Part 10 today and Cathy needs to find Alice before it’s too late. Has she really taken ill like Peckham said or is there something more sinister going on?

Grisham House Part 10

I shoved the last of the guests out the door as quickly as possible and raced to the third floor. Alice wasn’t in her room. The floorboards creaked as I stepped back into the deserted hallway. Where could she be? I thought back to how often Peckham had stated that the third floor didn’t need to be cleaned. No one stays up there. I tried the door next to mine – still locked. A low groaning sound drifted from underneath the door at the end. Alice?

I gripped the handle and turned. The old hinges moaned as I pushed it open. “Alice!” She lifted her head, but barely acknowledge me. “Oh, god. What have they done to you?” I rushed to her side and helped her sit up. It was then I noticed the glass beside the bed and the remnants of a red liquid inside. It had no smell. “Alice, are you okay?”

“Yes. Mr Grisham helped me to bed, said he’ll be back to check on me later.” A stupid grin spread across her face as her head bobbed up and down. “It’s such a lovely room.” Her words slurred.

The room was different alright. Much bigger than the rooms we had. The four-poster bed that Alice was propped up in took up most of the space. Solid oak with soft sheets and a sumptuous cover. I thought of home and the comforts I’d taken for granted. The rough sheets I’d become used to had scratched at my skin for at least a week.

A lamp cast a soft glow around the room but there was no other furniture. The side of my face tingled and I realised a cool breeze was coming from the open windows. I stood to close them but something moving by the tree line stopped me. A black shadow – a person maybe? The killer even.

Footsteps in the hallways alerted me to someone coming. I had to hide, quick. “Don’t tell them I’m here,” I whispered to Alice as I placed a hand on hers before sliding under the bed.

The door opened and feet shuffled forward. From my flattened position under the bed, I counted three sets. One belonged to Peckham – her tights a giveaway. The other two were male.

“How are you feeling now, Alice?” Peckham spoke in a sickly-sweet voice. “You look much better, doesn’t she, Doctor?”

“Yes, she’s almost ready. Another ten minutes, I’d say. The sedative has taken effect.”

Alice giggled, but I couldn’t see what was happening.

“Are you excited about our little game?”

That was Eric’s voice. My heart clenched. Was he really part of all this?

Alice giggled again.

“Happy now?” Peckham asked.

“She’ll do,” Eric said, bitterness evident in his tone.

“You know, Cathy is out of my control, Eric. Her parents would be here sniffing around. They’d never let it go. It’s all I can do to stop them coming as it is. They’re demanding to speak to her…”

“I said she’ll do,” Eric snapped. He mumbled to himself as he left the room.

“You get yourself some rest, Alice. We’ll be back shortly with your instructions. I hope you won’t let us down. I’d hate to have to send you back to the orphanage.”

“I won’t let you down, Miss. I promise. Please don’t send me back.”

Peckham and the doctor left. I had minutes to get Alice out of there. I slid out from under the bed.

“Cathy! Why are you here? Are you playing the game too?”

“What game Alice?”

She blinked, her eyes wide. “I don’t know exactly, but Mr Grisham promised it would be fun. Said I had to rest up cause I’d need all my energy. It’s a lovely room isn’t it?”

Alice rambled on. Whatever they’d given her was strong.

“Can you move, we need to get out of here?”

“But I have to stay here.”

Alice refused to move no matter how hard I tugged on her arm. I had to act fast. “It’s part of the game, Eric told me,” I whispered.

That got her attention. “You know about the game?”

“Yes, now come quickly. You don’t want Peckham getting annoyed.”

“But she said I was to stay here. I can’t get in trouble, Cathy. I’m not like you. I have no one.” She started to cry and part of me felt guilty for lying.

“You won’t get in trouble, and you’re not alone. You have me and I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

Alice snuffled and swiped her arm across her face. We crept towards the door and I peeked into the hallway. It was quiet, eerily so. I took a deep breath in. Now all I had to do was get Alice somewhere safe.

The stairs proved almost impossible. Alice stepped on every one of the creaky boards even after I told her to avoid them. Her constant giggling didn’t help either and halfway down, I told her to stay put while I checked to make sure the exit was clear. She did as I asked, and I crept down the remaining steps. Voices – Peckham and Duffy – came from the living room and I was sure I heard Alice’s name mentioned. My plan to escape through the patio doors was foiled. We’d have to go the other way. Melissa’s distinct laughter joined Peckham and Duffy. Was Eric with them? His office might be empty, and we could escape that way. I raced back up the stairs, grabbed Alice’s arm and dragged her with me as we descended to the second floor. The voices were getting closer. Maybe we could go to the kitchen? No. Cook never left and if I had to put money it, she’d be on Peckham’s side. We scurried down the hallway. The front door wasn’t an option either. We’d have to pass Peckham to get to it.

#

Below are the links to the previous instalments and if you don’t want to wait until tomorrow, you can pop over to Amazon where you can purchase the complete story on Kindle for 99c/77p.

Grisham House Part 1
Grisham House Part 2
Grisham House Part 3
Grisham House Part 4
Grisham House Part 5
Grisham House Part 6
Grisham House Part 7
Grisham House Part 8
Grisham House Part 9

Buy Grisham House on Kindle:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QFVJC1S
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08QFVJC1S

Until next time,

Keep reading and writing,

Amanda