Shadows of Deceit

Chapter 8: Webs of Deceit

The next morning was cold and eerie, with a thick fog blanketing the streets and a chilling wind blowing through the city. As Scott stood in front of the window, he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled in his stomach since he received the terrifying letter the night before. "You're next," it had read, and it had sent shivers down his spine.

The pale light of dawn filtered through the fog, casting strange shadows on the worn cobblestone streets below. The gloomy atmosphere only added to the sense of unease that had consumed Scott. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he thought about the ominous letter, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

As he sat in the living room His mind raced with conflicting thoughts and emotions. Fear pulsed through him as he struggled to comprehend who could have sent such a chilling message, and what it could possibly mean. Was it a prank? Or was he truly in danger? Dumb question, but he loved to think someone was just fooling him. He couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom that hung heavily in the air.

Scott's hands shook as he clenched the edge of the window sill, his breaths coming in short, shallow bursts. The world outside seemed to swirl with an otherworldly energy, and he felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of vulnerability.

As the fog began to lift and the world outside his window slowly came to life, Scott made a decision. He wouldn't let fear dictate his actions. He would face the day head-on, determined to find out the truth behind the eerie message. With a deep breath, he pushed back the overwhelming sense of dread and stepped away from the window, ready to confront the unknown.

Later Daniel showed up followed by Mathew who didn't seem to notice the uneasiness Scott was feeling. Daniel informed the two that the family will start their breakfast soon and they are invited. “this feels weird” Scott stated feeling weird about the situation considering everything that has happened yesterday, still the family was able to keep their usual routine.

“well it looks like we hit a dead end” Mathew said with a hint of disappointment “I couldn't find any information about Anne Scott, no family, no friends, nothing.”

“Maybe it's a fake name.” Scott thought about the possibilities of what's going on, however that's all he was able to conclude. Scott then reached out to his pocket and pulled the necklace he found last night along with the letter explaining what had happened to Matthew and his  theory that it could belong to Anne.

“Why would anyone target you? If you leave there's a whole police department that will interfere, the investigation won't stop if that's what the murderer is trying to do.” it didn't make sense to Mathew and neither to Scott, he couldn't piece the puzzle together.

Scott remained silent, his sharp and determined gaze fixed to the window as his mind raced with conflicting thoughts, a chilling silence washed over the two, they seemed to be getting nowhere and running out of time at the same time. Matthew cleared his throat before he spoke “Morgan Thomas Wright will arrive to later tonight”

Scott nodded giving Matthew a quite ‘hm’ as he kept gazing through the window, a silent cold atmosphere filled the place as Scott silently thought about his next move.

The family gathered in the grand dining room, tensions thick in the air like a storm about to break. Carter and Joseph were nowhere to be seen, adding an ominous edge to the already fraught atmosphere. Mary and Rose, eyes locked in an intense staring contest, seemed oblivious to the chaos around them. Barbara, usually the picture of grace, sat isolated, her once rosy cheeks now pale with distress, her appetite lost in the swirling emotions that consumed the room.

Another hushed argument erupted between Cooper and Rose, their voices rising in sharp undertones that only added to the mounting chaos. The butler, Daniel, usually a picture of stoic composure, watched in horror as the scene before him unfolded, silently lamenting the absence of the family's patriarch, Charles. The orderly elegance of the household had unraveled in his absence, replaced by this disarray of emotions and conflict.

Just then, Scott strode into the room with purpose, his eyes flashing with determination. Without a word, he flung the glittering necklace onto the table with a clatter, the sound reverberating through the tense silence. As the family's startled gazes turned toward him, he slammed the chilly letter down with a force that echoed the turmoil within his own soul. The force of his actions sent a shiver through the room, the unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air, stirring the already swirling emotions of the room to new heights.

“As you all know, I've found this neck-”

“not all of us know this”

“What did you find? What is he talking about?” Cooper asked. Scott slammed his hand down on the table to silence them again.

“This mysterious necklace was found in your house and somehow it doesn't belong to any of you. Additionally, just last night I've received this letter.” Scott held the letter showing everyone the words written “a blackmail” he added in case it wasn't clear to some dumbheads who didn't get it “what I need you to do now, is to cooperate. Time is running out, whoever killed Charles is still here and it's one of you”

“Bullshit!”

“this has to be a joke!”

“I've seen more laughs at a funeral.” Scott continued talking silencing them again “Charles was a good man, I believe he… somehow he was capable of loving you all, no offense”

“none taken”

“but let's be honest here cause no one's fooled, some of you were waiting for his downfall and now that he's gone, there's a lot of opportunities” chaos broke again, Mary had her middle finger held up towards Scott as she yelled insulting words, Barbara continued eating silently not bothered by the chaos, her eyes were unfocused, the same crushing burden danced upon her face, Cooper was yelling “Accusations! False accusations!”

“so if it's not one of you then prove me wrong, ever since I arrived you have done nothing but be useless and bark at each other all day, no offense”

“I'm a little offended”

“if you truly care about Charles then you need to put your differences aside and work together, do it, at least for him… and because there's a literal killer free so it's for your safety.”

Finally, the entire mansion was quiet, not a single word said, relief washed over Scott, it was a small progress but we all start somewhere.

In a whirlwind of chaos, Carter stumbled down the stairs with a look of panic etched across his face, barely managing to keep his footing. Without warning, Joseph lunged after him, grabbing hold of Carter's collar with a fierce determination in his eyes. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Joseph's voice reverberated through the grand halls, filled with a rage that seemed to shake the very foundations of the house.

In a frenzied blur, Joseph unleashed his fury upon Carter, his movements primal and unrelenting. Joseph's eyes blazed with unbridled fury as he lunged at Carter, his fingers coiling around Carter's throat like a vise. The harsh grip tightened, and Carter's gasps for air grew desperate. Just as the world began to blur, Cooper and Scott intervened, wrenching Joseph away from the brink of irreversible violence. The haunting echo of Barbara's scream reverberated through the house, a chilling reminder of the darkness that had momentarily consumed her family, prying Joseph away as Rose and Mary darted to the scene, cries of concern hanging in the air. Meanwhile, Barbara stood frozen in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief at the unexpected turmoil unfurling before her.

Carter was unable to speak, his hands shaking as blood dripped from them. "He... He killed her... Jacqueline," he finally managed to gasp, his trembling finger accusingly pointing towards Joseph. “He killed her!”