Drop of Doubt

by C. L. Stone

  The brown car was dim on the inside. I dashed across the street, trying to be obvious so I wouldn’t scare him. Part of me wanted to make sure it wasn’t Volto again, just in case I was wrong. The window rolled down as I got close. Mr. Morris peered out at me.

  “What the hell is going on?” he asked.

  “I was hoping you knew,” I said. I tried to think of something I could tell him that was honest. “We got here and the security system isn’t working.”

  “It hasn’t been working since earlier today,” he said. “Mr. Blackbourne and that tall kid hopped the gate, too.”

  My heart lifted. “So they were here?”

  “They’re still here,” he said. He pointed to a car parked a block down the road. “They showed up in that around four this afternoon. I’ve been waiting here for hours.”

  I didn’t understand. Did they give Mr. Morris the slip? But if that was true, they didn’t come back for the car. We hadn’t heard from them, either. Have they been here all this time? “Did anyone else show up?”

  “The rich one who lives here. He showed up. But the side gate opened for him. After that point, though, everything’s been quiet. Lights were going on and off inside at intervals.” Mr. Morris shoved a palm over his brow. His eyes drooped. “I’m about to give up. I need to get back. I’ve got class tomorrow. This whole thing is ridiculous.”

  “I can take over from here,” I said. “I went to the door and the maid basically said no one was home.”

  Mr. Morris shrugged. “Someone’s been up. The second and third floor lights keep switching.”

  I turned to the house, noting how the second floor had two windows lit up, as if someone were awake. A window on the third floor, from what I thought was the office, was lit up as well.

  My heart stopped. I wondered if Volto was up there now. Were we too late? Without security responding, he could walk right in.

  Mr. Morris sighed. “Fuck it,” he said. “I’m getting out of here. Let me know if anything interesting happens.” He started his car. He pulled out, but waited until he was down the street before he flicked on his lights.

  I stepped across the street quickly, heading toward the truck. Gabriel had the door open. “What in the world is going on?”

  “I think Mr. Blackbourne, North and Victor are inside. He said he saw them enter. Victor’s car was accepted at the gate. Mr. Blackbourne and North had to scale the wall.” I relayed everything else to them.

  Luke squinted. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. “I don’t like this.”

  “Well if they’re here, why are we?” Gabriel said. “They have this covered, right? It’s got to be they’re babysitting up there and they want us to pretend to be normal again. Maybe they’re waiting to catch him.” Gabriel curled his fingers at me. “Get in. We’ll get out of here.”

  I shook my head, stepping back. Something was wrong. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but if they had snuck in and hadn’t left for hours, there was a reason. I didn’t think we should leave them. “We need to get inside.”

  “Sang,” Gabriel said, his voice so commanding that I almost mistook him for Kota. “If you don’t get into this car, so help me god—”

  “No,” Luke said. “I want to go in, too.”

  “What?” Gabriel asked. “You’re crazy!”

  Luke’s face met mine. I don’t know how I understood him, but I did. He was asking me if I was ready for this, like how we broke into the house to steal the camera.

  “We have to be sure,” I said. “We need to know what’s going on inside.”

  THREE AMIGOS,

  TO THE RESCUE

  Luke pulled the SUV up the road and around the corner, trying to make it look like we’d taken off in case anyone was watching from the house. He parked in front of a shop that was closed for the night.

  “You all are nuts,” Gabriel said. “We’re going to get shot at.”

  “No one’s here to shoot us. Stay behind if you want,” Luke said.

  Gabriel made noises like he wanted to curse but they jumbled together into one smashed up word.

  I followed the boys across the street, and to the edge of the wall. The neighborhood was quiet. I heard the echo of a tiny dog voicing his opinion. My lips parted and I found myself yipping back at it under my breath.

  Gabriel chopped me on the head.

  Luke pointed to the corner of the wall. “We should scale the wall instead of going over the gate,” he said. He hunched down, putting his hands out. “Gabriel.”

  “I hate you both,” Gabriel said, though stage whispering now. He dropped his foot into Luke’s palms. Luke boosted him. He waited, sitting on the wall. I was next and Luke and Gabriel lifted me until I was on the wall.

  Gabriel shifted, keeping himself on the wall by his stomach. He dropped his hands, reaching for Luke. Luke backed up, took a quick run at the wall. He seemed to nearly bounce off the wall, running up it before he snagged Gabriel’s hands. Gabriel gripped him, hauling him up.

  When Luke was up, he dropped down quickly on the other side. Gabriel followed, landing next to him on the grass and spilling out. I didn’t wait for them, I dropped, landing on my hands and knees next to them, tucking myself into a short roll, knocking into Luke on the ground.

  Luke chuckled. “Did anyone mention you fall like an angel?”

  “Or a bag of rocks?” I asked. “That’s what it feels like. I’m good at crash landings.”

  Luke got up, wiped at his pants and then caught my hands, pulling me up.

  “Did I mention I hate both of you?” Gabriel said. He had his hand on his thigh. “I’m pretty sure I busted a stitch that time.”

  “Considering you got stapled,” Luke said, “that’s pretty impressive.”

  Gabriel halfheartedly kicked at Luke’s leg before he rolled onto his stomach and did a push up. He got up, leaning heavily on the good leg. “Okay. What now?”

  “Over here,” Luke said. He tucked into the corner of the lot. “Quiet mode from here on. I don’t want anyone on the inside knowing we’re coming.”

  We followed Luke who seemed to be able to see in the dark. He headed into the yard, along the edge, using the deeper shadows of the trees and bushes against the street lights and the thin glow of the moon through clouds. I couldn’t tell much about the layout of the massive yard. I stumbled along, seeking out Luke’s back, placing my hand on it so I wouldn’t lose him in the dark.

  He reached back, finding my hand and taking it in his. When Gabriel was close behind, I reached for his hand. He squeezed mine, holding on. This was what kept my heart from exploding, having them beside me.

  We slowed as we got close. We approached the broader part of the house. Luke led us toward the front, but kept to the shadows along the edge. He hefted himself onto the porch, and then climbed the ledge of the handrail that surrounded the porch. He inched his way to the corner by the outside wall. He motioned to me, pointing to the second floor balcony.

  I let him help me up the edge of the porch. When I was beside him on top of the handrail, he put his hands around my hips.

  I was about to turn, looking for what I was supposed to be grabbing on to when Luke swooped in on me. I felt his lips press to my face. He lingered only for a moment, kissing my cheek, warming my skin.

  I stopped, forgetting what I was doing, blinking wildly out into the darkness. My heart had been pounding, but with Luke and Gabriel there, I was okay. Suddenly my heart was so loud in my ears, I thought everyone could hear it.

  Luke pulled back slightly, but his lips found my ear. “Be careful,” he whispered.

  I squeezed his arm, as if to tell him I would without saying so out loud.

  He clutched at my hips, lifting me. I grabbed for the edge of the house wall. Luke paused, seeming to balance himself. When he was ready, he lifted me higher, pushing me by my thighs. He inched me up further, and I reached for the ledge of the second story balcony. When I was able to grasp it, I pulled one of my legs away from Luke, p
lanting my foot on the side of the house, using the angle to heave myself up.

  When I was able to grip the posts of the second floor balcony railing, I was able to continue on my own. I landed as quietly as I could on the balcony. The moment I did, I had to sink down, as there was a window, and the light was on inside. I glanced back once at Luke, who was helping Gabriel up. I slipped over to the window, crawling on my hands and knees, low to the concrete porch floor. I rose slowly to try to peek inside.

  There was a queen-sized bed with an opulent headboard pushed against the wall inside. The bed was unmade. The sheets were white, the bedspread looked like something I’d seen in magazines, quilted and expensive. Had someone woken up? The overhead light was on, and a door on the far side was open into a lit bathroom. The inside of it was in disarray, with a couple of towels on the floor and one of the rugs bunched up at an awkward angle like someone tripped on it and never bothered to fix it.

  Gabriel crashed into me, knocking me away from my view of the room. Luke appeared quickly after him.

  Gabriel started to open his mouth, but Luke was on top of him quickly, cupping his hand over his face. Gabriel glared at him.

  Luke signed to me one-handed, “See why I brought you along last time?”

  I signed back. “You never taught him sign language?”

  Gabriel grunted, impatient.

  Luke grinned. He started signing. “We should pretend we’re talking about him.”

  “Stop talking about me,” Gabriel whisper-whined.

  I pointed to the window, signing to Luke that no one appeared to be inside. He picked up his head, gazing in and scanning the room. Gabriel popped up next to him, doing another scan and then inched his fingers along the window. Luke helped, and together they started to lift. They stopped short. The window was latched from the inside.

  “Shit,” Gabriel whispered. Luke elbowed him. Gabriel elbowed back, twice as long, twice as hard. “Stop it.”

  Luke reached into his pocket, pulling out what looked like a wallet. He attached two pieces together, and formed a long tool that looked almost like a screwdriver but much thinner. He wedged it between the two panes of window, where the latch was in the middle. He started wriggling it. Within a minute, he’d moved the latch out of the way.

  Gabriel and Luke tried again. The window lifted only half way, but they stopped there. Luke turned back, motioning to me. He signed, “Get inside.”

  I was the lightest, so I wouldn't make as much noise. I let Gabriel hang on to me while I wedged myself in. Climbing to the second floor and sneaking in a window with boys following me. I had a small bit of déjà vu.

  I landed on the floor, trying my best to ease my body weight down. When the floor started to creak, I slipped my foot further along the rug, finding a more solid spot that didn’t make a noise. I planted my foot down, putting my full weight there, and dropped my other foot down on top of my first, balancing in the single spot. I slipped my foot out, testing the floor to find another space I could step without making a sound. It took a minute to find, as it seemed every inch started creaking the moment I touched it. It was louder than I expected.

  Gabriel waited patiently, but when I found a second spot, I moved from my first, and he took it. I found a third, and Luke was able to get inside.

  Luke shut the window. He turned to me and held out three fingers, pointing up, then pointed to me. He wanted me to check out the third floor.

  Gabriel held up a two. He’d check the second floor.

  Luke signed to me with his hands. “See if you can find Victor or the others. If not, lock yourself inside Victor’s office. We’ll come to you.”

  I nodded. If Volto was up there, I could make a lot of noise and send them all up after him. If he wasn’t, I could do things to the door, wedge a chair up under it somehow. It would stop him getting in. I was glad I was getting the third floor. I didn’t want to bump into Victor’s father just in case I was wrong about his parents being gone.

  Before I moved, I started listening for house sounds. Over my heavy heartbeats, the boys’ breathing and the unfamiliar environment, it was difficult to tell if anyone might be close by.

  I slipped across the floor, but slowly, as there were some spots that creaked louder than others. I aimed for the closest wall and hoped the floor around the base of the wall was more stable.

  Gabriel and Luke followed me, stepping where I did. My shadows. They trusted my judgment on where to step. It made me wish Luke had taken the lead. I didn’t trust myself that much and thought he could possibly do better.

  The hallway was dim, but we were close to the back stairwell. We stood in the shadows. Now that I was supposed to go my own way, I didn't want to leave them.

  Luke found my hand, signing into it. "I'll come back for you. Promise."

  I squeezed his hand. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the pink phone. I took it, planting it into the cup of my bra. I understood. He wanted me to use it in an emergency.

  Gabriel separated from us, heading back to the hallway and easing open a door. Luke treaded softly down the stairs.

  I dropped my foot on the edge of the wood step to head up. It creaked. I stopped, sliding my foot over, testing to find another spot. Closer to the wall, I stepped down again. The creaking was quieter, but it wasn’t gone altogether.

  To help lessen the sound more, I tried distributing more of the weight of my body onto the rail along the staircase. It worked until I was about halfway up. The rail groaned loudly as I applied new pressure to a weak spot.

  I stilled, listening. Not hearing anything further, I crept up slowly along the wall.

  Victor’s third floor level was incredibly dark compared to the second floor. I waited at the top of the stairs, willing my eyes to readjust.

  When I managed to make out the edge of the hallway, I stepped forward. I wanted to check the open living area first before backtracking to check Victor’s bedroom, ending up in the office last.

  The living area was a little better for light because of the windows that emitted a little glow from the moon. An easy scan of the room let me know no one was inside.

  I was about to go back to the hall when I heard footsteps. Part of me wondered if it was Gabriel or Luke, but I didn’t want to take a chance being caught alone. I sidestepped out of the hallway again, pressing my back against the wall just inside the living room space.

  Footsteps came closer. I dodged into the kitchenette area, ducking under the counter. I found an empty space under the little sink, and slid in.

  Curled up, I waited, holding my breath.

  A light went on in the room. I inched a little out, trying to spot what was going on.

  Muriel stood still, her back turned to me. She studied the room for a moment. After a minute, she left the area, heading back into the hallway.

  She came into the room just to turn on a lamp? I eased myself out of my hiding space, crawling quietly until I met the hall.

  Muriel had her head inside of Victor’s office. She stood there a moment, as if scanning the area, but flicked the light off and closed the door again quietly. She turned around, went for Victor’s bedroom door, peeked inside for a moment and paused before slipping into his bedroom and closing the door behind her.

  Was Victor in there? Did he invite her inside? Still, I hesitated. She was up really late already, and now she was being really odd. I didn’t know what maid duties were, or what Victor or the others might have asked her to do, but she had explicitly said we weren’t supposed to be there. I wanted to know why without getting caught.

  I tiptoed down the hallway. I thought there might be more answers in Victor’s office, and since she just checked it out, I thought it’d be a safe place to stay for the moment. I wished we still had phones so I could text the others where she was, so Luke and Gabriel wouldn’t get caught.

  I used both hands to ease open the office door, holding onto the handle so it wouldn’t rock back into place. Luke had the right idea about holding door
handles open until you were inside.

  I did my best to step into the room by slowly shifting my weight against the floorboards. The moment I started to hear groaning, I stopped, sliding my foot further to the left then forward to find a quiet spot. Once I had one foot in the door, I was able to step my other foot right on top of the first, balancing.

  I heard Victor’s door opening. I assumed it was Muriel, because the footsteps sounded similar. I had to hold on to the door handle, keeping it twisted, but pushing the door back into place so it looked closed.

  From what I could hear, she stood in the hallway for a moment. I readied myself to make a run for Victor’s desk and hide behind it if needed.

  Muriel moved on down the hallway and toward the back stairs. I could only hope Luke or Gabriel weren’t on their way up.

  I eased the handle back, just in case. I turned my back to the door.

  The darkness was heavier here than in any other part of the house so far. It took some study to identify the edges of specific things in the room. The outline of the double doors that opened to the balcony stood out as the tiniest cracks of light found a way inside, the only light in the room. I found the desk, part of the slim bit of light reflected on the surface. I caught the ticking of the backward clock and found the lump of its shadow still on the desk, almost dead center.

  If Volto wanted access, I may have just arrived before he did. Not unless he put the clock back in the same position. He was smart enough to do it, but I wasn’t sure why he’d bother. He seemed to like to show off.

  I moved forward into the room. I thought it’d be easier to hide in the closet to wait for Luke.

  I stopped short when a darker shadow blocked my path between the work tables and the desk. From the shape, I thought it was the rolling chair. When I checked though, Victor’s chair was still behind the dragon desk.

  I willed my eyes to focus, but I was on the opposite side of light coming through between the double doors of the balcony and the outline confused me as to what it was. Without turning on the overhead lights, I needed to get around it to get any sort of additional light.