She brushed her hair off her forehead and then faced him. “That’s the stupid part. This person didn’t do anything. Just stood there, watching me. I began to walk over and tripped. When I sat up, there was no one there.”
“I see.”
“No, you don’t.” Her voice went up a note. “There was nowhere for the stranger to go. The rocks lying around were too small to hide behind.”
“You didn’t knock yourself out by any chance when you fell over, and then when you came to, the stranger walked away…perhaps down the other side of the hill?”
Cassandra shook her head, feeling thoroughly despondent. “No, I didn’t, and there wasn’t time. Besides, I haven’t told you everything.”
Angus raised his eyebrows while he waited.
“This isn’t the first time this has happened to me.”
“No?”
“No. The first time I stayed here, back in the autumn, the same thing happened. Not only that, I felt kind of strange. At first I had the feeling I was being watched, and then I saw him.”
“Him?” His voice was sharp and he narrowed his eyes with his frown.
“Yes. He was tall and slim, wearing dark clothes. I felt him watching me, and when I looked up, there he was. Only the first time, he was right on the top and could have gone over, except I don’t see how he could have got away so fast. The distance to cover was too far. There’s more.”
“More? Tell me.”
“The first time I heard a faint noise, like a…like a drumming. This time it was softer, just a vibration in the air, and when I started to go down the hills, I felt as if someone was beating a tattoo on my back,” she whispered and shuddered.
Angus looked away and stared into the flames of the fire. “Did you sleep well last night? Have you anything on your mind? Look, I’m sorry, and I don’t mean to question your explanation, but it might be you’re over-tired or worrying about something.”
Cassandra felt like screaming. Yes, she was damn worried about everything. A child had died, been murdered. She was afraid of being alone in her flat after seeing those ghastly letters sent to her sister. What madman would have sent them? Her sister, whom she never knew, had recently died, and… she was terrified she was going mad. Everything had got on top of her, and it was too much. If she were to be perfectly honest, she would have admitted to being ill and needing help.
Should she tell him anything? Or should she leave well alone? From his suggestions, he must have already thought she was heading for the funny farm.
“No, I haven’t slept well for weeks, and I’ve recently been feeling strung up and under pressure at work. It’s one of the reasons I’ve come up here. I thought the remoteness and tranquillity would do me good.”
“And so it should. Look, I’m no expert, but it sounds like you’re suffering from stress. Common symptoms are what you’ve just described, as well as feeling anti-social, depression, and changes in appetite. Give it some time, and I’m sure you’ll soon start to relax.”
Cassandra felt a mix of emotions on hearing his words. She knew he was only being kind, having found her in a near state of collapse outside his house. What else could he have done except invite her in for that enduring English habit of a beneficial cup of tea? He was almost certainly as embarrassed as hell having her drop in on him like this. She then saw the funny side, and a small grin hovered at the corner of her mouth.
“What have I said that you find so funny?”
She laughed. “I’m sorry. It’s everything…you inviting me in, like a perfect Englishman gentleman, for tea and talking about stress and
Cassandra bit her lip before looking away. She brushed her hair off her forehead and then faced him. “That’s the stupid part. This person didn’t do anything. Just stood there, watching me. I began to walk over and tripped. When I sat up, there was no one there.”
“I see.”
“No, you don’t.” Her voice went up a note. “There was nowhere for the stranger to go. The rocks lying around were too small to hide behind.”
“You didn’t knock yourself out by any chance when you fell over, and then when you came to, the stranger walked away…perhaps down the other side of the hill?”
Cassandra shook her head, feeling thoroughly despondent. “No, I didn’t, and there wasn’t time. Besides, I haven’t told you everything.”
Angus raised his eyebrows while he waited.
“This isn’t the first time this has happened to me.”
“No?”
“No. The first time I stayed here, back in the autumn, the same thing happened. Not only that, I felt kind of strange. At first I had the feeling I was being watched, and then I saw him.”
“Him?” His voice was sharp and he narrowed his eyes with his frown.
“Yes. He was tall and slim, wearing dark clothes. I felt him watching me, and when I looked up, there he was. Only the first time, he was right on the top and could have gone over, except I don’t see how he could have got away so fast. The distance to cover was too far. There’s more.”
“More? Tell me.”
“The first time I heard a faint noise, like a…like a drumming. This time it was softer, just a vibration in the air, and when I started to go down the hills, I felt as if someone was beating a tattoo on my back,” she whispered and shuddered.
Angus looked away and stared into the flames of the fire. “Did you sleep well last night? Have you anything on your mind? Look, I’m sorry, and I don’t mean to question your explanation, but it might be you’re over-tired or worrying about something.”
Cassandra felt like screaming. Yes, she was damn worried about everything. A child had died, been murdered. She was afraid of being alone in her flat after seeing those ghastly letters sent to her sister. What madman would have sent them? Her sister, whom she never knew, had recently died, and… she was terrified she was going mad. Everything had got on top of her, and it was too much. If she were to be perfectly honest, she would have admitted to being ill and needing help.
Should she tell him anything? Or should she leave well alone? From his suggestions, he must have already thought she was heading for the funny farm.
“No, I haven’t slept well for weeks, and I’ve recently been feeling strung up and under pressure at work. It’s one of the reasons I’ve come up here. I thought the remoteness and tranquillity would do me good.”
“And so it should. Look, I’m no expert, but it sounds like you’re suffering from stress. Common symptoms are what you’ve just described, as well as feeling anti-social, depression, and changes in appetite. Give it some time, and I’m sure you’ll soon start to relax.”
Cassandra felt a mix of emotions on hearing his words. She knew he was only being kind, having found her in a near state of collapse outside his house. What else could he have done except invite her in for that enduring English habit of a beneficial cup of tea? He was almost certainly as embarrassed as hell having her drop in on him like this. She then saw the funny side, and a small grin hovered at the corner of her mouth.
“What have I said that you find so funny?”
She laughed. “I’m sorry. It’s everything…you inviting me in, like a perfect Englishman gentleman, for tea and talking about stress and
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