Lost Souls

48

The tension in the kitchen was unbearable. Minutes that seemed like hours passed by in silence between each stilted conversation, as everyone present became lost in their own thoughts about what the police were uncovering outside.

    Jimmy, who’d calmed down enough to rejoin the group, started to strum his fingers on the table. His beat at first was a slow one, but it soon grew quicker and louder until he was almost banging his whole hand onto the wooden surface.

    “Jimmy!” Mr. Rusk barked as his patience broke.

    Jimmy looked up and lifted his hand from the table. He folded his arms tightly across his chest and sighed heavily.

    “Have they found anything yet?” Alex asked, already bored with the whole thing. “They’ve been out there for hours.”

    “You can’t see the grave anymore Alex,” Katie replied. “I took a look out the top window earlier and its under a huge white tent. I guess they don’t want us to see what’s going on.”

    “Why the heck not? We found the stupid grave?” Alex demanded.

    “It’s all evidence son,” Mr. Rusk informed him. “Besides I think the tent is to protect the site in case it rains.”

    “Doesn’t do that much in the Highlands now does it?” MacBlaine joked as he sipped on yet another mug full of coffee. No wonder he was having difficulty sleeping he thought as he stared down into the dark brown drink.

    Christopher stood up. His chair scraped across the floor causing everyone in the room to pull pained faces. “Sorry,” he muttered.

    “Where you going?” Katie asked.

    “I was going to see if you fancied coming for a walk outside. I know it’s pretty dark now, but we could take a couple of torches and stay close to the house.”

    Katie was out of her seat before he’d finished. “Great idea. It’ll help take my mind off what’s going on. Let me grab my coat.”

    Jimmy watched her skip happily away, and then he turned and glared at Christopher. “Have fun,” he spat angrily.

    Christopher just grinned in response. He knew Jimmy was insanely jealous that Katie had chosen him.

    Katie came running back into the kitchen. She was wearing a lilac scarf tightly tied around her neck, a matching beanie hat and gloves, a navy blue coat, and her black ankle boots.

    Christopher felt his heart jump when he saw her. She looked beautiful standing there in her warmer clothing, eagerly waiting to take his hand and rush outside. He was falling in love with Katie already, and despite everything he’d been through since coming to Dovecot Manor, he thought it was worth every second he spent with Katie.

    “Be careful out there. I don’t want any twisted ankles or broken legs,” Mrs. Rusk pleaded as they headed out the kitchen.

    “Promise no broken bones,” Katie called back over her shoulder as she reached the front door.

    Outside the weather had changed. The temperature must have spent the last few hours locked in a freezer before it came back out. Despite the black overhead sky, ice could be clearly seen already formed on the tree branches and creating a fine covering over the gravel driveway.

    Katie shivered despite her thick coat, hat and gloves.

    “Bit nippy eh?” Christopher agreed as he slapped his hands together and stamped his feet.