The story continues...
Bethany found Edmund walking back up towards the house from the woods. "Edmund, where have you been?" she exclaimed.
"Walking," he replied, frowning.
"You must be careful," Bethany said and even Ed had to admit that she had a very worried look on her face.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"It's not safe out here,"
"Its day time," he said, rolling his eyes at her.
Bethany let out a large sigh, crossed her arms against her chest and said, "I was attacked near the gazebo a few weeks back.”
"Are you all right?"
"Yes; Yes. I was jogging; it was just barely sunrise. Although I have this scar," she said, pulling back her hair and revealing a thin jagged scar across her collarbone.
"On God, Bethie. You called the police. Please tell me you reported it," Ed said, his mouth dry.
"Yes, of course. Mother had a fit. You know she doesn't want the Spenser name associated with the police. She hired a detective, too. But both he & the police found nothing. No trace of the man dressed in black with a knife."
Ed hugged Bethany and whispered, "I'm so glad you are okay, sis."
"It has been strange around here," Bethany said as they entered the house. Ed gave her a quizzical look.
"There are dogs barking; angry dogs barking,” she said.
“Did mother get new dogs?"
“No," Bethany said, “And the nearest neighbor is four miles away.”
Ed grasped her hand in support.
"I feel like I'm being followed," Bethany continued in a soft voice, just above a whisper.
Her statement was apparently not a whisper because their sibling William met them in the foyer and snapped, "Not the ‘I’m being followed thing’ again.”
Ed’s mouth gaped open. His brother younger by 3 years had always been a bit cruel, but he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Abby was in the upstairs hallway when she heard voice raised in anger; she stopped at the top of the stairs. She stayed on the ledge and peered over down into the foyer. She saw Ed, Bethany and a man whom they called William. She quickly figured out that William was their brother. William was shorter and had a much more stocky build compared to Ed's lean tall frame. William had dark brown hair clipped close to his scalp and five o’clock shadow on his face. He was dressed in a 3 piece suit in dark grey. Abby watched his mannerisms during the heated discussion about safety at the house. She could not help but realize that William thought he was the center of the universe. The talk of strange dog howling also made her remember the strange nightmare she had months back. In her dream she was in a strange wood; Ed told her to run from what she couldn’t be sure, but it howled and frightening red eyes. Abby shivered slightly at the recollection of the dream.
William announced," I have a job opportunity for you in my company's law department."
"I have a job," Ed said, his face growing red in anger.
"You need a job as an attorney." William snarled.
''I'm an electrician now. I have my own company," Ed pleaded.
"That's not a job. That’s a pathetic excuse to occupy your time," William said, obviously pleased with himself.
Abby watched as Ed's expression turned from anger to shame. Ed raced up the stairs past Abby. He couldn’t look at her; if Abby had disappointment on her face, Ed knew he just could not handle that. Abby reached out and grasped Ed’s hand in hers but Ed couldn't meet Abby caught his hand but Ed let it slip and returned to the suite.
Seeing Ed in such anguish brought hot tears to Abby’s eyes.
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