Chapter 6.
Carrie sat quietly on a sofa in the study holding a book in her hands. She rested the book on her lap for she was actually lying on the sofa and not really sitting. From a distance it would appear that she was just reading the Shakespearean play of Hamlet, but upon closer inspection one would see that in fact the book was performing it for her. As her eyes glanced across the words, the book would recite them to her in character. Carrie's gaze broke away from the book when she heard a knock on the door. Carrie left the book on the sofa and approached the door. Before opening it Carrie's eyes narrowed and focused on the door. Suddenly Carrie was treated to a one way view through the door where she could see who was on the other side. It was a young man, about her age, pale looking, and slick looking black hair. Under his arm he held a stack of old books. She stepped several paces back from the door and snapped her fingers. The door opened.
Matthew Golden held on tight to his books as he watched the door ominously open. It was not until he noticed Carrie that he felt any sort of relief. Carrie bowed her head in a most unusual manner and beckoned for him to enter. Golden entered the house cautiously. Behind him, the door closed itself. Matthew let out an audible yelp.
"Who closed the door?"
"A ghost." Carrie smiled and cocked her head to one side.
"I am Matthew Golden. Mr. Henry De Rais requested certain books from my father's private collection. Is the gentleman home?"
Carrie's eyes opened wide, "Books! Henry asked for books?" Carrie immediately snatched the stack of books from under Matthew's arm. "Oh, magical books. This is great." Carrie began to look through the larger of the books titled Index of Mystical Creatures from air, sea, to land. "Henry has told me about this book. It is known for its comprehensive list of almost everything great and small."
"He also requested this one, The Lunar Phenomenon." Matthew offered her the book.
Carrie rustled through the pages of the index of the large book, "cats, Cerberus, scythes." She then looked at Matthew. "Henry is out chasing monsters. He left late last night. Its morning so he should almost be home by now."
Matthew stared into her wide eyes, "You're different."
"I should hope so. After all, you are a man, and I am a woman."
"Would you like to take a walk with me?"
Carrie smiled "Are you trying to go out with me?"
"Well, I find…"
"Most men that meet me frequently do." Carrie rummaged through the books some more before looking up at him. "But what makes you so special?"
"I have books," he said with a wicked smile, his first.
Carrie suddenly had a feeling in her stomach that she didn't recognize. She snapped shut the book in her hands got up from the sofa. She took slow steps inching closer to Matthew. He tried, unsuccessfully, to hide his nervousness. Finally they were face to face.
"Let's see what kind of books you got."
Rosa walked into the study where Carrie and Matthew had been. The two had disappeared out the front door just moments before she came in. Rosa thought about calling out, but she knew Carrie would not hear her. After they were gone, Rosa a strange feeling overwhelmed her. A familiar feeling, but one she could not place. Déjà vu?
In the center of the room was a small table where Carrie had left the books Matthew brought. Decorating that table was a vase of Rosa's white roses. Rosa walked to the vase with water pitcher in hand and began to water it.
She almost dropped the pitcher when she saw it happened. Her white roses turned red. Rosa placed the pitcher on the table and backed away from it. Rosa looked all around her and noticed that all the reds of the room began to throb. Spines on books. The lamp shade. The lining on the rug. Anything with the color red seemingly seemed to assault her vision. Rosa closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. When she opened them again everything was back to normal. Rosa stood alone in the room breathing hard as if she had been running. She grabbed the books on the table and ran upstairs to the bedroom. By the time she reached the door to the bedroom she had calmed down a little. She clutched the doorknob for a second and took a deep breath before opening the door slowly. The bedroom was very spacious with white painted walls that gave the impression of infinite space. The bed was several feet away from the door. Opposite the bed was their dresser and to its left, the bathroom. The far wall had a window with a view to the street. On the bed, Reinhardt lay more asleep than awake. Rosa could hear him breathing heavily, exhausted from his night outing. Rosa sat on the bed next to him. She placed the books to his right and began to curl his hair with her fingers. Reinhardt opened his eyes and smiled at her. She smiled back.
"I think our wizard of a daughter has just ran away with the delivery boy."
Reinhardt turned to his right and looked at the books. "That would be young Matthew Golden," He sat up and began to stretch his arms and back. "Henry requested some books belonging to his father. The old book seller is one of the victims."
"How did it go last night?"
"Terrible. Or wonderful. Depends on what news I will get this morning. If no one died then we can all be happy, for now. If someone was murdered then we have a lot to worry about."
Rosa clutched his hand. "Reinhardt, I want to send our son to my mother's home in Coventry."
His face became concerned. "What's the matter?"
"I have a bad feeling about all this. Something is wrong, I don't feel at ease." Reinhardt embraced his wife and held her in his arms.
"There is nothing to worry about. This case is no different from any other."
"You're wrong. I feel something….ominous." She paused. "Have you considered allowing Henry to take care of it?"
"Right now he is. He's the one out there, not me."
"I mean from now on."
Reinhardt looked into her eyes. "Retire?"
"Surely you have done enough. You have fought countless unspeakable horrors. You even defeated Dracula himself. Is it not time you considered just raising your family and letting someone else do the job? I want Michael to enjoy his father. I want to enjoy my husband. I know I agreed to this life, and now I am being selfish, but I must ask."
Reinhardt listened to her pleas and suddenly remembered a similar conversation he had with his brother, Werner, so many years ago. His pleas to forget the life that their own father had raised them for echoed in his ears.
"Think about it Reinhardt." Rosa then gently grabbed Reinhardt's right hand and placed it on her belly. "Think about it. Think of your children."
Although Reinhardt knew it was too soon to feel anything, he could swear that he sensed the new life brewing in his wife's belly. Reinhardt buried his face in her chest and contemplated her words.