Page 66 of Day Break

I stopped next to them and was shocked at the destruction I saw inside. My sister’s clothes lay in piles on the floor, cut into pieces. All of her trinkets and pictures were sliced or destroyed.

“What the hell?” I asked, feeling my heart sink.

“Byron was trapped in the pantry somehow,” Chloe said softly. “When I let him out, he led me here.”

“I didn’t hear a thing,” my grandfather said. “You know I sleep like the devil, boy.” He touched my shoulder. “Even if Byron was barking at whoever did this, I didn’t hear a thing.”

“He was locked in the pantry downstairs,” Chloe said again. “Someone locked him in there.”

“Who?” I felt my anger grow. “Why?”

“The back door was unlocked,” Chloe said, meeting my eyes. “Whoever did this last night must have used it to get in.”

Suddenly, I understood. When I’d carried her out last night, I hadn’t locked it. I’d been too preoccupied.

I stepped inside the room, glancing around. All of the furniture was there, but it was shoved aside.

“George, why don’t I take you downstairs?” Chloe said suddenly. “Get you something to eat?”

I turned and realized how pale my grandfather’s face was.

Leaving the destruction behind, I took my grandfather’s arm and helped him downstairs.

“Should we call the police?” Chloe whispered as she made my grandfather a cup of coffee. He was sitting on the sofa with Byron lying beside him.

I thought about it and then glanced around the rest of the house. Nothing looked out of place. Still, I wanted some time to check for myself.

“Give me a while. I’ll look around and see if anything else was disturbed. If not…” I shook my head.

“You think this was someone in your family?” she asked softly.

I shrugged. “If nothing else was taken, then yes.”

“Why?” she asked, shaking her head.

“That’s the question.” I sighed and took the cup of coffee she offered me.

An hour later, my family arrived. At this point, there was no doubt in my mind that one of them had destroyed Sherry’s things. Not a single thing in the rest of the house had been disturbed.

The only question still in my mind was why.

I’d convinced my grandfather to allow me to toss them all out for the rest of the week. After all, in two days they were all heading back to the city until Monday anyway. Or so they claimed.

“Chloe, why don’t you help my grandfather back upstairs so he can rest?” I suggested when I saw their car pull up outside.

The group strolled in as if they owned the place, no doubt expecting breakfast and hot coffee. I stopped them from heading back to the kitchen.

“Grandfather has requested an empty house until Monday,” I said, standing my ground. “Why don’t you spend some of your time at the house you rented instead of here.”

My aunts and uncles laughed at me, then waved me off and tried to pass by. I held out my arms.

“Okay, so we’ll do this the not so nice way. Out. Now. And don’t come back until Monday.” I pointed towards the door.

“Really, Lane,” My uncle laughed as my cousins once more tried to move past me.

I made a sound and caught their attention.

“Someone broke in last night,” I said, watching everyone for any reaction.