Kidnapped in Dunvegan

16

When I arrived back in London, an acceptance letter was waiting for me from a small museum who I had already worked for occasionally during my training. The work may not be particularly well paid, but at least I would be able to gain the expected level of experience that the major museums required. With the acceptance letter and my suitcases in my hand, I climbed up the few steps to my small apartment.

I left the suitcases in the tiny corridor, took five steps towards the living room and dropped down on the sofa. I closed my eyes and let out a contented groan. Finally home. My muscles started to relax more and more with every breath I took. I started to repress the memories I had of the Highlands and with it any thoughts about Adam. After a long bath, I fell into my bed and slept through until the following morning.

Before I went to my new place of work to find out everything I needed to know, I spoke on the telephone with my grandmother, told her about the estate, the paintings and all the other insignificant details and kept quiet about Adam and the murders.

"I hope you went about your work diligently," she said with the admonishing tone that she had always used during my childhood. I could literally see her in front of me with her long grey hair pinned up in a bun. She wore a dark, elegant slim fit suit and had a gloomy and calculating expression on her face.

"I did my best as always," I answered and rolled my eyes. How could I do anything else but give my best? After all, she ensured that giving everything was in my blood. "I've found a job," I interjected. I didn't do this to earn praise or recognition. But maybe I did. However, I just knew that that would never happen. There was no pleasing Alice. No matter what I did. However, our relationship didn't just suffer because of this, but also because I didn't know anybody as cold and controlling as her.

She never took me in her arms as a child. Most of the time she didn't even look at me. Growing up in such an unemotional home was really hard for me, but every time I looked in the mirror, I knew why she didn't have the heart to look at me or to love me. It was because I looked like my mother, her daughter. So what I loved about myself, she detested. I was proud of being so similar to my mother and she hated me because I caused her even more grief. When I finally moved out, without saying anything we agreed to keep our contact to a minimum. A minimum meant that I called her or visited her on her birthday.

"Where is this job?", she enquired.

"At the Brown Museum of Art."

"That small, insignificant museum where you've worked before?"

Insignificant. She couldn't let it go. "Yes, the insignificant museum," I said, biting my tongue. "It may be small and unknown, but I'll be able to gain the experience there that I need to be accepted for more notable positions."

"Just be careful that you don't get stuck in a rut there."

"I will," I said tersely and put the phone down. Everything had been said that needed to be said. We wouldn't speak to each other again over the next few weeks. It was always like that. Even if we hadn't had an argument. I was really happy about our arrangement. She meant just as little to me as I did to her.

"I heard that I'll now be seeing you more often," said Tom welcoming me to the museum. He was stood on a ladder and was just putting up an advertising banner for a planned exhibition. Tom was around my age. He had dark brown hair, was more wiry than thin and he looked really good. Whenever I had worked here, he had always flirted with me and I wasn't opposed to it. Looking at him now reminded me of Adam and I forced down the lump that was starting to form in my throat.

"Yes, it looks like that," I answered as cheerfully as I could. Tom looked down and gave me a warm, friendly smile.

"I'm looking forward to it. Maybe we could spend some time together in the bistro during our breaks," he said winking. I felt my face warm up, gave a brief nod and rushed into the Director's office. Tom had a way about him that always made me feel disconcerted, but I liked him and his honest and open character.