Page 69 of The Silence of Hell

“Here. This paperwork. Sign it, and you can go,” Rik said, shoving me towards a table.

“When are you going to understand? I will not sign anything. Even if I did, it wouldn’t legally break the trust either. The trust is set in cast iron. You can’t touch it. Go ahead and kill me. You still won’t get a cent from it. Why can’t you get that? Only someone with Bloodsworth blood can access it!” I sighed.

“Then you’re no use to me, and I’ll kill you!” Rik said, waving the knife about and looking unhinged.

“Go on! Because dead or alive, I’m worthless to you,” I shouted.

“What about a ransom? The estate would pay to get the heir back,” Rik mused, and I shook my head.

“You are so damn greedy. You want something to do nothing!”

“Just like you! It’s not as if you worked for it, Lavender!” Rik retorted, backhanding me.

I cupped my cheek and shook my head. “But I’ve worked ever since for it. I have been trying to be what the estate needs!”

“Oh, shut up with your sanctimonious shit. I think you’re delaying me.” Rik leaned into my space and pressed the blade against my throat. “Sign the papers, Lavender.”

“No.”

“Then die!” Rik snarled, and his arm raised. A whimper left me as the knife glinted in the light. A loud smash echoed around the room, and I jumped backwards.

Rik spun as a figure came through the wall. In his hands, he held a sledgehammer, and he slammed it into Rik, knocking him flying.

I gazed at the man-sized hole in the thin slats showing in the broken wall and then at the massive figure in front of me.

“My Lavender!” it muttered. “Ronnie loves baby cousin!”

“Ronnie!” I gasped. The memories came flooding back. This huge guy had been there throughout my childhood. But he was a secret. Mom and Dad weren’t allowed to know about him! They’d hurt him. And as Mom and Dad were often away from the Manor, Ronnie and I could play happily.

“Baby cousin,” Ronnie replied, lumbering towards me and sweeping me up in his arms. “Sweet Lavender.”

“Hey, big guy,” I said, patting his huge chest.

“Missed you. Grown up,” Ronnie stated, hugging me to him. “Come. We go. Rik is bad.”

Ronnie grabbed Rik’s ankle and began dragging him towards the hole he’d made. I followed, totally bemused but remembering a lot of things.

Aunt Aggie, Ronnie, and I had gone on lots of adventures. Rampaging through the woods that surrounded the estate, picnics, boating, fishing, treasure hunts; there were so many things we’d done together. I recalled Aunt Aggie calling us her greatest treasures and smiled.

“Come on, baby cousin,” Ronnie called. I hurried after him and climbed through the hole. Ronnie was dragging Rik in front of me, so I followed him.

We hit a set of narrow steps, and I knew where we were. These were the secret corridors I’d played in. Ronnie headed down another corridor and up some more stairs. I followed Ronnie as he continued pulling Rik, and I laughed as Rik’s head bounced off the floor. Rik would be a mass of bruises.

“Ronnie, where are we going?” I asked.

“Home,” Ronnie replied.

“This is your home,” I said, putting things together.

“Yup,” Ronnie agreed and pressed a brick in the wall. I was unsurprised when we exited into the widow’s tower. We were at the bottom of the staircase.

“Maybe pick Rik up because those steps would hurt him,” I suggested.

“Good,” Ronnie replied but did as I asked.

I followed him, instinctively knowing I was safe. He opened the door at the top and entered the sitting room. Sunlight flooded it today, and I blinked as I saw the figure sitting calmly in an oversized armchair.

“Somehow, I’m not surprised!” I shrieked and hurried forward to kneel at the woman’s feet. Aunt Aggie embraced me tightly.

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