Read Online Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates by KR BANKSTON - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: KR BANKSTON
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prayed he got lucky and found Lauren quickly as he surveyed the depth and width of rooms before him realizing if she had a mind to hide it would take him weeks to find her.
*****
Lauren was on a mission. She quickly put her book bag down in the hallway, emptying the contents onto the floor. Stuffing the 3k she had back into the small outer pouch, she picked up the otherwise empty bag and headed down a long marbled hallway toward the small room contained on the end. Lauren sighed deeply passing the master bedroom, refusing to even look in that direction. Her mind began screaming at her all the hell she’d endured there. Go wreck it, destroy everything in it, her vindictive nature was urging. Sighing deeply Lauren pushed it from her mind, at least for now. She had a goal to accomplish and was praying hard everything was still where she needed it to be. Reaching the small door, Lauren opened it, ignoring the loud squeaking. There was no one else in the house, so noise was the least of her worries. Standing in front of the now open door she smiled seeing all the linens, towels, soaps, and other household essentials looking back. Her heart lifted, knowing the secret was still safe.
The police and Federal Agents had searched the house of course and taken anything that resembled cash, bonds, or paperwork with which to indict her father. Finding this closet still intact let her know they hadn’t been as thorough as they thought. Quickly removing the linens from the middle shelf and tossing them discarded onto the floor behind her, Lauren flipped the shelf up, revealing what would appear to be a small crack in the wooden shelf. Sliding her finger along the crack Lauren pressed firmly at the base of the splinter, three times in rapid succession. The wall behind the linen closet began to slowly and laboriously slide open sending everything on the shelves in front of it crashing to the floor, revealing the large dark opening behind it. Lauren slung her book bag over her shoulder once more and stepped over the mess at her feet, venturing down the hidden staircase, using her hands along the wall to guide her. She had memorized the number of steps, carefully navigating all twenty-six of them before she reached bottom, feeling for, and finding the light switch, illuminating the room.
Lauren allowed her eyes to adjust to the light before looking around the room and finding everything exactly the way it was. She shivered involuntarily as her eyes glanced a corner and the contents it contained. Willing herself to look away, Lauren walked over to the coffee table enclosed and laid the book bag down. This was Carlo’s private haven. He came here to smoke his drugs and get high. He also did other unspeakable things here that Lauren didn’t want to think about. The furnishings were a far cry from the decadent extravagance of the main house. Everything in this room reeked of age and poverty. It was as if he were trying to resurrect some segment of his past. Lauren looked at the flower patterned side chair that Carlo for some reason loved and would never part with. It was a ragged shell of what it may have been back during its heyday. The fabric was tearing and the stuffing protruding out. It was dirty and in dire need of cleaning. Lauren had only been allowed in this room three times that she could remember, but the horrors contained were more than enough to keep her from wanting to come back. Today was different though. She had to come back. This was her ticket to freedom.
Sighing deeply she headed for the sink, opening the cabinet beneath it. She had to get on her knees to look under the massive double sided cavern that sat inside the cabinet and again feel her way between the two sides of the sink when she finally touched the small metal object she sought. Lauren quickly retrieved the key and rose headed to the other side of the room. As she got closer to Carlo’s special corner, she stopped, trying to summon the courage to walk into it.
*****
Lauren was on a mission. She quickly put her book bag down in the hallway, emptying the contents onto the floor. Stuffing the 3k she had back into the small outer pouch, she picked up the otherwise empty bag and headed down a long marbled hallway toward the small room contained on the end. Lauren sighed deeply passing the master bedroom, refusing to even look in that direction. Her mind began screaming at her all the hell she’d endured there. Go wreck it, destroy everything in it, her vindictive nature was urging. Sighing deeply Lauren pushed it from her mind, at least for now. She had a goal to accomplish and was praying hard everything was still where she needed it to be. Reaching the small door, Lauren opened it, ignoring the loud squeaking. There was no one else in the house, so noise was the least of her worries. Standing in front of the now open door she smiled seeing all the linens, towels, soaps, and other household essentials looking back. Her heart lifted, knowing the secret was still safe.
The police and Federal Agents had searched the house of course and taken anything that resembled cash, bonds, or paperwork with which to indict her father. Finding this closet still intact let her know they hadn’t been as thorough as they thought. Quickly removing the linens from the middle shelf and tossing them discarded onto the floor behind her, Lauren flipped the shelf up, revealing what would appear to be a small crack in the wooden shelf. Sliding her finger along the crack Lauren pressed firmly at the base of the splinter, three times in rapid succession. The wall behind the linen closet began to slowly and laboriously slide open sending everything on the shelves in front of it crashing to the floor, revealing the large dark opening behind it. Lauren slung her book bag over her shoulder once more and stepped over the mess at her feet, venturing down the hidden staircase, using her hands along the wall to guide her. She had memorized the number of steps, carefully navigating all twenty-six of them before she reached bottom, feeling for, and finding the light switch, illuminating the room.
Lauren allowed her eyes to adjust to the light before looking around the room and finding everything exactly the way it was. She shivered involuntarily as her eyes glanced a corner and the contents it contained. Willing herself to look away, Lauren walked over to the coffee table enclosed and laid the book bag down. This was Carlo’s private haven. He came here to smoke his drugs and get high. He also did other unspeakable things here that Lauren didn’t want to think about. The furnishings were a far cry from the decadent extravagance of the main house. Everything in this room reeked of age and poverty. It was as if he were trying to resurrect some segment of his past. Lauren looked at the flower patterned side chair that Carlo for some reason loved and would never part with. It was a ragged shell of what it may have been back during its heyday. The fabric was tearing and the stuffing protruding out. It was dirty and in dire need of cleaning. Lauren had only been allowed in this room three times that she could remember, but the horrors contained were more than enough to keep her from wanting to come back. Today was different though. She had to come back. This was her ticket to freedom.
Sighing deeply she headed for the sink, opening the cabinet beneath it. She had to get on her knees to look under the massive double sided cavern that sat inside the cabinet and again feel her way between the two sides of the sink when she finally touched the small metal object she sought. Lauren quickly retrieved the key and rose headed to the other side of the room. As she got closer to Carlo’s special corner, she stopped, trying to summon the courage to walk into it.
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