‘What is going on here?’ said a voice from above.
Charlotte shook her head to clear it. That was a good question. She could move again. The fear and the terror had evaporated, just like that.
She opened her eyes. The lights in the trees were gone as well.
‘What are you doing with my grandchildren?’ said the voice that had scared the Shining Men away.
‘Nanny!’ Noah cried out from behind, trying to stand but collapsing in a heap again as his ankle gave way.
‘Allow me,’ said the Doctor, scampering up the bank to assist the woman who was struggling down towards them. She wore an anorak over her thin nightie, with walking boots on her feet and a woolly hat rammed over grey frizzy hair. The hat was soaked through, but the woman didn’t care as she slapped the Doctor’s hand away.
‘Don’t touch me.’
He snatched it back as if burned. ‘Suit yourself. I was only trying to help.’
She slithered down the bank, flashlight in hand, and rushed to the children. ‘Noah, Masie; what in heaven’s name are you doing out here?’ She folded her arms around them. ‘I was so scared when I found you gone.’
‘They chased us, Nan,’ Noah told her, resuming his seemingly inexhaustible supply of tears.
The woman shone her flashlight in the Doctor’s face like an interrogation lamp. ‘They did what?’
‘It wasn’t us,’ the Doctor insisted. ‘We heard Noah scream.’ He pointed at the boy’s leg. ‘He’s twisted his ankle. It’ll be sore for a few days, but nothing that won’t mend.’
Charlotte got up and brushed herself down.
Bill sidled up, keeping her voice low. ‘You felt that too, right?’
It took Charlotte a moment to realise Bill was talking about the paralysing sense of dread that had accompanied the Shining Men.
The Shining Men! Her footage!
Charlotte snatched her mobile from the ground and checked the display. ‘Yes! It recorded!’ she said, opening the video app. Rows of eerie eyes stared out of the screen, not quite in focus but better than anything she’d seen online. This was awesome!
‘How did you find us?’ the Doctor asked, daring to take a step nearer the angry woman.
‘What’s it got to do with you?’
He tapped the side of his head. ‘Inquiring minds need to know.’
The woman looked down at her grandchildren again. ‘The man at number fifteen, he told me he saw torches on the playing fields, running towards the trees.’ She kissed the top of Masie’s head. ‘What were you thinking?’
‘We were looking for Mum,’ the girl replied.
‘Oh love. She won’t be out here.’ She shot a look at the Doctor. ‘With these people.’
‘Who are you calling people?’ the Doctor snapped. ‘I mean, obviously we’re people, but not bad people. We’re good people.’ He turned to Bill. ‘Tell her we’re good people.’
‘We are,’ Bill said, joining him. ‘I promise. The Doctor’s right; we were just trying to help.’
The old woman’s eyes fixed on Charlotte. ‘What about that one. I’ve seen her hanging around the street. You’re living out of that camper van, aren’t you?’
‘I’m with them,’ Charlotte said quickly.
‘You are?’ the Doctor said.
‘She is,’ Bill told him.
Charlotte realised she that still had her phone up and dropped it down before the old woman could get the wrong idea.
Too late. ‘Were you filming us?’ The woman started rummaging around in her anorak pocket. ‘That’s it. I’m calling the police.’
‘No need,’ the Doctor cut in. ‘We’re already here. Look.’ He fished a battered leather wallet from his jacket and flashed it in front of the woman’s face. ‘See?’ His face fell for a minute, and he glanced at the wallet. ‘You do see, don’t you?’
‘CID?’ the woman said, and the Doctor breathed a sigh of relief.
‘If that’s what it says, then who am I to argue?’
She peered at him with renewed interest. ‘You’re here about my Sammy?’
The Doctor slipped the wallet back into his coat. ‘And that would be Noah’s Mum,’ he said, obviously bluffing although the woman didn’t seem to notice. ‘Your daughter.’
‘That’s right.’ She tapped her expansive bosom. ‘Hilary Walsh, that’s me.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Hilary Walsh,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I’m the Doctor, this is Bill and this …’ He turned to Charlotte and coughed slightly. ‘This is Cryptogal-UK, our … forensic investigator. Hence the inappropriate phone.’
Hilary stared at Charlotte. ‘What kind of name is that?’
Before the Doctor could say ‘I told you so’, Bill cut in: ‘It’s her code name. For, you know, undercover investigations.’
It was a nice try, but it was clear that Hilary was never going to buy that.
‘My name’s Sadler,’ Charlotte said, stepping forward and held out her hand, trying to look official. ‘Charlotte Sadler.’
Hilary glared at the hand as if it was covered in dog muck. ‘Well, whoever you all are,’ she said, turning back to the Doctor. ‘I need to get these two home.’ She pulled away from her grandchildren and tutted. ‘Coming out here in your pyjamas.’
‘You’re in your nightie,’ the Doctor pointed out, and Bill kicked him in the shin.
‘We put our coats on!’ Noah told her, wiping his nose.
‘You’ll catch your deaths.’ She shone her flashlight at the lad’s ankle. ‘Can you walk on it?’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so.’ He looked like he was going to start crying again.
‘I’ll carry him,’ the Doctor offered.
‘You will?’ Bill said.
‘Don’t sound so surprised,’ he berated her.
Hilary looked like she was going to argue, but Noah already had his arms raised, the Doctor hoisting him up into the air. The boy held on tight, giggling as the Doctor made a play of dropping him.
‘Careful!’ Hilary snapped.
‘Don’t worry, we’ll have him home in no time,’ the Doctor said, marching off, before realising that he had no idea where he was going. ‘It is back this way, isn’t it?’
Grabbing Masie’s hand, Hilary bustled past him, showing the way with her torch. ‘We’ll go the long way round. I don’t fancy climbing up that bank.’
‘Me neither,’ the Doctor agreed, following after her. ‘What do you feed these kids? He weighs a ton!’
‘That’s rude!’ Noah said, laughing again.
‘Don’t take it personally. He’s like it to everyone,’ Bill said, tramping after them, before turning back towards Charlotte. ‘You coming?’
Charlotte unclipped her smartphone from the monopod and fell in alongside her. ‘Of course,’ she said, grinning. ‘Where would you two be without your forensic investigator?’
As they walked, Charlotte couldn’t shift the idea that they were being watched. She glanced over her shoulder and, just for a moment, thought she saw eyes glowing between the trees, but then they were gone and the wood was dark.