Page 39 of The Silence of Monsters

In desperation, I called Conrad. He was supposed to be at the office in the city handling the follow up from the board meeting this morning. Icy fingers of fear gripped my spine when he didn’t pick up, either. It seemed like the other side was setting up an ambush and the odds weren’t in Channing’s favor.

“Drive faster. I can’t get a hold of Conrad, either. Have any of your guys who are in or around the Cove get to the manor ASAP. I want him stopped if he’s going to the house to help my mother with whatever she has planned.” I scowled out the window as the buildings blurred by. “We need to make sure Winnie is safe. I can’t afford to have my attention divided.” I messaged Alistair to give him a heads up since he was actively involved in protecting my niece. It never occurred to me that my forsaken half-brother would become one of my best allies in a war I never imagined waging.

Rocco grunted and the SUV hurriedly lurched forward. “Do you think your mother would sink that low?”

I wanted to say no, but I couldn’t. If the woman had no qualms about hurting her husband, and possibly her own parents, why would her granddaughter be off limits?

“It’s better to be safe than sorry.” My voice trailed off as I recalled Alistair’s warning that I was going to have to choose. If the decision was between my mother and Channing, I could pick with ease. Specifically, now that the depths of my Mother’s diabolical nature had been exposed. The choice was impossible between my niece and her aunt. I wouldn’t survive without either of them.

The helicopter launch pad was on top of the Halliday building. By the time we reached it, the pilot was waiting. The flight took a fraction of the time as the drive, even though we had to land at a private airstrip and drive to the manor. When we arrived at the house, there was a standoff in the pristine gardens. Rocco’s security personnel faced off against Conrad and my mother’s staff. Obviously, the highly trained security team could’ve easily stormed in, but no one wanted to hurt people who were just trying to do their jobs. Conrad stood between the two factions. It wasn’t clear if he was trying to keep the peace or provoke chaos.

I was stunned at how disappointed I felt. I had so few people I could count as genuine friends, and even fewer I let myself trust. Conrad’s betrayal burned deep.

“You take care of this mess; I’m going to find Channing.” I barked the order at Rocco and pushed through the crowd toward the steps. Conrad grabbed my arm as I rushed by.

I didn’t hesitate to swing at him. My life never required me to fight for anything. It was handed to me on a golden platter. For my niece and Channing, I was willing to do a lot of things I’d never had to do before. I rushed toward the house, but Rocco tried to stop me. I shook him off and reminded him that my mother couldn’t hurt me. I was the CEO. If something happened to me, she would lose everything attached to my bullshit title. I was literally the only person who was safe from her.

Conrad swore and clutched the side of his face that was quickly turning bright red. He gave me a pleading look that I ignored and yelled at my back,

“You don’t understand, Win. I have to take care of so many people. There is so much pressure on me. I’ll never be a CEO like you. I’m supposed to be building a family fortune. It was impossible to turn down your mom when she suggested I work for her on the side to make some extra money. It started out small. She just wanted to know what you were up to and how you were doing while we were in college. When you moved to the city, she asked me to keep tabs on you for your own good. Before I could comprehend what happened, I was doing more for her, and she was paying me more money. I was in too deep. My family relied on the extra income too much.”

I paused at the top of the stairs and turned to give my former best friend a frigid look. “It never occurred to you to ask me for help? I thought we were friends, Conrad. I would’ve done my best to keep you from sinking under the pressure from your family because I know exactly how that feels.” I narrowed my eyes and asked, “Do you think there are no consequences for helping my mother keep quiet about what happened to Archie and my father? Even if my mother manages to get away with all the terrible things she’s done, you won’t.” Conrad looked stunned. I couldn’t imagine he was naïve enough to believe my mother would watch any back but her own.

I left my former friend to Rocco for clean up, and I dashed through my childhood home. It felt so empty and creepy with all the staff outside. I heard waves crashing on the cliffs behind the house and, for the first time, the familiar sound felt ominous.

My first stop was my wing of the house. The place was a wreck from Channing’s search. When I saw the trapdoor underneath my desk, I felt like a fool. I was sitting on top of the worst Halliday secrets and had no clue. I felt thoroughly violated. It felt like my mother forced me to come home not only to control my every move, but also to laugh at me and lord over me about how little I understood my place and my family.

Instead of following Channing’s cookie crumbs into the bowels of the house, I ran to the burned wing. Rocco had said that he would want to see his loved ones, first and foremost, if he came back from the dead, and it resonated with me. If Archie was indeed alive, I was sure he would feel most comfortable in the last place he got to hold his wife and daughter.

I kicked in several locked doors until I saw proof Channing was here. Her phone was on the floor of Winnie’s nursery, and the notifications from all my missed calls and texts were going crazy on the screen. I picked it up and charged into the hallway. I was stunned when I saw that the space looked almost the same as when Willow and Archie lived there.

I started calling Channing’s name, pushing open all the doors that led to different rooms along the way. After five minutes of searching, I heard a faint beeping sound and a low moan coming from the primary bedroom. It was the area that had taken the most damage during the fire. It was where my brother and Channing’s sister were supposedly found. The space was completely off limits after the tragedy, but as soon as I opened the door, I saw how well lived-in everything appeared.

A pair of running shoes were tucked under the edge of the bed. A hoodie was hanging on the back of the door. Discarded snack packages and empty drink bottles were scattered about. The lights were low, but the medical equipment gave everything a soft glow. It would be a comfy vibe if it wasn’t for the grotesque doll on the large bed. I instantly recognized all the items stolen from her stay in my suite.

While I grappled with my shock over the macabre scene, another moan came from the floor next to the bed.

“Channing!” I yelled her name and leaped across the distance, trying to reach her. “Are you okay?” She was prone on the floor and completely still. I didn’t see any blood or bruises, but her hands were scratched and there was a large red mark on the side of her neck. I quickly surmised she’d been drugged.

I bent over to pick her up. She was limp as a noodle in my arms. Her rust-colored eyelashes fluttered, and she kept making sounds of pain. I needed to get her out of this fucking house as quickly as possible.

When I turned to leave, I noticed someone in the doorway.

I always thought I would recognize my little brother under any circumstances. We shared a special bond. I was the only one who supported him when he left and when he returned.

The person blocking me barely looked human, let alone like my kind-hearted, sweet younger brother. Archie may have survived my mother’s murderous plans, but the cost was astronomical.

It wasn’t the burn scars or the deformed facial features that threw me off. It wasn’t the thin frame or the missing patches of dark hair. He’d been through hell and back, and it was easy to see. The biggest change was his eyes. They used to be a gentle, soft gray. A color closer to Alistair’s than mine. They once were warm and welcoming, full of endless optimism. Now they were cold and nearly devoid of life. They looked right through me with zero recognition.

Those were the eyes of someone who’d lost everything and would do anything to get it back. Including turning his deceased wife’s sister into a morbid substitute.

“Archie…” My voice broke and tears stung my eyes. I wasn’t sure what to say. I doubted there were any right words for this situation.

“Where are you taking my wife? I just got her back. Give her to me.” The words were slurred and choppy. Archie didn’t use my name in his confused demand. I wondered if he even knew who I was.

“This isn’t Willow. It’s her sister, Channing. This is Winnie’s aunt. You’re confused, little brother. I’ll help you remember. I’ll help you with everything.”

The twisted, misshapen facial features shifted to frown at me. “She’s mine. So is Winnie. You can’t have them. Mom promised me I would get my family back when I came home.”

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