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Back Gallows Hill Save as PDF
Chapters (45)
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Ray gathered their things while Nora fetched the keys from her bag. He tucked his novel under his arm and slung the coat over it. “It really has been lovely to meet you,” he murmured as he passed Margot. “Hopefully next time you’ll enjoy some wine with us. We can do a full tasting. Give you a chance to try everything the estate offers.”

As he stepped through the door, Margot’s eyes fell on the book under his arm. The jacket he’d used to cover it caught on the handle, pulling back as he moved through, and for a second revealed part of the cover.

It wasn’t a novel like she’d thought but nonfiction. Only one line of the title was visible: Afterlife.

Nora and Ray had paused outside, Ray still holding the door wide, waiting. Margot took a slow breath and followed them out.

“Thank you.” She forced herself to speak while her mind raced. “Have a good night.”

Nora, locking the door, sent her a small, fond kind of smile. Unlike earlier, it didn’t extend to her gums. “You too, Margot. Stay safe.”

She waited until Nora and Ray had gotten into their car parked behind the building, then turned back to the drive leading to her home.

Stay safe. It was a common enough way to say goodbye, but Margot didn’t think she was wrong to read more into it.

She’d gotten some of her answers. But not enough. Not nearly enough. She needed to look further, and she needed to do it before the sun failed entirely.

She needed to get into her house’s attic.

24

A hazy sunset spread across the horizon. Margot moved fast, her breathing deep and dragging, as she pushed herself up the hill and toward her home.

My home. A house built on blood.

She tried not to dwell on it, but the thoughts circled back repeatedly like a fly that wouldn’t leave her alone.

Where did Ephraim bury their bodies? Did he drag them farther into the land, hiding them beneath the scrappy trees, or did he keep them close to home?

She’d reached the fence surrounding the house. When she leaned on the wires, distant bells rang, calling her closer.

Part of her wanted to delay going inside and to stand out in the waning sun for as long as possible, but she knew that would only make her job worse.

She pushed through the front door. The stepladder waited where she’d left it in the hallway, and Margot hoisted it under one arm as she followed the path to the stairs.