The Attic Room (The Braddock & Gray Case Files Book 16) by H.P. Bayne

Author:H.P. Bayne [Bayne, H.P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bayne Independent Publishing
Published: 2024-04-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19

Dez put it down to exhaustion that he fell asleep shortly after Maeve left. Thoughts of whatever might be happening several floor above his head vanished under the blissful veil of sleep.

He awoke to Paul shaking his shoulder and sunlight streaming through the window.

Paul wore an apologetic smile. “Sorry to wake you, but we need to leave shortly to meet Rowan.”

Dez held back a groan as he sat up, his stiff neck protesting the movement as much as his foggy head. Sully was apparently already awake; he was nowhere to be seen inside the library.

Paul walked out, saying something about using the bathroom. Once he left, Dez stood and stretched, a couple of cracks along his spine and shoulder providing some relief. He turned at movement at the door, spotting Sully entering with a couple of bowls in hand.

“Cereal,” he said, handing one to Dez. “Some sort of corn flake stuff.”

It wouldn’t be enough to hold Dez, but he had no doubt Paul would take them out for a meal later. A grocery run might be in order as well.

“How old is this milk?” Dez asked, sniffing at his bowl. It smelled okay, but his nose was often a bit stuffy first thing in the morning.

“It’s fine. I think the work crew was keeping a few things in the fridge for snacks and tea and whatever. We can replace it before we leave.”

“If we leave,” Dez grumbled.

Sully spoke through a smile. “We will.”

Dez tucked into the cereal, grateful Sully was right about the quality of the milk. It tasted fine, although the corn flakes might as well have been cardboard.

“You slept okay eventually?” Sully asked.

“Eventually, yeah. Once Maeve left, I crashed.”

Sully paused for a bite, talking between chews. “Surprised, actually. Figured the whole baby bit would freak you out.”

“Hey, it did. I was totally wiped though.”

“Me too. I managed a few hours. Good thing. I have a feeling it’ll be a busy day.”

Paul returned to the room, scrubbing at his face as if wiping away the remnants of sleep. “Maybe you can explain something to me. You were talking about the mention of the baby. What’s that about, do you think? Certainly, we know all about the men who died here, but never have I heard mention of a baby.”

“I haven’t got my head around that yet either,” Sully said. “I’m assuming Inspector Finch will look up all deaths connected to the property. If a baby who died or was killed here, it should absolutely turn up. Something like that wouldn’t have gone unchecked. Even back when infant deaths were common, it would have been a big deal.”

“I know I heard a baby crying,” Dez said. “If it wasn’t related to a death here, what would it have been?”

“This thing is messing with you, Dez. We’ve figured out that much. It screwed up Angus too. Maybe it looks for ways to hit people the hardest. Anyone would be upset thinking something bad happened to a baby. You and Angus are both dads, so the impact of something like that would be even worse.

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