of joy ever since.’
For John it answered a lot of questions: the control Golding had over the girl, the resentment she in turn felt for Golding. But surely she was old enough to simply leave home?
‘I’ve run away a few times, always she’s brought me back one way or another. She can be very persuasive. But after tonight, with what happened … I just can’t stay in that house any longer.’
‘You think Aida Golding had something to do with the Father’s death?’
‘Only in the sense that you meant when you accused her. She plays with people then drops them. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen … the people she’s cut loose because they get too much to handle.’
‘The first night I saw her,’ said John, ‘there was a man who panicked and stormed out of the hall. You probably don’t remember …’
‘There are so many, some of them even turn up at the house. Threatening to kill her, or more usually themselves, unless she passes on a message for them. It’s horrible. So much desperation, so many broken people.’
‘It’s not an attractive business.’
‘I used to believe in her, like so many do. Even when she had me do my bit as Sandy Thompson, the grieving mother … she spun it so many ways. She told me that it helped offer more hope to the people in the room; that it made them more positive, which made her connection stronger; that it allowed her a little time to recharge after a particularly difficult reading …’
‘She would pretend that it drained her more than it obviously did.’
‘Yeah. “If they only knew how hard it was, girl,” she’d say, “sometimes I just need a short break, just to catch my breath …”’
‘She was an excellent liar.’
‘The very best.’
‘When was it you realised that she was a fake?’
‘I don’t know … honestly, I find it hard even now to say I disbelieve it totally. It’s so ingrained in me. My belief in the world of spirits, that the dead surround us. Maybe I still do believe that. Maybe I just don’t think
she
can hear them. I don’t know … I just had to get out of there. Get of my life, escape into something better …’
‘Has she ever hurt you? Physically, I mean, because if there’s been a clear sign of abuse …’
‘Forget it,’ Anna shook her head, ‘I don’t want to go to anyone about that. I just want to be free of her.’
‘But what about the others? Who else lives there? I saw a young boy …’
‘Oh, he’s all right, that’s Alasdair’s boy, James. She’d never hurt him, she adores him.’
‘And Alasdair … is he family?’
Anna laughed at that. ‘No! He’s her partner.’
‘Really?’ John tried not to appear as shocked as he so obviously was. ‘I just thought, what with the age difference …’
‘I know, but she’s not quite as old as she makes out to be. Still, she’s twice his age, you’re right.’
‘Not that it matters.’ John was trying to brush the matter off, feeling absurdly uncomfortable discussing it in front of her. ‘So the boy’s a son from a previous relationship.’
‘Yeah, though she treats him like her own. Certainly gives him more attention than she ever did me.’
Was this about jealousy? John wondered. Could it be as simple as that?
‘Who else is in the house?’ he asked. ‘I heard people running upstairs.’
‘Alasdair’s brother, Glen, a vicious little shit. Half the brains of anyone else in the household but he makes up for it in attitude and not caring a toss for others’ opinions. The man’s plain nasty but Aida doesn’t mind that, in fact, she’s often had cause to find it useful.’
‘I can imagine, who else?’
‘Glen’s girlfriend, Sacha, she’s not around much. Aida doesn’t like her and Aida’s opinion is the only one that counts.’
‘And they help sometimes?’ John asked. ‘With the voices?’
Sandy hesitated for a moment. ‘Are you going to help me? Or are you just wanting to use me to get at her?’
‘We’re
For John it answered a lot of questions: the control Golding had over the girl, the resentment she in turn felt for Golding. But surely she was old enough to simply leave home?
‘I’ve run away a few times, always she’s brought me back one way or another. She can be very persuasive. But after tonight, with what happened … I just can’t stay in that house any longer.’
‘You think Aida Golding had something to do with the Father’s death?’
‘Only in the sense that you meant when you accused her. She plays with people then drops them. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen … the people she’s cut loose because they get too much to handle.’
‘The first night I saw her,’ said John, ‘there was a man who panicked and stormed out of the hall. You probably don’t remember …’
‘There are so many, some of them even turn up at the house. Threatening to kill her, or more usually themselves, unless she passes on a message for them. It’s horrible. So much desperation, so many broken people.’
‘It’s not an attractive business.’
‘I used to believe in her, like so many do. Even when she had me do my bit as Sandy Thompson, the grieving mother … she spun it so many ways. She told me that it helped offer more hope to the people in the room; that it made them more positive, which made her connection stronger; that it allowed her a little time to recharge after a particularly difficult reading …’
‘She would pretend that it drained her more than it obviously did.’
‘Yeah. “If they only knew how hard it was, girl,” she’d say, “sometimes I just need a short break, just to catch my breath …”’
‘She was an excellent liar.’
‘The very best.’
‘When was it you realised that she was a fake?’
‘I don’t know … honestly, I find it hard even now to say I disbelieve it totally. It’s so ingrained in me. My belief in the world of spirits, that the dead surround us. Maybe I still do believe that. Maybe I just don’t think
she
can hear them. I don’t know … I just had to get out of there. Get of my life, escape into something better …’
‘Has she ever hurt you? Physically, I mean, because if there’s been a clear sign of abuse …’
‘Forget it,’ Anna shook her head, ‘I don’t want to go to anyone about that. I just want to be free of her.’
‘But what about the others? Who else lives there? I saw a young boy …’
‘Oh, he’s all right, that’s Alasdair’s boy, James. She’d never hurt him, she adores him.’
‘And Alasdair … is he family?’
Anna laughed at that. ‘No! He’s her partner.’
‘Really?’ John tried not to appear as shocked as he so obviously was. ‘I just thought, what with the age difference …’
‘I know, but she’s not quite as old as she makes out to be. Still, she’s twice his age, you’re right.’
‘Not that it matters.’ John was trying to brush the matter off, feeling absurdly uncomfortable discussing it in front of her. ‘So the boy’s a son from a previous relationship.’
‘Yeah, though she treats him like her own. Certainly gives him more attention than she ever did me.’
Was this about jealousy? John wondered. Could it be as simple as that?
‘Who else is in the house?’ he asked. ‘I heard people running upstairs.’
‘Alasdair’s brother, Glen, a vicious little shit. Half the brains of anyone else in the household but he makes up for it in attitude and not caring a toss for others’ opinions. The man’s plain nasty but Aida doesn’t mind that, in fact, she’s often had cause to find it useful.’
‘I can imagine, who else?’
‘Glen’s girlfriend, Sacha, she’s not around much. Aida doesn’t like her and Aida’s opinion is the only one that counts.’
‘And they help sometimes?’ John asked. ‘With the voices?’
Sandy hesitated for a moment. ‘Are you going to help me? Or are you just wanting to use me to get at her?’
‘We’re
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