Read ON DEVIL'S BRAE (A Psychological Suspense Thriller) (Dark Minds Mystery Suspense) for Free Online Page B

unused, and rusting away on the ground. Somehow they looked all the more forlorn due to the soft coating of snow.
    Cassandra slithered towards the barn, which she saw was suffused with a dim light, when she heard the bolts being drawn back from the door behind her.
    “Hello. Sorry, I did knock but you obviously didn’t hear me.” A black-and-white collie’s nose twitched from behind the woman’s knee.
    “Yes?”
    Cassandra swore the woman could remember her from her previous visits. Although she had never visited the farm, she had seen some of the family members as she drove past them walking down the road. They were usually accompanied by a herd of cows or, as in case of the brothers, seated on a tractor. She had only spoken to them the one time when accompanied by Elizabeth Blackmore.
    “Mrs Campbell, you might remember me. I’m Cassandra Potter, Susan’s sister. I’m staying in Shadow Vale for a few months.”
    The large woman was dressed in a long, shapeless, brown cardigan pulled tightly over darker brown trousers and a sweater. She was wearing wellington boots with thick woollen socks rolled over the tops. Her short grey hair stuck out from her head. She stared at Cassandra with pale-blue beady eyes before nodding.
    “I’m very sorry to disturb you, but I wondered if I might order a pint of milk from you for tomorrow. And one pint a day would be good if you can manage it.”
    Unsmiling, the woman looked her up and down, drawing in her breath. She was of medium height and overweight. “You’ll be staying, then?”
    Cassandra nodded and tried a smile. “I’m not sure how long…it all depends. Is he friendly?” Cassandra indicated the dog sniffing round her legs.
    “Aye, he is to some. And will ye be wanting the occasional half-dozen eggs?”
    “Yes please. If it’s not too much trouble. I’m afraid I don’t know your name.” She let the dog sniff her hand and risked a quick stroke of his ears.
    “Mrs Campbell will do.”
    “Oh…oh, right. And you have two sons and a daughter?”
    “Three.”
    “Oh…I see. I only met two when I was last here. I did see someone yesterday, who might have been your other son—” She stopped, aware of the older woman’s hostile gaze upon her. Cassandra felt she was trying to squeeze blood from a stone. “And their names are?”
    Mrs Campbell narrowed her eyes and gave Cassandra a withering look. “Yes, three sons and they’ll no be having time for fancy chitchat, if that’s what ye were thinking. We’ve a farm to run. But they’re Ian, Iver, and Rae.”
    “Oh no, of course not. I just wondered in case I saw them out and about…you know.” She drew some coins from her pocket. “I’ll pay you for the milk now, shall I?”
    “No need. It’ll be on your doorstep every morning, and ye can pay at the end of the week. Just leave the money with the empties on Saturday.”
    “Oh, fine. Right you are, then. Thank you. And your daughter…what’s her name, in case I bump into her?” Cassandra wondered why she was bothering being polite to this hostile woman. She hadn’t enquired about her journey up or where she had come from. “Do you think we’ll have more snow?” she added, looking up at the sky.
    Mrs Campbell shrugged her fleshy shoulders and turned away, shooing the dog inside. “Who knows? The girl’s name is Carol,” she snapped. “Guid day to ye.”
    Cassandra was left standing, looking at a closed door. As she walked back to her cottage, she laughed to herself. What an old biddy! Cynthia would have scoffed and said, ‘I told you so !’ And she would have been right. The Campbells—if Mrs Campbell was anything to go by—were a rum lot.
    She drew level with the Blackmores’ place. It was a much bigger cottage than hers, and judging by the fine stone pointing and neat-looking woodwork, the two sisters spent time and money on it. It was a far cry from the untidy farm she had just left. That wasn’t all. Gathered around a twee-looking