The old dog rushes forwards, barking hysterically, baring his teeth, hackles up. Graham shows his palms, revealing he’s no throat, keeps his tone of voice low, calm as he talks. ‘There, there, Barney. Remember us? There’s a good dog.’
‘I’m not sure the dog understands English,’ replies Stephen.
Graham ignores his ignorance, slowly bending level with the dog who has now moved on to creeping forwards, nose twitching to sniff his outstretched hand. Graham holds his breath as Barney seems to wrestle with his basic instincts to protect his home. He eventually gives Graham’s fingers a lick and allows him to tickle his neck.
‘There, you see,’ says Graham. ‘A kind voice and a bit of trust goes a long way.’
‘Hmm,’ says Stephen.
They approach the first barn, but both stop when Barney starts barking again. Graham spins to face him, expecting to start placating him again, but Barney runs away to the far end of the yard. Stops. Then barks again.
‘Why, I do believe our new friend wants us to follow him,’ says Stephen, leading the way.
Barney leads them to a small barn tucked behind the largest one. It’s a solid structure, but not big enough to store farm equipment or anything larger than a car. Graham reaches for the door handle, but finds it locked, bolted with another padlock.
Stephen steps past him. ‘Allow me.’ He crouches, his face level with the padlock, then reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small leather case, roughly the size of a pencil case.
Graham watches silently as Stephen slides a thin metal stick into the keyhole of the padlock.
‘You continue to surprise me, Mr Mallow.’
‘What happened to Stephen?’
‘What indeed. I never took you for a lock picker.’
‘It’s one of my lesser-known skills.’
It takes less than two minutes for Stephen to get the door open. Barney whines and rushes through the door, scurrying behind a stack of boxes.
Following him, Graham steps into the small building. He searches for a light switch, but there’s not one he can see. Stephen pulls out his phone and switches on the torch function. The outside light is fading fast.
There are several boxes, along with a lawn mower in the far corner. There’s also a small table with a radio resting on it, along with a microphone. In the middle of the one-room building is a clear space with an old, tattered, circular rug inthe centre. Barney reappears from behind the boxes and starts scrabbling at the rug, pawing and whining.
Graham and Stephen move as one, grasping the edges of the rug and dragging it along the dusty, concrete floor. Barney hops out of the way, then returns to the centre.
Stephen directs the beam of light onto the floor where Barney is furiously digging.
‘Well, well, well,’ says Graham. ‘Time for you to use those lock-picking skills again.’
He looks down at the fairly new-looking wooden trapdoor in the floorof the building.
Chapter 48
STEPHEN
With Barney nearby, eyes wide and panting, Stephen kneels on the floor, inspecting the trapdoor and the second padlock. This one is trickier, needing a combination to open rather than a key, so his trusty thin wire won’t be of much use this time. He thinks for a moment before pulling out the note he found on Frank Hammel’s body.
There are four numbers left over from the grid reference. He enters each one slowly, ensuring the dials are lined up. The padlock clicks open. Graham reaches over, helping him lift the heavy trapdoor. Graham takes the padlock and slips it into his pocket.
Barney barks, but doesn’t attempt to jump into the hole they’ve uncovered. He whines and lays down, staring at it intently.
Stephen’s heart almost stops as he peers into the darkness below. The mind-numbing fear he once had threatens to unleash itself once again. Being outside in the dark is one thing, but climbing down into a hole beneath the earth is quite another.
Graham seems to sense his hesitation. ‘I don’t expect you to climb down there. Not if you’re not feeling up for it.’
Stephen shines his phone light into the hole. ‘For once, I’d like nothing better than to stay behind, but I’m afraid my conscience just won’t allow it.’
‘Fair enough.’ Graham turns to the dog. ‘Sorry, old boy. You’re going to have to wait up here.’ Barney barks in response, but doesn’t move from his spot. Graham takes a look inside the deep pit. ‘Looks like there’s a ladder attached to the inside wall.’
