The Haunting of the King's Head Read online

  Suddenly a panel falls loose, and I'm shocked to see hundreds of gold coins tumbling out of a hidden chamber. I guess nobody ever found Muriel's secret stash of money, until now.

  I turn and see that Muriel is already walking out of the pub's front door. Still clutching my wounded side, I stumble after her. I'm not fast enough to stay with her, and I'm starting to drip blood as I follow her across the square. She walks along Pierce Street, and faces watch from the nearby windows before pulling their curtains shut as if they're too scared to see her ghostly figure. No-one comes out to help me, either, as I drop to my knees. After a moment, I find the strength to get back up, and finally I make it all the way to the beach, where I stop as I see that Muriel is standing next to another figure.

  She turns to me, as Jack Farnham's ghost puts his arms around her, and then they both fade away forever.

  A moment later, I hear a car door slamming shut, and I turn just in time to see Dad stepping out of a taxi. He's staring at me with a horrified expression, and then he comes running over and supports me just as I begin to collapse.

  “Charley, what happened?” he asks, lowering me down onto my knees. “You're bleeding! Who was that I just saw on the beach?”

  “Don't blame Muriel,” I gasp, as I feel myself losing consciousness. I look up at his face, and I can see the fear in his eyes. “The brewery, Dad,” I say finally. “It was... their fault, it was... the... brewery...”

  Epilogue

  Charley Lucas

  Six weeks later...

  “Careful!” Dad says as I carry a box through to the bar. “Your stitches might -”

  “My stitches are long gone,” I remind him, although I feel a flicker of pain in my side as I set the box down. “The doctor gave me the all clear, Dad. I'm not an invalid.”

  “And would you admit it if you were?”

  “Never,” I say with a faint smile. Opening the box, I start taking the new glasses out. “So how did the public meeting go? I know you went this morning, but you haven't said anything.”

  “It was more of the same, really,” he replies. “The rescue packages all fell through, so Hayes and Storford is definitely going to be put into liquidation. I guess no-one wants anything to do with them, not after the truth came out about their history. A few more people have admitted that they knew of the brewery's actions, but they won't be charged. There were some who actively worked with Gary Hayes, and they're going to get into more trouble, but for the most part there won't be any major repercussions.”

  “That's so wrong!” I tell him. “They're going to sweep it all under the carpet again!”

  “Not this time,” he replies. “It's amazing how quickly people around here have turned against the brewery and its actions. A lot of them were living in fear, they didn't think they had a choice.”

  “But -”

  “Try to understand,” he adds. “This town has lived under the brewery's control for hundreds of years. Yes, people turned a blind eye to a lot of what happened, but they realize that. We have to try not to be too judgmental.”

  “And do you really think we can turn this pub around again?” I ask. “It was hard enough the first time.”

  “Ah, but there's a difference now,” he replies. “We don't have to worry about the brewery, and selling that stash of gold coins has left us with quite a safety net even after buying the pub at a knockdown price. We're in charge of our own destiny now, Charley. We can't even blame the brewery, because there's no longer any brewery to blame.”

  “I still feel that the people of Malmeston are getting away without much punishment,” I mutter. “They all knew what the brewery was up to.”

  “They knew the brewery threw its weight around,” he replies, “but I think recent events still came as a shock.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. “And are you sure you're okay? After all, you saw Jennifer getting...”

  His voice trails off.

  “I'll be fine,” I tell him. “Hey, it's one minute after midday, you're late opening the door.”

  “Good point,” he says as he heads around the bar and goes to slide the bolt across. “Let's hope this goes better than last time, huh?”

  “It should,” I reply. “There aren't any ghosts here anymore.”

  As soon as he opens the door, I see that there are a few locals waiting outside. They start coming into the pub, and I have to admit that I think maybe Dad's right. Malmeston's history is pretty dark, but there's no need to seek some kind of crazed vengeance on the whole town. I guess maybe people sensed that something bad had happened to Muriel Hyde, that the official version of history wasn't entirely accurate. Now they know everything, and there have even been stories in some of the national newspaper. Dad's already had to turn down requests from ghost-hunters who want to stay here overnight, and I don't blame him.

  After all, Muriel's gone now. The pub is ghost-free.

  “Can you pop this other box in the shed?” Dad asks, handing me a heavy box that's been resting on one of the tables. “I know there's not really any room in there, but try to squeeze it in wherever you can.”

  “What about that second storage space at the back of the shed?” I ask.

  “The lock's broken, I've never been able to get in there. I was going to ask the brewery but... I'll figure it out at some point.”

  Turning, I carry the box through to the hallway and then out into the beer garden. It's strange to think that the pub is no longer haunted, and I can't shake the feeling that everything seems lighter somehow, as if a kind of tension has been lifted.

  “Hey, Bonnie,” I say as I pass her in the doorway. “Your new life as an official pub dog starts today.”

  As I go into the shed and start looking for somewhere to put the box, I actually feel optimistic about the future. I mean, Dad was doing pretty well here before the brewery tried to stop him, so I figure he can do it again. We can do it again.

  Finding that there's absolutely no room in the shed, I set the box on the floor and go over to the door that leads into the second storage space. Dad's right, the lock seems to be totally broken, and I fiddle with it for a moment before giving up. Just as I'm about to turn away, however, I spot something glinting in the lock itself. I peer closer, and then I carefully tease out a sliver of wood that seems to have been in the way. I try the lock again, and this time it springs open.

  “Perfect,” I mutter as I take the box and carry it through into what turns out to be a dark and gloomy, but surprisingly large space.

  For a moment, I'm struck by a very fusty smell. I wouldn't be surprised if this room has sat undisturbed since even before Muriel Hyde's time.

  Finding plenty of empty shelves, I set the box on one and then I take a look around the room. Now that we've finally got the door open, we've more than doubled our storage capacity, and that's going to make a huge difference. There are plenty of spiders in here, but I don't mind giving the place a good clean. I wipe some dust from one of the shelves, but then – as I take a step back – I suddenly hear a bumping sound over my shoulder.

  I freeze, telling myself that Muriel Hyde is truly gone, and that there's no chance of Gary Hayes or anyone else haunting the place.

  “Bonnie?” I say after a few seconds, “is that you?”

  I wait.

  I hear another bump. There's definitely someone or something in here with me, and I can feel the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. I take a deep breath, and then I force myself to turn around and face whatever I might find.

  At first, I see nothing, but then slowly a human figure becomes visible at the far end of the room, partially obscured by shadows. I take a step back, telling myself over and over that this can't be a ghost, that maybe it's just a customer from the pub who's wandered through here by mistake. I'm quickly disabused of that notion, however, as I see that although the figure is wearing some rather grand old-fashioned clothing, he – and I think it is a he – has no head.

  I stare at the severed neck, not quite believing wha
t I'm seeing.

  Maybe this is just a painting or -

  Suddenly the figure takes a step forward. Freaking out, I hurry out of the room and slam the door shut. My heart is racing, but I know that what I saw was real. There was a well-dressed headless man in the shed. Maybe he's been here all this time, and we just never saw him because we didn't go into that particular storage room before. I tell myself that this can't be happening again, that we've already got rid of one ghost, that it's simply not possible that now it turns out there's another, entirely separate ghost that's also haunting the pub.

  I back out into the beer garden, just as Dad comes out to grab some mint from the plant in the corner.

  “Everything okay, Charley?” he asks casually, before stopping and turning to me. “Charley? You look pale. Is something wrong?”

  I stare at the shed for a moment, before slowly turning to him.

  “Dad,” I say cautiously, “I think we need to find out why this pub is called The King's Head.”

  BOOKS BY AMY CROSS

  1. Dark Season: The Complete First Series (2011)

  2. Werewolves of Soho (Lupine Howl book 1) (2012)

  3. Werewolves of the Other London (Lupine Howl book 2) (2012)

  4. Ghosts: The Complete Series (2012)

  5. Dark Season: The Complete Second Series (2012)

  6. The Children of Black Annis (Lupine Howl book 3) (2012)

  7. Destiny of the Last Wolf (Lupine Howl book 4) (2012)

  8. Asylum (The Asylum Trilogy book 1) (2012)

  9. Dark Season: The Complete Third Series (2013)

  10. Devil's Briar (2013)

  11. Broken Blue (The Broken Trilogy book 1) (2013)

  12. The Night Girl (2013)

  13. Days 1 to 4 (Mass Extinction Event book 1) (2013)

  14. Days 5 to 8 (Mass Extinction Event book 2) (2013)

  15. The Library (The Library Chronicles book 1) (2013)

  16. American Coven (2013)

  17. Werewolves of Sangreth (Lupine Howl book 5) (2013)

  18. Broken White (The Broken Trilogy book 2) (2013)

  19. Grave Girl (Grave Girl book 1) (2013)

  20. Other People's Bodies (2013)

  21. The Shades (2013)

  22. The Vampire's Grave and Other Stories (2013)

  23. Darper Danver: The Complete First Series (2013)

  24. The Hollow Church (2013)

  25. The Dead and the Dying (2013)

  26. Days 9 to 16 (Mass Extinction Event book 3) (2013)

  27. The Girl Who Never Came Back (2013)

  28. Ward Z (The Ward Z Series book 1) (2013)

  29. Journey to the Library (The Library Chronicles book 2) (2014)

  30. The Vampires of Tor Cliff Asylum (2014)

  31. The Family Man (2014)

  32. The Devil's Blade (2014)

  33. The Immortal Wolf (Lupine Howl book 6) (2014)

  34. The Dying Streets (Detective Laura Foster book 1) (2014)

  35. The Stars My Home (2014)

  36. The Ghost in the Rain and Other Stories (2014)

  37. Ghosts of the River Thames (The Robinson Chronicles book 1) (2014)

  38. The Wolves of Cur'eath (2014)

  39. Days 46 to 53 (Mass Extinction Event book 4) (2014)

  40. The Man Who Saw the Face of the World (2014)

  41. The Art of Dying (Detective Laura Foster book 2) (2014)

  42. Raven Revivals (Grave Girl book 2) (2014)

  43. Arrival on Thaxos (Dead Souls book 1) (2014)

  44. Birthright (Dead Souls book 2) (2014)

  45. A Man of Ghosts (Dead Souls book 3) (2014)

  46. The Haunting of Hardstone Jail (2014)

  47. A Very Respectable Woman (2015)

  48. Better the Devil (2015)

  49. The Haunting of Marshall Heights (2015)

  50. Terror at Camp Everbee (The Ward Z Series book 2) (2015)

  51. Guided by Evil (Dead Souls book 4) (2015)

  52. Child of a Bloodied Hand (Dead Souls book 5) (2015)

  53. Promises of the Dead (Dead Souls book 6) (2015)

  54. Days 54 to 61 (Mass Extinction Event book 5) (2015)

  55. Angels in the Machine (The Robinson Chronicles book 2) (2015)

  56. The Curse of Ah-Qal's Tomb (2015)

  57. Broken Red (The Broken Trilogy book 3) (2015)

  58. The Farm (2015)

  59. Fallen Heroes (Detective Laura Foster book 3) (2015)

  60. The Haunting of Emily Stone (2015)

  61. Cursed Across Time (Dead Souls book 7) (2015)

  62. Destiny of the Dead (Dead Souls book 8) (2015)

  63. The Death of Jennifer Kazakos (Dead Souls book 9) (2015)

  64. Alice Isn't Well (Death Herself book 1) (2015)

  65. Annie's Room (2015)

  66. The House on Everley Street (Death Herself book 2) (2015)

  67. Meds (The Asylum Trilogy book 2) (2015)

  68. Take Me to Church (2015)

  69. Ascension (Demon's Grail book 1) (2015)

  70. The Priest Hole (Nykolas Freeman book 1) (2015)

  71. Eli's Town (2015)

  72. The Horror of Raven's Briar Orphanage (Dead Souls book 10) (2015)

  73. The Witch of Thaxos (Dead Souls book 11) (2015)

  74. The Rise of Ashalla (Dead Souls book 12) (2015)

  75. Evolution (Demon's Grail book 2) (2015)

  76. The Island (The Island book 1) (2015)

  77. The Lighthouse (2015)

  78. The Cabin (The Cabin Trilogy book 1) (2015)

  79. At the Edge of the Forest (2015)

  80. The Devil's Hand (2015)

  81. The 13th Demon (Demon's Grail book 3) (2016)

  82. After the Cabin (The Cabin Trilogy book 2) (2016)

  83. The Border: The Complete Series (2016)

  84. The Dead Ones (Death Herself book 3) (2016)

  85. A House in London (2016)

  86. Persona (The Island book 2) (2016)

  87. Battlefield (Nykolas Freeman book 2) (2016)

  88. Perfect Little Monsters and Other Stories (2016)

  89. The Ghost of Shapley Hall (2016)

  90. The Blood House (2016)

  91. The Death of Addie Gray (2016)

  92. The Girl With Crooked Fangs (2016)

  93. Last Wrong Turn (2016)

  94. The Body at Auercliff (2016)

  95. The Printer From Hell (2016)

  96. The Dog (2016)

  97. The Nurse (2016)

  98. The Haunting of Blackwych Grange (2016)

  99. Twisted Little Things and Other Stories (2016)

  100. The Horror of Devil's Root Lake (2016)

  101. The Disappearance of Katie Wren (2016)

  102. B&B (2016)

  103. The Bride of Ashbyrn House (2016)

  104. The Devil, the Witch and the Whore (The Deal Trilogy book 1) (2016)

  105. The Ghosts of Lakeforth Hotel (2016)

  106. The Ghost of Longthorn Manor and Other Stories (2016)

  107. Laura (2017)

  108. The Murder at Skellin Cottage (Jo Mason book 1) (2017)

  109. The Curse of Wetherley House (2017)

  110. The Ghosts of Hexley Airport (2017)

  111. The Return of Rachel Stone (Jo Mason book 2) (2017)

  112. Haunted (2017)

  113. The Vampire of Downing Street and Other Stories (2017)

  114. The Ash House (2017)

  115. The Ghost of Molly Holt (2017)

  116. The Camera Man (2017)

  117. The Soul Auction (2017)

  118. The Abyss (The Island book 3) (2017)

  119. Broken Window (The House of Jack the Ripper book 1) (2017)

  120. In Darkness Dwell (The House of Jack the Ripper book 2) (2017)

  121. Cradle to Grave (The House of Jack the Ripper book 3) (2017)

  122. The Lady Screams (The House of Jack the Ripper book 4) (2017)

  123. A Beast Well Tamed (The House of Jack the Ripper book 5) (2017)

  124
. Doctor Charles Grazier (The House of Jack the Ripper book 6) (2017)

  125. The Raven Watcher (The House of Jack the Ripper book 7) (2017)

  126. The Final Act (The House of Jack the Ripper book 8) (2017)

  127. Stephen (2017)

  128. The Spider (2017)

  129. The Mermaid's Revenge (2017)

  130. The Girl Who Threw Rocks at the Devil (2018)

  131. Friend From the Internet (2018)

  132. Beautiful Familiar (2018)

  133. One Night at a Soul Auction (2018)

  134. 16 Frames of the Devil's Face (2018)

  135. The Haunting of Caldgrave House (2018)

  136. Like Stones on a Crow's Back (The Deal Trilogy book 2) (2018)

  137. Room 9 and Other Stories (2018)

  138. The Gravest Girl of All (Grave Girl book 3) (2018)

  139. Return to Thaxos (Dead Souls book 13) (2018)

  140. The Madness of Annie Radford (The Asylum Trilogy book 3) (2018)

  141. The Haunting of Briarwych Church (Briarwych book 1) (2018)

  142. I Just Want You To Be Happy (2018)

  143. Day 100 (Mass Extinction Event book 6) (2018)

  144. The Horror of Briarwych Church (Briarwych book 2) (2018)

  145. The Ghost of Briarwych Church (Briarwych book 3) (2018)

  146. Lights Out (2019)

  147. Apocalypse (The Ward Z Series book 3) (2019)

  148. Days 101 to 108 (Mass Extinction Event book 7) (2019)

  149. The Haunting of Daniel Bayliss (2019)

  150. The Purchase (2019)

  151. Harper's Hotel Ghost Girl (Death Herself book 4) (2019)

  152. The Haunting of Aldburn House (2019)

  153. Days 109 to 116 (Mass Extinction Event book 8) (2019)

  154. Bad News (2019)

  155. The Wedding of Rachel Blaine (2019)

  156. Dark Little Wonders and Other Stories (2019)

  157. The Musician (2019)

  158. The Vampire Falls (Three Nights of the Vampire book 1) (2019)

  159. The Other Ann (2019)

  160. The Butcher's Husband and Other Stories (2019)