Eyes Like Ice by Radia Al Rashid (the false prince .TXT) 📖

nod at him not wanting to think about the events that followed it.

“When I woke her up, she asked me if she could sit at my living room for a while, to steady herself a bit. So, I let her in and she kinda wanted to kiss me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, maybe it was on impulse or some side effect of sleepwalk or something! I don’t know.”

“Then?” I clench my jaw.

He looks a bit startled at my face, “then, I pulled her away and said that I couldn’t let her do it. So, she asked me why and I told her that I be not into fooling around. She seemed to be pretty riling up at my answer and she yelled at me that I would be so sorry for rejecting a beautiful girl like her. And, yeah, that I was the biggest dork alive. Well, aside from being the biggest dork, I believe I’m pretty responsible gentleman, so I walked her to the house anyway.” He shrugs.  

“God! guess I need a brand-new brain to process all the information. It’s getting too much for me to handle.” I groan.

“I’m sorry Evelyn, didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s okay, not your fault. The biggest dork, huh?” I snicker.

“That’s what she said.” He lets out a low chuckle.

Chapter Fifteen

We stand cluelessly in the middle of William’s bedroom. The main door was not locked when we got in here and Will is nowhere to be found. I keep peering around the room to get a clue.

“Guess he’s not home.” Richard says slowly.

“Where the hell would he be leaving his door unlocked. It should be a fricking joke!” I snort.

“Did you see the living room table and kitchen counter? Those seemed pretty dusty meaning he’s been out for quite a while unless he’s not into cleaning.”

I shoot a glance at Richard, “O yeah? So, why the hell is the door not locked then? Wow! See? The bed is not done and is it also a sign that he’s been out for a while?”

“Nah! We guys love to keep our beds undone. It’s just easy to hop on whenever we feel sleepy.” Richard purses his lips.

I would’ve roasted the hell out of him if it was a different situation. But, this? This is bothering me more than Mrs. Gaston’s words. I keep looking about the room while tugging at my bracelet.

“Are you getting it? I mean, smelling it?” he sniffs.

“Smelling what? I have a poor sense of smell, honestly. What do you smell? Where is it coming from?”

“No idea! Come on, let’s go that way.” He starts heading down the corridor without letting me ask any further. So, I silently follow him with a sinking feeling in my stomach.

He suddenly stops before a door, “Are you smelling it now?” he slaps a hand on his nose with disgust.

An excruciating odor instantly fills my nostrils. It feels like the repugnant mixture of the smell of raw fish and burn. Before I can cover my nose, my stomach starts churning and making puke come all the way up to the esophagus.

“Shit, shit! I’m gonna throw up.” I grit my teeth.

“Shh! Cover your nose or at least don’t breathe through the nose. I think something is there on the other side of the door. We need to open it asap.”

“What! NO! please, the odor is already overpowering my senses, don’t think of opening this shit.”

“Evelyn! We have to.” His voice muffled under his hands.

I shudder at the thought of what might be found after opening the door. My legs feel rubbery as I stumble towards it. “Is it locked?”

“Uh-huh!” Richard bangs on the door forcefully with his arm. After three to four attempts, the door cricks open, not revealing more than half the view of a pile of boxes. Maybe, this is the storeroom.

Pushing the door open further, Richard turns to me, “Let’s go in there.” He motions with his hand.

“Are you seeing something, anything?” my voice sounds squeaky, clearly giving off my skyrocketing anxiety.

“No, not yet. Put your steps carefully, Eve.”

“Uh-huh!” my heart is banging loudly against the chest. I can feel my stomach sinking further and further. I struggle to move my legs as some unseen shackles seem to buckle them tight. I shake my head to remain present in the moment. I can feel the inside of my brain twisting and tumbling. God! no, please, blacking out or losing control on my hand in the middle of this sinister room would be the last thing on earth I want.

“Eve? Don’t look in front of you.” Richard’s voice trails off.

“Why? What is it? Is it Will?” my heart jumps onto my throat in an instant.

“I don’t know. I can’t say...” he lowers his mobile to torch the darkened place.

I stagger forward to see what is laying there spreading the indescribable stench all over the house. The sight makes my head spin letting my feet collapse on the floor. I feel like my eyes are fighting to come out of the sockets. Cold sweat breaks down my back, arms and face. I manage to place my shaky hand over my gaping mouth to stop throwing up. Only the bits of that denim jacket left intact on the body. The skull printed on it is the only prove this rotten, burnt down body to be William’s.

“It’s him.” I whisper. His entire body looks like a hip of a browned, rotten fleshes with burning patches here and there. Someone must have burnt him to death like a fucking demon. Last thing I hear before blacking out right in front of the distorted body is a muffled voice, “911, what’s your emergency? Followed by Richard’s husky voice on the phone, “Hey! We’ve got a dead body here...

***

I slowly blink my eyes as the blurry sight of the cars on the road comes into view. It takes me another couple of minutes to sense the soft sound of breathing coming from my left side. I keep blinking to clear out the vision.

“Eve, you awake?”

I quickly turn to the crackled voice. Richard looks extremely worn out and sulky. Never have I seen him like this. I expand my eyes at him, “Richard? What happened to you? Where is William’s body?”

“They took care of it. The murder is suspected to be done several months back. This is crazy! How come someone be this brutal! And again, nobody from the neighbors reported to the Police about the murder. Well, maybe they didn’t even sense it. Who left the door open then?” he grunts running his hand restlessly across his face. His eyes hold a hint of rage and tears, yes, he is tearing up.

“Who do you think did this? Why did anyone do such a thing? This is maddening!” I wince.

“I. Don’t. Have. Any. Idea, Evelyn.” His voice is still trailed off.

As I fainted back in that hideous dead trap, I’m sure someone had to carry me all the way here to the car. Most possibly Richard was the one who carried me but finding my cheeks not heating up with the thought clearly shows how stressed out and frightened I really am right now.

“Isn’t it funny how I thought the conversation with Mrs. Gaston was the worst thing that could happen today? Guess it was not even close to what we had to see back in Will’s...” my throat narrows down with the mental picture of that horribly burnt down body.

“I’m entirely clueless, Evelyn!” he whispers while keeping his eyes steadied on the road in front.

“Where are we going now?”

“Home!”

“Should I tell them? Julia and Kate?” I look at him like a helpless little kid.

“Is Anna going to be there too?”

“No idea, she should be out on a date, at least that’s what she said.”

“Guess you should be silent till tomorrow if Anna is there. If she is not, then you can tell Kate and... Julia is doing ok now, right?”

“Yeah, more or less! Still can’t say, entirely stable though.”

“Tell them we found Will’s dead body and the Police is taking care of the case now. No need to linger on the details of it.” He gives me a quick glance, showing his saddened eyes, those gravitating eyes seem so unknown at this point.

Why is he so hurt? He seems intensely devastated, but why? He didn’t know William before. I know it was a fricking horrible sight to bear but... even I do not seem to be that restless as him. Is he just soft-hearted or, anything else is there? Am I doubting the guy who’s done this much for me! Fuck! I must be losing my mind.

“Well, I think I should be telling them then, including Jules. She has to hear the news today or tomorrow so... it should be fine.” I mutter the last words to myself.

“And one more thing, tell them not to share it with anyone from outside the family now. it can float the news to the criminal and he/she will then, have enough time and scope to slip away.”

The mention of Criminal makes my blood run cold. Shit! Who might that be? someone who knows William, of course, but does the psycho know Jules too? Does he know us?

“Oh! Speaking of the outsiders, Kate’s boyfriend can be here for dinner tonight. If he’s there, should I drop the news?”

“Then, you better zip it up until tomorrow, Evelyn. No outsider should know anything now. It can only do good for that psychotic jerk.” The rage in his voice is apparent. Why is he bothered so much about the murderer? Is it because he is suspecting anyone?

“Are you suspecting anyone to be the murderer?”

“Nope! How could I? But if this psycho could so something so vicious to William, I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes for Julia... or worse, you.” He pulls the car into his parking lot before turning to me, “Eve, you should be really... really careful from now on. Don’t forget, the criminal has already got several months after the murder, and if Julia’s accident was not framed, he didn’t attempt any apparent move the whole time. It doesn’t mean he will not, it means he certainly can make a move!”

“Richard? Do you think Jules’ accident was framed?” I can feel the threat of tears in my eyes.

“It’s a possibility, Eve. I’m not so sure about it. No worries, that psycho won’t harm any of you, just be careful.” He puts his hand on mine.

“I think I’m so scared now. I don’t know what can happen next. With an animal slaughterer in my house, the fear is even worse... so, is it the murderer who kept William’s social medias active all these days? Shit! He must be after something.” I swallow hard.

“Hm, he must be.” he mutters. “But no worries, Eve! The Police will catch him.” He squeezes my hand with a sense of assurance.

“I believe so! I should be get going then. Thanks a lot, Richard. You don’t have any idea how much you are helping me.”

“Anytime, Evelyn! Good night.” He runs his thumb across my cheek making it flush a little.

“Good night!” I duck out of the car.

That black Cadillac parked in front of our house says Zac is already here. I nervously fidget my