The Light at the Bottom of the Garden

By John Holland

A lovely English governess goes missing from the homestead on a local cattle station in the Australian outback. The local people think the mysterious Min Min light has something to do with her disappearance. Senior Police Constable Mick Creedy doesn’t buy into paranormal explanations and is exploring foul play. However, when the young woman’s mother, Eveling, arrives from England wanting a full investigation, including the possibility of a paranormal event, Mick needs to balance his methods with a grieving parent’s needs. Eveling’s inclinations further complicate matters as they might lead her into a danger Mick does not yet understand. Pressure mounts as unexpected feelings for the victim’s mother raise the stakes in this case that seems to have no leads.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Holland
• Release date: Jul 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310302893

John Holland

The author received a calling and anointing from the Lord to undertake a ministry of spiritual teaching. Following this call was a directive to engage in a Jonah type ministry of revealing to the Church her apostasies with a warning of oncoming judgement. A further anointing was received to discern the meaning of symbols and unveil the meaning of prophecies. This particular book started out to be a study, but was extended further by the Holy Spirit until it reached its current length. To see more of the author's work, see the Covenant Truth Christian website at(http://www.covenanttruth.com.au)

Book preview

The Light at the Bottom of the Garden

Book two in the Heartland series of novellas focusing on Australian outback themes.

John Holland

Published by Louisa Publishing

Copyright 2014 John Holland

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Other titles by John Holland

About John Holland

Note from the editor

Chapter 1

Mick Creedy pushed the paperwork on his desk away and sighed. Usually his job as Senior Police Constable at the small town of Willerton, a one policeman town, was pretty cruisy. Except for the mountain of paperwork. He could do without the paperwork.

He’d made space in the piles for one intriguing file, though. With a smile of anticipation he flipped open the folder. The case of the girl who had gone missing from Missionvale station was a different kettle of fish than the usual ringers’ fight or poddy-dodging. This was the kind of work he’d signed up for!

Two months ago Cecilia Brown, the pretty young English governess at Missionvale Station, had vanished during the night. She’d been there at the evening meal then retired to her room early. Next morning, when she wasn’t at the table for breakfast, everyone assumed she had slept in, and they sent young Jayney Moody to wake her. But Jayney couldn’t find her. She reported back to her parents, Cecilia wasn’t in her bedroom or the bathroom.

The Moody’s were worried. A search of Cecilia’s room didn’t shed any light on her whereabouts. There didn’t appear to be anything missing from her room. Her bed had been slept in and remained unmade, making the Moodys think she had gotten out of bed suddenly. The two station hands and two fencing contractors who were fencing on the station said they hadn’t seen her either. A call was made to the police.

Mick Creedy was the closest policeman to the scene, so he arrived first. Missionvale was about 100 kilometres from town, but Mick was there well inside an hour. As he approached the station, he noticed movement around the horse yards. The horses had been run in." Frank Moody and the two ringers were saddling horses.

Mick pulled up near the yards and unfolded his tall frame from the police ute. Frank Moody came to meet him.

Mick knew Frank slightly. G’day Frank. What have we got here, mate?

Frank told Mick the story of how the girl had been found to be missing. Buggered if I know where she is, Mick. We’ve searched the house and the out buildings. We found nothing. So me and the boys are going to search as much country as we can on horseback.

You think she might have gone for a walk and got lost?

Well, it has to be something like that I guess, but she’s never done it before. At least I don’t think so. Frank’s face was worried and puzzled.

Mick agreed the men should go searching. The quicker the girl was found the better. She shouldn’t be all that hard to find. Missionvale was mostly open black-soil downs country. Okay Frank. I’ll go and talk with the others. Let me know how you are going. If you don’t find her quickly, we’ll have to broadcast the message far and wide. We’ll need the stations nearby to send men. It will take time to get police out here too. If you haven’t found her in say…four hours? I’ll start ringing around.

Next up was Janet Moody, a tall slim brunette who was dressed in jeans and a man’s flannelette shirt. In spite of how she was dressed, Mick couldn’t help noticing she was a looker. But Janet could shed no further light on Cecilia’s whereabouts. Neither could the fencing contractors.

Janet took Mick to see the girl’s room. It was a small but neat room. Mick couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary except perhaps the big stack of books on a bedside table. He picked up a couple of the books. The titles were surprising. He’d expected a young woman like Cecilia might read romance books, but most of these appeared to be about the paranormal.

Janet noticed Mick’s thoughtful examination of the books. She always reads that sort of stuff. I think she’s a bit obsessed with it. I had to stop her talking about it with the kids. They were having nightmares!

Mick put down the book he’d been holding. He didn’t much care about Cecilia’s reading habits. He read all sorts of things himself but not this. He nodded in Janet’s direction. Do you mind if I talk to the kids? I won’t scare them or anything. She may have told them something.

Janet Moody was reluctant but agreed he could talk to the kids.

Mick moved out onto the wide front veranda to wait while the kids were summoned.

They were neatly dressed, good-looking kids. Young Jayney looked like she had been crying. The boy, Francis, looked scared. Mick winked at Francis and grinned. He knew how to settle kids down. Lots of kids were frightened of policemen. Jayney and Francis, do you know Cecilia is missing?

Jayney answered, Yes, it was me who found out she wasn’t in her room.

Did she say anything to you about maybe going for a walk or having to meet someone? Anything at all?

The children knew nothing either. But Mick was interested in the way Francis was acting, which was a bit different from normal shyness with a stranger or fear of a man in uniform.

Are you sure you know nothing, Francis? Mick said, with kindness and in a quiet reassuring tone.

It’s just that…well Cecilia was talking about the Min Min light yesterday. She wanted to see one before she went home to England, Francis said shyly but clearly.

That’s all? She didn’t say anything else?

Francis shook his head, and Mick told the children they could leave. They ran off into the house, but their excited chatter carried outdoors. This must be an adventure for them in some ways. On the other hand, the girl, Jayney, had been pretty upset.

Janet Moody hadn’t interrupted as he’d talked to the children, but now the children were gone, Mick could see she was none-too-pleased. She stood as straight as a poker with her arms crossed. Her mouth