BATTERED BLUFF by BECK JESSICA

Author:BECK, JESSICA [BECK, JESSICA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jessica Beck
Published: 2020-12-17T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

“WHO WAS THAT?” I ASKED as we all rushed with our lit candles out of the kitchen and into the living room.

“It sounded like a man, so I’m guessing it was either Abel or Jasper,” Jake said as he pulled out his handgun.

“Whoa there, partner. Is that really necessary?” Hank asked.

“I don’t know yet. Let’s go find out, shall we?” Jake asked as he rushed up the stairs.

It only took a second to realize where the scream had come from.

Beatrice’s door was standing wide open.

Jake took the lead, though Hank and I were both close on his heels.

Jasper was standing at the window looking down. This side of the structure had an actual small balcony on every room, and the French doors had been thrown open.

“It’s Beatrice!” he shouted as he pointed below us.

The fog was indeed rolling in, but I could still make out the figure on the rocks twenty feet below us.

It appeared that Beatrice had finally followed through on what I had assumed had just been an empty threat.

From the way she was laying there, there was no doubt in my mind that she had succeeded in the attempt to end her own life.

“We have to help her,” Jasper whimpered as he stood there in the growing rain and expanding fog.

“There’s nothing we can do for her,” I said as I put a hand on his shoulder and started to pull him back inside.

He wasn’t having it, though, and I was surprised by how strongly he was able to resist. “I’m going down there!”

Jasper started for the door when Jake and Hank both intervened.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Hank said.

“We can’t just leave her down there,” Jasper cried out.

Jake was about to say something when Hank spoke up. “He’s right. From here we can’t be sure that she’s really dead. I’ll go check on her.”

“You can’t do that,” I told Hank. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I have a way down there that should be okay,” he answered. “Jasper’s right. We have to make sure she’s not still alive.”

“I’ll go with you,” Jake said.

Before I could protest, Hank replied, “As much as I appreciate the offer, I can’t be worrying about you while I’m trying to climb down those rocks. I’ve got a rope I might need to pull her back up if she survived the fall, but I’m going to need you on the other end of it.”

I knew that Jake didn’t like to stand back while someone else did the dirty work, but what Hank suggested made sense. “Do it his way, honey.”

Jake nodded. “You’re the boss.”

“Don’t say that even as a joke. There’s only one boss around here,” Hank said. “Come on, let’s go.”

As we left the room together in a hurry, Vera came rushing out of her room, her candle sputtering so much that it almost went out. “What is all this nonsense about? I’m trying to sleep here!”

“We’ve got bigger problems than you getting your beauty rest,” I snapped at her. “Beatrice has been hurt.”

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