Chapter 30 Kat #2
His words do the trick. I try to maintain a casual facade as pleasure shoots through me in what seems like endless waves.
Thankfully, Henry adjusts us and speaks up to get Linda’s attention.
“That’s about all I need to know for now.
If you’ll leave that with me, I can look through it and let you know what I can and cannot make.
I plan on spending most of the next few weeks with my family.
” I don’t miss the glare she gives me at that last part.
I try to figure out what I’ve done to this woman to deserve such resentment, but I keep coming up blank.
“Oh, Linda!” Henry says, catching her as she’s opening his door to leave. “Cancel whatever meetings I have today after four o’clock. Mrs. Sinclair and I have to run an errand for my mother this afternoon.”
It turns out our errand is picking up a gigantic playhouse that Santa is bringing to seven-month-old LJ, who, to my knowledge, isn’t even crawling yet. I didn’t even know Henry owned a truck, especially not one so big that he has to pick me up to put me in my seat.
We have a lovely evening, walking through the shopping center, lit up with Christmas lights and decor.
The cold weather is perfect for snuggling up to each other with hot cocoa as we walk around, dipping into store after store, finding way too many last-minute presents.
It’s frivolous, but I’ve never gotten to enjoy the whole holiday shopping experience before, so I don’t feel too bad.
Our night ends with a fantastic dinner at a cute little taco restaurant with holiday-themed margaritas.
Well, Henry ordered them and then gave them to me.
Walking into our home, Henry is loaded with bags. “Time to get these wrapped and ready to take to your mom’s house tomorrow!” I say.
“Yes, darling,” he sighs, winking and going to grab our wrapping supplies.
We’re hours into wrapping when Henry holds up the “I heart boobies” onesie I bought for LJ. “Really?”
“He’s a Sinclair man after all! It’s only fitting.” I’m barely able to stifle my laughter, knowing that he, Ledger, and Jack all have matching shirts already wrapped up.
“Touché.”
“Oh!” I hop up, remembering the matching boobie rattler I have in a bag in my room. Well, old room.
I practically sprint there, eager to show Henry the toy. Turning right at the top of the stairs, I realize how strange it is to go this way. I haven’t been here in weeks. I’m several steps into the room when I freeze, a bloodcurdling scream leaving my lungs at the sight of my destroyed room.
I’ve moved most of my belongings to mine and Henry’s suite, but plenty of things were left behind, all of which are thrown about the room.
The mattress is leaned against the bed frame, cut in half, all the drawers are pulled out, the curtains torn down, the pillows shredded, and clothes strewn about.
I’m still frozen in place when I hear Henry running down the hall.
“Katarina?” When he finally reaches me, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me to him.
When he’s taken in the state of the room, he turns me around, holding my head and angling it up to him to search my eyes while his are wide with fear. “Katarina, are you okay?”
He holds me there a moment after I nod, making sure for himself that I’m okay, then tucks me behind him as he assesses the destruction.
“Who do you think could’ve done this?” I whisper. When he doesn’t answer, I start going through a list of people who might have access to the house, when a name stands out. “Do the groundskeepers have keys to the house?”
He nods. “I don’t think Mr. Frederick would do this. I’ve known him most of my life.”
“No, I love Freddy!” I say, earning a warning glance from Henry. Rolling my eyes, I continue. “I don’t think it’s him, but the replacement he had while he was away kinda gave me the creeps.”
“Replacement?”
“His name was Thomas or, erm, Tommy. He said he was helping Freddy…” My heart rate spikes again, thinking of that day in the woods.
“There’s been no other approved groundskeeper,” Henry practically growls, fisting his hands by his side. He pulls me along as he walks around, careful not to step on anything, then opens the door to the creepy storage room that sits against mine.
“Did you open this window?” he asks.
I could just be hearing or seeing things, but all the windows in this room are in fact closed. Sensing my confusion, he walks over to one of the windows and pulls it up.
“I know for a fact I locked these a few nights ago, so have you opened this window?”
“I’ve never opened either of them. I’ve hardly ever even come in here.”
He pulls out his phone, looking frantically through it, apparently not pleased with his findings. “Fuck!” he says, throwing the device against the wall.
“Henry, are you…?”
“The surveillance has been tampered with,” he says, pacing back and forth now, his hand running through his hair.
“Alright, I’ve already got our bags packed in preparation to leave tomorrow.
We’re going to go to Mother’s tonight and stay until I deem it safe.
I’ll send someone for anything else we might need later on. ”
Before I can respond, I’m in his arms as he strides to our room, grabs our bags, and carries me out the door.