Tuesday (The Days of the Week #2)

Chapter Thirteen

I t was strange being back in town. Even though I had only been gone a matter of days, everything felt different. My office was too cramped, my small house too empty, and the familiar streets felt alien somehow, like a place I used to know but could no longer quite fit into.

I threw myself into work, determined to put the events at Ashcroft Estate behind me. But even as I went through the motions of seeing patients and catching up on paperwork, my mind kept drifting back to William and all that had transpired between us.

The intense connection, the searing passion, the dark secrets that hung over everything like a shroud. As much as I tried to convince myself that walking away had been the right thing, the only sane thing to do, I could not shake the feeling that I had left something unfinished.

I had started to call the sheriff dozens of times but always hung up after the first ring. I knew I could not keep the creature a secret. Its existence so near the town put hundreds of people in danger. But I could not shake the look on William’s face when he told me he was the creature. As impossible as it was, he truly believed it.

It was three days later that the manor came to me. I was at the farmer’s market on the edge of town, picking up ingredients for a simple dinner. I turned away from the produce stand and nearly ran into Hailey.

Hailey's dark eyes widened in surprise before she schooled her features into a polite smile. “Dr. Blackwood. It's good to see you.”

“Hailey,” I greeted, trying to hide my shock at seeing her here, so far from the estate. “What brings you to town?”

She glanced around. A short distance away a man and woman I recognized as members of the kitchen staff were loading crates into the back of a truck. Hailey moved closer to me.

“I need to speak with you,” she whispered. “It's about Mr. Ashcroft.”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. I had been doing my best to put William and everything that had happened at the estate out of my mind, but hearing his name sent a rush of conflicting emotions through me - longing, fear, confusion.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “What about him?” I asked, keeping my voice carefully neutral.

Hailey glanced around again before leaning in closer. “He's not well, Dr. Blackwood. Not since you left.”

I frowned, a prickle of unease running down my spine. “What do you mean, not well? Is he sick?”

Hailey shook her head, her expression troubled. “Not ill, exactly. But he's...changed. He's hardly left his study. He won't eat, won't see anyone. And at night...” She trailed off, her eyes haunted. “The sounds coming from his room...it's not natural.”

A chill ran down my spine as I remembered the creature in the maze. The hidden passageway. William's tormented confession. Could it be true?

My logical mind rebelled, but what if there was a genetic abnormality that caused a transformation? Was there any way to know for sure? I inhaled shakily as the answer came to me. I would have to return to Ashcroft Manor. And I would have to witness the transformation.

Hailey must have seen the conflict on my face because she reached out and grasped my hand, her eyes pleading.

“Please, Dr. Blackwood. I know things ended badly between you and Mr. Ashcroft, but I’m scared for him. For all of us. We need your help.”

I closed my eyes briefly, warring with myself. The smart thing, the safe thing, would be to walk away. To put Ashcroft Manor and its dark secrets behind me for good. But even as the thought crossed my mind, I knew I could not do it.

I opened my eyes and met Hailey's worried gaze. “Alright,” I said quietly. “I'll come back to the manor. Tonight.”

Hailey's shoulders sagged with relief. She squeezed my hand gratefully before releasing it. “Thank you, Dr. Blackwood. I'll make sure you can get through the gate.”

She glanced over her shoulder at the other staff members who were finishing loading the truck. “I have to go. But I'll make sure the back door by the kitchen is unlocked for you after dark.”

With a final nod, she hurried away, leaving me standing there with my mind reeling. What was I getting myself into? The rest of the day passed in a blur. I stayed late at the office, distracting myself with paperwork. By the time I headed for Ashcroft Estate, it was already dusk.

No one answered at the main gate. I pressed the button twice, frowning at the dark driveway beyond. After nearly ten minutes, the gate swung open without a word from the call box.

I drove through, my heart beginning to pound as the manor loomed ahead, its dark silhouette stark against the darkening sky. I parked off to the side, out of sight of the main entrance, and made my way to the kitchen door Hailey had mentioned.

True to her word, it was unlocked and I slipped inside, closing the door silently behind me. The kitchen was dark and empty, the staff having long since retired for the night. I crept through the silent halls of the manor, my footsteps muffled on the thick carpet runners. The house felt different at night, the shadows deeper, the air heavy.

As I reached the main staircase, faint noises drifted down from the second floor - a thump, a muffled crash, and then silence. I froze, my heart pounding in my ears as I strained to listen. After a long moment, another sound reached me - a low, pained groan that sent a chill down my spine. It was coming from the direction of William's study.

I hurried up the stairs as quietly as I could, dread and anticipation twisting in my gut. As I approached the heavy oak doors, I heard more thumps and crashes from within, like furniture being overturned. Then a guttural, inhuman snarl.

My hand shook as I grasped the door handle, my mind screaming at me to turn and run. But I had to know. I had to see for myself. I took a deep breath and twisted the handle, pushing the door open wide.

The study was empty. I frowned as I scanned the room. Most of the furniture was overturned or broken. Several books had been shredded, their pages all over the floor. And across from the door, the entrance to the underground room lay open.

I did not give myself time to second guess. I hurried to the door and looked down the dim staircase. A scream echoed up from the room below, part man and part something else.