The Chrysalid Conspiracy

by A. J. Reynolds

  Rayn had a split second to think and act. She tore a scalpel-sharp throwing knife from the belt she was still carrying and, even though it was a long throw, she hurled it at the strange apparition on the stairs, the figure she knew to be Ryxyl.

  Changing the downward stroke, Ryxyl slashed sideways and, with incredible speed, deflected the oncoming threat. There was the sound of metal on metal and the knife skittered across the tiled floor.

  Knowing she had to get closer, she chose the same route that Amelia had taken down the centre of the room. She was up on the table and running as she threw the second knife.

  Ryxyl had no time to readjust and dived over the still crouching Amelia. Rayn was shocked to observe the athletic beauty of the full somersault and skilled landing of this formidable adversary. The knife ‘thunked’ into the wood panelling where Ryxyl had been standing.

  Rayn launched a third knife but Ryxyl twisted sideways again and the knife sank harmlessly into the panelling.

  For a moment Ryxyl was off-balance, leaning back towards the opposite staircase and facing Amelia. Diving upwards, Amelia grabbed Rayn’s second knife, tore it from the wood and, twisting and turning, she directed it at that golden mask before she crashed onto the stairs.

  It wasn’t a good throw, but it was accurate. The knife hit Ryxyl full in the face, handle first. The force of the short throw knocked her backwards slightly. The mask came off and rolled down the main staircase.

  Ryxyl glared at Amelia, her beautiful face made ugly with rage and hatred. She made a move to retrieve the mask but, seeing Rayn at the end of the table just a few feet away with her arm back, ready for another throw, she decided to cut her losses. Leaping gracefully up the opposite stairs, she vanished into the house proper. Rayn made as if to follow, but Amelia called out. “Leave it, Rayn. She’s too good. She’ll kill you.”

  “Where’s Lucy?” shouted Rayn, and Amelia fled up the stairs. One of the bedroom doors was open and, as Amelia entered, her heart sank. Her mother was lying on the floor, face down. However, before Amelia could scream she saw her arms move. She was trying to do a commando crawl.

  “Amelia!” Lucy cried as she looked up. “Gabrielle. See to Mrs Orugo.” In the corner lay the crumpled body of the physiotherapist. From where she stood, Amelia could see that her neck was broken. Amelia went over and, dropping to her knees, gently turned her mother onto her back.

  “Let’s get you back to bed, Mum. We can’t do anything for her now,” she said softly and found she couldn’t stand up. The pain was just too much and she sank down on the floor next to her mother. “Are you hurt mum? Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “I’m fine.” Her mother reassured her. “My head’s sore, that bitch dragged me out of bed by my hair. Are you okay?”

  “Oh yeah. But we’ll both be a lot better tomorrow.” She smiled to hide her pains.

  ***

  Ryxyl was livid. She wanted to smash something, but her hotel room wasn’t the place to start. How could she have lost out to two fifteen-year-olds?

  Admitted, their agility, speed and coordination were superb, but she knew she was far superior and she should have had the Jaxsons safely tucked away somewhere by now.

  Lucy Jaxson was the key to the Chimera tree and, in order to control her, she needed the daughter alive. It was the only way to find and control the lost land of Sundoor. It belonged to the Sanddancers and it was her domain, her destiny, and one day she would rule them and they would worship her as their saviour. All she needed was the location.

  That stupid school Headmaster had known how to find it, but that incompetent moron the ‘Very Reverend West’ had killed him. His brief had been to destroy the Chimera organisation, not kill off the key members. Had he switched priorities and was now after the Jaxson codex?

  I must pay him a visit and find out what he’s up to, she thought. Does he know about the Ark?

  The thought of the Ark reminded her that she had lost the ‘Mask of Moses’. Damn those kids. But at least she was out in the open now. No more ‘yes Dr Barrenborn’ and ‘no Dr Barrenborn’. She’d hated being subservient to those people. Nevertheless, by hanging on to the doctor’s coat tails through her financial dealings she now had her own fortune.

  Ryxyl assessed her options. I’ll have to do some remodelling on that brother of mine. She thought. He’s taken a fancy to that Jaxson girl. Maybe I can use that to get to her and bring him back to the fold at the same time. Ryxyl knew in her cold heart that if he won’t comply with her wishes she would have to considered him no more than collateral damage, to be disposed of as necessary. She’d have to deal with that when the time came. Maybe he still has some uses. She thought. She decided that she had to sort out West, get control of the Jaxson kid, and get her mask back. And find that damned location!

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Rayn had followed Amelia into the bedroom and saw Mrs Orugo’s body. “Oh no, not her as well,” she murmured.

  “As well?” asked Amelia. “What do you mean?” Rayn had lifted Lucy back on the bed and helped Amelia into Lucy’s wheel chair.

  “Horace died. That last run was all he had. His heart gave out. But the worst thing is,” she hesitated. “George died, too.”

  Lucy gave a sob and Rayn bit her bottom lip. A whole host of memories rose up to swamp Amelia, but with an extreme effort she slammed the door shut on them.

  “Sorry,” she announced. “We can grieve later. Right now we have things to do, and not much time.” She heard a noise from downstairs. “What’s that?”

  “Nigel and Molly,” Rayn said. “I told them to follow me. Up here, you two,” she called.

  When they came in, their faces where white and their breath laboured.

  “Oh Lucy! Downstairs, it’s George. He’s, he’s…”

  “Yes, thank you Molly, we know,” cut in Amelia sharply, making them all focus. “I’m sorry but we’ll have to grieve later. We don’t have the time right now.”

  “There are no marks on him that I could see.” said Nigel. “So we don’t know what happened.”

  “It was probably his heart.” said Lucy. “He’s been having some problems.”

  “We have a lot to do. Mum, I’m sorry but this has got to be done. We have bodies and we must call the police. What we have to do is find a way of making this look like a tragic accident. Nigel, I’m asking you to break the law. If you can’t or won’t for any reason, just say so and I’ll understand.”

  “I’m with you, Amelia. Always have been,” Nigel said. Molly was silent, she looked doubtful.

  “Good. And thank you. Now, Nigel, make sure that Mrs Orugo died of a broken neck and that George died from a heart attack. We need to be as sure as we can. Molly, find some cleaning materials and make it appear as though that damage to the table happened a few days ago. Then give Lorraine a call and get her up here as quickly as possible. When she gets here, give her the option about the law and ask her to lie to the police and think up an excuse for that kind of damage. Get Alyson to back her up. She owes us one.”

  Nigel came back in. “Everything looks all right for what you want, Amelia. What next?” He was familiar with death but this was his beloved G-dad, and it hurt.

  “Rayn,” said Amelia, “go find Molly and tell her to get back up here when she’s finished. We’d better get our stories straight. And find some drinks while you’re at it.”

  “Yes, Mon Capitan,” said Rayn, giving her friend a mock salute. “I’ll collect up those knives, as well.”

  “That’s a good point, Rayn,” Amelia replied.

  “Knives? What knives?” Lucy had cried.

  “Don’t ask, Mum. You wouldn’t believe it. Not yet, anyway,” Amelia had reassured her.

  Assembled in an adjacent bedroom after placing a blanket over Mrs. Orugo’s body they all took a well-needed shot of the very expensive brandy Rayn had managed to find. Molly was the first to speak.

  “Amelia?” she’d asked. “I want very much to support you in this, b
ut I would like to know what’s happening before I put mine and my kids’ future at risk?”

  “That’s fair enough,” Amelia said, trying to manoeuvre her tortured lower body into a more comfortable position. “Unfortunately, we don’t have time for explanations just now. If you want to walk away, that will be fine. I understand perfectly.”

  “Molly, all this has a purpose,” Rayn had added. “Our lives are in danger and that includes you and the twins. Please trust us a while longer.”

  Molly had looked at Nigel for support and comfort.

  “I love you Moll,” he said. “But I have to stay with Amelia. Whatever’s going on, it’s been going on for a long time and I promised G-Dad I’d stick with her no matter what.”

  “Did you mean what you said earlier?” she asked him.

  “Of course. You can trust me on that one.” He replied.

  “That settles it then,” replied Molly. “Amelia, I’m in. Whatever it is.”

  “Er, it’s none of my business,” Rayn wondered. “But what could he have said that settled your mind so quickly?”

  “Oh, he’s just asked me to marry him,” Molly had confessed, failing miserably to hide her elation.

  “I hope you had the good sense to accept?” was Lucy’s contribution. Rayn had punched the air as Molly confirmed that she did. Amelia had been thrilled but remained distant from the untimely celebration.

  “Congratulations. A toast, then let’s dig ourselves out of this mess we’re in. Sorry and all that, but time is slipping away,” she reminded them.

  “And the police are very big on timings.” Volunteered Lucy.

  Lucy led the toast to Mrs. Orugo and George and another one to Molly and Nigel with over-generous shot. “Now,” said Amelia. “Rayn, we need some solid police proof excuses. What can you come up with?”

  Rayn’s eyes lit up like a fruit machine on ‘win’ as her brain switched to ‘deception mode’. “Why don’t we get a step ladder in there and then tear the curtains and make it look as though she had a domestic accident.” she suggested.

  “Rayn! We can’t do that.” Lucy was appalled by her suggestion. “It’s not right. It’s so cold and heartless.”

  “We have to, Lucy,” Rayn said. “We don’t want to be in jail for Armageddon and miss all the fun.”

  ***

  It was some twenty minutes later that the first police cars arrived.

  “Right, everyone,” Amelia had remarked. “The curtain’s going up. We’re on.” What a day, she thought. I’ve been well supported by the good, dealt with the bad, and all I have to do now is dance with the ugly.

  “Hello Inspector,” she said. “How nice to meet you again”

  “Well, well, well,” smiled the Inspector. “I didn’t think it would be long before we met again. Didn’t I say so, Sergeant? Gut instinct, that’s what it was. I told you so. And I see the body count has gone up. Well, well, well.” He had single-handedly set the tone for the entire investigation.

  His entourage, the machinery of truth and justice burst into action. Interviews, statements, questions, timings. Lucy was right – they were very big on timings.

  Amelia adopted the role of a concerned child with no idea of what was going on. She was relieved that Rayn had followed suit and was quiet and demure, respectful and non-aggressive.

  Lorraine had arrived and rounded up the few staff that were on duty. They were mainly kitchen staff as there were no guests at the moment, and they hadn’t even been aware of the events. She’d explained the function of Tetherington Hall, a non-profit-making research and development facility for the Botanical Society. “Quite harmless and very successful”, she added.

  It was about an hour later that the inspector homed in on Amelia. “I’m glad your mother is all right,” he said to her. Amelia felt some comfort from his compassion, a quality she’d believed he lacked. “What’s with the wheelchair? Are you hurt?”

  “Not really,” she answered, with a half-smile. “I fell off a horse.”

  “Really?” he said. “I’ll get one of our medics to take a look at you, just in case.”

  “Actually, I’d rather not. I also tore the backside out of my jeans and it’s a bit embarrassing.” She definitely wasn’t having some paramedic rummaging around in the places that really hurt.

  He laughed and then continued. “That knee looks very swollen. You did that falling of your horse?”

  “Yes, so it seems,” she answered.

  “What I don’t understand is,” said the inspector, quite deliberately, “how did you manage to jump off and run up here to the second floor with injuries that now prevent you from walking?”

  “I’ve no idea, Inspector. Why?” Amelia was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable at the inspector’s line of questioning.

  “Well,” he said. “The only other person here, according to you, was your friend Rayn. She’s left a detective’s dream, namely muddy footprints all over the place. Now, she came up the stairs, but two at a time. So she wasn’t carrying you. And there are no footprints in the lift either. There are conditions that can cause someone to lose all sense of pain, but these are pretty extreme and need an awful lot of urgency. What do you say to that?”

  Amelia felt her insides implode as she realised she had vastly underestimated this man. She had, like others no doubt, been taken in by his ‘seen it all, couldn’t care less’ attitude. The eyes that scanned her now were sharp and intelligent. Amelia knew she was in a corner.

  “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, Inspector,” was all she could say. She needed time to think, but he wasn’t allowing her a second.

  By a stroke of luck, Dr Barrenborn arrived at that moment. She and Alyson had waited in the woods after the girls had left so abruptly, staying out of sight. Having seen the police arrive, they’d returned up the back trail. The climb up the wooded hill had been tough and slow going but, somehow, they’d made themselves look fresh and explained that they had been out for a walk.

  Dr Barrenborn acted the ‘Lady of the Manor’ with the Inspector, and after her initial shock at learning of George’s and Mrs Orugo’s deaths, two of her employees she assured him, she invited him to her office to discuss the legal implications.

  Amelia breathed a sigh of relief as they walked away. The Inspector turned to her. “I expect we’ll meet again, young lady. In fact, I’ve no doubt about it,” he added.

  When everything had died down the Inspector, having warned them not to leave the country, left them to it.

  Amelia, seeing Nigel hand Rayn one of the throwing knives asked “Where are the others?”

  He shrugged. “Dunno.”

  “I’m sitting on the belt with two of them,” she said. “That makes three. So there’s one more somewhere.”

  “No, that’s okay. I only had three,” said Rayn.

  “But what about the last one? The one you didn’t throw?” asked Amelia.

  “I couldn’t throw it. I didn’t have one,” replied Rayn.

  “What!” Amelia exclaimed.

  “I only had three. I just thought Ryxyl was so good I wondered if she knew anything about poker. Obviously not. She thought I had another ace and folded.”

  “I knew I didn’t like that woman,” said Nigel. “I’ve seen her around. She’s so pretty on the outside and so ugly on the inside.” Amelia wanted to laugh at Rayn’s audacity and Nigel’s acute observation, but the possible outcome of having Rayn’s bluff called rather took the humour out of it.

  “How come you had the knives in the first place?”

  “Mum threw them to me as I ran past the caravan. She was making the belt for me, but Nigel hasn’t finished all the knives yet. Don’t ask me how she knew I’d need a weapon.”

  “Rayn, you’d better get yourself cleaned up. You’re a mess.” Amelia pointed out.

  “Not until I’ve taken care of you, Mon Capitan,” said Rayn. She turned to Lorraine, who’d been surveying the damaged table. Her excuse was that two dr
unken guests had had a mock sword fight on it. “Thanks for your support, Lorraine. We’ll tell you what’s going on later,” she said.

  “No thanks Rayn,” Lorraine surprised her with her quick reply. “I come from the same school as Molly. The less I know the less chance there is of a mistake. Just tell me when the time’s right. Those cops are smarter than me. I can’t tell them what I don’t know.”

  “Thanks,” replied Rayn. “Is there somewhere we can take Amelia and get those jeans off? She’s hurt.”

  “Sure, we can go to the infirmary. I’ll get Dr Barrenborn to take a look.”

  “Not yet, we won’t,” interjected Amelia. “Just get me some pain killers, would you please? I need to speak to that woman. Where is she?”

  Lorraine was taken aback by Amelia’s animosity. “She’ll be in her office, I expect,” she replied. “Do you want me to get her?”

  “No,” answered Amelia. “Take me to her. Rayn, you’re with me. Then we’d better give Mum her wheels back.”

  “She’s okay,” Rayn told her. “My mum’s been briefed and she’s in with her. The bodies have been removed and they’re working their way through the rest of that brandy. And I don’t blame them.”

  ***

  Dr Barrenborn’s office had once been a sumptuous library. The mahogany book cases were mostly empty now, the books replaced with plastic box files and folders. A simple office desk sat at the far end supporting a laptop and a jumble of office paraphernalia including unfinished paperwork laying scattered about its surface. There were several other desks around, smaller, but similarly loaded, and many chairs.

  The lighting was, again, neon. The walls and ceiling were plain white and the only attempt to preserve any of the Victorian aesthetics was the open stone fireplace and the doctor’s chair, an ornate carver with luxurious upholstery. The whole room was functional except for that chair, in which the doctor obviously spent a lot of her time.

  She was sitting in it now, stern and forbidding. Rayn parked Amelia squarely in front of her and then stood to one side, matching Miss Collins’ position. There was silence.