Free The Cryptid Files by Jean Flitcroft Page A

animate object,’ Inspector Henderson is said to have reported.
    It was dark by the time Alan pulled the car into the driveway at Heather Cottage. He turned off the engine and sat quietly with his hands resting on the steering wheel. Without looking at Lee, his hand sought hers.
    â€˜Thank you. That was one of the nicest days I have had in a long time.’
    Lee started to reply but Alan, lost in his own thoughts, continued determinedly.
    â€˜Lee, you’ve been so good to us all, so understanding. It’s difficult …’ Alan stumbled over his words. ‘It can be a little difficult, I know … with Vanessa …’
    â€˜Of course, it’s unbelievably difficult for her, Alan.’ Lee sounded more brisk than she intended. ‘I remember all too well what it’s like when your parents die.’
    Alan looked at her startled.
    â€˜God, Lee, I know you do. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean …’
    Lee opened the car door and stood out. She waited until Alan got out and he looked at her across the roof. To his relief, she smiled at him.
    â€˜I’m not upset, Alan. It’s all a long time ago for me. I’m just saying I understand Vanessa more than you or she thinks.’
    Alan squeezed her hand in his as they walked up to the cottage door. The windows on either side of the front door were lit up and the cottage looked so welcoming.
    â€˜I love it here, Lee. I feel as if everything will come right eventually.’ Alan looked out at the loch and said absently, ‘Too late to go out in the boat now.’
    â€˜We’ll go out early tomorrow instead,’ Lee agreed.
    â€˜Our second last day,’ Alan added, and Lee could hear the tinge of sadness in his voice.
    â€˜It’s even better here in early summer. We’ll come back then.’
    Alan smiled back at her fondly. ‘It’s a gift, you know.’ And when Lee looked at him in puzzlement, he added, ‘ To always say the right thing, I mean.’
    They could hear the sound of the television on in the sitting room. There was a fire already lit and the cat had taken up a most comfortable position on Ronan’s knee. A sci-fi programme was on and Maggie was busy with her knitting in the corner of the sofa.
    â€˜Hi, guys, good fishing?’ Alan asked.
    â€˜Oh, Dad, it was fantastic. I caught one this size.’ Ronan used his hands exuberantly to show the size and in doing so banged the cat, who rose disdainfully and jumped heavily to the floor.
    â€˜Maggie says it’s a trout.’
    Alan looked around.
    â€˜Where’s Vanessa? Did she fish with you?’
    There was silence, the boys once again engrossed in the TV programme.
    â€˜Oh, she did, Alan, but the boys said she got tired of it and she went up to her room earlier in the afternoon.’ It was Maggie who answered him.
    â€˜I’ll go up and see her. Are we having fish for supper then?’ He laughed. ‘I’ll cook tonight, Maggie. It’s your night off.’
    Alan took the stairs two at a time. He was thinking hard about his excuse for being late and the plan for the loch trip tomorrow morning.
    He knocked on Vanessa’s bedroom door but there was no answer. He paused before knocking again. Perhaps she was asleep. He turned to go down the stairs, and then hesitated with his hand on the banisters. It was half past five. It was late enough if she had slept in the afternoon. Time she got up. He turned back and knocked again, louder this time, but there was still no response. Slowly, he pushed open the door and walked into the bedroom.

CHAPTER 19
    On 2 February 1959, AA patrolman Mr Hamish Mackintosh saw something out of this world – ‘as if a dinosaur had reared up out of the loch’ . He saw a broad, humped body, greyish in colour, with a thin neck and head, as tall as 8 feet above the water, moving towards the shore. He was joined by a local from a nearby house and they watched it