His Silence - Chapter Nineteen

‘What’s he like then?’ Callum whispers, crossing his legs as we sit next to each other at the table in the living area.

I listen to the sounds coming from the kitchen, the clink of cutlery and plates. I offered to help out with the cooking, but Oliver wouldn’t hear of it, he said we were his guests. I still don’t quite get who he is. From the way how he spoke to me earlier he made it seem as though he was in business with my mum and dad. Could they have been running a business from here all those years ago?

I take a sip of water, Callum had asked for a beer, but Oliver told him, a little frostily, that there was no alcohol in the house. ‘He seems . . . nice,’ I say.

‘Bit weird though, don’t you think?’ Callum asks.

‘Yes, but then you think everyone’s weird,’ I say. ‘It sounds like he and my parents got on really well. From what he told me, they were the best of friends.’

‘So why did they leave?’

‘He doesn’t know, he says he was devastated when Mum and Dad left and that he tried to find them before the murders. He . . . he said someone turned their heads and spread lies about him to get them to leave. I don’t know, it all sounds a bit crazy.’

‘I thought the whole point of us coming here today, was because you would find out those answers,’ Callum hisses.

I keep my eyes fixed on the kitchen door, to make sure Oliver and Jeremiah, can’t hear us talking.  

‘I think . . . I’d like to talk to the other people who live here; perhaps they might be able to tell me something more. Perhaps the only chance I’ve got of uncovering any more information is by staying here a few days and talking to people.’

‘Ah, the car’s just got back,’ Jeremiah says, emerging from the kitchen making me jump. He’s wiping his hands on a tea towel; his eyes are fixed on us.

Oh God. A nervous wave pulses through me as wheels on gravel from outside, reaches my ears. Seconds later, there are excited voices coming from the hallway. Surely they must’ve taken a couple of vans for that many people to go out for the day. I count the number of seats around the dining room table. Yes, there are enough spaces for everyone, including me and Callum. This is it. Jeremiah heads into the hallway, perhaps he’s going to tell everyone not to crowd in on me at once. Beside me, Callum gives me a reassuring smile. I used to hate too many people at once.

‘Danielle.’ A woman with dark, shoulder length hair is the first to breeze into the room. She rushes over to me, but stops a few paces away. ‘Oh, you’re exactly how I imagined you would look,’ she says. ‘I’m Mary.’

She holds out her hand, I take it. I glance over her shoulder as a small crowd of people enter the room behind her. There’s a mixture of men and women, it looks as though there are an even number of each. I notice they’re all adults though, no children. Harvey and I must’ve been the only children when we were living here. It strikes me they’re all wearing the same clothing; white trousers and a white shirt. I spot a younger girl towards the back of the group with straight brown hair, falling in clumps on her shoulders. It must be Eve. For a moment our eyes meet, then she flicks her gaze back to the ground again.

‘Hi,’ I say focusing my attention back on Mary standing in front of me, a lump lodging in my throat. God what the hell am I supposed to say?

Oliver appears in the room, holding a glass of orange juice. He steps closer to me, the ice in his glass clinking against the side of the cup as he does. I feel like I’ve felt at the times when I’ve been at a party, and I’ve only known one person there.

‘Hello everyone, I hope you all had a great day,’ Oliver says. ‘It’s a great honour of mine to be finally able to introduce you all to Danielle, after all this time; it feels so surreal, doesn’t it?’ I want to look away. This is so awkward. All these people are looking at me like I’m something special, like they’ve known me all my life and I have no clue who they all are. ‘This is her friend, Callum.’ Callum nods at everyone but they don’t respond with quite the same level of enthusiasm. I’m sure he’ll be thinking about that. ‘They’re both joining us for dinner this evening, so please, I would like you all to make our esteemed guests welcome.’

‘Welcome, Danielle and Callum,’ everyone says in unison.

Out of the corner of my eye I can see Callum’s struggling to keep a straight face. He better not start laughing. I feel like I can translate my thoughts to him in that moment, like we used to believe when we were kids.

‘Well, now that everyone’s here we can all sit together and eat. Danielle, would you like to sit next to me?’ Oliver asks, smiling.

‘Um, sure, OK,’ I reply.

It doesn’t look as though he’s going to offer a seat beside him to Callum. I shrug at Callum and go to join Oliver. Everyone else begins to get ready for dinner.