Page 29 of When You're Forgotten

Jenna shook her head slowly.“I don’t want to be alone.Please—take me to Marianne or Richard.I need… I need them.”

Amelia stood, helping Jenna up.She murmured quietly, “Of course.We’ll see if Richard’s in the house or if Marianne can—”

Finn cut in softly.“Better not disturb Marianne with the children unless necessary.Let’s see if we can find Richard or Mrs Hughes to watch her.We have to keep the corridor to Catherine’s body unoccupied until Lloyd arrives.”

Amelia nodded in agreement.She slipped an arm around Jenna, guiding her gently in the opposite direction from that door.Finn cast one last glance at the closed door down the corridor.Catherine’s final resting place.He felt a wave of sorrow for the proud woman who had told them she suspected no direct threats—just typical Penrose drama.She was gone now, likely murdered.

As they walked, each step echoed in the oppressive hush.The hallway’s lamps flickered, casting dancing shadows along the tapestries.The gloom of dusk through the high windows made the interior lighting seem feebler, as though the house were descending into darkness both literal and metaphorical.

Halfway toward the main staircase, Amelia paused, lips pressed in a flat line.She pivoted to meet Finn’s gaze.“So that’s two Penroses dead within a short span.If we didn’t suspect foul play before, we do now.”

Finn exhaled, nodding grimly.“James died suspiciously, but plausible as a heart attack.Now Catherine.This can’t be coincidence.”

Jenna shuddered between them, tears slipping free again.She mumbled, “Who would kill Catherine?She… she was just trying to hold the family together.It was James who… who had all the money stress.”

Finn’s mind reeled with possibilities.Some unknown foe picking off family members?Or was it a twisted internal power struggle?The masked intruder?And where did that letter about Marianne wanting James gone fit in?

He led them onward, forcibly quelling the swirl in his thoughts.The hallway opened onto a broader landing near the stairwell.From here, he could hear faint voices below—servants, possibly.The entire estate had come alive with quiet panic after the scream.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Amelia turned to Finn, her expression grim but resolute.“We should wait for Lloyd.Try to keep the scene untouched.Then we’re going to have questions for everyone.”

Finn nodded curtly.“We’ll handle it by the book, but I also want to check on Marianne and the children soon.This is only going to heighten their fear.”

Jenna seemed to pull herself together slightly, wiping her nose with the rumpled handkerchief.“Please, can I stay with Marianne for now?”she asked in a shaky voice.“I need to see the children are okay.”

Amelia exchanged a look with Finn.“Sure,” fair enough said gently.“We’ll bring you there, but be prepared—Marianne has her children with her, so let’s be mindful.”

“Thank you,” Jenna whispered.

Finn’s mind lingered on the unsettling final expression Catherine wore, those wide eyes locked in an unspoken terror.As they began descending the stairs, he resolved not to let fear overshadow the logic of their investigation.This was no random haunting or petty burglary—it was purposeful, violent.A killer prowled Brynmor Hall, and if two Penroses were gone, who might be next?

They reached the corridor below, near Marianne’s makeshift hideaway, noticing that the door was still shut.Through the heavy wood, he heard murmured voices—Marianne likely consoling Charlie and Bella.Gently, Finn knocked.“Marianne?It’s Finn and Amelia.And we’ve got Jenna here.”

A tense moment passed before the latch clicked.Hobbs’s face appeared, eyes darting over them.“All clear?”he asked in a whisper.

Finn tilted his head.“We found…” He swallowed.“We found Catherine.She’s… she’s dead, Hobbs.”The words felt bitter on his tongue.

Hobbs visibly paled, bowing his head in dismay.“Not another Penrose…” he muttered.

Inside, Marianne's gasp cut through the hush.Bella clutched her mother’s arm, clearly sensing the tension, while Charlie stared with fearful curiosity.Marianne stepped forward, her knuckles white on the door handle.“C-Catherine… are you sure?”

Amelia nodded gently.“Yes, I’m so sorry.We’ve called Inspector Lloyd again.Please, stay here, keep the children close.We can’t risk them wandering around.”

Jenna, tears brimming anew, ducked past Hobbs to wrap her arms around Marianne.“I… I’m so sorry.”

Marianne staggered under the weight of the news, her composure fracturing.“This can’t be happening,” she choked out.“Why Catherine?She never harmed anyone.”

Finn felt a surge of sympathy, but time pressed.“We’ll let you grieve, but please lock the door again.We’ll talk once the inspector arrives.”

Hobbs inclined his head, eyes downcast.With a gentle pull, he ushered Jenna inside, and Marianne gave Finn a hollow nod before shutting the door.The latch clicked again, enveloping the corridor in tense quiet.

Amelia turned to Finn, voice quivering with controlled anger.“That’s it.Two members of the Penrose family dead in under a week.We can’t treat this as an isolated incident any longer.”

Finn closed his eyes briefly, letting a wave of grim determination settle.“Agreed.We either have a killer systematically targeting them, or it’s some twisted series of accidents— which is unlikely.Catherine’s death looked like an outright murder.”

She pursed her lips.“We need to question everyone again—Donald, Mrs Hughes, Richard, Jenna, Marianne— figure out who might have a motive.And then there’s the masked intruder, if he’s not one of them.Or maybe James’s finances led to some outside threat.It’s a lot.”

He gave a short nod.“We’ll handle it.Let’s wait for Lloyd, secure the scene, and then piece it all together.”He let out a shaky breath, eyes lingering on the window at the end of the hall, outside which dusk was fast deepening into night.A chill wind gusted against the panes, rattling them.“This estate is going to be crawling with local police soon.”

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