Nothing irked me more than having a problem I couldn’t find the solution to. This was more than the case with Luke’s observation about Rachael. Try as I might, I never could think of the one reason why she didn’t call for help. I knew the answer was significant, but I could not figure it out.

I knew I wasn’t getting anywhere by myself, and Luke had been busy the past couple of days and hadn’t paid me a visit, so I decided to give Jayson a call.

Waiting till everyone was in a different room, I snuck into the hallway and carefully dialed his cell number. I put it up to my ear with a cautious glance at either end of the hall, then bit my lip as I waited for him to answer.

“Jayson?”

I whispered hoarsely into the phone, my voice seeming extremely loud while in reality, it was barely audible.

“Cora! You aren’t supposed to be calling me! Uncle Todd said I was not to call you either!”

“Yeah yeah whatever. Listen, something’s been bothering me and I wanted your feedback on it.”

“I’m listening.”

I explained everything to Jayson, then waited impatiently as he thought.

“Cora, she didn’t scream because she wasn’t afraid.”

I wrinkled my forehead as he continued.

“And since she wasn’t afraid, that means she knew him. Maybe he was someone she trusted.”

I opened my mouth to reply, when I heard a muffled click in the phone.

“Jayson? Are you t- I gotta’ go!”

I rapidly hung up my receiver, heart pounding as I realized someone was listening in on another phone somewhere in the house. I tried to control my racing heartbeat and casually go on with my business searching for a particular book in my uncle’s study.

Walking back to the room, I brushed my clammy hands over book spines, just waiting for my uncle to storm into the room and demand to know what I was doing on the phone with my brother. However, a different visitor decided to drop in.

“Why, Cora, what a pleasant surprise.”

“Get your perverted backside out of here Eric.”

I turned to face my cousin, eyes meeting his without wavering. I was surprised at my own boldness; I hadn’t talked with Eric since the incident at the beginning of the week, myself not desiring to share any personal space with him and Eric maintaining a haughty holier-than-thou attitude up until now. Now I had the random urge to walk up and slap him across the face.

“Ooooo, you’re so ferociously threatening dear cousin.”

“You make me want to vomit.”

I did a hideously retarded face and turned my back to him. I knew I was beginning to irritate him, and after a moment of silence, he spoke again.

“I suppose I’m under no obligation to inform you of such, but I couldn’t help but overhear you talking to that brother of yours on the phone a few minutes ago.”

“Oh? And?”

I tried to act as nonchalant about the matter as I possibly could, hoping that he would drop the subject if I made it seem like a minor issue.

“And what Cora?”

His voice seemed eerily quiet and questioning, and I could feel goose bumps on my arms start popping up as a creepy silence ensued. He spoke again, his voice sounding like a bone chilling wind.

“You just did a very, very bad thing.”

When I finally dared to whirl around, Eric was gone. I sank down into a leather chair nearby, my throat inexplicably tight and dry. I closed my eyes and ran my fingers through my hair, then rose from my seat. I couldn’t tell from his choice of words if my uncle would find out about this or not, but I could only hope Eric was just messing with me. But I was wrong.

-     -     -

                On Tuesday, which was my aunt’s shopping day, she decided to take me with her since I was on spring break. I consented only because I wanted to get out of that stupid house. We left at two and got home at 6, the trip dragging out till right before dinnertime.

                Upon arriving home, we stepped into the house to hear my uncle angrily yelling at Eric. The shouts were coming from the kitchen, along with loud bangs of fists slamming on tables. My aunt and I hurried into the other room to see what was going on.

                “ERIC! YOU DAMNED IDIOT!”

                My uncle’s forehead was glistening with anxious beads of sweat, and his eyes were frantically searching his son’s. Eric seemed more annoyed than anything, throwing his hands in the air and defending himself.

                “Dad for goodness sakes you and I both knew it’d have to be done!”

                “ERIC YOU DON’T GET IT, DO YOU?! YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH THIS FOR A WEEK BUT AFTER THAT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN?! FOR PEOPLE TO JUST ASSU-“

                Uncle Todd abruptly stopped when he saw my aunt and I in the doorway. He rubbed the back of his neck and glared at Eric.

                “We’re not done talking about this.”

                I looked at my uncle, then at my cousin. He rolled his eyes and walked away, my aunt then approaching my uncle to inquire what was going on. My uncle whispered something to my aunt, the whole time staring at me, then my aunt’s eyes widened and her balance swayed. She grabbed a nearby chair and took a moment to regain her composure.

                “Cora Lynn dearest, why don’t you go upstairs and paint something while your uncle and I talk?”

                Copying my cousin, I rolled my eyes and walked away, leaving Aunt Beth and Uncle Todd to discuss whatever it was that’d happened.

                A few minutes later I heard them walking upstairs and quickly pressed my ear to my bedroom door.

                “…keep it there, no one will know; we’ll decide what to do about it tomorrow.”

                “We have a week to decide what to do. Eric really blew it this time, that…”

                The voices faded down the hall, and I slowly retreated to my window, thoughts racing. Something was very, very wrong. Uncle Todd and Eric never ever fought, yet in the past few days I’d caught them arguing twice. Aunt Beth seemed genuinely shaken up, Uncle Todd absolutely infuriated, and Eric defensive of something he had done.

                At dinner, conversation between everyone was sparse. Aunt Beth seemed very nervous, and kept playing with her napkin in her lap. Uncle Todd appeared extremely stressed and anxious, as he continually rested his head in his hands. Eric just acted, well, like Eric. Still very defensive of whatever he’d done, as he rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance every time he looked at his parents. The silence was shattered as my aunt spoke, her lip quivering.

                “Todd I’m not sure if can take this anymore-“

                “Come Beth; I’ll have Lucile carry your dinner up to your room and we can talk.”

                My uncle said this very hastily, and he spoke more so out of apparent fear than concern for his wife. He rushed my aunt upstairs and called for Miss Impeccable to carry my aunt’s tray of food upstairs. The maid hurried away, leaving Eric and myself alone in the dining room.

                Eric looked up from his plate of food, a slightly amused look on his face. I did big eyes at him and returned to drawing a smiley face in my potatoes as he laughed under his breath. A few seconds later I caught his eyes on me again, and a small smile creeping onto his face. I rolled my eyes.

                “If you’re trying to creep me out or something, it’s not working Eric.”

                He only raised his eyebrows, then shook his head.

                “You’re so foolishly naïve, dear cousin.”

                He dabbed his smirk-formed lips with the corner of his napkin, then rose from the table. As he walked out of the dining room, he looked over his shoulder at me. His eyes seemed to be gloating over something; they gleamed with a secret satisfaction. Without another word, Eric disappeared into the sitting room, leaving me alone at the empty table.

Author's Note: Ello my faithful readers! I just wanted to say that I would greatly appreciate it if everyone who read this left a comment saying what they liked, didn't like, who they think the killer is, etc. let me tell you, I thrive off of critique and feedback, and I love knowing what people think of my work. Thanks!!