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Contents ( 89)
  1. The Secret of Cold Hill
  2. Table of Contents
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. 73
  76. 74
  77. 75
  78. 76
  79. 77
  80. 78
  81. 79
  82. 80
  83. 81
  84. 82
  85. 83
  86. 84
  87. Acknowledgments
  88. About the Author
  89. The Cold Hill Ghost Stories

‘I thought they were.’

Suspicious, she asked, ‘Do you want to report this as possible fraud, sir? There have been instances of fraudsters, locally, posing as bogus police officers.’

‘No – er – no, I don’t think they were after any money. Look – could you help me with something else, please? We live in the Cold Hill Park estate. Last Monday, December seventeenth, I witnessed a fatal accident on the construction site. I phoned this number and spoke to the gentleman who answered, saying I had seen the whole thing happen.’

‘What exactly was that, sir?’

‘It was the construction worker who was killed by a bulldozer. I said I’d seen the whole accident happen, but I’m a little surprised no one’s been in touch to take a statement from me.’

‘Well, yes, that does sound a bit odd, sir. A construction site worker killed. You don’t remember the name of the call handler by any chance?’

‘No, I’m afraid not. But I gave him my name and phone number.’

‘Your number is showing here, sir. Let me check this out – are you all right to keep holding.’

‘Fine.’

This time it was several minutes before she came back to him, sounding apologetic but a tad less patient than before. ‘Mr Danes, you say you reported a fatal construction site accident you witnessed, on Monday, December seventeenth?’

‘Correct, yes.’

‘Look, I’m very sorry, sir, but I’ve checked very carefully; there is no record of any accident at Cold Hill Park on that date.’

Jason could not believe what he was hearing. ‘I saw it! I saw the whole thing happen from my studio window. The poor guy was beheaded by the bulldozer jaws. There were police officers at the scene for several days after, for God’s sake!’

The tone of her voice changed, as if she was now talking to an infant. ‘Mr Danes, I am very sorry to tell you this, but there was no reported death at Cold Hill Park. I’ve had a colleague check the local newspapers and there is no mention of it, either. You’ve just asked me to put you through to two police officers who do not exist, and you are now claiming to have witnessed an accident that did not happen. I’m very sorry, Mr Danes, but I really cannot help you any further, unless you would like to report possible fraud?’

‘No, well – thank you,’ he said, lamely.

As he ended the call, his mind in turmoil, he heard Emily screaming.

‘Jason! JASON! Help me! OH MY GOD, HELP ME!’

71

Thursday 27 December

He sprinted down the two flights, into the kitchen and through the door to the garage. And stopped, horrified, in his tracks.

It was the sour reek of the creatures that struck him first, before the full horror of what he was seeing.

Cockroaches.

Everywhere.

Two tall, commercial fridge doors were open, filled with the crawling brown creatures. The air in the garage was thick with them flying around. The floor was a sea of them.