What Hides Within

Insanity

This chapter is dedicated to GabrielleAlman. Thanks for the encouragement :)

"Would you like a cookie?" Wendy asked.

"Sure." Eric picked a cookie as Wendy settled down in the chair opposite him.

"So why this sudden interest in Celine?" She asked bluntly.

Eric averted his gaze. "Joe told me some stuff about her."

Wendy snorted. "That her soul has entered Carrie?"

Eric looked at her, surprised. "You know about this?"

Wendy rolled her eyes. "It's all he would ever talk about when he was drunk. Lisa and I would try to shut him up so the kids wouldn't hear but he could go on and on. I felt bad for Carrie, honestly. Such a lovely girl."

Eric shook his head. "Why would he even think so?"

"Celine hated him from the moment she met him. She thought he was a pompous, good for nothing prick. She tried her best to convince Lisa not to marry him, but love is blind I guess." She said sarcastically.

Eric frowned. "Okay... but what's with this soul possessing Carrie nonsense?"

Wendy shrugged. "May be he's guilty."

"Of what?"

Wendy sipped her tea and sighed.

"Joe knew she hated him. So as soon as they were married, he convinced Lisa to admit her into a nursing home in another city. David's dad left us when he was a year old. I had no money to take care of Celine. Our parents had already passed away. Celine was in her early nineties by now. But she was as sharp as ever. She knew Joe was trying to get rid of her. But Lisa was too much in love with him."

Eric looked at her thoughtfully. "Then..?"

"With Celine out of the way, Joe squandered away all of Lisa's money. He would laze around while she would slog at work. He would drink all day. Get violent if she wanted to meet Celine. He would monitor her calls. Not let her even talk to Celine. Though by then I think Lisa was too ashamed of what her life had become, to talk to her anymore."

Wendy paused and looked out of the window pensively. "I regretted that I couldn't do much for Celine. She was a tough old bitch but she was good at heart."

They both sat silently for a few minutes.

"I should go." Eric said finally.

Wendy nodded.

As he opened the door to leave she added, "There is something else you should know..."

Eric turned back.

"Joe was diagnosed with early stage schizophrenia in his teens. He was treated long before he married Lisa though."

Eric frowned, "What! Did Carrie know?"

Wendy shook her head. "Lisa never wanted her to know. But I thought you should."

Eric nodded, "Thanks, Wendy."

He slammed the door of his car and grabbed his phone.

David answered. "Hey Eric. All OK with Carrie?"

Eric turned on his ignition, "Buddy, I'm going to need those journals. I am going to break that code."