Fraser pulled the van up outside the front door. They both sat there with the engine running. Was he going to say something profound? She waited. ‘Are you getting out?’ he asked.
‘I was waiting for you to switch it off, in case you drove off with me with one leg out of the car.’
He tilted his head in question. ‘I was going to put this around the back in the cart shed in case the temperature drops again. That way it won’t be as iced up.’
‘Right. Good idea. I’ll get out then.’ Liv escaped from the van and watched it trundle off. This was all very awkward and a bit confusing. How did she feel about him now she was pretty sure he hadn’t ghosted her? There was definitely something but it was hard to know if it was tainted by the fake Fraser. Maybe the best thing would be for her to forget all the Frasers.
She plodded up the steps and went inside. A waft of warmth and some now familiar smells greeted her. ‘Hello!’ she called. There was no reply. That was odd. Liv walked through the hallway, passed the abandoned reception desk and pushed open the kitchen door. There was nobody around. She checked the dining room and the library – not a soul. Had everyone gone to bed? She hoped Fraser came back quickly because even an awkward silence with him was better than being in the hotel alone.
That was when she heard it. A tapping noise. Liv went rigid. This was not good. She wanted to dash outside to Fraser but she wasn’t even sure if she’d seen a cart shed, so she didn’t know which way to head. And if she found him she’d look like a twerp for having run to him. No, she needed to think logically and face her fears. Because facing up to things was what this trip was about. Although she’d not considered that it might include actual ghosts.
‘Hello?’ Her voice was a little wobbly. That wouldn’t do. There was nothing to be scared of. ‘Is this a joke?’ She spun around expecting someone to jump out. ‘Effie? If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not working.’ She held her chin high. Silence. She listened hard and there was the tap again. Liv swallowed. She needed to find out what was making that noise. It had probably been doing it all the time she’d been at the hotel; she’d just not noticed before. Liv inched her way down the hallway, following the sound. She reached the reception desk and peered over the top. Nobody there. She heard the noise again and it was definitely a little louder, so she was getting closer. It was probably a window that had been left on the catch or a breeze making something rattle. There was bound to be a simple and non-paranormal explanation.
She moved around the reception desk and stood still. Nothing. She looked about her. There was more wood panelling behind reception but there was something that caught her eye. One of the panels had a join in an odd place and there was a tiny gap. She followed the line of the gap with her eyes. Was that a door hidden in the panelling? She was quite excited by her discovery. As a child she had read countless mystery books and had dreamed of finding secret doors and passageways. Although now she was presented with one she was thinking that maybe they didn’t always lead to treasure, and she was fearful of what was on the other side of the secret door.
As she reached for the panel, the tap went again making Liv jump. It was definitely coming from the other side of the door. But most ghostly-sounding noises were actually plumbing and in a place as old and decrepit as Lochy House Hotel it was most likely the latter. But then what if it was Janet? She shook her head. That was ridiculous. Janet was a figment of Effie’s imagination. Granted it was a vibrant one and based on local legend but most definitely enhanced by Effie’s imagination. It was plumbing, plain and simple. This was most likely the boiler cupboard.
Liv ran her fingers over the edge of the rogue panel. The door was expertly disguised. How did it open? Liv felt around until she noticed a slightly lighter patch on one side where the colour looked faded. She pressed it and the secret door opened. Liv held her breath as she peered inside. There was nothing but darkness.
Liv pulled out her phone to use as a torch as a wizened old face loomed out of the darkness towards her. ‘Shit!’ said Liv stumbling backwards in her haste to get away.
‘Hello, lovey,’ said Winnie. ‘Thank goodness for that. I thought I was sealed up forever like an Egyptian mummy.’
‘Why didn’t you say something?’ asked Liv.
‘Sorry? Battery in my hearing aid has gone. Anyway, thanks for coming to my rescue. Have you seen Donald? He’s meant to be taking me home.’ Winnie slowly shuffled out.
‘Winnie, can you hear me if I shout?’ tried Liv.
‘Ooh did you say something?’ she replied as she stopped to fiddle with her hearing aid.
‘Yes. Why were you in there?’
‘I was being nosy. I noticed the panel had a seam in it and when I looked closer I could see it was a hidden door. But when I got inside it was pitch-black. I felt around for a light and thought I’d found a pull chord but that must have been connected to the door, because it clicked shut behind me. I’ve lived to tell the tale and wait when the folks at Little Loch Tearooms hear this one.’
‘I’m glad you’re okay,’ said Liv loudly.
‘Oh, I’m fine. Nothing a daily dose of David Tennant in a kilt can’t solve.’ She cackled a laugh as she made her way slowly up the hall. She paused. ‘Thanks for coming to my rescue, Liv. What exactly is Liv short for?’
‘It’s Olivia,’ said Liv.
‘No, can’t hear a thing,’ said Winnie. ‘Cheerio.’
Liv let out the longest sigh. Her pulse was racing. It’s okay, she told herself. It wasn’t a ghost; there was a perfectly rational explanation. Although an old lady trapped behind a secret door hadn’t been the straightforward explanation she’d been expecting. Liv switched on her torch and opened the door fully, revealing a bigger space than she’d been expecting and definitely a lot more cobwebs than she was comfortable with. She stepped inside.
‘Just an empty cupboard. That’s all it is,’ she whispered to herself. That was when a hand gripped her shoulder. ‘Arghhhhhh!’ screamed Liv, spinning around ready to defend herself.
Effie wrapped her in a tight hug. ‘You came back!’
‘Bloody hell, Effie. You scared the life out of me.’ Her pulse was off the scale.
‘Why?’ said Effie letting her go.
‘Because…’ Liv pointed into the darkness. ‘I was concentrating on what is in here.’
‘It’s just an old cupboard. I used to play in here when I was little until I got stuck in there for five hours and peed my pants,’ she whispered the last part and grimaced. ‘I wasn’t allowed in here after that.’
That put paid to any romantic notion Liv had of finding treasure. Liv scanned the space with her torch. It was empty apart from dust, cobwebs and an old box of papers.
Liv picked up a dusty document off the top of the box. It was addressed to Effie.
‘Ooh this looks interesting,’ she said.
‘Hey, what are you doing in there? That box is private,’ said Fraser, irritation heavy on his words.
‘Don’t start on me. I was only looking,’ said Liv, although she was aware it was a bit snoopy but the owner of the letter was standing next to her.
Fraser stomped over, snatched the letter from her and stepped inside the cupboard to return it to the box.
‘I hate you fighting with each other. Will you two just sort things out already?!’ said Effie, her voice strident.
‘But he was the one having a go at me,’ said Liv, but at the same time Fraser was speaking over her saying something about wild accusations. They kept talking, their voices rising and becoming more and more heated until Effie gave Liv a shove, making her lurch towards Fraser and drop her phone.
‘Hey!’ he complained.
‘It wasn’t me!’ Liv bent down to get her phone and was about to ask Effie what she was playing at when she pushed her again but harder. Liv toppled forward and had no option but to push Fraser backwards or she was going to end up in his arms. They were falling inside the cupboard. One more big push and Liv was up against Fraser’s chest as the door panel closed behind them, plunging them into darkness.
‘What the hell!’ Liv was hopping mad. But she was also disorientated thanks to the dark. ‘Effie!’ she yelled.
Fraser cleared his throat. ‘Do you think you could stop yelling in my face?’
‘Oh sorry.’ She realised she also had her hands pressed against his chest. She tried to step away but the door was right behind her. ‘Can you back up? Because I’ve got nowhere to go.’
‘And I’ve got loads of room?’
‘Yeah actually you have. It’s quite a big cupboard. Heaven knows what it was used for?’ An image of Janet swam into her mind and she shuddered.
‘It’s an early example of an escape room. Remember this place was built in the seventeenth century when things were still pretty volatile. When the clans were fighting, things were unpredictable and with the English a constant threat, the owners had a secret room added that they could escape to if the worst happened.’
‘Thank you for the history lesson. Now can you step backwards?’
There was shuffling and Fraser moved away from her and she felt she could breathe a little more normally. She felt another shudder like icy fingers creeping up her spine. ‘When you say if the worst happened…’
‘I don’t think it was ever used, which I suppose is a good thing.’ His voice had almost a melody to it, now it was all she had to focus on.
‘Definitely. I’d not want to be shut in here for long. Talking of which how do we get out exactly?’
‘Ideally we need Effie to open it from the other side,’ he said. There was a pause. ‘Effie? I know you’re there and listening.’
There was a huffing sound. ‘I’m not letting you out until you make up,’ said Effie from outside.
‘We already have,’ said Fraser.
‘Err, did I miss that?’ asked Liv.
Fraser breathed out hard, ruffling his hair. She could imagine his exasperated expression. ‘I just got you from the police station didn’t I?’
‘You did and I’ve said thank you for that. But I still think you’re not being honest about everything.’
‘See you’ve not made up,’ said Effie from the other side of the door. ‘I just want us all to be friends.’
‘Effie, please can we talk about this?’ asked Fraser moving forward and bumping into Liv.
‘Hey, mind out.’
‘Can you switch on your torch phone?’ he asked.
‘Nope, it’s on the floor on the other side of the door.’
‘Is it? I thought you kicked it in here.’
They both crouched down at the same time and banged heads. ‘Bloody hell!’ said Liv. ‘I’d be seeing stars if I could see anything right now.’
‘Sorry,’ said Fraser. ‘Start feeling around.’
‘I am!’
‘Don’t get crabbit with me. It’s Effie who’s shut us in here.’
‘Good point. Effie!’ called Liv. There was no response. ‘She’s gone hasn’t she?’
‘I think so,’ said Fraser with a deep sigh.