Another bark sent Scott crashing into Thomas.
“Why the hell are there so many?” Scott asked.
“There’s a herd that lives in the woods across the road. Domestic, of course.”
“Domestic? Who the hell would want to own a herd of man-eating – oh my God, they’re yours, aren’t they?”
The edge of Thomas’s lips lifted into a smile. “Yes. They are mine, and they haven’t had human flesh in a long time…”
“That’s not terrifying at all.”
Thomas tipped his head back and laughed. It came out in rushes, like he was hissing. For the first few months they’d been cellmates, Thomas’s laugh had been a rarity, and Scott was grateful; the sound creeped him out, but gazing at Thomas, Scott found himself smiling.
He’d missed Thomas’s laugh.
Thomas pushed open the huge front door, and Scott followed him in.
Their footsteps echoed in the giant entry hall. The doors that had led into the auction rooms the day before were both closed, and the red velvet rope that had blocked the top of the staircase was gone.
Thomas locked the door, then turned a key in a white box attached to the wall.
“Alarm system,” he said. “State of the art. We need to get up the stairs within fifteen minutes.”
“What happens if we don’t?”
“The floor opens up, and we fall into the shark tank.”
Scott blinked. “I’m sorry? What?”
“If we’re not up the stairs in fifteen minutes, the system will be triggered and the police will be automatically called. They’re supposed to get here within ten minutes.”
Scott followed Thomas to the stairs. “A lot can happen in ten minutes…”
“This way,” Thomas said, leading Scott to the left once they’d got to the top of the stairs.
Thomas pushed open a huge oak door, waited for Scott to pass into the corridor, then locked it behind him.
“Are you the only one here?” Scott asked.
Thomas scrunched his nose, and Scott thought he’d touched a nerve.
“I have a cleaner who comes here three times a week, two chefs who come on a Sunday, and a gardener who keeps the grounds looking beautiful.”
“But apart from them? You live here alone?”
Thomas shook his head. “No. Virgil, Gordon, Penelope, John, Alan, Lucy and Parker live here too.”
“Oh.” Scott bit his lip. “And they are?”
“Friends of mine.”
“I didn’t wake them too?” Scott whispered. “You know, buzzing the intercom?”
Thomas flashed him a look. “I imagine they were still awake. You can stay in this room.”
Thomas opened a door, then switched on the light. Scott widened his eyes at the huge king-sized bed in the middle of the room. The walls were white, the carpet was soft and spongy, and the sheets were crease-free.
There were three doors inside the room.
