The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 29

29

The caretaker unlocked the door. We went in, I stopped about the same position as I remembered Carla standing, when Jack flirted with her.

'So run me through it', I said turning to Carla.

'Okay, you decide to get changed, Jack guides me out through the door', she says in deep thought, turning and walking back to the door, I followed her. The caretaker stood at the entrance, his arms folded and his patience deteriorating, he stepped back allowing us to pass by. We hardly noticed his despondency, choosing to direct our attention to the ground, I scanned the corners mostly, but deep down I could feel something was wrong. I breathed heavily attempting to concentrate my attention to the dirt and that's when it dawned on me.

A fresh scent of anti-bacterial spray mixed with lavender and where I had expected to see dirt from the previous day, there was none.

I looked up at the caretaker, 'has this block been cleaned today?'

'No, it was cleaned yesterday'

'After the football?'

'Yes, what of it?'

I looked at Carla, she understood what I was talking about and I could see anger lines forming around her mouth, she was about to explode and the caretaker would feel her wrath.

I stepped in, 'you didn't think to tell us?' the caretaker looked dumbly in my direction. 'Did the cleaner find a chain and pendant when she cleaned here'.

I could almost see the cogs in his brain, catching up to my thought process. The eureka moment happened seconds later. 'No, nothing was handed in'.

I grabbed Carla's hand and pulled her towards the door, before she threw herself at the man who stood innocently before her. 'Let's go Carla' and to the man, 'thanks for your help, sorry to interrupt your.....work'