After my talk with Caleb when I returned to the library I found Kaitlin circled in the middle by our friends. I decided to take her back home as she probably needs to be alone right now. She was quiet the whole ride home except for the little sniffs she did from time to time. After dropping her off I thought it'd be a good idea to go to the library again to figure out some stuff. After parking my bike I walked to the shutter and bent down to open the lock but the shutter was already open a little from the bottom and a broken lock was casted away near it. A low siren was going off in the background. My heart pounded as my worst imagination took the best of me, I hastily pulled the shutter up and rushed in and the siren got louder everything was mess, all the books were all over the place the passageway was open to, I raced downstairs. I didn't mind to look anything else except for the locked door, only it was wide open the lock broken and the whole podium where the painting was.. it was gone, uprooted from the ground.
The first thing I did was shut the alarm off, then I slumped down on the floor taking in calming breaths the only person who comes in mind for doing this is Vivian. I did;ed Sterling's number.
"Hello" he answered a few seconds later
"Hey, I think you should come down here, the library"
"oh? why?" he asked confused
"Just get here" I sighed, tiredly hanging up.
I was in the same position when Sterling came in, his expression of shock was replaced with horror as he spotted me on the ground with all the mess around the room.
"Florence ?! are you okay?" he couched next to me then looked for any injuries with a frown.
"I'm fine. It was like this when I got here"
He sighs in relief and sits down next to me
"That's not the problem. It's gone, the whole thing is gone. the painting, podium the Will" I say incredulously as I see him relax
"what?" he sits up.
"so, what are we gonna do?" he asks, leaning against the doorway leading where the Will was.
"I honestly have no idea, I'm not going to tell Caleb anything as of now but I was thinking talking to Justin, you know maybe his father knows something, I mean all of our parents have come up who were in that photograph, only Justin is left."
"No, I meant how are you going to get this thing back?"
"oh, that. yeah I have no idea" I stand up brushing myself off then telling Sterling to follow me and walking out.
I pressed the door bell and stepped back, Sterling was whistling looking around. I elbowed him to stop when I hear footsteps approaching, a maid answered.
"Is Justin around?"
"yes, come in please" she welcomed us in
We walked through the hallway an past the staircase when we heard Justin walking down the stairs.
"what are you guys doing here?" he looked confused.
The maid's eyes narrowed, but Sterling stalked towards him swinging an arm around his neck and goofily dragged him down.
"what do you mean, we told you we're coming didn't you see the text?" Sterling released him.
"what-"
"don't tell me you forgot?" I implied subtly
"oh? oh! yeah I must've forgot" he caught on
The maid left us after that awkward interaction
"What the hell was that about?"
"I just thought she wouldn't let us in if we asked for your dad directly but if we asked for you she'd definitely let us in. And right now we need something certain" I explained.
"That's actually true. But why do you want to meet my dad?"
"You know how your dad's in that photograph I showed you guys? Well, maybe he knows something that could help" he nods and leads me to the fireplace area, where his dad is sitting the couch in front of the well lit fire smoking a cigar and reading the newspaper.
"Dad?" Justin called to gather his attention.
His dad looks up, frowning. his glasses are down to the nose bridge leaving plenty of gap to see from the space above the glasses, a bushy moustache under his nose his aroma exuded discipline. When he saw Justin had company he stood up revealing his tall height and heavy built, suspenders strapped down to his belt, sleeves folded. he walked towards us slowly after folding his newspaper back and leaving it on the couch and removing his glasses. With glasses in one hand he shook our hands with the other.
"Hi, I'm Florence and this is Sterling, sir"
"Hello"
We all stood there in awkward silence for a brief moment then Mr. Hartwell cleared his throat and passed us. I stood there before shutting my eyes and speaking without turning around.
"You know Vivian" I knew he stopped at that name without even looking. I slowly opened my eyes and turned around just to find him at the end of the room near the door where we entered from. He turned around to face us.
"You were friends with her"
"I don't suppose that's any of your business, Ms. Walker" he said in a stern voice.
"She's my mother" As those words came out of my mouth his eyes hardened and snapped to Justin.
"Leave."
"I don't think you want that for either of us" I spoke, confidently.
"You're wrong, because I have no intention of being involved with her or any of her relations. It's a shame you can say because our lemon cakes are absolutely delicious. Now if you'll excuse me." He exits.
We all exchange looks.
"You struck a nerve there, he never speaks his mind when he's mad, he usually just stares in silence" Justin says
"I'll talk to him and then ask him to meet you guys" Justin walks us out.
As we are driving off I take one last glance at the house and there's Mr. Hartwell standing behind the glass doors of his second floor balcony watching us leave.
YOU ARE READING
Abomination | (Part 2)
Teen FictionFlorence Walker, after losing her dad, she is hit with a shock and is adamant about finding the truth behind her father's suspicious death, and won't stop until she gets behind it. Her friends are taking upon the journey along with her, finding shoc...
