Master of Illusion by Nupur Tustin

Author:Nupur Tustin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nupur Tustin
Published: 2020-06-23T00:00:00+00:00

Inside the barn, Celine took stock of her surroundings. The place was undisturbed—everything just as she’d left it last evening. Hard to believe it was only last night. It felt like an eternity had passed since then.

“Everything okay?” Bob was behind her.

His voice had startled Celine, but by the time she looked around she’d recovered her composure. And her anger. How had Bob allowed himself to get rolled like that?

“I know Dirck and John must’ve mentioned this to you, Bob,” she began, “but in light of recent events, I feel I need to reiterate the Mechelen’s rules. No visitors are to be allowed anywhere near the guest or staff cottages or the barn.”

Seeing Bob’s mouth open, about to argue the point, she went on, her voice sharper.

“Is that understood? Not unaccompanied, not without my permission. It doesn’t matter who they say they are.” Her tone brooked no argument.

Bob stared at her; Celine stared back. Then, he slowly nodded.

“I can go look at that window of yours, now.”

“Good.” She tossed him her cottage keys. He was leaving when another thought occurred to her.

“Bob, wait!” She fished her car keys out of her shoulder purse and extended them toward him. “When you’re done, bring my car here, will you? Ms. Hood asked for some gardening supplies. It’ll be easier driving them to her.”

Bob frowned, a question fermenting in his brain; she headed him off.

“After you help me unload the supplies at her cottage, you can take the Pilot to get that pane of glass you’ll need to fix my window.” It was a smoother ride by far than the old jalopy Bob drove.

He smiled. “Done deal.”

Celine waited until he was out of sight, then, latching the door behind her, she went over to the wheelbarrow.

It seemed heavier than she remembered it; the wheels emitting a rusty squeak as she braced herself against the floor and heaved. It moved at last. With a quick flick of her palms, she brushed the soil and dirt aside, and then lifted the floorboards up.

The black hefty bag with its cardboard box hadn’t been touched. For a brief second, Celine wondered if it would be safer where it was. But she dismissed the thought just as quickly. Dirck’s killers had broken into her cottage. They’d have no compunctions about raiding the barn.

Putting the item in Julia’s custody seemed like the best strategy. They’d have to find a way of getting it back into Annabelle’s hands. If she was right that was whom it belonged to.

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