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your father’s lawyer. I’m sorry to have called you all up here so urgently, but I have some very important business to discuss with you and your family. Please, come inside.”
    They reluctantly followed Mr. Leeson into the house.

10
    They found themselves back in the house they had vowed never to step foot inside again. They were all surprised and eerily aware that nothing had actually changed in the manor since they were last there. It was like waking from a nightmare, sweaty and scared, but so very relieved to be out of it, hoping you would drift back off into a nice peaceful sleep only to find that as soon as you close your eyes you were back in the very same nightmare again, running from the very thing that had frightened you so much that it caused you to scream yourself awake. Up until now they had been successful in putting the past behind them, but now as they stood in the entrance hall of the house where all their greatest fears were homed, it became painfully obvious to each of them that they would never truly forget that day. Mr. Leeson interrupted their thoughts as he came to stand before them.
    “Like I said, I’m sorry for the inconvenience this trip has caused you. I would like to discuss with you why you are here.”
    Debbie saw her children give the man a confused frown and then exchange glances. Aiden had immediately taken a dislike to the self-assured man with the lifeless eyes and the over pronunciation of his voice. He sounded nasally and irritating. He asked to speak to Debbie in private, so she followed him into the living room, leaving Lisa and Aiden stood near the open front doors, looking as if they were ready to make a run for it. She looked back over her shoulder at them and gave them what she hoped was a reassuring smile, but felt like it was more of an apologetic grimace.
    “I do apologize for this whole situation Mrs. Adams, but you were down as Mr. Hendry’s next of kin and I am under specific orders from your father to give you the keys and the legal documentation for this house.” He finished with a smile that over the years he had perfected to a fine art. He knew how most people felt about solicitors so he had always tried his hardest to be as charming as he possibly could when around his clients. Of course, there were times when it didn’t work and his true coldness came through, hence the fact he was single, and very well off indeed. He was a shrewd businessman who did things only for the purpose of benefiting himself. It was on very rare occasions that other people entered into his feelings. He was far too obnoxious to realize that most people saw him for what he really was.
    There was a time when he had almost been married. It was nearly twelve years ago when he was in the prime of his life, a mere twenty-six year old law graduate. He had been seeing a girl called Susie for two years and they were planning the last minute details of their upcoming wedding when he produced some documents from his briefcase. When he placed them in front of Susie and asked her to sign them she ripped them up and threw her ring back at him. They had never spoken again. He couldn’t understand why she would be so difficult. He was only asking her to sign a pre-nuptial agreement stating that, in the event of a divorce she would not be entitled to any of his assets. Oh, he knew how women worked, or so he thought. A lot of years and sheer hard work had gone into his eventual graduation and new job as a lawyer in the biggest firm in the city and he wasn’t prepared to take a chance that may mean he would lose half of his well-earned money. He had a fantastic business mind, a fresh face on his way up and he was going to be the best in the business, a name that would be remembered for years after his demise. If only he had understood his wife-to-be as well as he understood the ins and outs of the legal system. Maybe then he wouldn’t have to go home to his luxurious apartment and eat his rich food and