CURSED [Editing]

Chap 27: A Feeling?

Amelia Collins

Callum squeezed my hand as we walked to the library. He hasn't left me alone ever since I've told him about everything. Actually he refused to leave my side saying that I'll probably miss the fucks out of him if he leaves me alone so he can't take a chance. His words, not mine. But honestly, I can't complain. Not when I'm actually enjoying his company more than anyone. Especially at a time like now.

He pushed open the door, letting me slip inside before him. The warmth of the huge old place immediately surrounding me added with Callum's body heat closing in on me. He nudged towards the back of the building, "Come on... He's usually working right now."

I turned to him, "You know him that well?"

He scoffs. "Of course.. I know everyone here. I've been coming to this village ever since I was a kid."

We walked to the back and past the bookshelves. I clocked an old lady sitting by the counter reading a fashion magazine. It was Vogue I think. Well look at that.... Wonders never cease to end.

"Really? Is your family from here?"

He gives me a little smile at that. Cute. "My grand mother was. Even after she got married to my grandpa, she didn't sell off the flower shop. They took care of it together but then had to move to the city when my dad was born. They had it closed off and then came back after grandad's retirement. Opened it again. Alina and I usually came during the summers and Alina took to the flowers and business more than me. She decided to take over the shop after grandma passed away."

I nod absentmindedly as we rush past the bookshelves and I find us at the back past a few offices. He points at a specific door and I read the name, "Mateo Gàrcia-Hale" -written in black bold letters on it. He knocks a couple of times on the hard wood and a voice answers from the inside, "Come in."

He opens the door and motions me to go in. I peek inside and find Mateo sitting behind a large wooden working table, the table fully laden with papers and books lying here and there. The room is not that big but the arrangement of the furniture has been done so amicably that everything looks efficient and tidy. Not considering the table on which he was working on, the place looked clean and well managed. Another good etiquette.

Mateo looks at me with a quizzical expression on his face as I take a seat infront of him on one of the chairs lying opposite him, Callum following me and taking the other one.

"Hi... Uh... Sorry I was just surprised when I saw Callum." He clears his throat and him and I speak at the sometime.

"I am leaving." "I was just about to call you-... I'm sorry what?"

I nod, "Yes... We are leaving."

"But why?"

"I'm sorry Mateo... But things are just not adding up. Lilly got attacked and then yesterday Sarah got missing for a few hours and it felt like we lost her even though she was just having a nap in the car. This is not normal and I feel far from safe. Adam agrees too and I think we should just leave."

He stays quiet. Looking down at one of his papers blankly. A few seconds pass when he looks up, frowning, "But I just got a lead."

I frown. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I was just about to contact you and come over so that I could start with a deep study of the place."

I tilted my head as I considered the new information. "Okay... Well... What did... What did you find out?"

He clumsily thrashes around in his big pile of papers lying around, fishing for a particular one I guess. A few slip down when he finally gets the one he was looking for. It was a newpaper clipping. He handed it over to me. "I was just looking over all the newspapers that printed before the 1900s and 1800s  to try to find a common link between the murders of the Grey family and the cabin."