some other piece of furniture?
Allie pulled her torch out of her pocket and kneeled down for a closer look. Her pulse quickened as she noticed fine lines cut across two of the boards, the whole forming a square. The joins were almost invisible. She dropped the torch and tried to shift one of the boards. But it wouldn’t move. She slid her nails into the thin groove and tried to jerk the board upwards. But it was stuck fast. Muttering under her breath, she looked about for something to use as a lever. The knife! She’d left it lying on the administrator’s desk in the study. She quickly fetched it, relieved that she’d remembered it before the Armstrongs came home.
She slid the blade between the floorboards and levered it upwards. The two boards came loose with a creak and a groan, exposing a hole underneath. Allie thrust her hand insideand groped about. The hole was empty. After all this effort, to find nothing at all! She switched on her torch and shone it into the dark space in case she’d missed something. But there was nothing to see. She could have cried with disappointment.
Why had the woman appeared in front of her if there was nothing for her to find here?
Not ready to give up yet, she lay down beside the hole so that she could put her whole arm inside. The empty space extended right under the floorboards. Instinctively she bunched her fingers into a fist. What if rats or something else were nesting down here? It took all her courage to open her hand and continue to feel around.
Her fingers touched something solid where before there had been only empty space. Her heart knocked against her ribs as she felt around the object, trying to work out what it was. Cautiously, she manoeuvred it upwards and out. It was something wrapped in linen and tied with string. Allie thought it might be a book.
She was tempted to rip open the fabric and examine it, but a glance at her watch showed her that it was already past ten. Tense with alarm, she slotted the floorboards back into place and began to shove the bed back into position. She heard the sound of a car coming closer and then the engine died. Allie remembered the cupboard door she’d prised open. There was no time now to check on any damage she might have done. She just hoped no-one would notice if there was. She had no idea what she could say in her defence if she was asked for an explanation.
She was sweating now, with fear and the strain of heaving the bed back into place. She picked up the package and shoved it under her shirt, hoping the loose fit would hide its bulge. She was almost back at the TV room when she remembered the knife. She raced back for it and snatched it up.
She heard the sound of voices. She was heading for the kitchen when the front door opened. She swung around, knife in hand, to confront the startled administrator and his wife.
‘Alice? What on earth do you think you’re doing?’ Mr Armstrong stepped in front of his wife to protect her.
Allie gaped at him, at a loss. How could she explain?
‘I …’ she began, lowering the knife so at least she didn’t look so threatening. Inspiration struck, and she drew in a breath. ‘I thought I heard a noise outside. I was worried about the girls so I thought I’d better go and investigate. That’s why I grabbed a knife.’ She gave a weak grin. ‘Sorry. I guess I’m used to living in a big city.’
‘It was probably just birds rustling on the roof,’ Sylvia said. ‘I’m sorry they gave you a fright.’ She took the knife from Allie and handed it to her husband, who set off towards the kitchen with it.
‘Things are pretty quiet here, you’ll find,’ Sylvia continued. ‘It’s reassuring to know you’re so ready to protect the children, but you shouldn’t do anything to put yourself at risk.’
Allie nodded, sending up a silent thank you that she’d got away with it.
She fetched her backpack and slung it onto her shoulder. ‘The children have been asleep all night,’ she
Allie pulled her torch out of her pocket and kneeled down for a closer look. Her pulse quickened as she noticed fine lines cut across two of the boards, the whole forming a square. The joins were almost invisible. She dropped the torch and tried to shift one of the boards. But it wouldn’t move. She slid her nails into the thin groove and tried to jerk the board upwards. But it was stuck fast. Muttering under her breath, she looked about for something to use as a lever. The knife! She’d left it lying on the administrator’s desk in the study. She quickly fetched it, relieved that she’d remembered it before the Armstrongs came home.
She slid the blade between the floorboards and levered it upwards. The two boards came loose with a creak and a groan, exposing a hole underneath. Allie thrust her hand insideand groped about. The hole was empty. After all this effort, to find nothing at all! She switched on her torch and shone it into the dark space in case she’d missed something. But there was nothing to see. She could have cried with disappointment.
Why had the woman appeared in front of her if there was nothing for her to find here?
Not ready to give up yet, she lay down beside the hole so that she could put her whole arm inside. The empty space extended right under the floorboards. Instinctively she bunched her fingers into a fist. What if rats or something else were nesting down here? It took all her courage to open her hand and continue to feel around.
Her fingers touched something solid where before there had been only empty space. Her heart knocked against her ribs as she felt around the object, trying to work out what it was. Cautiously, she manoeuvred it upwards and out. It was something wrapped in linen and tied with string. Allie thought it might be a book.
She was tempted to rip open the fabric and examine it, but a glance at her watch showed her that it was already past ten. Tense with alarm, she slotted the floorboards back into place and began to shove the bed back into position. She heard the sound of a car coming closer and then the engine died. Allie remembered the cupboard door she’d prised open. There was no time now to check on any damage she might have done. She just hoped no-one would notice if there was. She had no idea what she could say in her defence if she was asked for an explanation.
She was sweating now, with fear and the strain of heaving the bed back into place. She picked up the package and shoved it under her shirt, hoping the loose fit would hide its bulge. She was almost back at the TV room when she remembered the knife. She raced back for it and snatched it up.
She heard the sound of voices. She was heading for the kitchen when the front door opened. She swung around, knife in hand, to confront the startled administrator and his wife.
‘Alice? What on earth do you think you’re doing?’ Mr Armstrong stepped in front of his wife to protect her.
Allie gaped at him, at a loss. How could she explain?
‘I …’ she began, lowering the knife so at least she didn’t look so threatening. Inspiration struck, and she drew in a breath. ‘I thought I heard a noise outside. I was worried about the girls so I thought I’d better go and investigate. That’s why I grabbed a knife.’ She gave a weak grin. ‘Sorry. I guess I’m used to living in a big city.’
‘It was probably just birds rustling on the roof,’ Sylvia said. ‘I’m sorry they gave you a fright.’ She took the knife from Allie and handed it to her husband, who set off towards the kitchen with it.
‘Things are pretty quiet here, you’ll find,’ Sylvia continued. ‘It’s reassuring to know you’re so ready to protect the children, but you shouldn’t do anything to put yourself at risk.’
Allie nodded, sending up a silent thank you that she’d got away with it.
She fetched her backpack and slung it onto her shoulder. ‘The children have been asleep all night,’ she
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