The Grimlock Files

( 1 ) Reunion

Chapter One:

Reunion

Jack slammed her book shut and leaned back against the trunk of the willow tree. Her eyes had run repeatedly down the same page for a long while, but her mind was not taking in a single word. The Count of Monte Cristo had always been one of Jack's mother's favorite books. She had often read it aloud to Jack.

Judging by the position of the sun, Jack guessed it was around 4:30 in the afternoon. She had just gotten home from school at 3:30 to find her great aunt Beatrice rifling through her mother's bookshelf. Jack had immediately hurried out the door, knowing that if she stayed, she would say or do something rash and regret it. Ever since her great aunt had moved in, she had snooped around the house, digging through drawers, shuffling through closets, and sorting through closets. Irritation had been at a high for Jack the past couple days because of this. Jack cared little for most of the stuff, but it still frustrated her that Aunt Beatrice was looking through things as if they belonged to her.

"Jacqueline Shania Blake!" her aunt's gravelly voice suddenly called across the yard. Jack shivered slightly at the sound of her full name. Jack had never felt like a Jacqueline. Ever since she could remember, her mother had called her by her nickname, Jack. "You were supposed to be dressed and ready ten minutes ago!"

A groan escaped Jack's lips as she reluctantly stood from her spot. She had nearly forgotten that she and her aunt had an appointment in court today. As Jack's mother had left no will, it was up to the court to decide what to do with her belongings.

Jack went inside and headed up to her room with dread.

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The next thing Jack knew, she was sitting in the courtroom. Her aunt sat stiffly beside her. A couple relatives that Jack recognized from the funeral filtered in and sat beside them. They immediately began to chatter with Aunt Beatrice about "the poor lovely girl," Jack's mother. None of them tried to get a word out of Jack. They had learned at the funeral that all attempts at conversation with the girl were futile. Jack did not have any interest in speaking to these brothers and sisters of her mother, whom she had never even met until the funeral.

There was a soft thud as the giant courtroom door shut behind them. The entire family turned their heads to see who had entered. At the sight of the young man who entered, Jack's aunts and uncles immediately began to buzz with excitement. When Jack turned to look down the row, she saw horrified expression amongst her aunts and uncles. Aunt Beatrice, however, looked unmoved as her eyes followed the new-comer.

The man had short, dark, wavy hair that was combed back neatly. The bottom half of his face was covered with a closely-shaven beard. As he made sudden eye-contact with Jack, his electric blue eyes flashed with some strange expression-- but it only lasted a second before he looked away and studied the others.

The judge cleared his throat. Everyone settled in their seats, and all eyes fell on the large, white-haired man who peered back down at them from over the rims of his glasses.

"We have all gathered here today in response to the regretful death of Evangeline Johanna Blake," began the judge respectfully.

"Well," he continued after a short pause, "to get down to business, as Ms. Blake has left behind no will, it is the law that the said person's belongings be left to his or her marital partner."

The room was filled with a tense silence as the family hung on his words.

"So in this case," continued the judge after clearing his throat onoce more, "the inheritor of Ms. Blake's possessions is rightfully... Erm..."-- here, he gestured toward the dark-haired man, who sat a few seats away from Jack, leaning forward with his hands folded in front of his face--"What is your name, sir?"