Shadows of Deceit

Chapter 6: Facing The Unknown

SMASH

The chilling sound of glass shattering echoed through the grand halls of the manor, the violent outbursts of Barbara and Charles penetrating the thick walls, seeping into the very fabric of the house itself. Jacqueline, the maid, halted her cleaning, her heart racing with every crashing noise.

It wasn't the first time she had witnessed such a violent exchange between the troubled couple, but each time it filled her with a sense of dread. Another deafening smash reverberated through the air, causing Jacqueline to flinch in fear. Through the cacophony, she could hear Barbara's anguished cries and Charles' aggressive retorts. The young couple had once been so happy, but now their love was tainted by a single irreversible mistake. One fateful night.

As the voices grew more intense, Jacqueline's anxiety mounted, suffocating her and making it impossible to move as she stood frozen in the midst of the chaos. But when the music from downstairs suddenly ceased, a heavy silence enveloped the manor, and Jacqueline's heart sank. Jacqueline's mind was a foggy haze, her thoughts disjointed and lost in a swirl of chaotic emotions.

The only vivid images that remained etched in her memory were the dark, ominous stains of blood seeping into the floor, casting an eerie glow in the dim light of the room. They seemed to mock her with their macabre presence, a chilling reminder of the horrors she had just witnessed. And as the haunting echoes of Barbara's desperate pleas for help reverberated through her mind, Jacqueline couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of dread and sorrow that clung to her soul. With a sudden burst of determination, she pushed past the stunned onlookers, pushing past the Palmer twins and the other woman, she fled to the nearest Telephone, her trembling fingers barely able to dial as she choked out the words to the emergency operator.

"A murder just happened, he killed her! He killed Barbara Hamilton!" The words tumbled out of her trembling lips, her voice quivering with fear and urgency as she tried to summon help for the tragic demise she had just borne witness to.
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"Jacqueline!" a cold hand laid on Jacqueline's shoulder, pulling her back to reality. "Are you alright? You look sick," Daniel, the butler, asked, concern etched on his face.
Jacqueline stood trembling for a second, still affected by the shocking events of the previous night. "Yes, yes, I.."

"Jesus, have a seat," Daniel urged, leading her to a chair. He quickly brought her a glass of water, and she nodded, grateful, her shaking hands reaching for the glass, only to accidentally drop it. "Jesus Christ," Daniel exclaimed, clearly taken aback. "What's wrong with you?"

"I can't stop thinking. My head hurts. It keeps happening in my head," Jacqueline managed to stammer, her voice low and trembling, barely audible. She continued, "I thought it was Barbara the entire time they were fighting, and I... she doesn't deserve this."

Daniel remained silent, unsure of what Jacqueline had seen, or what had transpired. He was taken aback by her strange behavior and the distress she was displaying. "Jacqueline... What did you see? Who was it?" he pressed, trying to make sense of her fragmented words and seemingly erratic behavior.

Jacqueline breathed heavily, her mind struggling to make sense of the haunting memories from the night before. "I thought I saw... the Palmer twins with Barbara. There was blood on the ground, and they all seemed as shocked as I was. Then, out of nowhere, Mrs. Morgen showed up."

"Morgen Wright? Barbara's friend?" Daniel exclaimed, surprise evident in his voice. "Why was she upstairs? She didn't stay for the night... Are you sure?"

Jacqueline nodded, her eyes reflecting the confusion and distress swirling within her mind. She and Daniel sat in silence, grappling with the unfathomable events of that fateful night. The web of confusion surrounding the evening's events seemed to only grow thicker as they attempted to piece together the fragments of what had occurred.