The Beast of Napa

3 - Trespassing

It was still dark when Catriona arrived at the vineyard, the stone house in the distance looking more like an abandoned castle than a countryside villa as it stood tall and cold in the moonlight.

She stopped at the gate, her hands gripping the bars. Maybe Sara wasn't there. She could have gone somewhere else, and Catriona nearly hoped that she had wasted the last of her money on a taxi by coming here.

Catriona thought about ringing the bell, and simply asking the owner about her sister. But she knew she wouldn't be able to get the words out to a total stranger. What would she say to him? My sister has planned revenge against you. Have you seen her?

She chewed her lip, looking around the grounds through the gate for any kind of encouragement. A sign from God to continue. Anything...

Her eyes caught something light and soft on the ground. In a single heartbeat she knew what it was, even though she didn't want to be right.

Swallowing, Catriona climbed the stone wall next to the gate. As she put her feet on the wall, she lost a slipper, regretting her decisions momentarily before realizing her feet could grip the jagged stones better without it. She decided to drop the other slipper as well, continuing up the wall.

Once she was over the fence, she dropped down and ran to the object she had seen from the gate - her sister's blue scarf.

She looked around the shadows of the grounds, but couldn't see any movement. Everything was still.

She tiptoed further in, gathering up enough courage to whisper her sister's name every now and again, but no louder than the scurrying feet of a mouse.

When she came to the side of the house and turned the corner, she caught a glimpse of a skirt as it went through an open door.

"Sara!" Catronia whispered again, now louder.

There wasn't an answer, but the door remained open. Catriona followed inside. The door opened into a room that looked much like a kitchen, but when Catriona's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that it was actually a storage room. There were bottles of wine everywhere, scattered and decorating the counters like flowers in a local garden.

She whispered her sister's name again, clutching her trembling hands against her skirt as she walked towards the next open door. The room opened up to a grand entryway, barely lit by moonlight, only the staircase to her side and the tables of decorations visible to the naked eye.

"Catriona?" a voice returned, not bothering to whisper. "Is that you?"

"Sara," Catriona whispered. "Are you insane? Get out of here!"

"I told you I'd have my revenge, didn't I? He thinks he can just say what he pleases..."

"So you break into his house?"

"An eye for an eye."

"How is this equal? Let's get out before -"

Her sister stumbled past the tables, knocking into them as she walked.

"Which piece do you think is most expensive?" she asked with a slur. "A small porcelain sphinx? Hardly expensive enough. A tiger statue? Better. Ahhhh, this then. A giant vase. They're worth a pretty penny, ain't they?"

Catriona froze to the ground in horror as her sister swung her arm against the vase. It fell, shattering on impact.

"Haha!" Sara cheered. "I'll say that is the best revenge!"

Gathering her wits, Catriona stepped forward and grabbed her sister by both shoulders, shaking her.

"Sara! What's wrong with you?" Catriona asked, forgetting to whisper.