Chapter 21 #2
Grant narrowed his eyes at the scene playing out, a mix of surprise and cautious optimism filling him. The man who had once twisted the knife at any opportunity with his sharp words now held his tongue, a testament to the changes woven through him in the span of two short years.
The soft smile Julia gave him suggested she was pleased with his efforts, efforts she had likely had a hand in. He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head before they settled in the armchairs he’d dragged closer to the bed.
“We can’t watch that movie, I’ll have nightmares,” Sierra argued as he selected a horror film.
“You’re being a baby. It’s not that bad.”
“It is . I don’t want to watch people get eaten alive.”
Kyle wrinkled his nose as she fought to grab the remote. “No one gets eaten.”
“Give me that. This is my room, and that’s my television.”
He lifted it away from her. “You’re going to make me pop a stitch.”
“I’m going to pop the stitch myself if you put that movie on,” she warned.
“Fine,” he answered, a twinge of defeat in his voice, “watch your stupid, boring movie. I just won’t pay attention.”
Sierra ripped the remote from his hands and backtracked to her pick. “You can’t stare at Julia all night, you know. She’s your stepmom, and it’s weird.”
Kyle shook his head. “I’m not. I’ve got something important.”
The opening credits rolled, and Grant threaded his fingers through Julia’s, perfectly happy to watch the sappy movie now that he’d gotten his happily ever after.
“What is that?” Sierra asked, overshadowing the opening scene.
“Nothing,” Kyle answered.
“It’s something,” she answered. “Let me see it.”
Kyle shifted away from her.
“I demand to know what that is,” Sierra said, unable to mask the sharpness in her voice. “Spill it, Kyle.”
Grant shifted his gaze to his daughter with a sigh. “Baby, let’s watch the movie.”
“Can it, Daddy. I want to know what Gollum’s coveting over there.”
Kyle offered her an unimpressed glance. “Gollum had a ring, not a key.”
“Key to what?” she asked.
He held it in the air. “That is the question.”
She snatched it from him and narrowed her eyes at it. “Where did you get it?”
“Sierra, maybe we should watch the movie and talk about that later,” Julia suggested.
Sierra slid her eyes to her stepmother. “Nice try, Julia. Where did Kyle get this?”
Grant’s jaw tightened, the tension in his body ramping up. “Lydia had it delivered upon her death. She…claims it’s my doom. One last gift from her. It’s nothing. Just a final taunt.”
With a swift motion, Sierra plucked the note from between Kyle’s fingers, her eyes scanning the words before he could protest.
He heaved a sigh, smacking his hands against the bed. “Are you kidding me?”
“You’ve already read it. You need to learn to share.”
“Oh, I need to learn to share? I’m pretty sure if I’d have grown up here, you would have insisted you have first dibs on everything.”
“Shut up, Kyle. No one asked you.”
He flung a hand in the air. “See what I mean?”
Sierra’s eyes narrowed at the note. “Key to her kingdom? What kingdom? Or is she referring to some fiery domain where she obviously now resides?”
“I don’t think they have keys there,” Kyle answered.
“I don’t think she meant anything,” Grant answered. “I think she just spewed out a bunch of vile nonsense like she always does. She’s just twisting the knife.”
Julia rose from her seat and climbed onto the bed. “While I agree that she’s twisting the knife, I don’t agree that it means nothing. Lydia doesn’t do empty threats.”
She took the key from Sierra and studied it as a knock sounded at the door.
Grant pulled his eyes from the object Julia held and shifted them to the door.
Alicia took a few tentative steps into the room. “Sorry to interrupt. I know you’re having some family time, but I’m helping Alex with some leads. He said something about a key and a note. I checked your office, Juju, but–”
Julia held the key higher in the air. “It’s here.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you all were looking at it. I’ll leave you to it, then.”
“No, you can take it,” Grant said. So, Alicia had taken it upon herself to actively join the investigation. He was impressed. “That’ll give us some time to watch this…fantastic movie.”
“Oh, please, Daddy,” Sierra said, “the movie is terrible. I only picked it to annoy Kyle.”
“Thanks, Sierra,” Kyle said.
“Actually, I should thank you. Annoying you always lifts my spirits.”
“Glad to be of service,” Kyle said with a salute.
Julia passed the key and the note to her sister. “Thanks. I’ll–”
She froze, her features pinching as she stared at the key.
“What is it, Ally?” Julia asked.
“Probably nothing, but…this engraving. It looks like the Victorian house.”
“The one from the fire?” Julia asked.
“Yeah. It had that strange turret. And so does this.”
Julia grabbed the key from her as Grant rose to peer at it over her shoulder. “It does look like that house. I was concentrating on the other engravings, but this one does look like that house.”
Sierra’s voice broke through the mounting tension, a mix of curiosity and unease. “Do you think it’s a clue?”
Her question hung in the air, heavy with the weight of unspoken fears and possibilities.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Sierra said as she climbed off the bed and lifted her chin. “We need to go sleuthing.”
Grant glanced at his daughter before he returned his eyes to the key. Was it really the key to something more? What did it lead to, and would someone really try to kill him over it?