Dark Waters(38)

And so, the scones.

When the Sampsons arrived ten minutes after Blaikie, Col answered the door. Only Mr Sampson was missing, working late. Even Ella was there, striding into the hall looking all around her.

‘Approve, do you, madam?’ Col asked.

Ella smirked. ‘Just checking if any of our stuff’s still here.’

Dominic jumped at her. ‘You leave Col be. You promised.’

Col pulled Dominic back. ‘Oh, come on, Dominic. The lassie was born to moan. Let her enjoy it.’

Mam hurried from the kitchen to greet them. ‘Mrs Sampson. Dominic.’ She beamed at him. She liked Dominic. Everyone did. ‘How are you, son?’

Mrs Sampson hugged her, taking his mother totally by surprise. ‘I’m so sorry, Mrs McCann, about … Mungo. I know how you must be feeling.’

His mother was red-faced with embarrassment when she escaped from that hug, but she appreciated the gesture. ‘It’s that nice of you to come,’ she said. ‘I’m glad. For Col’s sake.’

Blaikie appeared at the kitchen door, glaring at Ella. She seemed to be back to her usual threatening face. A face that was even whiter than usual, but this time with flour. ‘We’re making scones,’ she said to no one in particular, but it was Ella who answered. ‘You make them, and I’ll eat them.’

Blaikie looked as if she was ready to throttle Ella, but Col and Dominic only laughed.

‘I think they both fancy you, Col,’ Dominic said, and Ella’s mouth went as round as a hula-hoop with shock.

‘I would have to have no brain and be totally desperate,’ Ella snapped.

Dominic grinned. ‘You pass on both counts, sister.’ He looked at Col. ‘Which one do you fancy, Col?’

Dominic ended up in the kitchen, too, helping his mother and Blaikie to make the scones. Ella went in too, though she insisted she had no interest in making scones.

‘I was meant for greater things,’ she said haughtily. And was annoyed when everyone just laughed.

Mrs Sampson sat with Col. ‘Everything sorted out now, Col?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know yet,’ he said. ‘Mungo won’t talk to me. Says he’ll never talk to me again.’ Col didn’t explain why. Somehow, he felt he didn’t need to. ‘And my Mam’s in the middle and it’s really hard for her. She’s got the court case to go through and her two sons aren’t talking. Mungo doesn’t even want me to visit.’

‘Maybe time will help Mungo understand. He’s your brother. In spite of everything I bet he still loves you.’

Col wanted so much for that to be true. Wanted so much for Mungo to change, to understand. ‘I’m sorry about that night I came to your house. I was mixed up. I didn’t know what to do.’

She touched his hand gently. ‘I understand, Col. ’

Something in her did understand, about Klaus, about Mungo, about Col. He didn’t know why, or how, but he just knew she did.

Suddenly, Dominic came rushing into the living room covered in flour. ‘Mum, I know exactly what I want to be when I grow up. I want to be a baker!’

Mrs Sampson looked at Col and smiled.

‘Wow!’ Col laughed. ‘I’ve saved the life of a future baker.’


He went back to the loch just once more – with Dominic.

He didn’t know what he expected to find. But there was nothing. No mysterious presences, no Klaus, no strange atmosphere.

Only a calmness on the water. Peace.

The breeze shimmered through the trees and the swans and their tiny cygnets left a glittering trail on the surface of the loch.

‘I love coming here, Col,’ Dominic said. ‘It’s special, isn’t it?’ He skimmed a stone across the surface. ‘You would never think a body had been down there all that time, eh?’

Col said nothing, but he thought of his friend, Klaus, and his pale, sad face.

‘Still,’ Dominic went on, skimming another stone. ‘That guy’s home now. I think that would make him happy, eh, Col?’

Col skimmed a stone too, rippling across the calm waters. A family of ducks followed in the wake of the swans and their cygnets. New life.

Klaus was home now, with his mother and his sisters.

Col had kept his promise.