Cue Me In

  Cue Me In

  by Nell Dixon

  Published by Astraea Press

  www.astraeapress.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.

  CUE ME IN

  Copyright © 2011 NELL DIXON

  ISBN 978-1-936852-64-2

  Cover Art Designed by Taria Reed Photography

  Edited by Kim Bowman

  For Boo, who loves all things spooky.

  Chapter One

  “And cue, Fae.”

  Mist swirled in front of Fae’s vision in the dusky twilight.

  “I’m here at the gateway to a very special place this Halloween. Follow me inside November Castle as I uncover the legendary secrets of the ghostly Green Lady and that of her faithful wolf companion.”

  Her sister, Izzy, stopped filming and Fae rushed over to look at the results.

  “That looks fine. What do you think, Flash?” Fae waited for his opinion. John ‘Flash’ Flannigan was one of the best lighting technicians around and he knew his stuff. If Fae was to stand any chance of landing her dream job as the new presenter of Ghost UK, she needed his help.

  “Nice. Good atmospherics.” He studied the short sequence. “We could do with pushing on to the castle, though, the way this fog’s coming down. It might look good on film, but I don’t fancy tackling that track in the dark.”

  Fae and Izzy looked past the crumbling, grey, stone column that was topped by a weathered dragon to the rutted, potholed road leading up the mountain.

  “What time did you say we’d arrive?” Izzy helped Flash load the small set of portable lights into the boot of Fae’s car.

  “I sent him an email saying we’d be there at about seven.” Fae turned her back on her sister and hoped Izzy wouldn’t notice the telltale heat in her cheeks.

  Well, it wasn’t exactly a lie. She had emailed the owner of November Castle to say they would arrive at seven. She just hadn’t told Izzy or Flash that she’d ignored an earlier email from the owner refusing her permission to visit.

  She reasoned that once they were at the castle, she’d have a better chance of stating her case and getting Rhodri Morgan to change his mind. Something she couldn’t very well accomplish if she was in London and he was in Wales. Plus, it looked as if the weather was about to help her cause along. If the mist continued to thicken, and as it was already quite dark, he couldn’t very well send them all away—well, not till morning at least. She ignored the uneasy prickling of her conscience at telling such a big fib.

  “Fae, come on!”

  Izzy was already in the passenger seat of Fae’s red Mini Cooper. Flash leaned against the side of the car, unwilling to cram his six-foot frame into the back seat until the last possible minute. His lean face appeared resigned, used to her crazy shenanigans.

  Fae took a last look past the dragon-topped post marking the driveway entrance to the castle and hopped into the driver’s seat. The further along the road they went, the thicker the mist became. The headlights of the Mini barely lit a short space ahead. Fae slowed to a crawl as she strained to see the deep ruts and holes along the forest track as it wove between the trees.

  “I reckon this place will be spooky enough without any ghosts,” Flash muttered as he banged his head against the side of the car.

  “There’s no such thing as ghosts. This whole project is a wild goose chase.” Izzy folded her arms across her chest.

  Fae sighed. She’d often questioned if she or Izzy had been adopted. They might be sisters, but they were nothing alike in either looks or ways. She chanced a glance at her older sister as the car bounced across another hole.

  Izzy stared determinedly at the road ahead. Dark-haired and square-jawed, she looked pale in the gloom. Fae wondered if she were feeling carsick. That was why Izzy had taken the front seat and poor Flash had been forced to squeeze into the back.

  “There’s the castle.”

  Fae braked at Flash’s words and they stared into the darkness at the building before them. Half of the castle was clearly uninhabitable. Fragmented stones stood like jagged broken teeth along the broken battlement. Mist twisted around the surviving tower and range of buildings. A couple of the windows showed yellow light in to the blackness, and Fae breathed a sigh of relief. Someone was home.

  “Right, let’s get this show on the road.” Fae eased the car into the courtyard of the castle. As she cut the engine, an eerie baying sound echoed around the stone walls.

  “Wow, a welcome committee.” Flash leaned forward into the gap between the front seats, his dark head next to Fae’s.

  “I expect living alone up here, miles from anywhere, they keep dogs,” Izzy snapped as she picked up her bag from the footwell.

  Fae swallowed hard. She hoped Rhodri Morgan would be the kind of man who was susceptible to feminine charm. She pictured a stooped, elderly antiquarian who on meeting her would instantly change his mind and grant her free access to film the castle and its secrets.

  The baying grew louder when Fae opened the car door. The next thing she knew, she was pinned to the side of the Mini by the biggest dog she’d ever seen in her life. A large paw was planted on each side of her shoulders, and the dog breathed stale meat breath in her face.

  She twisted her head to the side and saw an archway of light appear on the far side of the courtyard.

  “Help!”

  Izzy and Flash remained in the car, round-eyed and open-mouthed with shock.

  “Nice doggy.

  The hound responded with a lick down her face, covering her with drool. Footsteps crunched across the yard towards her in the darkness.

  “Down, Fang.” A firm male voice with a hint of accent came out of the mist. A shape loomed out of the darkness illuminated by a storm lantern. A large man’s shape.

  The dog released her and sat obediently at her feet. Fae took a shaky breath of relief.

  “Mr Morgan? I’m—”

  “I can guess who you are. What puzzles me is what you’re doing here when I told you not to come.”

  She could see his face clearly now in the light from the lantern. He was craggy-jawed, dark-eyed, and cross. The car doors opened and Fae became aware of Izzy and Flash standing in the courtyard.

  “I don’t know what you mean. I sent an email saying we were on our way.” Fae did her best to sound baffled, glad of the darkness and the mist to hide the heat of her face.

  Rhodri gave a snort of disbelief.

  “Is there a problem?” Izzy came to stand next to her.

  A pang of irritation hit Fae at the change in Rhodri’s expression when he saw her sister.

  “Have we met before?” He lifted the lamp higher and stared at Izzy.

  “I don’t think so.” Her sister’s voice faltered as if she were uncertain.

  “Shall I unload the gear?” Flash eyed the big dog who still sat at Fae’s feet. Fae suspected he knew she’d come to the castle without permission. It was exactly the sort of thing he might have done himself in the past. He also knew how much making this film meant to her, she had done nothing else except sleep, eat, and talk about how this film was her big chance for months now.

  Landing the job would be a dream come true, not just for herself, but for Izzy too. With the money she could earn from presenting, she’d be able to assist her sister to pursue her own dream of returning to college
full-time. It would help to repay her sister for everything she’d sacrificed to help her.

  Izzy would be able to land her dream job of teaching children with learning disabilities. Not that she had told Izzy anything about her plan yet. She knew if she did her sister would shake her head and tell her to stop daydreaming.

  “No filming!” Rhodri commanded.

  Fae gritted her teeth. She would need all her powers of persuasion to get him to change his mind. Although, from the way he’d looked at Izzy, maybe it was her sister who should do the persuading.

  “I’d like to send you packing, but this fog and the darkness make the road too dangerous to navigate tonight.”

  Fae held her breath. If they could just remain at the castle for one night, she still stood a chance of getting her clip.

  ****

  Izzy knew Fae had been lying when she said she hadn’t received Rhodri’s email. Even when they’d been younger, she’d always been able to tell when her sister had been sparing with the truth.

  “There’s clearly been some kind of mix-up. I’m sorry we’re putting you to all this trouble.” Izzy glared at Fae.

  One of these days her sister would land herself in very hot water, and it would serve her right. She could guess why Fae wanted to get inside the castle so much to make her film. Although Fae hadn’t said anything, Izzy knew she felt guilty that Izzy had been forced to abandon her own dream of becoming a teacher in order to bring up Fae when their parents died.

  She had been sixteen and Fae, eleven, when their father had been killed in a road traffic accident. Then, just two short years later, their mother had been claimed by cancer, leaving the sisters alone in the world.

  ****

  “I can’t offer you much by way of accommodation. Only part of the castle is habitable,” Rhodri warned, his eyes still fixed on Izzy as if she were the only person there.

  Fae shuffled her feet on the loose shale surface of the yard. She itched to get inside the building. The dog seemed to sense her impatience and lifted its head to issue a low, warning growl.

  “After turning up so unexpectedly, we’ll just be grateful to be allowed to stay tonight.” Izzy smiled at him.

  “You’d better follow me.” Rhodri gave a low whistle and his dog rose to trot at his heels as he led them across the courtyard towards a massive wooden door set in a low stone archway.

  Fae trailed along behind Izzy.

  “I’ll smuggle the small camera in later,” Flash murmured in her ear. He gave her hand a small squeeze of reassurance and Fae’s spirits lifted. The shiver of excitement that danced along her veins at his touch took her by surprise.

  Once inside, Fae discovered they were in a stone flagged scullery quite unlike the dramatic hall she had envisioned from the legend book where she’d found the story of the castle. Ancient-looking waxed jackets in various stages of disrepair hung from a carved oak rack. Wellington boots stood in a line along the cream wall next to the dog dishes.

  The scullery led into a larger kitchen area. A huge scrubbed pine table stood in the centre of the room while around the walls were a variety of mismatched wooden cupboards and the largest dresser Fae had ever seen piled high with blue and white china. Logs crackled and burned in a vast ingle-nook fireplace, warming the room.

  Now that they were in the light, Fae could see their host more clearly. He looked about thirty, broad-shouldered, and dark-haired. Definitely not the elderly antiquarian of her earlier thoughts.

  “Do you live here alone?” Izzy stroked the dog’s head.

  Rhodri looked at her sister with the same bemused expression Fae had noticed outside.

  “Just me and Fang. And that’s how I like it.”

  Fae guessed the last part was for her benefit, judging from the way he lowered his brows and frowned in her direction when he spoke.

  “This is a spooky place to be all alone on Halloween,” Flash observed.

  “It’s no different from any other night of the year.” Rhodri’s voice was sharp.

  “Exactly!” Izzy agreed.

  “So, you don’t feel there’s any truth in the legend of the Green Lady?” Fae asked, her curiosity piqued by his tone. His defensive stance at the end of the table told her journalistic sixth sense that there was something amiss.

  “That depends on which version of the story you’ve heard.” He set the lamp down on the table and switched it off, leaving just the mellow golden light from some ancient electric wall lights.

  “Isn’t the Green Lady meant to appear every Halloween to the rightful heir’s family?” Flash chimed in.

  “I’ll show you to your rooms. There are only two guestrooms, so the ladies will have to share.” Rhodri turned on his heels, ignoring the question, and wrenched open another heavy wooden door.

  Fae could have groaned with frustration.

  “What are you doing?” Izzy muttered as they followed Rhodri along a dimly lit corridor lined with portraits.

  “Nothing. You know I need to research my story,” Fae muttered back.

  “Well stop it. You’re lucky Rhodri agreed to let us stay after you pulled that stunt ignoring his refusal to let you film. You are so dishonest!”

  “Izzy!” Flash had been at the back of the group. Now he’d stopped in front of one of the oil paintings. The girls paused and returned to study the picture.

  “It looks like you, Iz.” Fae couldn’t stop herself. Apart from the early medieval dress worn by the woman in the portrait, Izzy could have been the artist’s model.

  “Who is she?” Fae turned to Rhodri. He stepped closer to the painting, his dark eyes solemn.

  “Ysabelle deFrere. The Green Lady.”

  A shiver like a trickle of icy water ran down Fae’s back. Any vague thoughts flittering through her mind that this whole thing might be some elaborate hoax faded when she saw her sister’s pale face and wide eyes.

  Chapter Two

  “Are you alright, Izzy?” Fae slipped her arm around her sister’s waist.

  “Of course!” Izzy shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and brushed Fae’s hands away with an impatient gesture. “This picture looks nothing like me.”

  Fae noticed the frown on Rhodri’s forehead deepen at her sister’s words, but he said nothing. Instead he continued to lead them along the passageway towards another wooden door with a massive cast-iron latch.

  “Your bedrooms are in the tower.” He clicked the latch and the door creaked open, making Fae jump.

  “Great special effects,” Flash murmured in her ear.

  Narrow stone stairs led upwards in a spiral. A thick plaited rope of dark crimson silk acted as a handrail. Fae followed behind Izzy and Rhodri with Flash bringing up the rear. Ahead of them she heard Fang’s huge paws pattering on the stone steps.

  They stopped on a small landing where the walls were hung with heavy tapestries. Fae itched to bring in the camera from the car. The castle interior was ideal for filming.

  “You ladies might like this room. Your friend can have the smaller room upstairs. Please don’t go up onto the tower roof as the stonework is crumbling and I haven’t had a chance to make it safe yet.” Rhodri opened the arched door to a room containing two carved oak tester beds.

  “It’s very kind of you to put us up.” Izzy smiled.

  Rhodri’s eyes darkened. “Once you’ve settled in your rooms, come back to the kitchen and I’ll make some supper. You must be hungry after your journey.”

  Flash winked at Fae and followed their host and his dog up the stairs to the other guest room.

  Izzy had wandered into the room and now stood by a small leaded casement window. She stared out into the darkness.

  “Are you okay, Iz? You looked really white downstairs.” Fae walked across the polished wooden floorboards towards her sister.

  “I’m fine. Really though, Fae, you are the limit! You knew that nice man had refused you permission to visit. I felt awful out there. You’d sacrifice our granny to get that presenting job. Well, don
’t drag me into it.”

  Fae’s conscience gave her a sharp nudge. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I shouldn’t have done it, but I thought he would change his mind once we were here and I could talk to him about it.” She fingered the edge of the worn stone windowsill. He had to change his mind; he just had to.

  “Please, Fae, promise me you won’t do anything else here.”

  Fae walked across the bedroom and flung herself face down on the antique coverlet. “But this is my big chance. This castle is fantastic. It has so much atmosphere and would look great on film.” She propped her chin on her hands and watched her sister. Maybe when Rhodri saw the film she intended to make, he’d relent.

  Izzy turned her back to the window to face her. “Rhodri made his feelings plain. Besides, you know all this legend business is nonsense.”

  ****