Chapter 6

I lay on the driveway and feel myself emotionally break like glass. My parents, all I had left aside from my grandmother are gone. I need to call my grandmother and gently tell her. I hope this doesn’t kill her. I will wait until after the funeral arrangements and all the paperwork has been handled. I feel like a shell of myself. This is oddly how we found my brother. Rumor has it, this is how the found my ancestor. Gabrielle had been brutally murdered in a similar fashion. It was in the mansion somewhere. rumor has it she was protecting a secret. Rumor, she fought with her attacker but, they overpowered her, and butchered her. Some family think she was pregnant. She had many suitors, some think that one of them was deranged and when she had been promised to Lord Hofer, and was expecting a child, that the person became enraged and murdered her. There was never anyone caught or convicted. This I fear is becoming a family curse. My great grandparents were also murdered later in life. They were living at the gatekeepers house when they were found in a similar way.

My grandmother was living somewhere else with my father. She raised him in Paris until her parents past. I have no idea about the details of my grandfather. She said that she fell in love with a wandering soul. She said once that he travels the world but, always eventually comes home to her, though he never stays.

After her parents died, she inherited the house and moved there. My father was raised on the estate but, never allowed near the Chateau. Grandma had put a fence around her property to make sure that my father had a safe place to play and was never out of her sight. My father moved to America for College. He attended Yale. He met my mother was daughter of a Oil tycoon. They fell in love and he chose to remain in America. He would go back to France for visits but, after the incident with my brother, he didn’t return home for several years. He only went back to France because I begged him to see Grandma. When I was nearly killed by the wolves, he never let me go back.

From what I understand, he would visit during his business trips but, I was never allowed to visit France again. Now it looks like it’s the only home I have left. I will not stay at the estate with my grandmother. I will visit her like I plan but, I’ll find a house in a nearby town or city. Perhaps I can get a historian job somewhere nearby in France.

I arrange for a hotel in Bridgeport while I call my fathers lawyers and notify them of their untimely death. I also call my mothers parents. I do not call them grandparents. I have never liked them. My mother was a jewel in a sea of money mongers who believe that only the royal class, are noticeable in society. So, meaning, if you’re a family who does not come from high society. If you don’t make over 100 thousand a year, and you’re not trying to grow yourself towards more money so you can afford to be at the top of the chain you’re a poor peasant that no better than the scum on their shoes. Like myself. I come from such wealth but, I chose an honest living. I chose to work in a position that only pays me 70 thousand a year. They ignore me. They see me as no better than a poor homeless person, and the only reason I would want to be near them is for charity. They think I would be begging for money, like poor people do in their eyes. All of the Gallow family are no better than Scrooge. If they knew the real history of my family, they would have found a way to buy the Chateau and rebuild it, to exploit their wealth and status. They would not keep it looking vintage, they would remodel it to look like a modern billion-dollar mansion. They’re so lustful for money and any chance to show it off, they’re disgusting.

I take a deep breath. I go back into the house. I go up to my parents room. I go into my mothers desk in her private study. I know her address book is here somewhere. I start going through everything she owns. I break at the same time. Everything smells like her. I’ll never get to hug her again. I’ll never hear her singsong voice again. I’ll never feel her warm embrace, or breath in the smell of her floral perfume. She’ll never laugh again, it was so melodious. She’ll never crack her inappropriate jokes when she’s had too much wine or gin mixed drinks. I cannot embrace that she’s gone. All of her hugs and kisses that I received every moment of my life.  My father, I’ll never smell his scent of peppermint and pipe tobacco. I’ll never hear his gruff voice that constantly showered me with love. I’ll never hear his attempt to sing with my mother while he could never carry tune. I’ll never hear them arguing over stupid shit. I’ll never again hear his yelling during a business call and slamming the phone cause he got pissed off.  I’ll never get to ride horses with him again! The pain ate at me raw in different ways than Owens’ betrayal. Why did I let Owen keep me away! I could have been here; I could have done something to help save them! WHY! I screamed into the nothingness of the room. Looking around their room, her silk gown still untouched laying on the bed, as if she was still going to wear it. I lightly touched it, willing her to come back.

I found the address book. I located “Richard and Dorthy Gallow” I shuddered looking at them. I knew it had to be done.

I pulled out my phone, dialed the number and cringed as the phone rang.

“Hello” My grandfather Dick answered.

“Grandpa it’s Katherine”  There was a brief pause

“Ah, the families little street urchin, what can I do for you? How much do you need?”

“I don’t need your fucking money” I bellowed. I couldn’t take his pompous ass right now.

“Temper temper, I assumed that you’re pissed and calling cause your parents rightfuly said no”

“I have never in my life ever asked my parents for money. I have a job that suffices”

“Not to mention your cheating rich fiancé” I nearly broke the phone

"Don’t act like you aren’t craving money” he said in disdain

“Don’t act like you know me!” I snarled.

“Well then what do you want!” he said in voice devoid of emotion.

“My parents are dead” I whispered

“what?” his voice was deadly calm.

“What did you do?”

“Why in the fuck do you think it’s me! I have not seen them in 2 years! Thanks to that fucking cheating fiancé”

“I heard about that, heard he did a number on your dad, and you ditched your family for an asshole.” He said in cold voice.

“Owen said if I didn’t choose him, he’d kill them. I thought I was sparing them.” I spoke the truth as I broke down.

“Like a foolish girl you chose the monster over those who loved you. I am done with your foolishness.”

“I’m sorry!” I said as I sobbed.

“Tell me what happened” he said sounding annoyed.

“I left Owen, I needed to get away. I was planning to stay here and then relocate to France by Grandma. When I arrived here hours ago, I found their lifeless bodies. Police are saying they appeared to be dead for some weeks. No one knew. They don’t know how or what happened. It’s a nightmare. They were butchered to death.” I said with a dead voice.

“NO! NOO!” I  My Grandmother scream on the other side of the phone. “NOT MY BABY GIRL!!” She kept screaming in agony. I was crying with her.

“We were wondering why we had not heard from her. The last time we talked she said that they were heading to France. Your dad was feeling guilty about leaving your grandmother alone for so long in her little house. She said with you living your own life in the city, they were going to prepare to move. I thought perhaps they were busy planning and moving. Dear God! NO!” he said as he broke. I cried with him.

“I will not stop until I find who is responsible. Do you hear me!” he shouted.

“I am not responsible. Police have accounted witnesses with my work and social life that I have been in New York for the past month.” I told him with a growl. “I would never do this. I loved them.”

“Then stop living like a homeless beggar, this is something a filthy beggar would do. Trying to steal anything they can to be rich.”

“I’m done with you all, you’re sick, you’re no better than Scrooge” I said as I hung up the phone.