Chapter four

“I told you!” Hadassah whispered to Isabella and she looked up at her with a suspicious look

“Told me what?”

“That something supernatural is going on. I finally got to the bottom of it, not the whole thing really, I think I might have stumbled upon another mystery but I managed to solve a personal mystery. The person who's been watching me all this while is not in my head, he's real and you'll never guess what he is”

Bella sighed in exasperation “a vampire?”

“A handsome vampire. God, Bella, you need to see him, he was breathtaking, those fangs, his eyes, it was like looking into hell fire. So intensely wicked yet so beautiful….”

“Are you okay? Did you bump your head or something?”

Hadassah rolled her eyes

“Do I sound like I'm hallucinating?”

“YES! You do sound like you're hallucinating, you've lost your damn mind. Are you aware that you're obsessed with a fictional character…”

“He's not fictional…!”

“Vampires aren't real!”

“He's real! I saw him, he was in my bedroom and he spoke to me. In case you don't believe me, I recorded our conversation last night.”

She brought out the recorder from her bag and played the conversation. When she was done, she gave Isabella a smug look as she put the recorder back in her bag.

“See? I told you”

“I still don’t believe you were talking to an actual vampire. For all I know, it could be a silly prank you’re trying to play on me.”

A hurt look crossed Hadassah’s face as she opened her mouth to explain but decided it was not worth explaining. If Bella didn’t want to believe her, then so be it

“I can’t believe you’ll think such a thing but it’s okay. I don’t need to prove or explain myself to you. All I know is, everything I’m saying is true.”

Bella said nothing else as Hadassah got back to work

__________

She was just checking out for the day when Gerald approached her

“Hey Hadassah, did you already check out the cemetery?”

“Not yet but I'm going tonight”

“Just be careful, I heard that place has a history”

“History? What kind of history?”

“You mean you don't know? Well, there's a reason that place has been abandoned for years. Take a look at this”

He showed her an article on his phone dated 15 September 1922, it read: ‘in line with recent events following the death of the Steiners, with no living heir or close family, the Steiner’s mansion would be auctioned off. The auctioning will take place on the 22nd of September 1922’

Three days later, a headline was posted in bold letters ‘MARCEL WILLOUGHBY AND FAMILY FOUND DEAD AND BURIED IN THE STEINER’S MANSION GROUNDS’

More headlines followed three days apart from each and they were all announcing the deaths of some very powerful people at the time.

Their bodies were always found buried in the Steiner's mansion with the same inscription ‘here lies a killer and his family’. The mansion became a no-go area after that. People became terrified of the consequences they'll face if they trespassed.

Soon, everywhere went quiet, there was peace and after a while, some people started moving into the neighbourhood and the government demolished the mansion to turn it into a cemetery since they could not sell the building.

*********

She looked up at Gerald with horror in her eyes as he dipped his phone back into his pocket.

“My great uncle used to tell me the story. He said that apparently, the Steiners were very important and powerful people in the state. Their father, Murphy Steiner was Mayor but he had competition. Marcel Willoughby. Marcel wanted to be Mayor so badly because he believed he was richer than the Steiners so he conspired with others in the government to kill the entire Steiner family.” Gerald explained

“And they did?”

“Yeah, the accident was staged by Marcel. They made sure the entire family was wiped out”

Hasdassah pondered deeply on that

“Did the Steiners ever had children”

“According to my great uncle, they had two children. A little girl, I believe she was not more than four years old and a guy.”

Hadassah's heart began to race when he mentioned a guy

“A guy?” she asked, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice

“Yeah, he was supposed to be the next Mayor after his father. I think he was 20 at the time?”

“Did your great uncle tell you the names of their kids?”

“I think so but… I can't remember” he said thoughtfully

“Think harder” Hadassah said impatiently and Gerald gave her a look of suspicion

“Sorry. I'm just curious” she said in a much calmer tone after noticing his expression

“Well, I think I remember. The little girl's name was Audrey… yes Audrey and Aamon Steiner” he said with a relieved smile and Hadassah's heart stopped for a split second.

“Did… did you say Aamon?”

“Yes, why?”

Hadassah tried to think but her mind was in a frenzy, could he be the same Aamon that was now a vampire? He did say he was turned into one and that he killed the vampire that turned him. Did he also kill his father's rivals? But he and his family were killed in an accident. A thought suddenly crossed her mind and before she knew it, she was voicing out her thoughts to Gerald

“Did they ever find the Steiner’s bodies?” She needed to know.

“Yes they did. Well, some of it to be precise”

“I know this may sound like a really ridiculous question but I need to know. Where were they buried?”

Gerald frowned as he eyed her suspiciously

“Why do you need to know?”

She had to think of something to cover up fast. She couldn’t let Gerald find out that she thought Aamon who’s supposed to be dead a century ago was alive and now the possible vampire killing everybody in town.

“I… er… I need to know for… the case!” She was impressed at how quickly she thought about that

“It was their house after all, and now it has become a place of terror and gruesome killings. It’s only right I know everything down to the roots, maybe I can find a connection”

“What does their grave has to do with anything…”

Now she was getting very pissed and impatient “I just told you, I need to see if there’s any connection and I need any and every information I can get. But you’re withholding information, that’s a serious offense even for you!” She snapped and that seem to convince him

“Well, if you’re really interested, you can look it up, my great uncle never mentioned where they were buried though he said a lot of people speculated there was a survivor but nobody has been able to prove it. I think you should look it up” He answered before leaving.

Hadassah got out her phone to do a research but just then Isabelle walked up to her and held her arms gently

“Hey, Hadassah, I’m sorry about earlier, I shouldn’t have said you’ve lost your mind and I definitely shouldn’t have doubted your recording…”

Hadassah didn’t want anyone to find out about Aamon just yet, including Isabelle. She had to cover him up till she figured things out

“Um… Isabelle, you were right. That recording was a prank”

Isabelle looked shocked as she said “what?”

“Yeah… um… I just wanted to prank you to see if you'll fall for it” she gave a short laugh “and you did. Gosh Isabelle, you're so gullible”

“So I was right?” Isabelle asked with confusion written all over her face

“Yep. You were right. Turns out it's really all in my head. I really should see a therapist, you know what? I'll go see one right away!”

She told a lost looking Isabelle while she wriggled out of her arms and bolted for the door.

“Therapist? But… hey, wait…”

She didn't bother waiting to listen to Isabelle as she hopped in her car and sped off.

_______________

Her mind was continually racing as she drove. She knew she was driving reckless but she just couldn't remain calm. It had to be Aamon, he's the same guy that was supposed to be dead more than a century ago. She decided that she'll go and see him and when she does, she'll confront him.

Yes, that's exactly what she'll do. She stepped harder on the accelerator as drove to the cemetery.