Tuesday (The Days of the Week #2)

Chapter Five

I woke as the first light of dawn seeped through the heavy, velvet curtains. I lay there for a moment, staring at the ornate canopy above me as the events of the previous day came rushing back. The missing boy. The imposing manor. The enigmatic William Ashcroft with his piercing eyes.

Throwing back the covers, I stood and curled my toes into the plush area rug beside the bed. Morning light spilled across the writing desk and stretched across the floor. Golden with a tinge of red. I crossed the room to look out the window.

A heavy fog shrouded the grounds, just beginning to fade under the sun’s warmth. I could feel the morning’s chill through the glass. Cold or not, I had to begin my search today.

I went to the chest at the end of the bed to grab my overnight bag. I was thankful I always kept it in the trunk of my car. It held a single change of clothes, basic toiletries, and a tightly rolled jacket. It was enough for the day, but I would have to return to town tonight. The thought of going back empty-handed made my stomach twist.

I quickly showered in the ensuite, pinned my hair away from my face with a couple of barrettes, and dressed. I was making a rough plan in my mind when a soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

“Come in,” I called, fastening the last button on my shirt.

The door opened to reveal a young maid, her arms laden with fresh towels. “Good morning, Dr. Blackwood,” she said. “I hope you slept well?”

“I did, thank you,” I replied, watching her walk into the bathroom and return empty-handed. “I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.”

“It's Kayla, Doctor,” she said, already retreating to the door. “Breakfast will be served in the small dining room in half an hour.”

I nodded, then asked, “Thank you, Kayla. Have you worked here long?”

She looked down at her feet. “Two years. My aunt got me the job when I graduated.”

I studied her, taking in the way she clutched her hands together in front of her. Looking at anything and everything but me. “I was wondering if you might have seen or heard anything unusual lately?”

Kayla froze, her face paling slightly. “I...I'm not sure I should say, ma'am. Mr. Ashcroft doesn't like us gossiping about estate business.”

“I understand,” I said gently, taking a step closer to catch her eye, “but I’m looking for a missing child. Anything you know could be helpful.”

She hesitated. Her gaze darted around the room before she spoke in a rush, her voice barely above a whisper. “There are noises at night. Strange ones. And sometimes, in the morning, we find... things.”

“Things?” I pressed.

“Torn up flowerbeds, scratches on the trees. Sometimes dead animals. But please, don't tell anyone I said anything!”

Before I could push for more, Kayla hurried from the room, leaving the door open in her hurry. I crossed the room to peek out into the hallway. Holloway had made it clear the night before that I was not free to wander on the upper floors.

With no sign of Kayla or anyone else in the hallway, I stepped out of my room and quietly pulled the door closed behind me. The corridor stretched in both directions, identical doors lining the hall. Somewhere a clock ticked, the sound magnified by the stillness.

I chose a direction at random and started walking, my footsteps muffled by the thick carpet runner. As I passed each door, I listened for any sound of movement or voices but heard nothing. The upper floor seemed deserted.

I reached the end of the hallway and turned a corner, only to nearly collide with Holloway emerging from a room. His eyes widened briefly in surprise before narrowing in suspicion.

“Dr. Blackwood. I trust you slept well?” His tone was polite but clipped.

“Yes, thank you, Holloway.” I kept my voice pleasant. “I was just on my way to breakfast when I got a bit turned around.”

The butler's gaze flicked past me down the empty hallway. “Allow me to escort you then. It wouldn't do for you to get lost and miss the meal.”

I sensed it would be unwise to refuse. With a tight smile, I fell into step behind Holloway as he led me back the way I had come. We descended the grand staircase in silence.

The small dining room, as it turned out, was a relative term. The space could easily have seated a dozen people, though it was dwarfed by the grand dining room I had seen last night. Holloway paused in the doorway and gestured for me to enter.

“I'm afraid Mr. Ashcroft won't be joining you this morning. He often works late into the night.”

I nodded, trying to ignore the twinge of disappointment. “In that case, Mr. Holloway, I'd like to begin the search of the grounds as soon as possible.”

Holloway hesitated before nodding stiffly. “Very well, Doctor. I shall arrange for a member of staff to accompany you. The grounds are quite vast and it would not do for you to become lost.”

It was the second time in as many days that someone had warned me about becoming lost on the property. Maybe it was nothing, but it felt rehearsed. I thanked him and took my seat at the table.

“Mr. Holloway,” I called when he was at the door, “has there been any news from town about Aiden? My phone isn’t working.”

A flicker of...something passed across Holloway's face. “I'm afraid not, Dr. Blackwood. The estate's communication systems can be...unreliable at times.”

I frowned as Holloway left. The estate was only a few miles from town, close enough that there should be no issues with signal or communication. Yet another oddity to add to the growing list.

After breakfast, I met Holloway in the foyer. He handed me a small pack with a large water bottle and what looked like two sandwiches wrapped in brown paper. I looked up from the sack lunch at the sound of quickly approaching footsteps.

A wiry, middle-aged man appeared out of the shadows, and Holloway introduced him as Alistair. He had a weather-beaten face, faded blue jeans, and worn boots that spoke of years of outdoor work. He greeted me with a grunt and an impatient nod.

As Alistair led me out the back of the manor, I blinked in the bright morning sunlight. The fog had burned away, revealing the expansive grounds in all their manicured glory. Sculpted hedges lined winding gravel paths, and a large greenhouse glinted in the near distance.

“Put those on,” Alistair grunted, gesturing to a set of rubber boots beside the door. Once I switched out my shoes, leaving my sensible loafers on the step, he set off down one of the paths at a brisk pace. “This way,” he called over his shoulder.

I hurried to keep up, the pack over my shoulder bouncing against my thigh. As we walked, I tried to engage Alistair in conversation.

“Have you worked on the estate long, Mr. Alistair?”

“Long enough,” he replied without elaboration or slowing his stride.

I tried again. “The grounds are beautiful. You must take great pride in your work.”

Alistair made a noncommittal noise in his throat. I got the distinct impression he was not a man of many words. We walked in silence for several minutes, the only sound the crunch of gravel beneath our feet.

As we rounded a bend in the path, the hedge maze came into view. From a distance, it had looked well-manicured but unremarkable. Up close, however, I could see that the hedges dwarfed us, at least ten feet tall. The entrance gaped like a dark mouth, the path disappearing into shadow.

Alistair grunted. “Best to stay out of there. Easy to get lost, even for those who know the way.”

I frowned at his wording, but before I could ask for clarification, Alistair set off again. With one last glance at the maze, I hurried after him. An ATV waited at the end of the flower-lined path, and I sighed in relief that we were not going to walk the whole way. The boots were a little big and already rubbing in a way that would be painful later.

We spent the next several hours combing the grounds, starting on the southern edge of the property that bordered town. We drove the ATV as much as possible, walking when the trees grew too dense. I trudged behind Alistair along the muddy banks of a small stream, searching for any sign someone had passed that way, but there was nothing but the usual animal tracks. We even checked a few outbuildings that looked like they had not been used in decades. Through it all, Alistair remained taciturn, only speaking to warn me when the footing was treacherous.

By midday, we had covered a significant portion of the southern grounds with no sign of Aiden. My feet ached and my shirt clung to my back with sweat beneath my jacket, but I pushed on, driven by a growing sense of urgency. Every minute that ticked by lessened the chances of finding the boy safe. Again, my mind went back to flashing lights and pale faces. An empty desk in a classroom.

As we paused to rest in the shade of an old oak tree, I turned to Alistair. “Has anything like this ever happened before? A missing person on the estate grounds?”

Alistair's weathered face remained impassive, but I caught a flicker of something in his eyes before he looked away. “Not that I recall,” he said gruffly. “Mr. Ashcroft values his privacy. Don't take kindly to trespassers.”

I considered pressing further, but something in Alistair's tone warned me off. Instead, I took a long drink from my water bottle and surveyed the grounds stretching before us. We had covered a lot of ground, but there was still so much left to search. The estate was massive.

“We should head back,” Alistair said abruptly, straightening from where he leaned against the tree trunk. “Mr. Ashcroft will be expecting you for lunch.”

“Holloway packed sandwiches,” I said, thinking of the knapsack waiting in the ATV.

Alistair scowled. “I have duties to attend to, ma’am.”

I fought to hide my annoyance. Why did it feel like I was the only one concerned about finding Aiden? I hated feeling wrong-footed, but it felt like I was missing something. Some secret everyone knew but me. Alistair’s reluctance to discuss any past incidents on the estate grounds, combined with Kayla's fearful whispers about strange occurrences, only deepened my unease.

I followed Alistair back to the ATV, nearly jogging to keep up with his quick strides. At the greenhouse, he stopped the ATV and wordlessly gestured toward the house. I climbed out, barely having time to grab the knapsack before he drove away. I stood for a moment, watching him go before turning toward the manor. I climbed the steps and entered through the back door.

When I found my way to the small dining room, Holloway was waiting, his hands clasped behind his back. He inclined his head in greeting.

“Dr. Blackwood. I did not expect you back so soon. I trust your search was... productive?” His tone implied he knew very well it had not been.

I shook my head, frustration bubbling up inside me. “No sign of Aiden. But there's still a lot of ground to cover. I'll need to go out again after lunch.”

Holloway paused in taking the pack from me, his brow furrowed slightly. “I'm afraid that won't be possible, Doctor. Mr. Ashcroft has requested your presence in the study.”

I glanced toward the table where there was only one place setting. “I thought he would join me for lunch?”

“Mr. Ashcroft had an urgent matter arise,” Holloway said smoothly. “He sends his apologies and looks forward to speaking with you after your meal.”

I bit back my frustration. Every delay felt like another minute Aiden could be out there, lost or hurt. One of the many missing kids who seemed to vanish into thin air. Like Charlie. But I knew arguing would get me nowhere.

“Very well,” I said, taking my seat at the table. “Please let Mr. Ashcroft know I'm eager to resume the search as soon as possible.”

Holloway inclined his head before retreating, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a lunch I had no appetite for. I picked at the food, some kind of quiche and fruit salad, as my mind wandered. I should have expected it, but it was still shocking how much searching for Aiden reminded me of my childhood friend. Another boy who went out to play and never came home. But that had been in the city, things like that were not supposed to happen in safe, little villages.

And the longer I stayed at the estate, the more questions I had. It had started as a simple missing person search, but I wondered if I had somehow stumbled into something completely different. The estate had secrets.

As soon as I set down my fork, Holloway appeared at my elbow making me jump.

“If you'll follow me, Dr. Blackwood,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I stood and allowed him to lead me through the manor's twisting corridors. We stopped outside a familiar set of heavy double doors. Holloway knocked twice, the sound echoing off the walls and high ceiling.

After a moment, a familiar voice called. “Enter.”