Sallowed Blood

Chapter One

Chapter OnePresent Day

Dead people can't speak.

At least, that's what I used to think.

Just that very morning, Daniel's teacher had told him the difference between a journal and a diary. A journal was something to write in whenever the urge for creativity arrived, holding no pressure to commit thoughts and recollections onto paper on a daily basis. The problem was, he didn't see the point. Up until recently, nothing seemed worth putting down so he contemplated his bookshelf, the journals, gifts from his aunty Flo, standing in a neat row, all of them empty. No doubt, he would receive another one from her this Christmas. If she knew nothing ever gripped him, how life had become one long, endless journey into despair … He pulled one down and sat on his bed, weighing the book in his hands. And something stirred.

He gave himself up to an irresistible urge to write something meaningful. This had never occurred before and he had no idea where it came from now. A culmination of everything that had recently happened, more than likely; with Dad, and Mum …

Daniel reached over to his bedside cabinet and picked up a pen. He didn't know how to start even though he had so much running around in his head, so many thoughts and questions. He had no one to talk to, no one who would listen, least of all Dad. Drinking took up most of his time now. Daniel started there…

'Dad is drinking again. More than ever. I wish we could go back to the beach house again, with Mum.'

He stopped. Thoughts of his mum made it difficult to carry on. He missed her, missed her more than anything, and for a moment he almost slapped the book shut. What is the point, he thought. Nothing is going to bring her back. It was a horrible accident and I have to try to get on with my life without her. Daniel put his face in his hands. The minutes crawled by as he fought with his emotions, desperate to hold back the tears. In the end, he simply didn't want to, and he sat there and cried.

Much later, he opened up the journal again. Daniel held the pen between his fingers, poised above the page. He didn't think he could write anymore. It all seemed so unfair. But he had to put down how he felt, make some sense of the world around him.

'I miss that place,' he continued writing 'the sea crashing against the rocks, the call of the gulls. It was good for Dad, his paintings better than ever. He'd even sold some to a gallery down in London. But not anymore. He doesn't paint anything anymore.'

He remembered last night, how Dad had come in, late as usual, standing forever in the hallway, counting out his change from his pockets. Always the same ritual, clinking the coins, fumbling around as if he were lost in the dark, his breath stinking. Daniel could smell it from the other end of the hall. He wanted to run up to his dad, tell him that he loved him, that he wanted him to stop, that none of it was doing any good. I know you're in pain, I am too … Mum has gone. We have to get on with our lives… Instead, his courage seeping away, he turned and went back to his room and pressed the door shut.

'I want Dad to start painting again. I want it all to be like before. Why doesn't he understand that I miss her, too, that the only way we can get through all of this is by being together?'

A noise outside Daniel's room made him sit upright and he quickly slipped the journal under his bedclothes. He glanced over to his bedside clock. Yes, it would be Dad stumbling in, breathing hard, and drunk again no doubt. Daniel didn't know what would happen next. Often there would be shouting, lots of shouting. Sometimes, very late at night, Daniel would hear his dad answering the telephone, always sounding angry. His dad blamed the whole world for what had happened. When Mum died, devastation followed, and Dad had almost fallen apart. Then a few months later, Gran followed.

Daniel had stopped crying over Mum by then. Only a dull, empty ache remained. Then news came of Gran, who was so horribly ill, wasting away. It was still a shock, knowing she was gone. Everything dies, but the loss hurts so much. He knew he shouldn't feel so sad for Gran. She was old, eighty-seven. What an age! If he stopped to think about it, she'd had a fantastic life. The stories she used to tell. He'd sit at her feet, listening for hours while she recounted tales about her childhood in southern Germany, how the War had brought everything to an end, how the soldiers had come–

The door opened and Daniel held his breath. Dad stood there, leaning against the doorframe, his eyes dull and lifeless, like beads. “We have to go to Truro,” he said without any preamble. “For the reading of your Gran's will,” he sniffed. “Waste of time, but we have to go. We've been summoned!”

“When?”

“Wednesday.”

He turned to go but Daniel quickly said, “Do we have to?” He had visions of spending hours inside a sweltering car, alone with his dad. What would they say to one another?

His dad stopped and frowned. “Apparently.” He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his jacket and peered at it. “We have no choice. It says, 'It would be in your best interest – and that of your son – to attend the reading of your late mother's last will and testament.' So … Wednesday.”

And with that, he shuffled out.

Daniel gave a little groan. Truro. That meant returning to Cornwall, with all its memories, memories he didn't want. He waited until he was sure Dad had gone to his own room, then pulled out the journal and carefully replaced it on the bookshelf. He'd written enough, dredged up too much pain. Wednesday would dredge up even more, perhaps.

They'd found the office easily enough, after having driven down to Truro the night before. At a little hotel they had managed to eat a late supper and then gone to their room. Daniel didn't say anything, but he was happy that his dad had barely touched any alcohol. The following morning, however, Daniel became nervous, recalling the words his dad had read out, 'It would be in your best interest – and your son's – to attend…' Why would it be in his dad's best interest?

Stepping inside it all appeared very prim and proper, shiny metallic furniture and black cushioned chairs. The receptionist shone too. One of those incredibly efficient looking people, nipped nose and glasses, hair scraped back in a bun so tight that her face probably wore a permanent expression of alarm. Daniel couldn't stop staring at her, fascinated by her nails. The longest and brightest red he'd ever seen. Her strong scent of lavender and talcum powder made his stomach churn.

The office of 'Mr. B.W. Spencer, solicitor' stood at the top of a narrow flight of stairs and each step creaked as Daniel and Dad made their way up behind the grim receptionist. The large, imposing and cold room lay in sharp contrast to the one downstairs. A massive table dominated, and the wood paneled walls were punctuated with hunting scenes.

Dad looked at them with disgust. “Eighteenth century kitsch!” he said in a quiet, scathing voice.

The receptionist, who had led them in, motioned for them to sit, which they did, then offered them both drinks. Dad refused, but Daniel wanted a Coke. She didn't seem to like that answer and flounced out. Dad's legs splayed out before him, his fingers drumming on the arms of the chair. He looked angry, gnawing at his bottom lip, breathing hard through his nose. He had been like that during most of the journey down and Daniel thought he knew why. Dad probably saw this as a useless waste of time. He'd said as much in the car, “What's the point in us being there? I haven't spoken to the old girl in years, didn't even know she was so ill.”

“Dad, last time we saw her she was as thin as a stick. And, she was eighty-seven!”

“She never had any time for me – it was always you, inviting you round for tea and God knows what else.”

“Stories, Dad. She told me stories, of when she was young. Some of them didn't make sense, but they seemed to cheer her up. Like she was watching old movies. She always asked about you, how you were getting on, what you were painting … I told you, Dad. Every time I got back. I told you what she said, but you never remember, you were always …” He clamped his mouth shut, knowing he was close to the danger zone. He looked away.

“So? Makes it all the more pointless, doesn't it? What are we going to find out about an old woman that we didn't already know before?”

Daniel expelled air hard through his nose and wished this damned meeting were over. He shuffled nervously in his seat and peered over at the wall clock. The hand was moving far too slowly.

In the end, they didn't have to wait long. The door flew open in a grand sweep and a weedy little man, with no hair and a thick moustache, stood to one side to allow three others to enter. A tall and silent man and woman, both smiling sheepishly also came in. The third person to come in looked very different. He was built quite heavily, like a nightclub bouncer with a square, flat head, and he exuded confidence. Daniel couldn't take his eyes off him. They all nodded briefly towards Daniel and his father.

The little man, a huge bundle of papers and folders tucked under his arm, sat down in a large, grand type of chair on the other side of the desk. Very theatrically, he spread the papers out over the table and sorted them into different piles. Daniel watched him, fascinated, as the little man kept checking and rechecking each piece. Dad seemed restless, shifting uncomfortably, obviously not enjoying any of it. The couple didn't make things any easier. They'd brought with them an unsettling energy; they were nervous, anxious, eyes darting around, feet tapping with impatience. The big man, in contrast, sat stoic and grim. Daniel looked at them all, not sure what to expect. It was all very intriguing, and just a little disquieting.

Suddenly, in another dramatic entrance, the receptionist returned with the Coke. She slapped down a small, cork coaster and planted the glass of sparkling drink on top of it. She glanced at the others and smiled without even a single twinge of pleasantness and then left.

A silence fell upon the assembled group after that. Daniel wanted something to happen. To break the tension, he gulped down his drink to give himself something to do. His stomach knotted with dread, like being in one of the most awful places in the world – the dentist's waiting room! Often, when faced with really difficult situations, Daniel would ask himself, 'Is this worse than the dentist's?' The answer was invariably 'no' and this always gave him a curious surge of confidence and reassurance. This meeting, however, played differently. For the first time in his life, he began to suspect that there might be worse things than a visit to the dentist.

Like death, for instance.

Daniel blinked. Where had that thought come from? Of course death was worse. He knew that! First his mum then his grandma. Nothing could be worse.

A sudden cough brought him out of his reverie with a jump. The little man with the bald head had begun to speak.

“First of all, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this formal reading of Frau Fichtner's last will and testimony …”

The man's voice droned on and Daniel frowned deeply. 'Frau Fichtner'? Daniel had never heard her referred to as that before. As far as he knew her name was Stone, just like his and Dad's. Something wasn't right; the solicitor had got it wrong. Daniel looked at his dad for reassurance, but Dad just sat there, motionless, eyes glazed over, staring down at the papers. He hadn't even flinched at the mention of the strange sounding name.

Daniel, intrigued, leaned forward to continue listening, “…to my surviving nephew, Karl, I leave in totality the brewery and associated businesses.” The long, thin man, who had come in as part of the couple, sat forward, his face suddenly lighting up with excitement and joy. He pressed the hand of the woman next to him and she gave such a grin that Daniel thought her head would split in two.

“Now to my son …” The solicitor paused and looked at Daniel's dad for the first time. Dad's eyes came up, empty of emotion. Daniel, on the other hand, could hardly bear the suspense. Not looking at his dad, he wriggled further forward in his chair, waiting. Something was coming. Good or bad, he didn't really care. He simply wanted to know. The way his life had panned out these last few months, he found all of this endless talking meaningless. He'd had enough; he wanted to hear what his gran had to say. The little man continued, glancing across the paper he read from, “…I leave my house in Launceston, which I wish him to sell and give the proceeds to the charity of my choice.” The man produced a slim looking sealed envelope. “The details are in this document, Mr. Stone. They lay out your mother's desire to–”

“I know what my mother's desires were!” said Dad, his anger seeming to boil over suddenly. He stood up, his face reddening, all patience gone. Daniel gaped at him, horror-struck. This was just too dreadful. Dad steamed. “This is so typical of her! What are we supposed to do now?” He glanced at as son, and Daniel could see the tears welling up in his dad's eyes.

“Mr. Stone, if you could just–”

“No, I can't 'just' anything! This has been a total waste of time. 'Things to your advantage.' What a load of old bull that is!” He jerked his head at Daniel. “Come on, let's get out of here.” He pushed back his chair hard and made to go towards the door. Daniel hesitated, sensing that there was something more to be heard.

“Mr. Stone.” The little man's voice rang surprisingly sharp. “If you would just sit down, I have not finished reading the will.”

A heavy silence settled over the group. Daniel was staring at his dad, willing him to sit back down. It was awful, all of Daniel's fears coming true, his dad making such a scene, causing him such shame, such embarrassment. “Dad,” he said at last, “Please, sit down.”

Dad closed his eyes and let out a long, steady breath. “All right, but let's hurry it along, yeah?” Dad slumped back down in his chair. The little man smiled, probably more in relief than anything else, and reshuffled his papers. He coughed again and resumed.

“Now,” he glanced around him, “as I was saying … 'Further to this, I leave to my son my house in Bavaria …' ” He paused, and Daniel and his dad both gave a collective intake of breath. “ 'This is a substantial property, within its own grounds. There are sufficient funds set aside to keep it in perpetuity, and it is my wish that all of my servants and workers remain in employment there. Additionally, I wish for my loving grandson, Daniel …' ” here he looked at Daniel meaningfully, “ '…to receive a first-class education. A place has been reserved for him at the International School of Fussen. I have set up a trust fund for Daniel to the sum of five hundred thousand pounds, which will ensure his future despite what his father may do.' ”

Five hundred thousand … pounds? Daniel stood up, light-headed and giddy all at once. Had he heard correctly? Perhaps Daniel had dreamt this, or he'd gone mad. How could his gran, his sweet, dear gran have so much money? And a house, in its own grounds? Madness, that's what it was, sheer, utter madness. From somewhere, the man continued speaking. Daniel had to force himself to concentrate on the words.

“My one condition is that my son, who has for so very long been lost, return to his painting. He must rediscover the wonders and beauties of this world. I wish him to paint and to display his paintings at a local gallery within one year of taking up residency at my house in Bayern.”

The man coughed again and gathered the papers together, “I am instructed to inform you, Mr. Stone, that sufficient funds have been placed in your account to maintain the house and provide food and clothing for yourself and Daniel for that one year. I myself will be visiting you soon to see how you are settling in and then later to see whether your mother's wishes have been carried out. If they have not,” he stacked his papers together again, and looking at Dad square in the eye, “you will lose it all. Only Daniel's trust will remain.” He began to put the papers into his briefcase. “All of this is completely legal, Mr. Stone, worked out meticulously with lawyers in Bavaria. It is watertight, I can assure you. You must adhere to its principles, or you will gain … nothing.”

Outside, the weather had changed for the better, mirroring how Daniel felt. Everyone chatted at once, but he wasn't listening to any of it, his mind still thinking of those wonderful numbers, five hundred thousand. He shook the couple's hands and waved goodbye. Of the third stranger, there was no sign. Daniel had seen him in a whispered conversation with Mr. Spencer, the solicitor. The short, little man never mentioned him at the reading and Daniel wondered, not for the first time, what had brought the stranger here. Dad hadn't seemed in the least bit interested when Daniel had asked him for an explanation of the man's identity. Dad had merely patted Daniel on the arm and gone over to a nearby telephone box and settled himself into dialing a number. Daniel wondered why he didn't use his mobile, but shrugged, dismissing the thought almost as soon as it came into his head. Probably out of credit, he mused, then turned to look at a little rugby scrum of pigeons fighting over some food scraps just as the curious stranger in question came into view. Fury distorted his features, and he glared straight at Daniel. The atmosphere fizzled with tension all of a sudden. Daniel franticly looked around for his dad, who he spotted still leaning into the phone, gesturing wildly. Suddenly the big man loomed up close.

“You must be he, yes? Daniel?” he asked, in a thick German accent.

Daniel nodded meekly. The German gave him a measured look, and then shot another towards Daniel's dad. “My name is Grüber. Tell your father we will meet again, and very soon. You understand me? History is our enemy, Daniel, it always has been and always will, but we must not allow it to hold us back.” His eyes glowered as he leaned forward, and Daniel felt as if his very soul were being scrutinized. He took an involuntary step backwards and then, without a flicker of emotion, the man turned and strutted off down the street without another backward glance.

With the big man's departure, Daniel slowly began to relax, but the man's words worried him. “Meet again? History must not hold us back?” What exactly did the man mean by all of that?