The Bet

“Not very well,” she said. “I have met grandma’s neighbours, and a few of the locals.”

“Albert Kempton?”

Estelle shook her head.

“Martin Higginbotham?”

Again, she shook her head.

Myles sighed.

“Doctor Sanderson?”

Her eyes popped wide. “The doctor?”

Myles nodded and heaved a sigh. “I had my doubts about bringing you here at the time, I must confess. Now that I have seen what they are doing, I have no hesitation in believing I would have placed you in even more danger had I left you at his house. He was at one of the points of that pentagram.”

“Good Lord,” she breathed.

“Your grandmother isn’t seeing him, is she?”

Estelle shook her head. “No. I am pleased to say that my grandmother is in fine fettle.”

“Good, that’s good then.”

Estelle followed him out of the small room. “It explains how they have gotten hold of opiates, doesn’t it?”

“It does indeed,” Myles sighed. He opened his mouth to say something else only to pause. A frown appeared on his brow as he listened.

“What’s that?” The small hairs on the back of Estelle’s neck began to prickle. She glanced back into the room they had just left.

“It sounds like a kitten or something.” The faint mewling cry was haunting, but close by, she was sure of it.

“This way,” Myles said. Grabbing her hand, he followed the direction of the noise only to stop outside of a door at the far end of the hallway.

“It’s in here,” she whispered.

Myles tried the knob on the door but the door was locked. Strangely, the key was still in the lock on the outside. Turning it, he shoved the door open.

“Good God! Isaac!”

He charged into the room and dropped to his knees beside his cousin, who lay prone on the floor, the back of his head covered in blood.

“Who did this to you? When? How long have you been here?” Myles cursed.

Isaac stared dumbly up at him for a few moments.

“Can you hear me?”

“Of course I can,” Isaac grumbled. “Stop asking me bloody questions.”

Myles slumped with relief at his cousin’s sarcasm. It was a welcome assurance that his relation was indeed well enough to be lucid, if a little out of sorts.

“Help me up.” Isaac held his hand out.

“Are you sure? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Isaac assured him that his head hurt like the very Devil was sawing on it but, other than that he was fine.