Chapter Fifteen
"Another game?" Tyler asked.
Reid blew out his cheeks and said, "Nah, man. I'm not a foosball guy."
"You've beaten all of us. How can you not be a foosball guy?" he said glumly letting go of the handles.
They had played a few rounds after Reid beat Caleb and Pogue, but the skill and challenge wasn't there to keep it interesting. They walked away from the game table, which quickly found new players, and slowly made there was to their table. Like usual Nicky's was packed.
Reid sat heavily in his chair and leaned his elbows on the table in front of him. His fingers ran over the rim of his glass. Caleb watched Reid. They had seen this behaviour in him before. He was bored. Usually when he got like this he would always get himself into trouble.
"How did it go?" Pogue asked as Tyler sat in the chair next to him.
"How do you think?" Tyler replied sourly, opening his wallet and laid down a few bills to Reid.
Pogue smiled and slapped Tyler on the shoulder. The money lay untouched as Reid downed the drink he was playing with. The others exchanged looks.
"Anyone for another?" Reid asked, picking up the money.
"Won't say no to a free drink," Pogue replied simply.
"Well you cleaned me out, so yeah, I'll have a drink," Tyler answered,
"I'm good, man," Caleb said.
Reid nodded and walked away from the table. Caleb watched. Once he was out of earshot, Caleb looked at Pogue and Tyler.
"What's eating him?" Caleb frowned.
They both looked at Tyler, who was his closest friend. If anyone knew it would be him.
"Who knows," Tyler shrugged. "Could be something, could be nothing. You know how he is."
"That's what I'm worried about," Caleb replied.
Reid managed to get through the crowd and reach the bar. Nicky was serving a group further down, so he leaned on a close empty bar space. As he reached it, a couple of heads turned his way. Including the stunning red head sat on a bar stool next to him.
"Ahh, Reid Garwin," the red head smiled brightly, turning her chair towards him. "I haven't seen you in a while. How's things?"
Reid turned to look at the red head. She was wearing a very small vest that didn't really cover anything with a pair of black skin-tight jeans. The heels she wore were bright red and pointed. They could do a lot of damage if she wanted to hurt someone. Someone like Reid. Her ex.
"Hey Samantha," Reid answered guarded, turning his body to face her. "You know, same old. I didn't know you were speaking to me again."
"I was getting a little too old to hold a grudge from three years ago. Water under the bridge," she smirked, taking the cherry on a stick from her drink. Bring it to her lips, it intentionally bought Reid's eyes to her full red mouth.
"That's good to hear," Reid half smiled.
"It was great to see you again," she said, getting off the stool. Her body pushed against his in the little space they had around the crowded bar. "We should catch up sometime."
She gently pulled his arm and pushed up his long black sleeve to show his muscular arm. There were two black tattoos near the inner elbow. She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at the new additions and wrote her mobile number on his skin.
Instead of saying anything, she smiled another beautiful smile and squeezed past him. Reid's eyes followed her walking away.
"I didn't think I would see you and her talking again."
Reid looked away from Samantha's retreating form and turned to Nicky.
"I didn't even know she was back in town," he added, his eyes also transfixed on Samantha's tight jeans.
"That makes two of us," Reid said.
"Usual?"
"Yeah, just not Caleb's," Reid sighed, leaning back on the bar while Nicky worked on his drinks.
Reid saw the looks the boys were exchanging when he was sat there. Even he didn't know what his problem was. The excuse of his power faltering was going stale as it was over a week ago now and Reid wasn't even sure if that was the reason anymore.
"You know I'm surprised I haven't seen Georgina in here with you guys," Nicky said as he laid down Reid's drinks in front of him.
"Georgina?" Reid frowned. He didn't know a Georgina.
"Yeah. The snooker girl from last week that whooped your ass. I figured after seeing her leave your friends boat house she was involved with one of you guys," Nicky explained, running his fingers over his goatee.
"Wait," Reid said, leaning forwards, "That pool shark chick from last Friday came out of Caleb's boat house?"
"Yeah," Nicky said shrugging his shoulders.
Someone from the end of the bar called his name. He turned his head and nodded in acknowledgment.
"When was this?" Reid asked, handing over the cash.
"Erm," Nicky said his face scrunched in thought. "Last Sunday morning, maybe. I was getting the fish from the docks when I saw her leave the boathouse. Caleb was there. Yeah I think I saw him and Sarah heading there straight after an old dude left it."
Nicky handed over his change and started to head up the bar.
Coming out of his thoughts, he said, "Thanks, man."
If Nicky hear it over the noise of the jukebox, he didn't show it. But Reid carried the drinks over to the table where the boys where playing a card game.
"Were you at your boat house on Sunday?"
Reid hadn't even sat down before the question burst from his mouth. Caleb looked up from his card hand and looked at him surprised.
"Erm," Caleb said, looking like a deer in the headlights. "I- Yeah. I went over with Sarah."
"Aw man," Tyler smirked at him, Reid sat down and leaned forward. "You bailed on us to go out with your girlfriend."
"We see each other all the time," Caleb argued. "Besides, I wanted to hash things out with Sarah."
"And?" Pogue asked.
"It was good. We talked a lot. I think it will get easier," Caleb answered sincerely.
"That's great," Reid rushed, not really caring about his relationship status. "Was there anyone else there?"
Caleb frowned and looked at his weirdly, "Yeah. How did you know?"
"Who?" Reid countered, ignoring his question.
"Mr. Simms. Tyler's dad. He was looking for papers from my grandmother. Why? What's going on?"
Reid slowly sat back in his chair with a serious look on his face. It was so unusual for the others to see it, that they all watched him closely.
"What is going on Reid?" Caleb asked again, this time more forcefully.
Reid said nothing. All he could do was look at Tyler. Caleb and Pogue looked at the confused Tyler questionably.
"What?" Tyler exclaimed.
Between working at home from the Ipswich house, conferencing calling his overseas clients in the middle of the night and visiting Eleanor, Gregory was exhausted. What sleep he did get, his conscience kept him awake. The guilt was slowly eating away at him. As he walked into Eleanor's deadly quiet house, like had done every night that week, he clumsily pulled off his tie and undid his top button.
"Anyone in?" he half-heartedly shouted in the foyer.
Walking into the empty sitting room, he pulled open the bar cabinet and poured himself a generous whiskey. It was already becoming quite a routine to go to Eleanor's after working from home and not leaving till early hours. Daphne stayed over most nights to help watch over Eleanor.
Carrying his whiskey, he walked to the kitchen and popped his head to see it completely empty. Since the morning they had found Eleanor collapsed on the entrance floor, this house always had people bustling around.
Enjoying the warmth of the whiskey, he slowly made his way up the stairs and let his feet take him to Eleanor's room. As soon as he walked in he saw the sleeping form of his wife. Daphne was curled on the chair. A thin blanket mid fall was on her lap.
Putting his drink on the vanity table, he walked over and kneeled beside her. Lifting the blanket up he put it back on her. But as soon as he touched her, she woke with a jolt.
"Gregory? What- what time is it?" she slurred, tired still.
"I have no idea," Gregory admitted, pushing her fringe from her face. She tried to smile but that was even too strenuous for her. "Where is everyone?"
"They went out to get dinner. It gives them some time away. Evelyn hasn't left her side in days."
"Yeah," Gregory whispered and got up. He walked to the vanity and knocked back his drink. The amber liquid burned as it went down, but it helped his turmoiled mind.
"What's this?"
Gregory tossed a look over his shoulder to see Daphne leaning over Eleanor. With a regretfully heavy breath, he put his empty glass back on the table and joined his wife. Massaging her shoulders, he looked to where she was pointing.
"Looks like a rash," he shrugged looking at the patch of red, irritated skin on Eleanor's chest. "Doctor said she was going to get rashes and sores from being in one position for too long."
"Yeah, on her back or bottom," Daphne reasoned.
"I don't know. Maybe it's an allergy," he dismissed.
Daphne frowned as she turned around to face him. His hands dropped to his side.
"What's up with you?" she questioned.
"Nothing," he answered. Rubbing a hand over his weary face.
"Don't tell me 'nothing'. You've been acting strange since Friday night."
"If anything was wrong," he said putting his hands on her shoulders. "Trust me, I would tell you."
She stared at him sceptically but the front door opening stole her attention.
"I'm just going to tell Evelyn about the rash. Would you look over her?" Daphne asked.
Not really needing an answer she rushed off out of the room. Gregory closed his eyes and took a breath. Walking over to the wardrobe, he opened it and took out the half empty bottle of whiskey he put there when it was his turn to watch over Eleanor. He just had time to refill his glass and put the bottle back when Evelyn rushed in with Daphne quickly following behind.
"It looks like a rash," Evelyn whispered taking a look at the red blotch. Standing up she looked at Daphne. "I'll ring the doctor to be sure."
"You couldn't have kept this information to yourself?" Caleb snapped quietly at Reid who was sat beside him.
Caleb, Reid and Pogue were practically running to keep up with Tyler. They had left Nicky's and were making their way to Eleanor's. When Reid told everyone what Nicky had said, Tyler shot out of the bar like a bat out of hell. Leaving everyone in his wake. In car was uncomfortably quiet. All you could hear was Tyler's angry breaths.
"And if your dad was cheating on his wife would you want him to keep that secret?" Tyler growled.
Caleb didn't reply, but Reid shot him an f- you look. Turning back to the dark window, Reid rested his head on the glass. Unlike the rest of the car that was speechless at Mr. Simms supposed affair. He wasn't all that surprised. If his father could cheat of his mother, so could other fathers. What he was shocked at was the girl's involvement. Georgina, Nicky said her name was. He must have heard it that night, but he didn't put it to her face. The name was so old and regal, while she was more… damaged. And at this point of the evening, he didn't care to admit that he had thought about the girl since the last time he had saw her. On multiple occasions. He couldn't believe she was having an affair with Mr. Simms.
They were approaching the lit up manor.
"What's my mother doing here?"
Reid looked over at Caleb's confused face. Looking up, he saw a full driveway. Tyler had rung his house phone to talk to his father when they were leaving the bar. But the maid told him that he was at Eleanor's.
"That's my mom's car," frowned Reid, looking over at a dark blue Toyota.
"Tyler," Pogue said apprehensively. "Maybe you should rethink this. Clearly something is going on-"
He didn't even get to finish. Tyler roughly parked up and got out. Slamming the car door behind him. The other's quickly followed suit.
Gregory was stood with an acquaintance of Evelyn's. He was mindlessly going on about his work while Gregory drank his fourth drink. Everyone that was stood around the bottom of the stairs were either waiting in silence or talking softly. The doctor had only just gone up and they were waiting his word. They stood like this every night when the doctor turned up. Waiting for any sort of news.
"Do you often visit Boston?" Frank, Evelyn's friend asked.
"That's were my firm is. Whenever I'm not here, I live in our townhouse there," he replied.
The conversation was mind numbing but it kept him occupied and away from the fretting family. The only other person who seemed to be taking it in her stride was Rowena. She was sat on one of the window seats stroking her little white dog. Other's tended to keep their distance as she had quite an unsavoury attitude towards most people. As he looked over at her, he saw four people walk past the window.
"Oh God," Gregory whispered under his breath.
He turned away from the still talking Frank and walked towards his wife.
"I think we have some explaining to do," he said softly to her.
Daphne was talking to Evelyn and Mary Simms. They all heard and all looked confused. That was until the front door burst open and Tyler burst in. His hard face faltered slightly at seeing the foyer full of people who went quite and watched him and the rest of the boys enter the house.
"Caleb," Evelyn said surprised.
"Mom?" frowned Caleb. He stood out from behind Tyler and walked towards her.
Gregory looked at his sons face and saw his expression darken when Tyler saw him and his mother. Gregory quickly drank his drink. Readying himself to explain why they kept him out of the loop.
"What's going on?" Caleb asked.
But before any more words could be said, the doctor came running down the stairs with a horrified look on his pale face.
"Doctor. Bishov?" Evelyn exclaimed, pushing past a confused Caleb. "What ever is the matter?"
By this point, the room had seen the upset doctor come hurtling down the stairs and were waiting to hear.
"I'm sorry. But I can't help you," he quickly said. His manic eyes not giving anything away. He sidestepped Evelyn and headed for the door.
She tried to stop him but he was gone. The shocked silence seemed to go on forever before Evelyn turned and run up the stairs. Mary, Daphne and Gregory followed suit.
"Dad," snapped Tyler as he grabbed his father's arm. "We need to talk-.
"Not now," broke off Gregory, who fiercely pulled his arm from his sons grasp and rushed to catch up.
As he ran down the corridor a piercing scream thundered his ear-drums. Cries came from Eleanor's room. He slowly approached, expecting the worst. When he walked up to Eleanor's side and saw the top of her nightdress open to expose her chest, he stopped dead in his tracks. Upon her chest, looking like it had been knifed into her skin was a bloody mark. A mark he had seen before. It was the same that was burned on Georgina's skin.
"What the blaze's is going on in here?"
Gregory kept his eyes on the mark as Rowena walked up to the bed. Mary and Daphne, who also couldn't tear their eyes away from the mark, pulled the hysterical Evelyn back so Rowena could get closer. The old lady felt the bed as she got in place and placed her hands on Eleanor. His thin and feminine fingers hovered over the mark. They lowered as to feel it, but her hands shook. Rowena gasped. Her usual frosty exterior, fell. Pulling her hands back like a shot, she roughly pulled the covers over Eleanor's chest and walked out.
Not before saying fiercely, "Nobody is to touch her."
After Gregory had managed to help get the frenzied Evelyn into her bedroom and made a quick call, he walked out and saw Eleanor's bedroom door closed. Rowena herself was stood guard. The white dog was nowhere to be seen.
"Gregory," Rowena beckoned.
He walked anxiously up to the old woman. She fixed him was a strong stare with her pearly white eyes and he prayed she couldn't see through him like she always could.
"The rest of the council have been notified," she finally said.
"What?" he gasped.
The council was made up of the head Elders from each family. Although not all wanted a part of the council, a seat was reserved for every family. Getting them involved was a massive deal.
"Having that mark on Eleanor constitutes an act of war," she said regretfully. "It is something the families have feared since the beginning."
Gregory couldn't say anything. Instead he gripped the phone in his hand tightly. He had just gotten off the phone with a very angry Georgina. She was making her way here.
When-" he breathed.
"They are coming tomorrow."