Spiritwalker

Chapter one

Jane was in her room changing, she had decided to go for a run. It was a warm sunny evening despite it being mid- September. The evenings were still bright and she was confident that she would be able to complete the five mile circuit before it got too dark. Changing into her black Lycra shorts and latest stay-dry running t-shirt, she pulled on her trainers, paused in front of the full length mirror studied her reflection with a critical eye, sucking in her tummy she examined her profile from both sides. Satisfied that what she saw was still in good shape, she headed down the stairs and closed the front door behind her. She was staying with her sister Eva for a few weeks. Eva was away in London on business, consulting with a new client who wanted a complete revamp of her newly acquired penthouse suite. Eva was an interior designer, a very good one if the rave reviews she got in the top interior designer magazines were anything to go by. She was highly sought after and was able to pick and choose her clients. Nowadays she only worked for those clients whose eccentric ideas were a challenge for her.

After completing her warm up exercises. Jane jogged down the long tree lined avenue, keyed in the code and waited for the gates to open. She turned right and jogged along the road. After a hundred yards she turned into a quiet country lane, it was rarely used by anyone except the occasional neighbour out walking their dog, or at the weekend’s students, or office workers who hadn't a chance at any other time of the week. Part of her usual circuit was a mile cross country through the woods. She loved this particular stretch, it was so peaceful and tranquil, the only sounds were those of the birds singing to each other from their lofty perches, crickets or grasshoppers that were only heard never seen. The occasional rabbit or squirrel darted away as she startled them into flight with the sound of her running feet. She pitied the people who couldn't seem to go for a walk or run without an iPod or other device piping loud music into their ears as they jogged along. They missed out on the amazing sounds of nature that echoed all around.

Almost an hour later Jane rounded the final bend that signalled the end of her run and collided headlong into a man who was standing in the middle of the lane. The light was fading and she hadn't been paying attention, lost in her own thoughts as she jogged along.

“I'm so sorry” She apologised breathlessly, hastily stepping back from the man, “I was miles away”

“Not at all, my fault.” He assured her. “Jane, is that you? What a coincidence, I just pulled in up the lane to fix a flat. I never expected to run into you. It's great to see you”

Jane looked at him startled, she hadn't recognized him at first, but that voice when he had called her by her name had sent a chill down her spine.

“What are you doing here? She demanded, almost shouting at him. “I told you to keep away from me, I will call the police if you don't leave me alone.” She backed away from him nearly falling over on the rough terrain in her haste to escape.

“It's okay Jane, I promise, I'm not stalking you. I didn’t know you were staying around here. I never expected you to run into me... Literally” he joked, trying to put her at ease and taking a step closer.

“Don't touch me” Jane warned, flinching away from him.

She remembered the first time she had met him. It wasn't long after her split from her husband, her friends had been trying to encourage her to get out, to have some fun now that she was a single woman. She had finally relented. Her friend Jenny was hosting a benefit night in aid of the local homeless shelter and as she was one of the committee members, thought it would be a rude not to show her face. She had been there for a while mingling with the other guests, just beginning to wonder if it had been such a good idea to come at all, when Jenny brought him over, and introduced them. He was charming and handsome, not a lot younger then herself she guessed as she studied him...Okay she admitted it she was attracted to him and flattered by the attention. He had spent the best part of two hours talking only to her. Bringing her drinks and laughing and joking with her. A bit worse for wear later in the evening she agreed to allow him to drive her home. Out of politeness she had invited him in for a coffee, never expecting that he would take her up on the offer. As she went into the kitchen to boil the kettle, he followed her, grabbed her and began kissing her, then his hands were under her blouse probing her breasts, she told him to stop and when he didn't she slapped him hard across the face. In an instant he had turned from a charming gentleman to a madman, calling her a whore and a tease, then he was coming at her again. A loud voice calling to Jane from upstairs halted him. It was Molly, Jane's daughter, she was home from college for the weekend and had heard the noise from downstairs. The sound of Jane's daughter's voice brought him to his senses and he stormed out of the kitchen and slammed the front door behind him. Jane breathed a sigh of relief and called up to her daughter that everything was fine.

The following morning she received a phone call from him apologising for his behaviour the previous evening and asking if she would go on a date with him. She politely refused, wary after the night before. Since then he had contacted her every day, sometimes three of four times, always begging her to meet him, he didn't know what had come over him that night he said, but she always refused. Her life was complicated enough without anything else to worry about. Whenever she saw his number come up on her screen she pressed the busy key. Them he began to block his number this happened a few times until Jane finally decided to change her number. She didn't hear anything from him for a while, then he began to show up everywhere, he was at every party she attended, outside the supermarket when she went shopping, on the street outside the beautician's. Eventually she gave up going out socially. The last time she had seen him was in Canterbury when she had taken her niece shopping. That was the final straw, she approached him and told him that if he ever followed her again that she would call the police and get a restraining order. It had worked....Or so she thought ...Until now.

Terrified she tried to edge past him, to put some distance between herself and him. This angered him, he lunged at her and tried to grab her, she pulled out of his grasp and began to run, he followed catching up to her easily, he grabbed her from behind, pulled her to the ground and straggled her. Jane struggled furiously but it was no good he was too strong, finally he pinned both her arms over her head and holding them there with one hand, he reached into his pocket with his other hand and pulled out a handkerchief, he held it over her mouth and nose. Jane had no choice but to breathe in the sweet smelling odour. She began to lose consciousness as the fumes from whatever was on the handkerchief took hold of her. She felt herself sink deeper and deeper into blackness, until finally she ceased to struggle.

Chapter two

       
Anna looked at the clock on the wall of her office, nine thirty.  Mrs Westhall was late, perhaps she's not coming at all Anna thought as she stared out the large bay window at the soft drizzle falling.  She was generally a good judge of character and Mrs Westhall had seemed eager to consult with her as soon as possible.  It was more likely she was lost; a GPS is only so useful in remote country areas, and Anna lived a couple of miles from the nearest village, half way up the side of a mountain.  Jamsie, one of her neighbours didn't help matters much either, he was in the habit of turning signposts in the wrong direction.  Anna had scolded him on numerous occasions but his answer was, “Sure it's only a bit of craic, sure if they’re out this far they must be lost anyway.”  He thought it was hilarious to see tourists driving around like headless chickens. With the rare exception, the only living creatures for miles around were sheep and you couldn't very well ask them for directions.  Mobile phones weren't much better, you could only get one bar on the screen at the best of times.  It didn't bother Anna much she had the land-line if she needed to make calls and she had Boozy her golden Labrador for company.  When she was at home she liked the peace and quiet.  She got enough excitement in her line of work as it was.

            The sound of a car pulling into her drive crunching the small stones brought Anna back to reality.  She hurried out to greet her visitor.  The lady that emerged from the car was in her mid to late forties, smartly dressed in a brown cashmere sweater and brown wool trousers, she had on a single string pearl necklace and matching pearl earrings in her ears.  She was smaller than Anna around five six she guessed, and her short blond hair was cut into a stylish bob.  As Anna approached she noticed the flawless make-up and the subtle eye colour that enhanced the vivid blue of her eyes with just a hint of lip gloss on her lips.  Obviously takes good care of herself Anna thought as she held out her hand in greeting.

“Thank goodness you found me, I was beginning to worry in case you got lost in the wilderness.” Anna said smiling at her guest.

“Good morning Miss Cotter I presume.”  The lady said shaking Anna's hand warmly.  “As you've already guessed I'm Eva Westhall.  I'm so sorry I'm late, I did get a bit lost, I had to ask for directions, luckily, that nice man down the road knew where you lived.”

“That must be Jamsie my neighbour.  Don't worry” Anna said, “It wouldn't be the first time someone got lost up here, you're lucky he gave you the right directions, Jamsie's apt to send you further astray, he must have taken a shine to you.  Please come inside out of the rain.”

            Anna showed Mrs Westhall into the office, there was a bright timber fire crackling in the grate of the mahogany fireplace, it gave of a warm homely glow.

“What a beautiful home you have Miss Cotter,” Eva said, looking appreciatively around the room.  “I love the way you have kept the original features, I'm an interior designer; it's lovely to see a home so lovingly restored.”

“Thank you, I'm still in the process of restoring it.  It belonged to my Great-grandparents but got run down when they died, nobody lived in it for years until I bought it back a couple of years ago and decided to do it up.  It's the first place I've ever lived that feels like a true home.  Please do sit down.” Anna said indicating to a comfortable arm chair beside the fire.  “Can I get you a cup of coffee or tea?”

“Coffee would be lovely, thanks.  Just black, no sugar.”

Anna left her guest and returned a couple of moments later with a tray, two coffee cups and a large pot of steaming coffee and a plate of home-made scones.  She set it down on the coffee table and poured a cup and handed it to Mrs Westhall. 

“Please help yourself to a scone.” Anna said drawing the little table closer.  She sat down on the chair opposite.  “So Mrs Westhall, how can I help you?”  She was curious as to the reason Mrs Westhall had travelled all the way from England to seek her help, there must be plenty of competent private detectives across the water.  She hadn't been told much over the phone except that it was urgent.

“Oh please call me Eva.” Mrs Westhall insisted.  “It’s my sister Jane, Jane Turner she's missing; I'm at my wits end.  She was staying with me for a few weeks.  Last Thursday week I went up to her room to call her, we were supposed to be going to London for the weekend, shopping and a bit of pampering at a spa.  You see she had recently split up with her husband they had been married for over twenty years and she was taking it badly.  I thought it would do her good.  Only she wasn't in her room when I went to call her and her bed hadn't been slept in.  At first I didn't think anything was wrong, that maybe she had gone for an early morning run or something, but when she didn't return I started to get worried.  I rang her mobile, but it just rang out.  I searched her room and as far as I could tell everything was still there, her passport was on the bedside locker, her bag was still on the chair with her purse and credit cards still in it.  I couldn't tell if any clothes were missing.  The only thing I couldn't find were her trainers and her phone.”

“Did you contact the police?”