Come Home

Chloe

The sun had just set and I had spent all day alone with no one coming in and me being unable to get out. When I had tried to go get some breakfast, I was met by two large men that told me I couldn't leave the room. When I asked why, they shrugged and turned away. No one had brought me food or even visited. My first thought had been that they had discovered Jethro but that was quickly dismissed by the fact that no one had come to talk to me and that I was still in Fredrick's room. My rooming wouldn't have stayed so nice if that had happened. Unless he took the fall and covered for me, but I doubt that would ever happen.

When noon came around and still no one showed up nor let me out, I began to panic. Maybe I had said something to offend someone. Or what happened with Connor got out and they were discussing what to do with me. I can't be thrown out yet. I'm not ready for that.

By the time the sun fell I couldn't sit still. I needed food but my worries occupied my mind more than anything. I had definitely messed up in some way.

A knock came from the door jolting me out of the stupor I had put myself in.

"Yes?" The door slowly opens as an exhausted looking Fredrick enters the room. "What happened?"

"Some events occurred last night that I had to take care of. I'm sorry Hannah nor I have been with you today."

"Why wasn't I allowed out of the room though? I would have been fine on my own and those guys could have followed me if you were concerned about me getting into mischief or something."

"You haven't left the room?"

"They told me I wasn't allowed."

"I'll be right back." His face had morphed from fatigue into deep concern in a matter of seconds as he headed back to the door.

Panic instantly rose at being abandoned again, but the door had already shut when I opened my mouth in protest. Settling myself on the bed, I wait for him to return.

A few minutes later Fredrick came back in with a tray balanced in his arms. "I am so sorry Chloe. I had told them not to let anyone in or out but didn't think about your possible needs. They told me no one brought you any food?"

I shake my head in response as I eye the tray in his arms.

"I don't know how I can make it up to you but I brought you some food."

"I'll accept the apology if it comes with an explanation of what happened that caused you to send two guards my way. Food first though."

"Of course," he said, placing the tray down on the bed and sitting next to it. Climbing in beside him, I quickly pull the tray into my lap and begin eating the large plate of spaghetti he brought me along with the large dinner roll.

"So?"

His eyes had settled on a spot on the wall across from him, but when I spoke, they moved to meet my own.

"There was a break in last night. And," he paused. "And Hannah's mother was murdered."

"What?" I almost yell, letting a bit of spaghetti fall out of my now open mouth. "What happened? Did you catch the person who did it?"

"No, they disappeared without a trace."

My eyes go even wider at this revelation.

"How could that have happened? There's so many people in this house, someone must have seen what happened."

"Not a soul."

"Have you figured out how the person got in?"

"Possibly. We followed the person's trail and it led to your room. The window was wide open and the room completely empty."