Wax part 5 by Amy Cross

Author:Amy Cross [Cross, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackwych Books Ltd
Published: 2022-04-04T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

“The Hartmann family's history is rather... tricky to explain,” Bernard said that evening, as they sat at the dinner table. “I wouldn't really know where to begin.”

“They weren't all as kind as Bernard,” Evelyn said, raising a skeptical eyebrow as she looked over at Rachel. “I shouldn't be unkind to the dead, though. They did their best, I'm sure.”

She raised a forkful of food to her mouth, and for a moment she seemed poised to eat, but then she paused as if she'd just thought of something.

“Most of Bernard's ancestors were businessmen, you see,” she continued. “They were certainly good at building up the family firm, but I think affairs of the heart were very much of secondary importance.”

She lowered the fork and set it down, and then she picked up a glass of water. Again, she almost took a sip, only to then set the glass down and take the fork again. Rachel had been watching her throughout the meal, and she saw now how Evelyn seemed oblivious to the fact that she never actually put any food or drink into her mouth.

“Someone should write a book about them one day,” Evelyn said airily. “I think they're interesting enough for an official history.” She turned to Bernard. “Don't you think so?”

“I'm not sure the world is ready for such a thing,” he replied with a smile. “The family's history can be traced back to the time of the Normans. It would have to be a hefty volume.”

“That might be something you'd be interested in writing,” Brad said.

Turning to him, Rachel realized that he too was engaged in the same pantomime of almost eating and almost drinking. He looked so real, like the actual Brad she knew and loved, and she couldn't help wishing that Bernard would simply make him go away.

“I bet you could write the history of the Hartmanns,” he continued. “It'd be like -”

Before he could finish, a loud bump rang out from somewhere far off in the house. Rachel immediately looked toward the door and saw the bottom of the stairs, but she couldn't help thinking that the sound had seemed to come from somewhere on the ground floor. A moment later, however, she realized that it might actually have come from the basement.

She turned to Brad again.

“I'm sure that was just the house settling,” he suggested.

“I'm sure,” she replied, “but -”

Suddenly the sound rang out again, and Rachel immediately spotted a flicker of concern in the eyes of the fake Brad.

“Excuse me,” Bernard said, dabbing at the corner of his mouth with a napkin as he got to his feet. “I really must check on something in the kitchen. I shall be back shortly.”

He turned and shuffled out of the room, and Rachel listened to the sound of his footsteps once he was out of view. She had a sneaking suspicion that he might in fact be going down to the basement, and sure enough a few seconds later she heard the distinctive creaking sound of the door under the stairs swinging open.

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