Rook by L. Ann

Author:L. Ann [Ann, L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: L. Ann
Published: 2022-05-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

Magdalena

I think maybe a part of me knew that once everything was quiet, and I stopped finding things to do, a delayed reaction to what had happened would finally hit, so I kept myself busy. I tidied up the bookcases in the Summer Room, organizing the books by author, color and height. I watered the plants in the dining room, plumped the cushions on the couch in the sitting room, and straightened the chess board, resetting the game that had resulted in black winning.

The staff at my parents’ house didn’t live there, and by the time I ran out of things to do, they had left me alone. It was a little before midnight when I finally walked around the house, making sure the doors and windows were locked, and made my way upstairs to the bedroom I’d grown up in.

The room hadn’t changed since I moved out on my twentieth birthday, and I had stayed in it a total of three times since then. I pulled open the drawers on the dresser, found an old pair of pajamas, clean underwear, and then walked into the adjoining bathroom. There were bottles of bubble bath on one shelf. I opened and sniffed at each one before picking the raspberry scented one. I started the bath running, poured some of the bubble bath into it, then stripped out of my clothes while I waited for the water to fill the bath.

Sinking into the scented water a short time later, I let my head rest against the back of the tub and closed my eyes, only to surge up seconds later when a noise broke the silence—a gunshot. Heart racing, I grabbed the towel and almost threw myself out of the bath.

Had he come back? The man who’d grabbed us? Was he here to finish the job?

Wrapping the towel around my body, I crossed the room and reached for the door, only to freeze.

What if he was waiting in the bedroom?

My heartbeat was loud in my ears, my mouth dry, as I slowly turned the handle. No one jumped out at me when the door swung open, and the room beyond was empty.

I let out a shaky breath and stepped into the bedroom. My eyes fell on the digital alarm clock on my nightstand, and I frowned. Half an hour had passed since I went into the bathroom.

Wait …

Had I fallen asleep?

Had I dreamed the noise?

I walked over to the bedroom door and opened it to look out. The hallway beyond was in darkness and silent.

I must have imagined it.

Closing the door, I turned the lock and turned to look around. I’d go to bed, sleep, and things would look better in the morning.

***

Things didn’t look better in the morning, or the next, or the one after that. For the three nights following the day Knight dropped me at their house, I barely slept.

During the day, it was easier. The staff were in the house and I spent most of my time in the kitchen with Katy and the cook.

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