The Sinister Secret

Chapter 5 Dear Diary

I went back to the bedroom about twenty minutes later. The door creaked as I slowly opened it and peaked inside to see if the coast was clear. I couldn't see Rick anywhere and I could hear shower water running in the bathroom.

"Good, the coast is clear." I whispered to myself.

I tiptoed into the bedroom and headed straight for the closet. I pulled the black and gold suitcase from the bottom of the closet and slowly unbuckled the locks. My heart was pounding in my chest as I slowly lifted the suitcase open.

"What are you doing Amber?" Rick asked in a calm voice.

"Nothing." I replied with panic in my voice as I turned to face him.

"Oh really? Then why are you kneeling down close to the suitcase I told you never to touch?" He asked with tenseness in his voice.

"I...I..." I stuttered.

"I don't need your explanation OK, you never listen do you?" He said as he walked closer towards me. I took a few steps back and before I knew it I had my back against the closet door.

"It's time I taught you a little lesson about listening skills." Rick said and within an instant everything around me went black.

The next morning...

It was really hard to open my eyes in the morning. My eyelids felt heavy and painful. When I tried to lift my arms for a good stretch a spiking pain ran down my arms and I quickly lowered them. I looked down at my arms and they had a few cuts and bruises.

I closed my eyes and held my breathe as I used my arms to swing my body off the side of the bed. I slowly got up and took tiny slow steps towards the mirror. When I got into view of the mirror, I saw that my right eye was beaten into a blue eye and my lower lip had a slight cut. I couldn't believe that my oh so loving Rick could have done this to me.

I went into the bathroom and gently rinsed my face and brushed my teeth. I grabbed my silk robe, wrapped it around myself and went downstairs. Rick was making bacon and eggs and the delicious smell filled the kitchen.

"Morning." I said as I walked down the stairs.

"Morning." Rick replied. "Sit down breakfast is almost ready."

Within minutes Rick brought the food to the table and he sat down. We ate in silence barely looking at each other. When I finished I pushed the plate away from me and sat back in the chair.

"So what's our first activity for the week?" I asked breaking the silence.

"Oh there's no 'our', it's just me." He replied. "I need to clear my head today, so I'll be going fishing at the pond nearby."

"But..."

"But nothing!" Rick cut me off. "You just stay here. I'll be back later." Rick got up from his chair and took our dishes to the sink then he headed upstairs.

I was washing the dishes when Rick finally came back downstairs and walked out the door. When I was sure that the coast was clear I ran upstairs ignoring all the pain in my body. I ran straight for the closet and searched for the suitcase, but it wasn't there.

Damn it he moved it! I thought to myself. Thirty minutes later I had searched the entire cabin, but I didn't find it. He must have taken it with him, but why? Well maybe because he didn't trust me, but other than that why?

Why was he so protective of that suitcase? Why didn't he want me to see what's inside? And why did he just leave me alone today, when we were supposed to be celebrating our engagement together? That's when I came to the conclusion that Rick was definitely up to something and I had to find out what. I opened the drawer that had the lamp on it and took out my locked diary book. I unlocked it and started writing:

Dear Diary

It's my engagement celebration week, but I'm celebrating it alone. Rick took off this morning to clear his head, but I don't trust him. He is up to something I know it. He has been acting so strange and protective over this suitcase he doesn't want me touching. Something is in there and I'm going to find out what it is. Even if it's the last thing I do.

Amber.💜