Page 25 of The Silence of Hell

“The first night he came, Jinx only brought sandwiches for dinner. Then he admitted he didn’t have a lot of money. I ordered Thai, and Jinx devoured it. So, it’s not that he doesn’t have an appetite,” I said.

“There’s always food at the clubhouse. Most of us grab at least one meal there a day now. Jinx has easy access to food there. But he gets paid one point five k a week. That’s plenty for a candidate,” Chatter explained.

“Then why does he have no money?” I asked, puzzled. “Jinx even mentioned being grateful for his room at the clubhouse, so he doesn’t pay rent.”

“I don’t know, but I’ll look into it. Jinx might have run up debts or something,” Chatter suggested. “If that is the case, the club can pay them, and he can pay back at a lower rate.”

“That’s generous,” I replied, surprised.

“We look after our brothers. The MC owns some businesses, which any profit goes into a pot. Some of our brothers own their own business and they voluntarily pay into the pot. The pot is split between all members, depending on their rank. Candidates get the lowest, prospects a higher percent and brothers the full percentage. It can vary from month to month, but Hellfire has some significant ventures that bring in money. None of us are poor,” Chatter explained.

“Do you deal with illegal stuff?” I asked, thinking of my treasures in Ravenberry.

“Nope. And we’d black a brother’s ink if he did. Hellfire was once dirty; it took us a while to get clean. No way would we allow anyone to drag us back down that road,” Chatter announced with heat in his voice.

“Sorry for asking, but there’s rumours and often made-up stories, it’s best to ask to get the truth of a matter. Like how many locals believed Ravenberry was deserted and unloved, but it wasn’t. And I’ve no doubt people think it’s haunted,” I replied.

“That’s true. I hate to say this, but honesty is important. I used to visit as a teen and thought it was creepy then. It makes me cringe because I can imagine your Aunt Aggie inside and frightened.”

“Not quite. Aunt Aggie slept in the widow’s tower. That appealed to her. It would have been hard to reach her should anyone have broken in. Plus, there’s all the secret rooms and passageways,” I said.

Chatter jolted and looked over his shoulder. His eyes lit up. “There is?”

“Oh yes. I know most of them. Aunt Aggie and I used to play hide and seek in them, and I’m aware of many of Ravenberry’s secrets. Now I understand why Aunt Aggie spent so much time showing me everything. She’d earmarked me as its next caretaker.”

“There’s love in your voice when you talk of the Manor.”

“Make no mistake. I’m totally in love with it. That’s why I’ll never sell,” I said.

“That field? I think you should go ahead and have your museums built. It would be a fine testament to Aunt Aggie and the Bloodworth lineage,” Chatter urged.

“Then I need a builder, one who can build in a similar way to the Manor and somebody who could understand my vision.”

“Funny that…”

“Let me guess, you might know someone!” I exclaimed, and he laughed as he nodded. “What a surprise!”

Chapter Six.

Chatter

Lavender had completely relaxed around him, which Chatter hated to say seemed needed. Chatter hadn’t realised how tense she’d been. After hearing her story, he wasn’t amused and unsurprised at why she’d been so stressed. What a bunch of greedy assholes Lavender’s family was. They were little better than commonplace swindlers. Chatter thought back to how Jinx said he’d seen people wandering the grounds the other night.

Something in Chatter’s gut warned him they were more than locals out for their jollies. Residents would be aware that somebody had moved in. It was the talk of the town that the old, haunted manor had workmen fixing it. The trespassers now appeared a little sinister. Lavender hadn’t mentioned a physical threat or danger to herself, but Chatter wondered if there was one.

“You’ve got a lot going on. Who’s helping you shoulder it? I don’t want to put pressure on you, but are you spreading yourself too thin?” he asked.

“Probably. I’m able to meet with the experts coming in because there are now two cameras in the room we are clearing and one in the hallway. Plus, there is a security guard with the students. Often, I wonder if I’m being overly suspicious, but I can’t help it. It’s ingrained from the betrayal of my family,” Lavender explained. Chatter felt like Lavender was desperate to have somebody on her side.

“Sweet girl, trust me, if that was me, I’d not let anyone near anything, and I’d place a ring of guards around the manor. You’re handling everything perfectly,” Chatter said, hoping to soothe her.

“Am I, though? I feel so inadequate to the estate’s needs. Aunt Aggie placed her faith in me, and I’m scared of failing her,” Lavender asked plaintively. She took a huge inhale and blew it out. “Listen to me whine. People have far worse problems, and I’m acting like a spoiled brat. I need to shut up and put on my big girl panties.”

Chatter laughed at the expression on Lavender’s face, and she raised a quizzical eyebrow. “You look like you’re going into battle.”

“Guess I am!” Lavender giggled, and Chatter was arrested at how her face lit up. Lavender was attractive in a girl-next-door way. She wasn’t a stunner like Chey or Bunny, who took your breath away. Lavender was lovely and the type of pretty you knew would follow her into old age.

“Let me help you?” he offered, and Lavender cocked her head.

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