Chapter 163
Isabel frowned slightly at the suggestion. “I’ll go in and see what’s going on. You keep watch outside.”
“Alright, but are you sure you want to go in alone?” Yolande asked, her voice tinged with concern.
“She’s unconscious, isn’t she? I’ll just check on her. You stay out here and keep an eye on things. If anyone arrives, let them in right away, understand?” Isabel instructed firmly.
“Got it,” Yolande replied, bowing her head so her expression was hidden.
Without another word, Isabel slipped inside the house.
Carole, having dropped Isabel off, had already left to fetch a doctor they both knew someone discreet who could help if things got out of hand. After all, Isabel never intended for anyone to get seriously hurt.
Yolande watched Isabel disappear inside, her face unreadable. With all the running around, dusk had already settled in. Isabel had been waiting for this hour; broad daylight would draw too much attention, and Effie might have slipped away if she’d tried this earlier. Now, with darkness falling, Effie was trapped-there was no way out.
The thought of Effie clinging to Lyman made Isabel’s blood boil. If Effie was tainted, would Lyman still want her? Isabel snorted at the thought, pushing it aside as she stepped into the abandoned cottage.
Inside, the shadows seemed impenetrable. She could barely see her own hand in front of her face. The floor was damp beneath her shoes, and the air was thick with the sour stench of rot and dust. Wrinkling her nose, Isabel covered her mouth and nose with her hand, her eyes darting around warily.
What a mess. Yolande really was hopeless-who kidnaps someone and doesn’t even think to bring a flashlight? The place was pitch black, not a single ray of light anywhere.
A shudder ran through Isabel. She stopped, hesitating, nerves prickling up her spine. She was about to call out to Yolande to fetch a flashlight when, suddenly, the door slammed shut behind her with a resounding bang.
Panic flared in her chest. Did the wind blow it shut? But there hadn’t been so much as a breeze all day. Something was wrong-very wrong.
She rushed to the door and grabbed the handle, tugging hard. It wouldn’t budge; someone had locked it from the outside.
Damn it. Isabel began pounding on the door. “Yolande? Are you out there? Open the door! Yolande, come on-let me out!”
She shouted until her voice was hoarse, but the only answer was silence-thick, heavy, impenetrable.
Frowning deeply, Isabel tried to make sense of it. What was happening? Why would Yolande lock her in? She hammered the door again, refusing to give up.
Wait-Effie. Was Effie even here?
“Effie?” Her voice echoed through the empty cottage, bouncing off the walls and coming back to her. No reply.
The silence pressed in on her, oppressive and absolute. It felt as if she were the only soul in the world. A growing sense of dread took hold, and her composure began to splinter. Was this some elaborate trap? Was someone turning the tables on her?
Where was Yolande? Isabel had brought her-there was no way Yolande would betray her. That was impossible… wasn’t it?
Her mind spun in circles, thoughts thick and sluggish. Darkness closed in from all sides, and she couldn’t stop shaking.
Just as despair threatened to swallow her whole, footsteps echoed outside. Instantly, hope blazed in her chest. She hurried to the door, calling out, “Who’s there? Open the door-please!”
Maybe Carole had returned with the doctor.
At last, the lock clicked and the door creaked open. Relief flooded Isabel-finally, someone had come.
But as she stepped forward, her heart stopped. A tall figure was silhouetted in the doorway. Before she could react, a second and then a third person filed in behind him…