6: Normal Activity
When Professor Fort and the students were gone the paranormal group found Doctor Paduraru (he was outside, genuinely interested in Cuthbert's dowsing) and reconnoitred in the security room.
"You missed all the excitement," Mr Dudeldop was saying to Doctor Paduraru as he led him into the room. "They were reviewing the tapes from last night – for that other chap – and discovered that there was someone in the cellar!"
"Last night?" Doctor Paduraru's eyebrows shot up. "Well then, that's your culprit, Captain! Someone playing tricks on you all along!"
"No," the Captain said shortly, "there was someone in the cellar a few minutes ago. A dark shadow that walked off after a few minutes. We're just looking back over the video now, to see if we can figure out where the hell it went."
"He," Tintin insisted. "It's not an 'it', it's a he. He's a he, I mean. Oh, you know what I'm saying," he said crossly. "There is a person at work here."
"Let's see it then." Doctor Paduraru made himself comfortable in a black swivel chair. He was sitting just behind the Captain, who was at the keyboard that controlled the cameras and monitors, while Tintin crouched down beside him, his face barely inches from the cellar's monitor, which was paused at a particular point. The Captain hit the 'play' button.
On the screen the cellar appeared. It was enveloped in gloomy darkness. They waited, silent, as the seconds ticked by. Then, suddenly, there was a hint that the shadows had changed. A dark spot, darker than the gloom around it, moved slowly across the screen from the right. It drifted slowly into the centre of the room and stood there for a good few minutes. The paranormal group gasped and quickly started a whispered discussion about it; what it was and where it had come from and how to classify the manifestation. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the dark shape drifted away again.
"Wait for it," Tintin murmured.
The darkness in the cellar changed again. A smaller black spot dashed across the screen and Mrs Witherball from the paranormal team shrieked in surprise. Then, they watched as Tintin charged into the picture with his torch held high, following the smaller dark shape which was revealed to be Snowy. They too tore off to the right side of the screen, disappearing from view quickly, followed closely by the Captain and Professor Fort.
"So whatever it was," the Captain said slowly as the rest of the drama played out off screen, "it came from that hidden corridor, and it went back there too."
"It's something to do with that wall," Tintin insisted. "Snowy's always had a problem with that wall. And it feels colder there, somehow."
"Cold spots are commonly associated with hauntings," Doctor Paduraru said speculatively. "When did you first notice that cold spot?"
"Almost as soon as the Captain moved in," Tintin replied. "We went over the cellar with an antiques dealer to find out what was worth money and what was junk. Everything expensive was moved out of that part and into the vault."
"Vault?" Mr Dudeldop said quickly.
Tintin shook his head. "It's just a separate part of the cellar that has proper security doors. It was put in by the last owners of the house. But it's actually quite nice over there. Not too hot, not too cold."
"Temperature's regulated," the Captain offered. "There's a lot of paintings and things like that stored down there. Has to be done properly or they get destroyed and lose value."
"Of course," said Doctor Paduraru. "And tell me, does the cold spot on the other side of the cellar – Aaaagh!"
They stopped and stared at the monitor. As they talked the tape had continued to play. Silently, it had shown Tintin, the Captain, Snowy and Professor Fort re-crossing the expansive room and disappearing back up the stairs to the main house. Minutes had ticked by slowly, the room unchanged and enveloped in dark shadows. Then, suddenly, a white hand had appeared from nowhere and covered the lens of the camera. Now, the screen played static.
"What was that?" Tintin asked.
"I don't know," the Captain replied, his voice strangely calm. "But I think I need to change my underpants."
"Me too," said Doctor Paduraru in a shaky voice. "Tell me, Mrs Witherball: if we held another séance, in the cellar this time, would you be agreeable?"
"No," she said faintly. "I think I'll just sit this one out."
"We could always try a Ouija board," Mr Dudeldop offered.
x
As the last of the afternoon light bled from the sky, the evening dipped and became early night, skipping dusk and heading straight for the jugular as it were. The paranormal team dined at the hall, and it was pleasant (although Runs With A Feather did insist on carving the chicken, to the Captain's amusement) until Tintin let Lady Alice find out about Fifty Shades of Grey. The evening sort of disintegrated at that point, and nobody was in the mood for dessert after Lady Alice's retelling of her dalliance with a very famous British actor who was now in his seventies (and it was completely unbelievable, Tintin thought, that James Bond would ever be interested in such a horrible person as Lady Alice. Although, as she put it "It wasn't my mind he was after, young man, and he could do wonderful things with a courgette.").
As the paranormal group started to set up the Ouija board, the Captain and Nestor brought standing lamps down to the cellar and tried to figure out where to set them up. The electrical extension cords were set up, leading down the stairs from the kitchens, and soon the cellar was lighted. It wasn't very well lit, it had to be said, but there was light. They were interrupted by a loud knocking at the front door.
Tintin opened it. A large man in oil-stained overalls and with blackened hands stood on the doorstep. "Yes?" Tintin asked warily.
"'Addock," the man said in a thick accent.
"He's busy. Can I help you?"
"Fair ground," the man grunted. He waved his hand to the left and Tintin leaned out and looked around. Three large vans were idling in the driveway: everyone had simply assumed it was thunder. It was just the sort of ominous day for thunder. On the backs of the vans, under tarpaulin on long trailers, were strange bulky shapes.
"Great!" Tintin's eyes lit up at once. "Hey, Captain!" He turned and went back into the house, and shouted down to the cellar. "Hey, the rides have come! For the Halloween fair!"
"Oh for crying out loud!" the Captain shouted back. "This late? It's dark out! Is it raining?"
"No, it's stopped for once! Hey, are they getting set up tonight?"
"Yes." There came the sound of feet against stone and the Captain appeared in the stairwell. "But no, you can't ride 'em now."
"Oh, please!"
"No! Grow up!"
"But I'm 16! You're always saying I should act my age."
"Only when you want to go off and get yourself killed! No." He shook his head, his face set firmly. "With all the spooky goings-on around here, I don't want you on them rides on your own. I'd never forgive myself if" –
"Something happened to me?" Tintin finished, touched at the Captain's show of emotion.
"No, if something happened to them machines and I have to pay for them. They cost a bloody fortune!"
Tintin rolled his eyes.
"Well, they do," the Captain said defensively. "Did you see how much it costs to rent 'em? The deposit alone was more than your life's worth."
"Thanks, Captain."
"Don't mention it. Go and bring the car round, will you? I'll have to bring the men down to the site, so they can set the rides up."
"I'll show them, if you like?" Tintin offered.
"You? Drive my car?" The Captain burst out laughing. "I can always rely on you to cheer me up."
"And thanks for that too, Captain."