The voices started to fade as the men got further away. Two levels below, Abby and Evan were trying to keep their balance on the window sill of his neighbor. He had many questions for her.
They went down two levels so it was no problem to go two more. Evan almost fell but she caught him in time. Luckily, the building wasn't tall and they had strong and large window sills. But they had to be careful how they were falling because one wrong move could get them killed.
When Evan got on the ground, he felt like he didn't have any power in his legs anymore.
"Your height is a problem because it adds to the weight of the sill." She commented casually.
"I'm not going to apologize for my height." He responded, a little bit offended. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWDwJIC1sP
She chuckled and patted his back, though she might have done it a bit to strong and felt more like a slap than an encouraging gesture.
"You did a good job for a beginner but that's the least of your concerns." 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQkEpAywWP
He didn't like how that sounded one bit.
"What are we going to do? They know where I live and I'm sure they know where you live too. We have nowhere to go."
Evan became very talkative now that their feet were on the ground and no one was following them anymore.
He was rambling on and on about this and that but Abby's mind was a very organized place and she knew exactly how to plan stuff like that. Firstly, they had to find a safe place and the only one she could think of was her home. Unfortunately, there was a big chance for her father to be there.
She glanced at Evan who looked tired from jumping on window sills and remembered just how strict he was as a person and how hardworking he was.
"Let's go to my house." She said, coming to a silent agreement with her pride.
Evan didn't know what to expect -and maybe didn't really have any expectation- but reality was amazing. They were in Solihull in a place were mostly politicians were living. They stopped in front of a big gate at the end of the street and she called the intercom.
"Who's there?" The person inside sounded more tired than he was.
"Abigail." They didn't hear anything for a few minutes. She rolled her eyes and called again. "Come on, mum. Open up!"
"I'm not the one who left home in the middle of an important internship and then got into scandals!" Her mother sounded furious. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuL8Z0cpDg2
Abby glared at the little device, an expression that Evan has never seen before on her face.
"If you don't open the door, I'll call the press and give them the details of that hanging case you hold so-" 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR8HxhsgB5
The intercom buzzed and the gate opened. Abby smiled and winked at a confused and a bit scared Evan.
"It feels surreal." He started once they entered, "I mean, you don't act like you are rich. I thought you didn't even finish high school."
"Look, there were some circumstances." 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoSfDC9Rcx
He nodded understandingly but didn't look convinced at all.
"What about your mother?"
"Ignore her." She answered. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuTWhpFhLs
When they got in front of the door, she grabbed his arm and pulled him back, rather strong for a woman her height.921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUO7elod9Hi
"I'm serious. Ignore her by all means. She is a sly fox and will try to get answers from you. It's better if we don't involve family." Abby added, looking into his eyes with such an intensity that he felt like he was being threatened.
"What do you want me to do? Run every time I see her?" He asked sarcatically, "I can't do that."
"Then agree with whatever she says. It's better than having a conversation. Act dumb or something."
“You’d know how to do that best, right?” He asked ironically.921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOXbFJ8jtO
She narrowed her eyes at him as she walked deeper into the mansion.
Surprisingly, no one was there to welcome them. Actually, it felt quite cold. As they got further into the house, he realized something.
“You don’t have butlers.” 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRJreNklMn
She didn’t respond to him because that was something petty to discuss about. However, Evan interpreted her silence as a sign that he probably hit some sensible chord and she was going to ignore him for the rest of the time.
That suddenly changed when she stopped in front of a door that led to the basement, from what he could remark.
“It’s locked, of course.” She tried it a few more times but the door didn't budge. “Stay here.” 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqsY5fRIP2
Abby walked towards the stairs in the hall when suddenly she turned to look at him once again.921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4546IYKIv0
“If you see my mother, run.” She kept her firm gaze on him until she got up.
Evan sighed and rubbed his back. The house was big so there were slim chances for him to meet her mother. He walked into the living room and looked around, mesmerized by every piece of furniture, especially a certain painting hanging in the middle of the room. It was a family picture. It was curious how up class Abigail looked in it. Her father looked like a strict man, mostly because he was dressed in a military uniform.He was intimidating in a picture so he was probably worse in real life. On the other side, her mother looked very young and friendly.
“Hello.” 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO3uOCCUJ5
Evan froze, already having an idea who was behind him. He turned slowly and tried to act as nice as he could.
“Good evening.” He chuckled nervously. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbbmvvPsFi
The woman from the painting was right in front of him and she was still young and pretty. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem friendly at all; if anything, she looked ready to kill him.
Evan swallowed nervously and realized that maybe Abby was right.
Abby entered her old room and looked for that little music box she had long hid in the back of her drawer. She smiled when she found it in the same place.
“Abby,” 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7LCOrWYhL
Very slowly, the brunette glanced over her shoulder at the newcomer. She sighed in relief when she met Lucy’s smiley face.
“You scared me. Don’t do that serious voice ever again.” She said, hiding the music box under her shirt. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQlOiVwozL
Abby's intention was to quickly go into the basement without having any collateral damage but Lucy made that impossible by closing the door.
“I’m pregnant.” Lucy announced with a frown, "I'm going to have a baby."
"You don't say,"
“Um-“ 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IbTOguq1K
Abigail’s mother walked in and sat near the window. It was interesting how different she looked from her daughter: long blonde hair, slightly smaller face and pale skin.
“Are you from a poor family?” She asked bluntly.
“I wouldn’t say poor. We’re normal. My name is Evan. I’m a friend of your daughter.”
Mrs. Lincoln raised an eyebrow and moved one leg over the other. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99IDMaJdC1
“I heard that before. Maybe too many times. Are you involved with the mafia?” She asked, hitting a touchy subject.
“Not exactly. I’m a student; IT student.” 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaobew9KCh
Mrs. Lincoln looked him over and inspected him from head to toe before her eyes fell on his face.
“You don’t look like an IT student. You look like a playboy.”
She wasn’t holding it back, was she? Besides, it sounded strangely familiar.
“I-“ 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RigbRSWHI
She made a sign for him to shut up.
“Come and sit here.” She patted the place next to her. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUelhttM4hL
Evan walked there warily and sat next to her, his position as tight as possible.
“I’m not her boyfriend and I’m not a bad guy.” He said quickly, somehow finding that vital for his life.
Mrs. Lincoln raised an eyebrow and stared at him blankly.
“I know.” Suddenly, her whole face brightened as she leaned towards him. “Do you want to see baby photos of Abby?” 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrDEo8HnCI
What was going on?
“Why are you telling me this? Why not tell mom? She’s the doctor.”
Lucy narrowed her eyes at her sister, offended for some reason.
“She’s a forensic doctor. She works with dead bodies.” Lucy answered stubbornly, “So, what do you think I should do?”
“Tell her. She is a doctor, no matter what you say.” Abby kept her position in front of her younger sister, mostly because she really didn't want to get involved.
Lucy sighed and leaned on the bed.
“But I don’t want to get married yet! I have a project in Paris this winter!” She started to whine and act like a baby. That was normal since she has always been the most pampered one.
“You are a fashion designer. You can work if you’re pregnant and I’m sure mom won’t force you to get married.”
“But dad would. I’m going to stay with Matt for a while. I can hide there.”
Abby chuckled and leaned next to her sister.
“He’s always been our hiding spot.”921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvodbSL9FX
Their older brother had authority in front of their father so that was probably the only reason he was useful to them.
“Oh, by the way. You came with a guy didn’t you?” Lucy changed the subject, “Mum’s downstairs if-“ 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjvkuWG4lU
Lucy didn’t even finish her sentence when Abby sprinted out of the room. The former police officer was on the stairs when she heard her mother and Evan laugh.
“This is Abby?”
“She was a cute baby. I thought she was going to take after me but she went with her father.” Seeing the confused expression Evan had, Mrs. Lincoln continued, “She chose the academy against med school. Actually, none of my children chose my path.”
“You are a doctor?” Evan asked, taken aback by the amount of intelectual abilities that Abby could have.
“I’m a forensic specialist. I work at the morgue. But there are some amazing cases I worked on! Do you want to hear about them?” Her eyes enlightened and she became very excited. She definitely liked what she was doing. “I even have photos and if you’re interested enough, I have files containing some little parts of the corpses.” She leaned back and sighed happily. “I’m glad you came to visit.”
Evan admitted that he was freaked out a bit. Thankfully, Abby entered the living room, stopping a few feet from them while seizing her mother as if she was a drug dealer.
“Evan let’s go. I found what I was looking for.” She stated in a serious tone.921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO9ALVLr33
Mrs. Lincoln glared at her older daughter but didn't move an inch.
“Now, Abigail, don’t appear out of nowhere and scare me.” The young adult rolled her eyes. “Besides, I was sharing baby photos with your boyfriend.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Abby hissed. 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpWrziFFQt
Mrs. Lincoln chuckled and looked at Evan from under her long eyelashes.
“But I’d like him to be.” 921Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpj9PrDnXt
The poor boy blinked in astonishment. Something in her eyes was forcing him to agree with her which was even more peculiar. Evan swore he saw Abby do that before, during their runaways time.
Thankfully, Abigail interfered by changing the subject completely.
“Lucy has something to tell you. She’s waiting for you in her room.”
Mrs. Lincoln raised an eyebrow before she sighed heavily.
“She’s pregnant.”
Abby wasn’t surprised at all. Her mother was very perceptive; maybe too perceptive for their own good.
“Well, then,” Mrs. Lincoln got up and smiled at Evan. “If she wants to tell me, who am I to say no?” She grabbed the albums and placed them in the library.
Mrs Lincoln glanced at Evan for one last time before he walked towards her daughter.
“I like him.” She whispered as she passed her daughter
“Come on.” Abby urged, already fed up with everything.
Evan got on his feet and followed her to the same basement door. She drew out a small music box and opened it. It seemed the box was severly broken but it sounded hauntingly beautiful. Abby took a key from a secret compartment and unlocked the door. He took a step forward and leaned in for a peek.
“What’s down there?” He asked warily, reluctant to enter.
The brunette chuckled evilly and leaned over his shoulder.
“The basement.” She whispered before she started to laugh while walking in.
Evan could only stare at her and shake his head. That weird side of her was always kicking in mysterious situations.
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