A Family Affair by Duncan Wallace

Author:Duncan Wallace [Wallace, Duncan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-25T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

The huge house was still and silent for a moment as Benjamin’s words hung in the air. The quiet was broken when the driver outside honked the taxi horn again, but the sound barely registered in my mind.

“What’s going on?” Katherine called from the living room as she peered around the door.

When she saw Benjamin doubled over with vomit on his face, she screamed and ran towards her oldest son. She wobbled in her heels, but she managed to avoid falling over. She came to a graceless stop next to her son and reached a hand towards him, partially to offer him support, and partially to catch her balance.

“Benny!” Katherine cried. “What’s going on? What happened to him?”

I didn’t reply as I watched her grab her son’s face in her hands and felt his forehead.

“Has he been poisoned?” She screamed.

“No,” I said numbly. “He found Angelica dead.”

Katherine gasped and grabbed Benjamin into a tight hug. He looked like a ragdoll, as his limbs flopped about whilst his mother cradled him.

I felt Skye’s eyes on me as she waited for an order, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Benjamin as I played his last sentence over in my head. The smell of his vomit stung my nostrils and drowned the scent of lavender that had hung in the air a few minutes ago. The house suddenly seemed freezing, and Katherine’s wails bounced off the walls as she finally sank into a crouch on the floor and dragged Benjamin along with her.

“Sir?” Skye said hesitantly as she hovered next to me.

“Skye,” I said quietly, my gaze not leaving Benjamin. “Call for an ambulance and police backup right now. We need enough cars to take everyone to the station, and make sure they get forensics down here, too. I want fingerprints from every surface and every door handle. And tell that taxi driver to fuck off.”

“Of course,” Skye said hurriedly, then she took her phone out and ran outside to talk to the driver.

I turned back to the Brodies and studied their faces for a moment.

“Which room is she in?” I asked Benjamin, as I looked at the sweat that poured from his face.

“Uh--” Benjamin barely made a sound as he gagged again.

“Which room, Benjamin?” I shouted

I saw the lights of the car sweep across the drive, and a moment later, Skye dashed back inside with her phone still plastered to her ear.

“On the right,” he gasped when he could speak, “Third door.”

Benjamin’s face was utterly drained of colour, and vomit dribbled down his chin. He glanced up the stairs, and then he shuddered. Katherine instantly pulled him closer to her chest and started to pet his head.

“What’s all the noise about?” Edward said as he appeared at the top of the stairs, though his look of annoyance turned to shock when he saw his son crumpled on the floor. “Oh, my god, Benjamin!”

Edward started down the steps, and I spotted Leonard at the door to the kitchen. The whole household would soon descend on Angelica’s room if I didn’t gain control of the situation.

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