Sandra walked over to the right side of the house and called Lou’s name again. When she didn’t find him, she called his cell phone.
“His voicemail? Where is he?” Sandra glanced around and then headed back to the patio.
When Sandra walked onto the patio, she heard Mrs. Holt’s voice.
“What is wrong my dear Sandra?” Mrs. Holt stood at the top of the patio stairs.
Surprised, Sandra looked up at her, “I can’t find Lou or my friends.”
“Well, maybe they went to pick up your car.”
“No, I’m sure that they would have told me or taken me with them,” Sandra thought for a moment.”
“By the way, where have you been? I thought Charley was with you?”
“Charley was with me earlier but he left me a while ago… Why don’t you come inside, I’m sure that your friends will be back soon,” Mrs. Holt turned around and walked inside.
Sandra wasn’t sure about all this. She had a bad feeling about Mr. and Mrs. Holt from the start. But what was she supposed to do with no way out of there? Sandra glanced around and then looked at the patio door. Then she decided to sit down on one of the chairs outside and think.
In the house, Virginia peeked out the parlor window and saw Sandra sitting down. So, she headed upstairs to where she believed that her husband would be. When she got to the attic door, she heard some muffled arguing. When Virginia opened the door the arguing stopped. She quietly closed the door behind her and walked up the attic steps. When she got to the top of the stairs, she only saw Brandi still passed out and hanging there.
“Okay you two, you might want to keep your arguing a little quieter. I heard you from outside of the attic door,” Virginia looked around.
Out from behind the large brick chimney stepped Harold. Their gardener and friend Buzz, walked out from behind a stack of boxes.
“We’re sorry sweetheart,” Harold walked over to Virginia.
“Yes, I’m sorry Virginia but Harold gave the girl more ether than you requested.”
Virginia looked at Brandi and walked over to her. She checked and found the pulse in her neck, “well, she’s still alive, so don’t give her anymore.”
“I knocked out that other guy like you told me to,” Buzz looked at Virginia.
“Where did you put him?”
“I dropped him down into the basement through the secret door and then I tied him up,” Buzz explained.
“Good, now we only have Sandra to tend to but she should be fairly easy to subdue,” Virginia gave Harold a kiss on the forehead as she walked past him.
Before Virginia left the attic, she gave instructions to Buzz to keep an eye on the roasting pig, and Lou, the guy he tied up in the basement. She told Harold to stay in the attic with Brandi for now. Virginia was going to convince Sandra that her husband was on the telephone.
Virginia casually made her way back downstairs and into the parlor. She took the telephone handset off the receiver and laid it down on the desk. She then, walked over to the patio doors and called out to Sandra.
“Sandra dear, your husband is on the phone.”
Sandra jumped up, “Lou? Lou’s on the phone?
“Yes, it’s something about a rental car,” Mrs. Holt said.
Sandra ran up the patio steps and into the house past Virginia. She picked up the handset to talk to Lou but there was nobody on the line.
“Lou, are you still there? Lou?” Sandra held the phone tight to her ear, “He’s not there.”
“We sometimes have trouble with the phone lines out here. Why don’t you hang up and see if he calls back. Meanwhile, I’ll get us some iced tea,” Mrs. Holt smiled.
“Okay, I’ll wait here by the phone,” Sandra pulled out the desk chair and sat down.
Virginia walked out of the parlor and then rushed into the kitchen. She took two glasses out of the cabinet and set them down on the counter. From another cabinet, she pulled out a small jar with some sleeping powder in it. With a teaspoon, Virginia scooped a small amount and put it in the glass meant for Sandra. She then, got the ice cold tea from the refrigerator and filled up both glasses.
When Virginia was done in the kitchen, she carried the two iced teas into the parlor, “here we go my dear, nice and cold iced tea.”
Sandra got up from the desk and walked over to the sofa where Mrs. Holt sat down with the tea.
“Thank you,” Sandra took the glass, “Lou didn’t call back yet.”
“Well, maybe he tried and couldn’t get through. For all we know he could be on his way back here,” Mrs. Holt took a drink from her glass.
“Yes, that could be,” Sandra smiled and took a big gulp of her tea.
Mrs. Holt talked for approximately five minutes about how she and Harold met roughly fifteen years. By this time, Sandra had drunk most of her tea and was starting to feel drowsy. Mrs. Holt observed how Sandra’s head started to bob back and forth.
“Are you feeling alright dear?” Virginia took Sandra’s glass and put it on the tea table.
“I feel so sleepy all of a sudden.”
“Well, why don’t you lay down here and rest then. I’ll wake you when your husband returns,” Virginia coaxed Sandra to lay down.
Once Sandra laid her head on the pillow, she was out like a light. Virginia walked out of the parlor and to the second floor staircase. She yelled to Harold that the coast was clear and to come down. So, Harold told the now awake Brandi that he will be back in a little while. Brandi groaned and grunted through the gag while she tried to get her hands free but couldn’t. Harold smiled and then trotted down the attic steps.
Harold closed the attic door behind him and then headed downstairs. His arrogance shined through as he thought about the capture of both couples. It’s going to be a great party tonight, he thought.
Please join me again for chapter 8 of: The Guests.