Where Shadows Move

By Caroline Angel

From Caroline Angel, author of Madman Across the Water, Origin of Evil, and Less, comes Where Shadows Move, a supernatural thriller set in Australia.
When Sarah brings home a box of assorted items from a market stall, she has no idea what she is about to unleash. Stored within an ornate box, Sarah finds a set of fortune-telling cards, each beautifully and intricately illustrated. Sarah's dreams become more vivid and start to spill out into the real world – with deadly consequences. It doesn't take long for Sarah to realise the danger that she, and everyone she knows, is now in.
As the body count rises and blood begins to flow, Sarah is forced to seek help to break the curse of the cards and free herself from their hold. How many people will need to die before she rids herself of their evil power? Will she be strong enough to resist their pull? How can she keep her loved ones safe in the places Where Shadows Move?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Red Cape Publishing
• Release date: Aug 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201910853

Caroline Angel

Caroline Angel, R.N., Ph.D., is a certified mixologist and cosmopolitan aficionado. She holds a doctorate of philosophy in Nursing and Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania (where she now teaches) and lives in Westfield, New Jersey, with her husband, Steve, and daughter, Catherine.

Book preview

Copyright 2021 for Caroline Angel

Cover design by Red Cape Graphic Design

Edited by P.J. Blakey-Novis, Red Cape Publishing

First Edition Published 2021 by Red Cape Publishing

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

To Alison Greene, the lady with a knack for titles. Thank you for always being so supportive.

Where Shadows Move

Caroline Angel

Chapter One

There are way too many people here, Kelli yawned. What is everyone doing up so early on a Sunday?

Same as we are, stupid, they’re all looking for a bargain. Sarah dropped her gold coin into the Rotary Club volunteer’s cup and watched Kelli search her pockets for a coin. Hey, I got you, don’t stress.

Kelli blew her a kiss as she dropped the second coin and they stepped into the first aisle of the large open-air market, a rack of clothes was poking out too far meaning Sarah had to duck to get past. Kelli had found a dog and was already patting it before the owner dragged it away, the poor animal straining on its leash. Sarah turned to look at the clothes on the rack, a quick flick through and a cursory glance assured her they were not what she was looking for.

Hey, Sezzy, look at these shoes! Kelli held up a bright purple pair of stilettos, shiny yellow sequins adorning the heels. Perfect for the office?

Sarah laughed and shook her head as she walked to the next stall. Kelli went to the following stall and started to look through the bric-a-brac before moving on. The girls walked down the first aisle to the end, looking through promising stalls, avoiding the ones that looked expensive, or filled with things they had no interest in. 

I can see why you like coming here, Kelli said, trying on a hat before putting it back on a table. This place is mad. I think Camberwell market is my new go-to on a Sunday when I don't want to sleep in.

Hey, this would look good for work, yeah? Sarah held up a black tailored jacket. 

Kelli looked at it, her head tipped to one side. I think you’ll have to try it on, it’s hard to say just looking at it like that.

Sarah pulled the hanger out of the jacket and slipped it on over her casual T-shirt. Well?

Here, lemme take a picture on my mobile, you can see what you look like. Kelli snapped the pic and handed her phone to Sarah.

I think it’s good, I can wear it with heaps of things, you know, make them look more business suitable. Sarah left the jacket on and looked at the seller’s other items, finding a couple of things that interested her. Kelli found a bag she liked and managed to haggle with the lady selling the items down to a very reasonable total.

The girls shoved their items into Sarah’s tote bag and moved along, enjoying the atmosphere, finding bargains, things to laugh at, and a really good coffee and donut van to take a break at. 

You’ve got some real bargains there, some designer clothes and shit, Kelli sipped her cappuccino. And I got heaps of stuff! I love that bracelet I got from that funny old bloke, it's super cool.

We’ve only got a half hour left, the market closes soon, Sarah laughed as the announcement came over the loudspeakers, advising patrons to finalise their purchases as the market would soon be closing. 

You must be psychic, girl! Kelli threw her empty coffee cup in the rubbish bin. C’mon, I wanna look down the last aisle, see if I can find something to wear to Hannah’s engagement party next Saturday.

You going to that? I thought you had to work?

Nah, I swapped with Rita so I could get the night off. She needs the next weekend for a wedding or some shit.

Sarah stood up from the plastic chair and tossed her cup in the bin before following Kelli along the last aisle. They didn’t find anything else to wear, but Kelli grabbed a couple of vintage books from a stall to use as props in her Instagram posts. 

Sarah looked through the bric-a brac, not really seeing much that she liked, until she picked up a small pendant. It had a tiny stone, and as she turned it in her hands, she could see the light reflecting from the faceted cut, something cute and a little bit different. 

The lady that owned the stall was already packing up, her little hatchback parked in the space behind her tables that overflowed with odds and ends. Knowing they were out of time, Kelli quickly looked through a box of things on the ground as Sarah lifted up an old velvet handbag. She decided it wasn’t her style, but as she went to put it back noticed a smaller leather bag, a little black one with tiny silver skulls all over it. 

This is so me! She showed it to Kelli and her friend nodded her head.

You have to get that, it's cool as.

How much for the two? Sarah asked the lady as she held out the bag and the pendant.

Look, I don’t really care, these were my sister’s things. Just take them, I’m all packed up now, pretty much.

No, really, I have to pay you something?

They’re yours, hun, enjoy, The woman tipped her plastic trestle table on one side and started to fold the legs in. You can have those books, too. There’s a couple more in that box if you want.

You sure? Kelli asked.

It’s going to the tip if you don’t take it. Smiling, the woman lifted another box and sat it in Sarah’s hands. You can have this one. If you don't want anything in there just throw it away.

Wow, thanks heaps, I really appreciate this, Sarah smiled back at the woman as she hefted the small box under her arm.

Let’s get out of here. I’m hungry, that coffee didn’t fill me up and I didn’t eat dinner last night.

You wanna get lunch? Sarah shifted the box to her other arm, her tote over a shoulder as she searched her pocket for her car keys. We can go to that dumpling cafe near my place.

Nah, I want all day breakfast. Feel like avocado and eggs and bacon, and another huge coffee.

We can go to Alfredo’s; they do all day breakfast. It’s on the way back. Sarah sat the box on the roof of her car as she opened the door. 

Are you ever going to clean this out? Kelli screwed up her nose. You are a real pig when it comes to your car.

Yeah, I know, but it’s too hard carting all the shit up to my apartment. I have to carry it all in from the carpark, then take the lift to the seventh floor, and my apartment is all the way at the back.

You need one of those little shopping trollies like the old ladies use.

Sarah shoved things onto the floor of the car and put her bag and the box on the back seat. My mum gave me one, I use it to take my clothes to the laundromat.

Why didn't you bring it today?

Because it’s full of dirty clothes. Sarah hopped in the car and put her seatbelt on. You should come back to mine after we eat and we can go through all our bargains, see what’s in the boxes, too.

Sounds like a plan. Now let’s drive, I am so hungry I’m about to eat whatever that is in the paper bag on the dashboard.

Probably not a good idea, Kells. It’s been there for like a month.

Chapter Two

I’m not sure why I bought this, Sarah hitched the dress up a little as she looked in the mirror. Kelli stood beside her, desperately trying to do the zipper up on the jeans she’d bought.

I think it looks good. Try it on with that black jacket you got.

Sarah pulled the jacket out of the bag and put it on over the dress and smiled. Yeah, this looks heaps better. I might wear this tomorrow.

How’s the new job going? Kelli finally got the zipper up and turned to look at her bum in the mirror. I like these, but they are super tight.

You just had lunch, and I’m not surprised they’re tight, you ate so much! Sarah pulled on a pair of heels and looked in the mirror. Job’s okay so far. They seem nice, and they like that I already know all the systems. Got heaps of open houses tomorrow, and I’ve booked inspections for every day this week. These ones or the red ones?

Either, both look good. Actually, I think the black. I might do my real estate licence later this year. Anyway, I gotta go, I haven’t finished half my shit for tomorrow.

You do this every week, Kells. And I don’t think you’d like property management; you’d do better in sales. Sarah took off her heels and jacket, changing back into her jeans and T-shirt. Do you need me to come down with you?

Kelli pulled her jeans off and shoved them in her bag before she pulled her leggings back on. Nah, I’ll be okay. I’ll give you a call during the week, maybe we can go to Hannah’s together?

Good, I hate walking in on my own. Love you.

Love you more Sezzy, Kelli let the door close behind her and Sarah grabbed some hangers for her new clothes. After she put them away, she grabbed the box and sat on the couch, turning on the TV with the remote. The box wasn’t very big, but it was crammed to the top with stuff. Sarah took out some old handkerchiefs that were delicately embroidered, putting them to one side. They weren’t to her style but would be a nice gift for her aunty. She found some old toys, small ones, they looked like they may have come from a cereal box. 

There was a can opener, and doilies, and several very ugly napkin rings. She pulled out a small pot for a plant, so far the only thing Sarah liked, and sat that to the other side. There were a couple of brooches and an old mirror, and several other bits and pieces that didn't interest her at all. 

Her hand closed on the last item, a small wooden box, about a third of the size of a shoe box. It was intricately carved, the patterns looking tribal, maybe Celtic, and it was dark with age. She looked it over, trying to find an opening, before slipping her fingers up one side and finding a clasp underneath. 

Inside the box was a set of cards wrapped in a silk cloth, and Sarah lifted them out. Unwrapping the cards, Sarah could smell them; they had an ancient odour, slightly musty but dry, like an old book. She turned them over, fascinated with the colours and designs. She pushed the stuff from the cardboard box onto the floor and laid the cards out so she could see them better. 

The pictures were very different from anything she had ever seen, and it didn't take her long to figure out they weren’t playing cards. Maybe fortune telling cards, tarot, or something like that?

She turned them over to look at the drawings on the back, then turned them back again. There were no instructions, just the cards. The pictures were absolutely beautiful, enchanting, and very mystical. Huge beasts swirled around intricate patterns, doe eyed, dark skinned maidens looked off into bright sunsets, and exotic birds and flora danced about on the borders. Sarah noticed there were some Australian animals in the pictures, though she could find no maker’s mark or artist signature.

Sarah pulled out her mobile phone and started to search for fortune telling cards to see if she could figure out what set they were but didn't realise there were so many different varieties. She searched for a while but couldn’t find any that matched. Deciding she’d search later, she gathered up the cards and wrapped them in the silk before putting them back into the wooden box. 

She put the rest of the things into the cardboard box and placed it near her front door, so she’d remember to take it down in the morning. There was a set of shelves in the foyer of the apartment building where residents could put stuff they wanted to give away. Sarah was sure someone would find the stuff fascinating, and if they didn’t, she could throw it in the rubbish bin when she got home from work.

Deciding to have a shower and wash her hair before settling into a serious session of reality television, Sarah flicked the thermostat a little higher and stripped her clothes off, throwing them on the floor. She made sure she had a clean towel, not making that mistake again, thank you, and took a long, hot shower, shampooing and rinsing her hair as her music played on her waterproof speaker. 

She wrapped her hair in the towel and dressed in a robe and fleecy pants before pouring an extra-large glass of pink Moscato and flopping down on the couch. She gasped as she sat on something, reaching behind herself to find the wooden card box. Sarah flicked through the channels, settling on a rerun of her favourite reality show.

As she watched, she fiddled with the box, flicking it open and closed, playing with the silk cloth before searching for the cards again on the internet using her phone. She still could not find the exact set though did see a few that were similar and thought perhaps this was just different artwork for the same set. Reading the instructions for a similar set, Sarah touched each card, pulling over her coffee table so she could lay them out and really have a good look at them.

She was fascinated with the cards, they were not only beautiful, but she felt like they had a warmth about them, almost like a connection to her. Every time Sarah picked up a card it felt special, a strange feeling, and she rearranged them on the table, setting them in an order that seemed right. 

She got a pen and paper and started to write down the meaning of each card as best she could, trying to match them with the similar set from her internet search. When she was satisfied that the descriptions were right, she wrote down the instructions, and put her phone down. She looked at the cards again, not realising a slow smile had spread across her face when she looked at them. She moved them again, admiring the beautiful illustrations, then gathered them all up and sat the pile of cards to one side. 

The card that ended up on top held the image of a man, he was naked, but his back was turned, and the illustrator used plants to cover the lower half of the man’s torso. Sarah picked up the card to admire the strong back, broad shoulders, and the dark skin. His face was turned away, so she couldn’t see what he looked like, but that back was enough to make her smile.

You’re pretty yummy, Mr. Card-Man. Sarah looked at her phone to see the time and gasped. Somehow, five hours had passed. She double checked the time, frowning as she did so. How could she possibly have spent five hours looking at the cards? Her stomach rumbled, but it was getting too late to cook a meal, so Sarah microwaved something from the freezer and ate as she watched the late news. 

As much as she tried to avoid looking at the cards, her gaze kept drifting back to the top card, the one with the strong man, until she turned the card to stop obsessing over it. She unwrapped the towel from her hair, annoyed that it was still damp. Her hair was a constant irritation, it was fine, limp, and there was not much of it. To add insult to injury, it grew so slowly she permanently had short hair. She gave it a bit of a blow with her hairdryer before brushing her teeth, then made sure her alarm, and her two backup alarms, were set before she went to bed.

Chapter Three

Sarah sipped her cappuccino and reached for the sugar. She liked her coffee sweet, adding two sugars before stirring it as she looked out the window of the little Brunswick Street cafe. She was sitting on a high stool, the counter that held her coffee was set into the window of the cafe and looked out onto the side street. The sun was bright, and there were birds walking around outside, pigeons, maybe, she wasn’t sure and didn’t really care to know what they were. 

She looked down at her coffee, stirring it slowly, when a shadow fell across her. There was someone leaning against the window, blocking the pleasant warmth of the sun. She looked up and instead of complaining, or banging the window to ask them to move, she felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. 

There was a man leaning against the window, he was tall, very tall, and he had broad shoulders that tapered into a narrow waist. She couldn’t see any further than the table as it blocked her view, and the bright sun in front of the man made seeing any details impossible. She couldn’t tell if he wore a hat or had long hair, or any hair, for that matter. 

He moved a little, his shirt tight, outlining his torso perfectly. He turned just as someone bumped into Sarah’s stool and she looked behind her as the old lady apologised, her generous hips wider than the narrow space between the shop counter and Sarah’s stool. When she looked back out the window the man was gone, and she felt a stab of disappointment. 

The door to the cafe opened, and Sarah felt a warmth of pleasure as the tall, dark man pushed the door open, stepping inside. A large pot plant blocked his face, and Sarah leaned back on her stool to catch a glimpse of his face as he stepped inside. 

The fire alarm chose that moment to sound its loud alert, and the man paused, not sure if he should enter. The noise grew louder, and Sarah picked up her phone, stuffing it into her pocket as she slipped off her stool, the alarm insistent, loud, an incessant noise that was so loud that it…

...woke her up. 

She rolled onto her back, disappointed to be ripped from such a great dream. She yawned, stretched, and rolled out of bed, before hitting the alarm stop button on her phone. Sarah took a quick shower before straightening her hair and dressing in the new dress and jacket from yesterday, teaming her outfit with the black heels and the new briefcase her mother had given her to celebrate landing the job. 

The day was a little chilly, summer was still a few weeks off, but the sky was bright blue and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. She hurried across the road when there was a break in the traffic and stopped into the cafe that was directly across from her apartment block. As she entered, Sarah couldn’t help but glance at the seat by the side window, the one she had sat at in her dream, but there was no broad-shouldered man at the window.

Cappuccino to take away, thanks, she told the cute barista as she checked her phone for messages. There was one from Kelli, a picture with her posing in her new outfit from the market, and one from her boss confirming her appointment with the new services guy. It was going to be a busy day, Mondays were always busy in the property market, and being the manager of the whole rental department meant she probably wouldn’t stop until closing time.

She accepted her coffee with a smile and walked the block and a half to work. She was so lucky to land this job, being able to walk to work was a bonus, and added to that was a good increase in her pay, a generous car allowance and a weekly bonus to cover after hours inspections. She liked everyone that she worked with, for a change, and that in itself was enough for her to be happy. 

Sarah couldn’t remember a single position she held in the last seven years where she’d actually like everyone she worked with, usually her temper with some incompetent or nasty individual either lost her the job, or she left because she could no longer tolerate working with morons.

The day passed quickly, everything going smoothly, meetings starting on time, and, more importantly, finishing the same way. It wasn’t until the last meeting of the day when Sarah had to tell Noel, the maintenance man they were using, that they no longer would be booking his services. The guy didn’t take it well. Not well at all. He slammed his hands on Sarah’s desk as his face turned bright red, and he called her every name that no man should use in polite company. His spittle was flying out, and he stood over Sarah, threatening her, his hands gripped tight in fists as he screamed at her.

Matthew, the general manager of the agency, came running from his office to confront the nasty little man and throw him out, threatening him with the police should he be stupid enough to return. Five-thirty couldn’t come quick enough after that incident and Sarah grabbed her bag as Joan, one of the receptionists, locked the front door. 

Hellava day, Sarah, Paul, the sales team manager, threw the comment at her as he walked to the back door. He stopped and turned back to Sarah, an apologetic smile on his face. Seriously, you held your cool well under that barrage of shit he threw at you. Well done. If it were me, I’d probably have punched him in the face.

Trust me, I felt like it. He’s a lot bigger than me, though, Sarah laughed, still feeling shaken and a little crushed after the dressing down. She felt her lip quiver and bit it so no one would notice. The thought of the man yelling