Secrets of Hallstead House by Amy M. Reade

Author:Amy M. Reade [Reade, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: eKensington
Published: 2014-08-27T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

“All of this happened several years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting on the floor up in my studio—your turret room. I was surrounded by cardboard boxes. I had taken a day off from my work and there were so many things in the studio that I needed to sort through and organize. I remember being in a panic thinking that I might not be able to finish it all in one day. It was beautiful outside, and the room was bright with sunshine.

“Forrest came up the stairs looking for me. He had also taken the day off and he was bored. He had already been fishing early that morning and he didn’t want to be inside on such a nice day. He asked me if I wanted to go for a walk with him. Or take a break on the balcony.”

Alex sighed. “I told him I didn’t have time to go walking just then and that I didn’t need a break yet. There were so many things I thought I needed to accomplish that day, and I figured we could take a walk or relax later that afternoon. Or the next day.

“So Forrest went out on the balcony for a look around. He did that sometimes. He would walk around the entire balcony on the second floor just to have a bird’s-eye view of Hallstead Island. He loved it here,” she added wistfully.

“After he left, I kept working. At one point, I heard voices out on the balcony. They were low, and I couldn’t hear what was being said. I couldn’t even tell who was talking. But it didn’t matter. I stayed focused on what I was doing and it wasn’t long before I didn’t even notice the voices anymore.”

Alex paused, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to steel herself against what was coming. Then she continued. “After a while my knees started to hurt. So I decided to take that break. I went in search of Forrest, assuming he was still on the balcony somewhere, probably sitting in the sun. When I didn’t see him, I walked around the balcony looking for him. I figured he was on the opposite side of the house. But he wasn’t. I had gone three-quarters of the way around the second floor when I saw him.” Alex covered her face with her thin hands and shook her head.

“As long as I live, I will never get that sight out of my head! He was lying there on the ground, on the rocks. There was blood everywhere and there was a large gash on his head. His body was broken. I have never been so scared in all my life. Even when Diana died, I was always thankful that I wasn’t the one to find her. I couldn’t have lived with that memory.”

She paused for several moments, then went on more calmly. “He was at the bottom of the staircase leading from the balcony to the ground.

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