Ramsey Campbell - Secret Story

by Ramsey Campbell
from Tom Doherty Associates

Alone with the Horrors

Ancient Images

Cold Print

The Count of Eleven

Dark Companions

The Darkest Part of the Woods

The Doll Who Ate His Mother

The Face That Must Die

Fine Frights (editor)

Gathering the Bones

The Hungry Moon

Incarnate

The Influence

The Last Voice They Hear

The Long Lost

Midnight Sun

The Nameless

Nazareth Hill

Obsession

The Overnight

The One Safe Place

Pact of the Fathers

The Parasite

Scared Stiff

Secret Story

Silent Children

Waking Nightmares

When all the party had visited the buffet at the Year of the Liver Bird restaurant more than twice, and an Oriental rock band called Hung Like Sammo had finished its first set, Walt stood up at the head of the long table. Well, was that the greatest Chinese meal you ever had in Liverpool?

The general murmur could have been taken for at least qualified agreement, although Tony Chan kept his peace on behalf of the Chinese community, and as the restaurant reviewer Denise Curran murmured This week.

Theres that Scouse humour. Nothing like it in the world. Dont forget it isnt just all you can eat, its all you can drink on me. Has anyone not had enough?

He was gazing at Patricia, perhaps only because she was seated at the far end. Im fine, she said and really didnt need Valerie to pat her hand.

Okay, so long as nobody has an empty glass, why dont we raise them to the magazine. Heres to Mersey Mouth.

Patricia felt as if the jumbled responses were blurring her words. Mersey Mouth.

We went for three great issues. Im just sorry there wasnt more of a public for us, but absolutely nobody should feel theyre to blame. I guess the controversy didnt help after all, and people saying we couldnt make up our minds what we were going to publish. And maybe theres something to the notion that some Brits dont like enterprise and want to see it fail, but let me tell you it was as fine a magazine as Ive ever been a part of. So heres to everybody that was involved, even if they arent here tonight. Raise a glass to yourselves.

When the enthusiastic clinking at the edges and along the middle of the table died down, Walt said I could name everyone, but I dont want to monopolise your evening, so let me single out just a couple. Lets hear it for our more than talented editor Valerie Martingale.

Patricia met her mothers eyes and lifted her glass high. Valerie, she agreed loudest of anyone, and was sipping her Chardonnay as Walt said And Patricia, for doing so much more than anyone has a right to be expected to do.

She could tell that hed worked on his phrasing, but she sensed that it made her fellow diners almost as uncomfortable as she felt. She spoke before it could revive the nightmares that she didnt have every night nowwakening to find her head wrapped in tape when it had only strayed under the bedclothes, or feeling water close with infinite slowness over her bound body, or opening her eyes to see Dudley grinning down at her. I should never have got myself into that situation. I wouldnt make much of a detective.

But you were there as a journalist. I dont know any reporters that would have put themselves through that.

She didnt have a choice, Valerie said. She was there as a victim.

Patricia laid one hand on her mothers and gazed along the table. No, I was there as an idiot.

Sounds like youve come out of it feisty at any rate, Walt said. Id say anything positive we can salvage from that whole sad business is worth having. Do you all know about Vincents new project?

Nobodys mentioned it to me, David Kwazela said with enough hauteur for his entire African community.

Hes found a way of dealing with the issues his other film would have brought up.

Vincent pushed his spectacles closer to his eyes. Ill be questioning them, anyway.

Tell him about it, Vincent, Walt said and sat down.

Ill be investigating how Dudley Smith is becoming a cultural icon. Somebodys set up a web site about him, the Scouse Slayer. People think he killed more people than the police are letting on. The new thing at school is kids saying theyll send each other a killogram. The councils trying to stop a stall in Church Street selling mugs with his face on them that say Dud the Lad...

How are you going to investigate all that? David Kwazela interrupted.

And other things as well, like how fiction and reality depend on each other. I think maybe itll be a new kind of film. Ill be filming parts of the script we had and intercutting them with reconstructions of the actual events and interviews with the relatives if I can get them. They ought to agree when they hear what my approach is.

Dont you think it could still be controversial?

I hope.

As David Kwazela stuck out his bottom lip and took his gaze elsewhere, Vincent said across three intervening diners I definitely need to film you, Patricia. It wont be complete without the survivor. I thought I could show how that last weekend might have seemed to him and how it really was for you. Id use an actress if you didnt want to go through it all again. So long as you can talk about it.

Patricia sat up straighter, because everyone was either watching her or avoiding it. I dont know what I could say that would be any use.

Try saying you encouraged Dud.

Walt stood up again as the speaker advanced. Monty, we thought you werent coming.

Ive been drinking with some of me mates that write pomes. Thats why you reckoned you could say anything you like about Dud, was it?

I dont believe weve been doing that.

Thats a rhyme. Watch out or youll end up a poet.

Excuse me, Valerie said before Monty had quite finished. May I ask how you think Patricia encouraged your son?

You did and all. And you, Vince. Im surprised at you. You started out like a true Scouser and then you wanted to make a film about one thats a criminal, like people dont reckon we all are.

I wouldnt have without Dudley, you know.

Thats what Im saying. You could have tried to get him to write something healthy but you made him worse.

I dont see how anybody here can be said to have done that, Valerie objected.

Forgot Shell Garridge already? I thought she was one of your mates.

I wouldnt have said she was responsible for, if youll forgive me, what he was.

Me neither. Never did. Theyre making out now he may have killed her too. Killing anybodys out of order, but how could he have done it to someone like her if hed known what he was doing? If he did it shows he was totally warped in the head.

Patricia was thinking that her experience did, and trying not to let the memories spring up at her, when Monty said Still, I dont reckon anyones to blame so much as his mother.

You dont, Valerie said and kept her eyes on him.

She killed him, didnt she? Killed both of them. If you ask me thats because she couldnt stand the guilt. Used to take drugs, maybe thats why. Pity about her, Im not saying its not, but I wish shed left him so he could have got some help.

Unless it was Dudley who killed them, Patricia felt bound to propose.

Monty let her feel his stare before he said Im not that convinced he killed anyone.

Are you suggesting she made up what he did to her? Valerie demanded. Or are you trying to blame her for that as well?

Im sure he cant be, Patricia said. Anyway, the police are certain about Dudley. They managed to retrieve the dates on his computer.