‘I think I broke the fountain,’ he slurred, waving a hand.
‘Why are you dressed as Santa Claus?’ I asked. I don’t know why, as there were much more pressing questions, but I really had to know.
He mumbled incoherently about reindeer and chimneys.
Miles looked up at me; the thought had crossed our minds at the same time. We had to deposit Fergus somewhere for the night where he could sober up. And in the morning, we would be tasked with telling him that his wife was dead.
18
INHERITANCE, INTERRUPTED
20thDecember 2025
Goody goody gum drops– another one bites the dust. I am getting too good at this, one might say I’m developing a taste for it. I knew that old dragon would hoard all the good stuff to win the competition, Clem was predictable like that. A few drops of arsenic onto the blue gumdrops, make sure they were the only ones on the table, and it was only a matter of time before she was hogging them all and gobbling them up like a little greedy guts.
Icouldn’t sleep. Grabbing my laptop off the side, I crept out of the bedroom and trotted down the landing. We hadn’t told any of the kids yet. That horrible task would also have to wait until the morning. I was nearly at the end of the corridor when a voice floated around the corner.
Beebee.
A week away from university and she was now entirely nocturnal. Perhaps she was always nocturnal, I wouldn’t know either way, but what I did know was that nighttime had always beenmydomain. My time to myself away, from the family, and since the twins had taken up their nightly filming routine it had all been ruined. I poked my head around the corner to see her in the middle of making another TikTok. If I came round the corner while she was filming, I knew it wouldn’t look good… Perhaps I’d feature in one of her videos, and God knows, I’d do anything to avoid that again.
‘Some of you have been asking me where Ceecee is.’ She preened herself at the camera. ‘The truth is, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that I really wish I could share with you all. But right now, there’s more people than just me involved. I really hope you understand and can respect my privacy at this time.’
I dared a glance around the corner. Beebee was sitting cross-legged, leaning against the wall, the blue light from the phone illuminating her face. With an outstretched finger she scrolled, straining her eyes to read the comments as she stopped to read a few out loud.
‘Laura-lou asks, “Where is Ceecee, is she okay?” I would love to tell you, Laura-lou, but she isn’t answering her phone.’ Beebee scrolled some more. ‘Faye-darling says, “Where has she gone, though, what if something bad—” Urgh, do you know what, guys? I’m going to come off the live if you’re going to keep asking about Ceecee. We had a big argument and she left without even saying goodbye, I dunno what else to tell you.’ Beebee sighed in anger and stood up.
My heart lurched. If she went back to her room, she would catch me lurking in the hallway. Swiftly, I fled back the way I came.
Maybe I could wait in our room and come out again when she’d gone to bed. I heard quick footsteps behind me, the room too far for me to make it back in time. I was sure she’d soon turn the corner and see me, when I saw the line of shadow in the wooden panelling. It was sticking out, not fully closed. This was the secret passage I’d been looking for that led down to the kitchen.
Jackpot.
I hesitated for a split second, then slid my fingers into the gap and pulled. The panel swung open silently, revealing the dark, narrow passage beyond. Without a second thought, I slipped inside and eased the panel shut behind me.
The musty air tickled my nose as I fumbled for my phone, using its dim light to navigate the tight space. Cobwebs clung to my hair and clothes as I inched forward, trying not to bump into the rough stone walls. I could hear Beebee’s muffled footsteps receding.
I wound down the spiral staircase, feeling my way, heart hammering against my ribs like I was a naughty schoolgirl. As I reached the exit to the kitchen, a faint glow issued from around the rim of the door.
I hadn’t thought this through… What if there was someone already down there? Should I not have been more careful? What if these deaths weren’t freak events and I was about to come face to face with a murderer? I felt something crinkly underneath my foot which made me go even faster.
I don’t know why, but I didn’t feel like it was possible that there was a murderer in the house; it just didn’t seem feasible. Butifthere was … I felt certain they wouldn’t get me. I’d put up way too much of a fight for it to be worth their time.
I was at the bottom.
The door to the pantry.
Toots isn’t in there anymore, I reminded myself.
I took a deep breath, steeling my nerves. The faint glow from the kitchen was still visible around the edges of the door. Slowly, carefully, I eased it open a crack and peered out, before venturing into the pantry and towards the kitchen door.
Inside, the kitchen was lit by the low drop lights hanging over the island. At first glance, it appeared empty. Then, I saw a figure at the kitchen island, sitting with their back to me.
My heart leaped into my throat. I froze, not daring to breathe.
The figure shifted slightly and I caught a glimpse of silver hair. Jeannie. What on earth was she doing up at this hour?
I dared to peer around further, keeping my body behind the wall.
