Westmoreland Manor | Chapter 8

“Please, we need someone here immediately, there’s been a murder,” said Caroline urgently. Her tone was controlled, but it was obvious that she was scared. The fact that she couldn’t find Paul was becoming increasingly worrying to her, and she found herself looking over her shoulder more than once while she was trying to contact the police. She chewed her bottom lip while the operator responded. “Yes, thank you,” she said, hanging up the phone. She let out a sigh of relief. The police apparently had a station just on the other side of the hill, and they’d be there shortly. It struck her as odd that they’d be within such close proximity of the house, but she pushed the thought aside, just thankful that they’d be out of the place soon.

She picked up the phone again, thinking to call Mary Anne to let her know what happened, but remembered that Mary Anne didn’t carry a cell, and she didn’t have her home number. She set the phone back down tentatively.

“I’m all packed,” he said nonchalantly. He was trying hard not to let the worry show on his face. Without any information on Cat or Jordan, he was growing extremely anxious. The house’s supposed emptiness only spurred on his fear.

The two jumped when the doorbell sounded. Goodness, that was quick, though Caroline, hurrying over to the large double doors. “Stay inside, Charlie, I’ll talk to the police outside,” she said. Charles didn’t feel like being treated like a child, but he didn’t argue. He sat on top of his suitcase and stared nervously at the ceiling.

“Thank you for being so prompt, officer,” started Caroline, trying to keep calm, “there’s been a murder. We found the body upstairs, and I can’t find my husband anywhere. I’m afraid something might have happened to him too.” She didn’t realize she hadn’t been breathing until she gasped after speaking. The police officer looked confused. She was a young woman of about twenty with tan skin, obviously dyed blonde hair, and an inexperienced look.

“Er… I think it would be best if you showed me where the body was,” she said, obviously growing more confident with herself. Caroline frowned slightly, but nodded and began to lead the policewoman upstairs.

“Wait,” said an authoritative voice from behind them. The two women paused and turned simultaneously. Mary Anne was standing at the end of the walkway, and was making her way quickly up to the pair of women. “I’ll take it from here, Dahlia; you can go back to the station.” She nodded once at the policewoman, but faced Caroline. Dahlia looked startled, but sighed in relief. Trying to look officious (yet coming up short), she gave Caroline a small nod.

“Have a good evening, ma’am,” she said, and was down the road in her police cruiser in a matter of minutes. Mary Anne walked briskly into the house, sweeping past Caroline with an unmistakable coldness. Caroline was confused by the older woman’s behavior.

“Annie, what on earth was that!?” she asked, her voice rising. It may have been Annie’s house, technically, but with a dead body and a missing person on her hands, Caroline didn’t feel this was the time for Mary Anne to become assertive. “I called the police because there’s a dead body upstairs, not just because I thought it would be funny!” She had to stop herself from fully yelling at Mary Anne. It wasn’t her place, and certainly wasn’t the time.

“Where is it?” asked Mary Anne. There wasn’t a hint of concern in her voice, just the same authoritative tone as before. Caroline found herself, for the second time that night, speechless… she realized that she was pointing upstairs with a trembling finger. It’s Elinor, she managed to mouth. Mary Anne rolled her eyes exasperatedly and stormed upstairs toward the master bedroom. “The body’s here, isn’t it? I know it.” Caroline could only follow her in shocked silence. Meanwhile, Charles had slipped out of the room.

“Annie, wait!” said Caroline, but Mary Anne had opened the door already. The blonde waited for the older woman’s screams.

“Is this some kind of joke, Caroline?” said Annie. She turned around, throwing her hands up in irritation. “You know, you and your family have only proven yourselves unreliable from the moment you’ve gotten here. Making up stories about murders and calling the police… honestly, I would’ve expected this from your incompetent son, but you! You’re an adult, for Christ’s sake, act like it!” As she spoke, Mary Anne was storming toward the phone in the main hall.

“What the hell are you talking about?” asked Caroline, following after Mary Anne with harsh footsteps. “You’ve never indicated any frustration with us, and you hardly visit this place anymore anyway! Hell, your husband hasn’t been back in what? A month? Maybe longer?” She didn’t realize she was yelling until Mary Anne picked up the phone. She put a finger up to shush Caroline as if she were a child. Caroline stood there, dumbfounded.

“Walter?” said Mary Anne. “Yeah. Yeah, you should probably come back… yes. You read my mind, my thoughts exactly. Uh-huh. Right, they’ve proven themselves quite incapable of taking care of things. Couldn’t even properly… yes. I understand.” She set the phone back on the hook, turning to Caroline. “Walter will be back in the morning. He was coming back anyway, he figured you’d all be incompetent assholes.” She snorted, taking a glance around. “Looks like you didn’t even bother to clean up the place.”

Caroline stood there weakly. “But… that’s what the maid – no, that’s what Elinor used to do…” she said. It sounded pathetic.

Mary Anne rolled her eyes again. “Really, Mrs. Hopper, you and your husband have got to stop making up stories. We’ve never had a maid; I don’t know anyone named Elinor. Get over it!” And with that, she was out the door.

Caroline couldn’t help herself. Before she knew it, she was crying, whether out of frustration, exhaustion, or confusion, she couldn’t tell.

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Sorry it’s short. My creativity is going everywhere BUT Westy Man…

In the meantime, enjoy this lovely preview of a Halloween Collaboration Story for the Sims 3. If anyone’s interested, I’ll post a link later on. 😀

Made with the Happy Halloween Stuff Pack. XD