THE SECRET ROOM

Kiah stared at Lisa as she was being dragged away by the police. Unbelievable! "So Lisa was also a spy?" Kiah thought to herself.

"She was caught this morning trying to open the safe in Tia Kincade's room... Poor lisa, no-one could believe she was a spy though she acted weird at times." Maria remarked.

 "who caught her?" kiah asked maria.

"it's that crazy Adrianna." maria frowned as she replied. "what do you mean crazy?" Maria hurriedly covered kiah's mouth checking around for anyone nearby. 

"You didn't hear this from me" maria said giving kiah a stern look. Kiah nodded and leaned to hear what she had to say.

"Rumours has been going around that she was put in a drug rehabilitation clinic to get over her addiction and..." Just before maria could continue, head maid Carly requested for the attentions of all the maids in the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~

<In the kitchen>

Head maid Carly was breathing hard, the bossom of her proper gray uniform rising and falling in the most interesting fashion. She narrowed her eyes and leaned back on the counter.

"It was made clear in the agreement each of you signed before coming here that all things that happens in the house must be kept a secret and I know there are still some spies amongst you... Do you even know what will happen if you get caught? —you can't even imagine what will." 

She shut her eyes to take a breath and continued, "Don't jump out of your skin when it happens... You guys should leave, get back to your work."

She said as she dismissed them.

Kiah went to Jeff's room to clean. she decided not to search his room until the tension in the house was calm. Immediately she was done cleaning, she headed to the basement.

(In the basement)

Everywhere was dark when she entered. she switched on the torch and started searching for the bed Louis Kincade and Rosita used the day they entered the basement. "Could there be a secret room here, she thought."

The basement was supposed to be dirty and dusty, but it wasn't as the whole place looked clean. Since it was a large basement, she didn't know where to search. She went over to the pile of boxes left at a corner but found nothing. She looked around and spotted the tool box on the bookrack. 

Her hands couldn't reach so she jumped to take it and there, she hit her leg on something. She bent over to check and found a framed water colour which captured the spirit of a horse and it's fluid speed.

Against the background of High-views capped mountains, a magnificent roan stallion raced across a verdant valley; head up, mane blowing in the wind, mighty hind quarters bunched for next bounding leap, the animal epitomised independence, achievement and boldness.

She recognised the painting almost immediately. it was the painting she lost to an higher bidder in an auction in Miami. 

"So it was one of the Kincades who bought this and it later ended up in the basement" She said to herself.

She placed the painting back to its former position and as she was about to stand, she noticed the bookshelf shift away.

Surprised, she pushed it and a passage surfaced. She entered looking where it led to. At the right side, she saw a door.

"Wow, there's a door here" She said in her mind.

She slid through and shut it slowly. Taking a look at the room, she found a bed in the center. "Is this the place where Louis and Rosita do their thing?" she thought.

So she could have a proper look at the room, she looked for a switch box which she found at the right side of the door. The light went on and the whole room was bright.

The only thing in the room was just a bed, wardrobe and a bathroom. As she was moving towards the bathroom, she heard the tap running.

Flustered, she ran to hide but it was too late as the person had already opened the bathroom door. Her legs froze on the spot as she turned to see Adrianna. Freaked out, Adrianna dropped rhe doughnut box in her hand.

"Wh....wh...what are you doing here?" She asked kiah as she bent over to pick the doughnut box.

"I came here to get the tool box, are you okay?" Kiah asked moving towards Adrianna stretching her hand. Kiah noticed her wincing in pain and clutching her stomach.

"How did you get into the room?" Adrianna asked looking at kiah. "The shelf shifted" Kiah replied as she wondered in her mind why Adrianna was in the room.

"Okay, fine! Don't tell anyone you saw me" Adrianna said and left, leaving only kiah in the room.

Kiah in hurry checked the wardrobe but it was empty. She closed it and went out of room.

She picked the tool box and later left the basement.

"I need to find out what Adrianna was doing in the room and why the room is there."

~~~~~

A flamboyant sun was setting and soon, the solar light would automatically be on to brighten up the darkness. Kiah was free because the Kincades wouldn't be having dinner together. She was on her way to the maids quarter when she stumbled upon a Siamese.

"Hey sweetie... Where are you from?" she said picking up the cat. The cat rubbed its fur against her and tried to leap out of her hands gesturing for her to put her down. The cat ran towards the hacienda garden and kiah ran following it.

She blinked her eyes fast for better adjust to the dark and found a suprise waiting for her in one of the two rocking chairs.

Adrianna sat with a gray tabby cat in her ksp and the siamese at her feet. "Hey there!" Adrianna drawled. "I didn't know she could bring you here."

"What was Adrianna's reason for waiting around? Was she here to talk about the incidence in the room?" Kiah asked all these in her mind.

"Is there something i could do for you?" Kiah asked staying at the opposite side of Adrianna.

"I didn't think you would meet me in that room" Adrianna swept her hand over the tabby, sending a hint of kitty dander wafting into the night air as her bracelets jingled.

Even covered in cat hair and a light sheen of perspiration, Adrianna was a stunner, totally gorgeous no matter what she wore. She would have been the first runner-up in the miss Texas pageant some years ago. it was reportedly the first beauty competition she'd lost.

Her mother had teased her hair up and sent Adrianna on the stage just when she was four. She tap danced her way through puberty into bikinis and spray tans. Kiah knows very well how Victoria Kincade had loved for her daughter's wins.

Kiah settled into the ceder racker beside Adrianna and her cats. 

"I want to ask for a favour" Adrianna kicked off her sandals and stroked the kitty at her feet. "Don't tell anyone you saw me in the secret room"

"Okay and of course I've thought over it... Why would you eat doughnuts in the toilet? Can't you eat it in your room?" kiah asked looking at Adrianna who was looking gloomy.

She blinked back the tears in her eyes and looked away, her sleek ponytail trailing over one shoulder. "I refuse to tell anyone what is happening to me but let me tell you one thing" Her throat moved with a long swallow before she looked at kiah again, her eyes cleared of grief.

"There are lot of things happening in our family that others don't know. They think we are a happy one."

"Why are you telling me this?" kiah asked. Adrianna's perfectly plucked eyebrows arched upward. "I don't even know why I'm telling you."

The former beauty queen spread her hands. Her hair swished over her shoulder, the porch light catching on the gems in the Aztec design of her hair clamp. 

Adrianna's hand slid away. "just keep what i said in mind, that's all i ask." Cradling her cat in her arms, she stood. "Goodnight and thanks for listening to me." she said as she disappeared into the mansion.

Kiah staring at Adrianna, thought about their discussion and remembered that she had go find the box soon and get out of the Kincade's family issue.