[center][h1] Regina [/h1][/center]


The newly-widowed mother felt her body go stiff at her son’s words. She stared at a warped floorboard of the Pool House, unblinking and frozen. The world went quiet and Regina sat on the sofa, legs folded beneath her, letting the silence fill the room like rising water. Katherine had made her excuses to arrange for a security team and Edward was taking it upon himself to check on Mariana. That left just Regina and Bailey. Alone.

She turned her head slowly, bones creaking with the effort, and fixed her daughter with a vacant stare. 

[quote] “[i]Are you staying? At the Guest House?”[/i][/quote]

The question was short. Sharp. Bailey looked surprised to be addressed, eyes widened at her mother’s attention. Regina swallowed, knowing her tone was accusatory as opposed to curious. Her daughter shifted. She watched her, Anthony’s eyes staring back. That was the trouble with losing your husband. The father to your children. His death didn’t mean she’d never see him again. In fact, Regina would see him everywhere she turned. In the house, the bed, the smell of the air, on her skin, in the eyes of their children… Anthony wasn’t gone. He was nowhere and everywhere all at once. 

[quote][i]”I don’t see what other option I have,”[/i] Bailey shrugged.[/quote]

Regina nodded slowly. Her mind wondered to the Guest House and its 4 bedrooms. She mentally counted the beds, allocated them to the children, and decided she’d sleep on the sofa. Lola would normally be the one to prepare the guest rooms… But she was currently indisposed. So, despite carrying the weight of grief and shock in every fibre of her being, Regina rose from the sofa and decided she’d do it herself. She shot Bailey a look and gestured with a flick of her wrist that she should follow. Together, they circled the pool and slowly walked side by side in the direction of the Blackstone Guest House. 

[quote] [i]“Mrs Blackstone!” [/i] someone called from behind them. Regina’s head whipped round, a suspicious look on her face, to find Detective Russel jogging towards them. [i]“There you are. Can I have a moment?”[/i][/quote]

A breeze whipped at Regina’s hair and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. The thin material of her blouse did little to protect her from the bite of the air around them and she narrowed her eyes at the Detective as he neared closer and closer. Face ironed of any real emotions, Russel paused a moment as he gathered his breath. She glanced at Bailey who was watching the Detective with an expression prey would have as a bird circled overhead. 

[quote][i] “Forensics are almost wrapped up inside. They’ll be done in a few hours… We’ve had to take the property’s laptops and hard drives in for examination - Sorry, I would’ve given you a heads up if you’d been around…”[/i] Nothing about the Detective’s tone was remorseful. His apology was merely professional curtesy, she supposed. That prickled irritation in Regina. She resisted the urge to sneer in response. “[i]House should be clear for you by morning… Though the Team aren’t paid to clean up. It’s not looking as pristine as you left it I’m afraid, Mrs Blackstone.”[/i][/quote]

Regina nodded once. Curtly. She shot a glance at the Guest House, then turned back to face Russel who was watching her carefully.

[quote] [i]“We’re going to do everything we can to figure out what’s happened here, Mrs Blackstone,”[/i] Detective Russel continued, slipping his hands into his pockets. [i]“But we’re going to need your help to get to the bottom of this…”[/i] he looked pointedly at Bailey, who had taken a slow step back towards the Guest House. “[i]And by that, I mean all of you. We’ll need a couple of days to analyse the evidence collected today. But then, in the spirit of transparency, we’ll need to bring each of you down to the station for questioning, alright? Just to get more of an idea of the circumstances surrounding Anthony’s murder.”[/i][/quote]

Dread wrecked Regina’s body. She couldn’t imagine herself in the cold, stale walls of a police interview room. Did these sharks have no shame? No sympathy for a family grieving the loss of a life? Did they have no other leads they could be following instead of wasting time with the fragments of a shattered family? Regina parted her lips to let the words fall out. She lifted her chin defiantly at the Detective who watched her with an intimidating neutrality. Something flickered in his eyes. Like he was seeing something he wouldn’t say out loud. Regina’s mouth snapped shut and she simply nodded once again. 

[quote] “[i]If that’s all, Detective, my children and I are going to go and set up the Guest House for the night,” [/i] Dismissive. Guarded. It was all she could muster in response. What little fire remained lit in Regina’s chest was used to put up one final wall. [i]“I assume you’ll see yourselves out.”[/i][/quote]

And with that, she turned on her heels and walked away, each step turning her legs to jelly. The gravel crunched beneath her feet, echoed steps behind her as Bailey followed. Regina felt tears prickle behind her eyes and she swiped at them angrily, frustrated that her impenetrable shield had been breached by the Detective’s words.

[i]“Anthony…”
“Murder…”
“Evidence…”
“Questioning…”[/i]

They echoed in the chamber of Regina’s mind and she swallowed at them as they formed a lump in her throat. Bailey coughed awkwardly behind her.

[quote] [i]“W-When they say questioning,” [/i]her daughter began, feigning curiosity to disguise her nerves. [i]“They just mean, like, information gathering, right? They’re not actually [b]questioning[/b] us, are they? We’re his [b]children[/b]!”[/i][/quote]

The door of the Guest House creaked as they entered, the smell of dust and stale air filled the front room. Regina’s nose scrunched at the unfamiliar scent. There’s little she wouldn’t do to be able to return to the homely familiarity of the Manor. Her eyes scanned the minimalist decor, the lack of photos, the absence of life… The Guest House was a far cry from the comfort of the Manor. But it was home, for the night. She took a few more steps into the Reception room, neck craning as she peered around, remembering the space from summers spent before. Regina sighed. She turned to look at Bailey before she got to work and lifted her slender shoulders in a slow shrug.

[quote] [i]“Bailey. Why don’t you go and fetch your brother and sisters? Tell them it’s unwise to loiter whilst the Police vacate the Manor. I don’t want Detective Russel finding an excuse to talk to them. Especially not Mariana.”[/i][/quote]