The Garden of Forgotten Wishes - Trisha Ashley Page 0,138

hell seemed to break loose up at the monastic site: loud barking, shouting, car doors slamming and the revving of engines.

‘Come on!’ said Ned, taking my hand and we ran over the bridge and up the hill.

But by the time we reached the car park, the excitement was over and there was just Steve, directing a powerful torch about and his sheepdog, Bob, leaping excitedly round him. Gertie was peering out from the lighted door of the lodge opposite.

Steve turned at the sound of our footsteps and said, ‘You were right to warn me that Wayne and those friends of his with the metal detectors might try and have a go at the site. There were two vans and they had sacking over the registration numbers, but I’m sure that’s who it was.’

He shone the torch on the open gate, with the padlocks hanging loose. ‘Bolt cutters, I expect,’ he said. ‘But they didn’t know Bob was sleeping in there at night.’

‘Bob was in the enclosure?’ I said. ‘Wasn’t he cold?’

‘Not him. He sleeps in his kennel in the garden all year round; asks to go out last thing at night, he does. I brought it over and put it in a nice cosy spot out of the wind, between the hut and the wall and he had the run of the site.’

‘I don’t suppose there’s anything we can do?’ Ned asked. ‘I doubt that even Wayne and his cronies are stupid enough to leave fingerprints on the padlocks and chains.’

‘No, there’s no point calling the police, but I don’t think they’ll try it again,’ Steve said. ‘I’ve another chain that’ll hold the gate tonight and I’ll see about something a bit more heavy duty tomorrow.’

Ned helped him fix it while Bob was awarded a large rawhide bone by Gertie, who came across in her dressing gown and slippers. Then Bob retired back to his kennel, where we could hear loud gnawing noises.

When all was secured, we walked slowly back down the hill home.

‘What are you doing tomorrow?’ Ned asked.

‘If you don’t really need me in the garden first thing, I’ll go to the supermarket in Great Mumming and then pop in to see Treena.’

I really, really, needed to talk everything through with her!

‘But then I’ll come and help in the garden,’ I promised.

‘You don’t have to.’

‘Try and keep me away!’ I said, and he laughed.

The sky looked like darkest indigo velvet, speckled with silver sequins, quite beautiful. And my life would be quite beautiful, too, if only I didn’t have a big, fat, horrible secret squatting like a spider in the middle of it.

33

Unforgotten

I got to the supermarket in Great Mumming just as it opened and filled my trolley up with staples. Toller’s were good for extras, treats and things I’d run out of, but their prices meant I couldn’t afford to do all my shopping there – or not unless Ned suddenly doubled my wages, which was highly unlikely.

I bought sushi and fresh cream doughnuts for lunch, though if Treena didn’t fancy hers I’d probably manage both … Overnight, I appeared to have switched from no appetite, to comfort eating.

Treena had only just got back to the cottage when I arrived, after a night on duty at Happy Pets. There’d been an emergency admission late in the evening and a couple of pets recovering from operations. She was exhausted, but still feeling wired and not at all sleepy.

An early lunch of sushi and doughnuts, washed down with coffee, seemed to be exactly what she needed and over it, I told her how Ned and I had found Elizabeth Grace’s letter last night and about the later alarms and excursions up at the dig.

‘It was very late by then, so Luke must have been fast asleep, because there was no sign of him,’ I said. ‘But I expect Steve’s told him all about it by now and I shouldn’t think Wayne and his friends will try that one again.’

‘Are you positive it was Wayne?’

‘I don’t think there’s much doubt,’ I said, with a sigh. ‘I keep meaning to tell Ned I’m related to the Vanes, but the moment never seems right – and every time I do screw my courage up, Wayne does something else dreadful. And he was hinting to Ned on Wednesday that he knew something about me that Ned didn’t. Only Ned thinks he must have found out about that loopy resignation letter.’

‘But he could be right about that and the Vanes haven’t guessed who you