and as every shadow begins to turn into a threat, I know I won’t survive here by myself.
Chapter 3
I hurry out of the pool house trying to figure out how the hell I'm going to sleep tonight. I wonder how mom will feel about me bunking with her, though that's going to bring questions and I'm not sure I have the strength to tell her about it yet. Maybe I'll just stick with the good old 'leave the bathroom light on' trick.
I reach the back door of the mansion and slip in through the staff quarters before coming to a standstill. I’m not used to it being so damn quiet here. There’s not a damn sound. No water boiling on the stove, no washing machines running, no vacuums, or the soft music that plays through the chef’s radio.
The cops are gone and the surveillance monitor by Harrison’s desk is showing that most of the press from the front gate have started to leave, clearly realizing that they’re not about to get any information out of us. Though, it won’t do them any good. No one knows anything.
The dagger has been on my mind all day. I don’t know if I should go and talk to Colton about it or leave it for a few days. It’s a lead and a starting point for the cops to begin searching for whoever did this, but it’s also a wound that I’m not sure I’m ready to tear open. Dad only died five months ago and it was horrific. I don’t think my heart is ever going to heal.
Desperately needing to get my mind off dad, I start walking through the main part of the house, listening out for Mom, Maryne, Harrison, or Colton. Though, if I was to run into Colton, I’m not sure what might happen. I don’t know if I’m ready to face him yet as I know he’s going to push me away again, but a part of me is desperately needing to make sure that he’s alright.
I’ve tried to give him space but I’m only human, and the need to feel his arms around me has been pulsing through me all day.
It’s so hard to believe that it was only this morning that I was up in Colton’s bedroom, listening to him tell me how he can’t stay away from me anymore. He explained the reasoning behind the Jade nickname and then in a split second, his lips were on mine and I was ready to give myself to him.
A split second can change it all.
I hear soft murmured voices and I follow them into one of the many formal dining rooms and find myself silently hovering at the door. I peek in, not wanting to interrupt while hoping to find Mom, only it’s Harrison and Maryne sitting at the table with papers spread wide and looking more stressed than I’ve ever seen them.
“I think we should stick with an open casket and have him dressed in that fancy three-piece suit he always raves about,” Maryne says, keeping her voice low.
Harrison’s eyes bug out of his head as he gapes at her, lowering his reading glasses down his nose. “You want to bury the man in a one-hundred-thousand-dollar suit?”
Maryne gapes right back at him. “That’s how much that thing cost?”
“What did you expect from Charles Carrington? If the man was going to splurge on a nice suit, he was going to make it count.”
“Good point. I don’t know why after all these years I’m still surprised by the man. But I stick with my suggestion, I think he would have wanted to look his best for his final day.”
Harrison nods. “I think you’re right,” he says with a heavy sigh, looking as though he somewhat misses the man despite him being an ass. “I’ll arrange for the funeral home to put him in a regular suit when the casket is closed. Colton may want to hang onto Charles’ suit for safekeeping.”
Maryne’s hand falls to Harrison’s shoulder and she gives it a gentle squeeze as a tear rolls down her cheek. “That’s a lovely thought,” she murmurs, her voice barely audible from my position by the door. “Have you seen him today? I don’t think he’s eaten any of the food I left out for him.”
Harrison shakes his head. “No, not since Officer Browning took his statement. He’s been hiding out somewhere, but you know what it’s like trying to find someone in this house. It's like trying to