“I knew it!” Phyllis was standing by the sink and she turned round, holding something in her hand. “He’s been here!”
Nova stepped closer and saw what looked like an empty crisp packet.
“Monster Munch,” Phyllis said. “Michael’s favorite.”
“That could have been from years ago.” But as Nova said this, she saw a bin bag lying by what must have once been the back door. She bent down and opened it to see more empty crisp packets,sandwich cartons and plastic water bottles inside. Those definitely didn’t look years old.
Phyllis had moved to the far end of the room and was peering through another doorway. Nova knelt down and opened the cupboard under the sink, then regretted it when a foul smell hit her. She tried the tap, but unsurprisingly no water came out.
“Maybe he’s been here recently but he’s clearly not here now,” she said, turning round, but Phyllis had left the room.
Nova moved to the door and peered through. There was a small hallway leading onto a second room, a narrow, dark staircase in between. Jesus, had Phyllis gone up there?
“For God’s sake, this staircase is rotten with damp. What are—”
But Nova never got to finish her sentence, as she was interrupted by a bark and then a bloodcurdling scream.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nova
Nova began to charge up the creaking stairs, the scream still echoing in her ears.
“Phyllis, where are you?” she shouted as she reached a small hallway at the top. There were two doors, one open and one closed, and Nova crossed to the open door and peered inside.
The curtains were drawn, and the room was so dark she could make out little more than vague shapes inside. There was what looked like a single bed at the far side of the room and a figure was standing at the end of it, their back to the doorway, but in the gloom, Nova couldn’t tell who it was. They had an arm raised above their head, as if they were about to strike something or someone on the other side of the bed. Nova ran across the room.
“Stop!” she shouted as she grabbed the raised arm.
Immediately, the person swung round and Nova saw it was Phyllis.
“What are you…”
Nova stopped as Phyllis’s eyes swung back toward the bed. When Nova followed them, she saw a man cowering on the floor onthe other side, his hands raised to protect himself from Craddock, who appeared to be trying to lick him to death.
“What the hell did you do to him?”
“I didn’t touch him!” Phyllis snapped. “I just walked in here and he took one look at me, screamed and jumped behind the bed.”
Nova leaned forward and grabbed Craddock’s collar, hauling him off.
“Michael, are you okay?” she asked, but he didn’t look up. “It’s all right, it’s only us: Nova and Phyllis from the St. Tredock Book Club.”
At the mention of their names, the man let out a low whimper.
“For goodness’ sake, we need some light in here.” Phyllis strode to the window, pulling back the thick curtain.
Sunlight burst in through the broken pane of glass and Nova could finally see Michael properly. He didn’t appear to be injured, but when he raised his head, she saw his face was pale, a layer of graying stubble over his chin. His eyes flicked between Nova and Phyllis, wide with alarm.
“Michael, are you here alone?”
He nodded but didn’t speak.
“What on earth happened to you? Are you okay?”
“I’m a bit hungry.” His voice was a rasp, as if he hadn’t used it in days.
“I’ve got some biscuits.” Phyllis rummaged in her bag and pulled out a packet of Rich Teas, which she held toward Michael. The man tentatively reached out, not looking at Phyllis as he took them. He opened the packet and stuffed a biscuit in his mouth, barely chewing before he swallowed it and took another one. Craddock shuffled nearer to eat the crumbs that fell on the floor.
