"Ronnie!" "This is the spot." "They want to extend the motorway right through here." "Where's the dog gone?" "Rabbits." "He'll be back." "Let's go and explore." "Yeah." "C'mon, then." "Jade, where's the lamps?" "Uh, in my bag, in the tent." "Uh-uh." "Let's play hide-and-seek." "See if you can find me." "All right." "Go on, then, close your eyes." " Yeah." " Count to 100." "One, two, three..." "Getting cold out there." "Reckon Snake and Jade must be keeping warm." "What the fuck..." "What the fuck happened?" "I'll leave you two to it." "Gonna go find Snake." "Snake!" "Where are you?" "C'mon, I only want some puff." "Snake!" "Where are you?" "Snake!" "Is that you?" "What's that on my foot?" "What?" "There's something that feels like..." "It feels like a dog's licking my foot." "Must have come back, then." "What's the matter?" "Is that you, Giro, you fucking pervert?" "What the fuck?" "Please, let me in!" "Jesus Christ!" "What's going on?" "What's the matter with you?" " He's..." " What?" " He's coming..." " I can't..." " He's after me!" " Who's after you?" " There's a man coming!" "He's coming!" " Tell me who's coming..." " Who's coming?" " A man with an axe!" "Good God." "He's over here!" "He's over here!" "..radio station in London, BANG Radio." "Good morning, London, on this sunny Thursday the 2nd of March, 2009." "We've got a whole host of treats in store for you today, so please don 't touch that dial." "And we 're going to be meeting the wild man of rock himself, Josh Curt." "Get in the car." "It's cold." "Can we have a look at these places, too?" "We won't need one of these places." "It looks enormous." "Well, it is enormous." "Sorry, anyway..." "You're a dirty bird." "This place is amazing." "It's like I told you, sweetheart, the Garden of England." "What?" "I thought you said that the Garden of England is Kent." "Well, it's supposed to be, but that's only what they say in Kent." "Did you remember to post the deeds?" "Yep, all signed and in the mail." "Good, we wouldn't want to be going into a house that doesn't belong to us yet, right?" "Us?" "All right, you." "Hey, look, babe, a scarecrow." "Haven't seen one of those since I was a kid." "David, it's beautiful." "I told you it was perfect." "You can trust me when I say I'll get something done." "Better than in the photographs, huh?" "That's a good place to leave a ladder." "Just look at this place." "Don't these people work for a living?" "Oh, it's all right, baby, it's not the end of the world." "Looks like all of our stuff was delivered." "Yeah, but everything was supposed to be finished, too." "Oh, great." "No signal." "Where's the phone?" "Who needs a phone?" "We've gotten by for years without one." "It just means I'll have to give work this number, that's all." "Or don't." "Then they'll have to wait for you to call them." "Well, that's something, at least." "Oh, I knew the sight of a bed would put a smile on your face." "Mmm-hmm." "I was referring to the wallpaper, actually." "Oh." "Eh?" "Come here." "Baby, the curtains aren't drawn." "Really?" "Hello!" "Is there somebody here?" "There's someone downstairs." "Who are you?" "Um..." "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realise..." "You've just moved in, eh?" "Well, it's been empty for yonks, this place." "Uh..." "Reverend Swan." "David Golden." "And this is my wife, Susan." "Your accent, my dear..." "Tell me, what part of America are you from?" " I'm from California." " Oh, interesting." "And what is it that you do?" "I'm a writer." "A crime writer." "Fact or fiction?" "Fact, fiction, it's all the same, right?" "Yes, yes, quite." "And, um, David, are you in the arts as well?" "No, I work in the City." "Oh." "So tell me, how did you end up coming by the house today?" "Oh, I..." "I like to drop by the empties in the district." "You can't be too careful these days." "Well, squatters, eco-warriors, unruly youth." "In a world where there's no law and order any more, you know, a man can't sleep in his bed." "Well, it is my pleasure to welcome you both to the parish and to wish you all the luck for the future." "I'll make my own way out." " David?" " Mmm." "I heard something." "David, did you hear that?" "Go see." "Shit!" "You asshole!" "My God!" "You're a total asshole!" " Serves you..." " That is so wrong!" "Well, you shouldn't have gotten me out of bed for no reason, should you?" " Come on, move over." " No!" "Please?" "No!" "I was going to move." "That's my side." " Light." " Light." "It's a good thing I love you." "What a magnificent find this place is." "How old is it?" "Well, the oldest part goes back to the 17th century." "Impressive." "Great, huh?" "It's just the peace and quiet that I need to finish my new book." "Yeah, glad you brought it up." "We all had several reads and we felt towards end, it was..." "Charles, I'm sorry, excuse me." " Do you mind if I go put a pot of coffee on?" " Sure." "I'll be right back." "So, David, how are you both settling in?" "Good." "I mean, Susan still needs to adjust, of course." "Sure." "But she has spent quite a bit of time in London in the past." "Yeah, of course." "But, you know, when it's a definite move, it makes things a little bit different." "Listen, we've got very high hopes for Susan's next book." "And I wouldn't want this move to get in the way of another bestseller." " Do you get my drift?" " Yes, Charles." "Great." "It's always rather delicate having these conversations with the artiste, you know." "So I'm counting on you." "Well, I feel, now Susan and I are here, she's going to find all the inspiration she needs to get it finished." "Good." "We wouldn't want Susan to go through another (whispers) episode, now, would we?" "It's all over now, Charles." "Here we go." " Fantastic." " It's nice and hot." " Help yourself." " Thank you." " Milk, Charles?" " Yes, please." "What's wrong?" "There's a kid out there kicking a ball." "That's weird." " He's gone." " Boys will be boys." "Rogues." "I was one myself." "It's no big deal, Susan." "Now, don't forget, our London office will be up and running in a week," " so don't be a stranger." " Oh, you bet." "And, David, it's great to meet you properly this time." "You too, Charles, and thank you for driving all the way out here." "For Transatlantic Publishing's bestselling crime author, no distance at all." "Now, you take care." "We'll speak soon, all right?" "Okay, bye." "Instant hot water!" "At least the plumber knew what he was doing." "Shit." "Did you blow a fuse?" "Yeah." "I'll go down and fix it." "Do you even know where the fuse box is?" "Yes." "Okay." "I can hear those mice again." "Oh, good." "Okay." "So, who's a genius, then?" " Not the plumber, that's for sure." " Why?" "The water was red." "Ah, it's rust." "Hey, kid!" "Susan!" "Susan, what's happened?" "What's wrong?" "There's a man." "He's after me." "What man?" "Where?" "What happened?" "There's a man and he was..." "He was..." " He was fucking this girl in the woods..." " Listen, go inside... ..and then he came after me." "Okay, look, go in the house, lock the door, I'm going to see if I can find him." "No!" "No!" "Susan, just calm down." "It's okay." "It's all right." "I'm sure there is an explanation." "Go in the house and lock the door." "Please, go in the house and lock the door." "I'll be a minute." "Just lock the door, darling." "Hey, kid!" "Susan!" "Come out here for a sec." "I've got someone for you to meet." "Come on." "Susan, I'd like to introduce you to Mr Peck." "He's our gamekeeper." "Pleased to meet you, miss." "That's okay, darling, look, Peck's brought us some game today." "Nice, huh?" "We need to talk." "Now." "Hey, look, darling, I think whatever happened was just a simple misunderstanding." "He was more scared than you was." "Who the hell is this guy?" "I told you." "Mr Peck." "Look, before we came, I took him on as our gamekeeper, okay?" "He's a local and he's worked this estate for years." "He's a creep." "He flashed me." "He what?" "Darling, are you positive that's what you saw?" "Look, I know him." "He's ex-army." "He's fought everywhere in the last ten years, Afghanistan, Baghdad, Basra..." "Oh, yeah?" "Well, whose side was he on?" "Come on, you know it makes them a little funny." "But it's good sense to have someone around." "A bit of extra security for the place when I'm away." "Why wouldn't you tell me you brought somebody on to watch the grounds?" "It must've slipped my mind." " But he's a good bloke." " Oh, he's a good bloke?" "A good bloke who fucks some girl in the middle of the woods, like an animal?" "Come on, you know what these country folk are like." "C'mon." "David..." "David, wake up." " What?" " Wake up." "There's someone downstairs." "I can hear them." " Let me go downstairs." " Go." "No!" "No!" "Susan, let me in." "What's the matter?" "What's the matter?" "Baby, look at me." "Breathe." "What's wrong?" "There's a man in the hall." "Where?" "There..." "There's no one in the hall." "Baby, I promise you, look at me, there's nobody in the hall." "They'd have to have passed me." "Open your eyes." "Susan, look at me, darling." "Breathe." "It's okay, there's no one now." "I promise you, there's nobody there." "It's all right, darling." "It's okay." "It's okay, don't worry." "There was somebody there." "It's nice to see a fire in this old hearth again." "Well, we've checked everywhere." "No sign of a break-in." "Well, there has to be." "I saw him." "He had to get in here somehow." "You say there's nothing missing?" "Well, there's nothing I can see." "Right, then, all I can do is report it." "Not much else, I'm afraid." "Hey, I didn't imagine it." "I'm not suggesting that you did." "All I'm saying is that the only evidence we have, or the only thing we can go on, is your description." "Sure." "I mean, I only saw him for a second but..." "Yes." "Quite." "Well, naturally, you'll keep us informed if..." "If we get murdered in our beds, I'll be sure to let you know." "Your business take you away from the house most days?" "Yeah, I commute to London." " Oh, Big Smoke." " Yeah." "What's your line?" "Corporate events." "Oh, right." "Well, what's that, then?" "Well, I organise events like car shows and functions and networking, mostly for executives." "Oh." "Well..." "It's a big old house you've taken on here." "I dare say it'll take some getting used to." "My suggestion is, uh," "you change the locks." "That's it?" "It's a good idea as a precaution." "Exactly." "Peace of mind." "Good night." "Hey, babe." "Is this the same lock as the other door?" "Aye." "Cheers." "There you go." "Feel safer now?" "Yeah." "What a way to spend a day, changing all the locks." "Still, no one will be able to get in now, right?" "You know, I was thinking." "Do you think it was maybe one of the construction workers?" "Because they had a key, right?" "Maybe." "Well, don't you think that we should tell that detective?" "Look, if you want to start pestering him, okay." "But I don't, all right?" "What's gotten into you?" "I'm going to go work in the garden." "Hello?" "Hi, Susan." "It's Charles." "Hi." "I'm back in London, honey." "Opened the new office, so just checking in." "How's the country air suiting you?" "It's great." "It's great." "Um..." "You know, I'm racing through the book." "It's all fitting together." "Listen, why don't you email me what you've done recently?" " I'd love to have a sneak proofread." " l..." "I don't know, Charles." "Well, yeah, yeah, maybe, okay." "Just let me tighten it up a bit." "Sure." "Whenever you're ready, just fire it over." "I will." "Okay." "Listen, Charles, I've got to go." "I'm right in the middle of it, and I'll call you, okay?" "Okay, Sue." "Speak soon, then." "Great." "I'll get it." "Hello?" "So, we're going to play, um..." "No." "Not that one." "Whichever Way You Want To Give lt." "Whoo!" "." "That was work." "That Joe Lemer." "You know how he asked me to work on the next Swiss finance deal?" "So I'll be staying up in London tomorrow." "Oh." "When are you coming back?" "Well, I'll be back the day after tomorrow, unless we have any complications." "Why do you always jump every time he calls?" "Why don't you have one of the other guys do it?" "I mean, we just got here." "He likes me." "We work well together." "And if this deal goes well, it could be a start of a partnership." "Sure." "But remember how many times that you had to fly over here from the States?" "He never reimbursed you for that." "I mean, you never seem to see any money from these deals." "Look, we don't need the money." "You don't even need to do this job." "Susan, you've got your career." "Now let me get on with mine." "Honey, I just..." "I feel a bit scared here all on my own." "There's nothing to be afraid of here, sweetheart." " It's all..." " ln my mind?" "No!" "But this is a big thing for you, coming here and everything." "Your friends are thousands of miles away and your creative mind's running loose." "My creative mind?" "All right, is it happening again?" "All this hearing things and stuff." "No." "It is not happening again, David." "'Cause I don't think I could take it." "Not right now, you know?" "Well, it's not happening again." "What is it?" "What's wrong?" "Darling, what is it?" "I don't know." "A bad dream or something." "Okay." "The bath's running for you, babe." "You was out like a light last night." "All right, better get going." "My train leaves in an hour, yeah?" "I'll put some coffee on for you." "Hello!" "Hey!" "What do you want?" "David called me from the train station." "Asked me to keep you company, stay by the house tonight." "Well, he didn't say anything to me about that." "Aye." "He wanted to make sure you're okay." "I'll make us a nice country stew for tea." "Tea?" "Aye, you know, food, dinner for tonight." "It's okay, I'm not a bad cook." "Great, so it went well?" "It's been a good day, getting everything done, you know?" "And we sorted out a company car." "Oh, I'm happy for you." "So I don't need to pick you up from the station then, right?" "Yeah." "Picking it up late afternoon." "I'll be coming straight back." "I can't talk for long." "Lemer and the Swiss are in the next room." "All right." "Well, I'm going to go, but I miss you and I can't wait to see you." "Me too." "Have a nice dinner with Peck, okay?" "Speak tomorrow night." "Okay, bye." "Bye." "What are you doing?" "David, the others are waiting to use the room." "Let them shag in the hallway." "Oh, it's all right for you, with your 12-bedroom mansion." "How did you know it's got 12 bedrooms?" "You've been up there, haven't you?" "I just had a quick look." "I told you not to go near there, okay?" "Okay." "I've got it under control." "How did you get all the way up there, anyway?" "I drove in my car." " Really?" " Mmm-hmm." "That reminds me, I need to borrow your car for a while." "Mmm." "Okay, no problem." "That was David on the phone." "This will be ready soon." "Okay." "I'll be in the dining room." "My turn." "Oh, great." "Let's eat." "So, what's in the recipe?" "Wild boar meat cutlets, potato chunks, fennel and some local wild herbs." "Wow." "It's delicious." "You've lived here for a long time, right?" "All me life." "Except when I were overseas fighting rag heads." "Well, there is this little boy who's always playing in the garden, and I've meant to speak to him, but..." "Do you know where he lives?" "No." "Ain't nobody round here got a little lad." "Well, he can't live far." "There's nobody around here for miles, you know that." "What's she like?" "Who?" "I've read reviews about her book." "What's she like?" "She's a joke." "She doesn't know whether she's coming or going." "Like all them people." "She's never had to live in the real world." "Not like you." "How much longer?" "Not long." "Not long." "Did you hunt this meat?" "Aye." "I went hunting once... with my grandfather." "It made me feel awful." "That's all part of it, feeling bad." "It reminds us of the importance of survival." "Who was that girl you were with that day in the woods?" "Was that your girlfriend?" "Something like that." " You must be Susan." " Yes." "I'm Emily." "Uh..." "Peck said you might need some help in the garden today." "He's off on a hunt." "No telling when he'll be back." "Oh." "Well, come on in." "I'm fully qualified, you know." "In what?" "Gardening." "Been gardeners in my family for generations." "Gardeners, farmers, shepherds." "It's a lovely place you've got here." "Isolated." "Good for the soul, don't you think?" "So, Mr Peck asked you to come out here?" "Did he?" " You just said..." " Oh, yeah, Peck's hunting." "We've never had a hunter in the family before." "Well, not really." "Nor an American." "Okay, listen, the bushes out at the side, we want them taken out." "You'll find the tools out back." "Great." "There's tea and stuff in the kitchen." "Go help yourself." "I'm going to go take a bath." "Call me if you need me." "Who's that boy?" "Who's that boy in the garden?" "Boy?" "What boy?" "The boy I just saw you with in the garden, the one with the ball." "I don't know what you mean." "There wasn't anyone at all." "It was just me!" "Hey, quit playing games with me, okay?" "I just saw you in the garden with a little boy." "Susan, I don't know what you're talking about." "All right, that's it, let's go." "Let's go!" "Now!" "Susan, you're nuts!" "You really are mental." "Did Peck make you do this?" "Fuck you!" "Get out!" "Was he too much for you?" "I'm afraid..." "Well, I know nothing." "Um..." "There's something happening in that house, and I know it's not my imagination." "Anything's possible." "You know, I'd be the last one to discount the idea of ghosts." "If you believe that house is haunted, then who am I to argue with you?" "Have you told your husband?" "He doesn't see anything, he doesn't hear anything." "He's the rational one." "I'm the one with the background." "Susan, did something once" "happen to you?" "I suffered a mental collapse," "a complete and utter shutdown." "And, um, then I met David" "and he brought me back to reality." "He gave me life again." "You know, David has all these work commitments, and I'm under a tremendous amount of pressure to finish this book and I owe it to him to keep it together." "It's my turn to be supportive now." "It isn't easy, is it?" "An effort." "So, what do you want me to do for you?" "Hello?" "Hello." "I've been calling you." "Oh, yeah, sorry, the battery's been dead." "But I'm en route now." "Well, I called that number to the office you gave me, and it sounded like it was disconnected." "Yeah, we had the engineers in all day." "I think we're going to be changing numbers." "Well, great, so you're on your way home." "What time will you be here?" "I'm at the services." "It's ten miles away, so I won't be long." "Cool, okay, 'cause dinner's almost ready, and I bought a bottle of wine." "Lovely." "I'll see you soon, yeah?" " Bye." " Okay, bye." "Bye." "Hey, babe, dinner smells great." "Where are you?" "Uh, I'm up here, babe." "What's up?" "Hi." "How is everything?" "Yeah, everything all right?" "Yeah, everything's fine." "I'm just cleaning up." "I saw Reverend Swan at the services." "He said he's coming over tomorrow with Miss Kessler." "Who's that, then?" "You said you wanted me to get to know other people in the area so that's what it is, a morning coffee." "If you don't find anything, it'll mean it's all in my head." "I hardly think so, dear." "What do you call a particular kind of madness, when you have hallucinations?" "In my profession, we call it second sight." "Shall we get started?" "Well, my dear, whatever it is you've been experiencing, there's nothing there now." "Quite clearly." "If there was, it would have come through." " But I saw them." " I know..." "I saw them!" "I saw the kid and I saw the young man..." "I'm not doubting you." "I'm not doubting you." "Not for a minute." "All I'm saying is that if there was anything, it's gone now." "All right?" "There's..." "There's nothing." "I'd stake my reputation on it." "It's very good of you to run me home, Mr Golden." "Don't worry, my dear." "It's a nice house, good spirits." "I'll, um..." "I'll see you soon, Susan." "Thank you." "You sure you don't want to come for the ride?" "Yeah, I'm sure." "I..." "I want to finish the chapter I'm working on." "It's the last chapter." "Oh, yes, your crime thriller." " Yeah." " I won't be long." "Help me!" "No, stop!" "Stop!" "Well, David, what can I say?" "It went straight to the top of the crime-fiction charts." "Well, she was..." "She is a very talented person." "Very much so." "I gotta ask." "Did you know that she was writing about the things she thought she was seeing?" "Well, not at the time, but it does explain things." "Huh." "How is she doing?" "So-so." "I'm actually driving down in the morning to see her." "Please give her my best." "I'm sorry I can't make it myself, but I'm flying back to New York tomorrow." "I'm sure." "The first royalties are here." "How shall I make out the cheque?" "I'm sure you have power of attorney now." "No need." "Just transfer the money to the account." "Same details you already have." "Joint account?" "Really?" "It's always been a joint account, Charles." "Hmm." "Well, if there's anything else that I find, I will give you a call." "I think that's it." "Okay..." "Oh, there is something else." "We found these." "Oh, those." "Yeah, I bought them at an antiques' fair." "Keep them." "They're probably worth something." "Thank you." "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr Golden." "Likewise." "I must say, this place seems perfect for your needs." "Yes." "Sorry, how's your wife?" "I've just come from seeing her, actually." "She's at the Broadwood hospital." " Mmm." " She seemed to recognise me, but the doctor said it's going to take a long time." "Yes." "It must have been a terrible shock for you, coming..." "Anyway, I'm glad to see you're, uh, settling in okay, which is more than we ever did." "Yes, we're not officially open yet, but already we do have some guests, just regulars from my last clinic." "And with Josh staying, that means I can get some of the decorating done." "He's a musician." "He's been burning the candle at both ends, so he showed up here the other day." "He finds painting good for his rehabilitation." "I see you've got some, uh, extra help." "Oh, yes, Emily." "Nice girl from the village." "She's earning herself a few extra pounds." "Yeah." "I never got to meet her properly." "Shame." "Nathan!" "Nathan!" "Why don't you come in now?" "Let's have some tea." "Well, best be off." "Well, let's keep in touch, Mr Golden." "Let me know how your wife is coming along." "Thank you." "Oi!" "Can I give you a lift into the village?" "Great." "I won't be a minute." "Hello?" "Hi, it's me." "How's your wife?" "Nuts." "The divorce is being fast-tracked." "But I'm still the beneficiary, though." " Listen, I might not see you tonight, okay?" " Whatever." "Oh, and, David, bring her along, if you like." "Especially if she's a country girl." "Mmm-hmm." "You know we're all missing poor old Peck." "We'll see." "Speak soon." "It's very kind of you." "Not at all." "I feel as though I owe you one." "The news on the hour." "Police are now hunting a mass murderer believed to have escaped earlier today from the Broadwood hospital for the criminally insane." "The man was incarcerated in 1992 after he was shot by a local farmer following a grisly attack where he slaughtered four campers."