The Tenth Night
Edwin Stunntis
When Edwin opened the door early the next day, he felt his heart almost stop in his chest. Two policemen were standing on his doorstep and neither looked entirely friendly. "Are you Edwin Stunnis?" one of them asked.
He clutched the door tightly. "Who's asking?"
"Are you Ian Whitby's nephew?"
His eyes grew wide. Nothing was supposed to happen to his uncle yet. Clearly something must have happened for the police to be at his door. Unless something had happened to Veronica, but that was just him being silly. Nothing was ever going to happen to her; he relied on her far too much for anything bad to occur. But still, he wished she was here with him.
"Is he okay? What's happened?" he exclaimed, glancing between the two officers.
One of them looked at him wearily. "It might be best if we spoke inside."
Edwin looked at them for a moment before realising what had been said. He mumbled an apology as he opened the door wider and let the two officers into his house. He led them into the sitting room and gestured for them to sit while he resisted the urge to spy out of his window.
The taller of the two cleared his throat and leaned forward. "We have received an anonymous tip that there is a hit out on his life. Neither he nor his wife could think of any reason why someone might hold a grudge against him. You are the only family close to him which means that the hit could be to hurt you," he said. "Is there anyone who might hold a grudge against you, or has threatened you in the last couple of months?"
He fiddled with his fingers, anxious about the situation. Why did they have to come and bother him about it? How on earth did they know that there was a hit out on his life anyway? It wasn't going to be acted upon until the night, but still no one should know other than the group. And even then, he knew how much Veronica didn't really trust the others to keep their mouths shut. She had said on more than one occasion that Rae was the one she thought would be most likely to tell someone if she ever chose her husband's name, just because she was a paediatrician and cared about children.
"Mr Stunnis?" The voice made him jump and he began scratching his arm.
"No, no-one has threatened me. I don't know enough people for anyone to hold a grudge."
The two officers looked at each other and Edwin knew that neither believed him. He'd seen that look pass across Veronica's face far too many times to not notice when other people used it. They thought he was hiding something, and maybe he was, but it was nothing to do with them. He wasn't part of the plan to get rid of his uncle so there was really no need for him to be worried. He couldn't stop scratching, though.
One of the men nodded and they stood. "Well, thank you for your time."
He stood as well and followed them out to the door. He held it open and let them step out before he spoke. "Is my uncle alright?" he asked.
"As of now, he's fine. We're just following up the tip, so it might turn out to be a false alarm." With that, the two officers headed back to their car and Edwin slammed the door shut and rushed to his window, peeking out from behind the curtains to watch as they drove away.
Never again did he want to experience that. Police freak him out.
He clutched the door tightly. "Who's asking?"
"Are you Ian Whitby's nephew?"
His eyes grew wide. Nothing was supposed to happen to his uncle yet. Clearly something must have happened for the police to be at his door. Unless something had happened to Veronica, but that was just him being silly. Nothing was ever going to happen to her; he relied on her far too much for anything bad to occur. But still, he wished she was here with him.
"Is he okay? What's happened?" he exclaimed, glancing between the two officers.
One of them looked at him wearily. "It might be best if we spoke inside."
Edwin looked at them for a moment before realising what had been said. He mumbled an apology as he opened the door wider and let the two officers into his house. He led them into the sitting room and gestured for them to sit while he resisted the urge to spy out of his window.
The taller of the two cleared his throat and leaned forward. "We have received an anonymous tip that there is a hit out on his life. Neither he nor his wife could think of any reason why someone might hold a grudge against him. You are the only family close to him which means that the hit could be to hurt you," he said. "Is there anyone who might hold a grudge against you, or has threatened you in the last couple of months?"
He fiddled with his fingers, anxious about the situation. Why did they have to come and bother him about it? How on earth did they know that there was a hit out on his life anyway? It wasn't going to be acted upon until the night, but still no one should know other than the group. And even then, he knew how much Veronica didn't really trust the others to keep their mouths shut. She had said on more than one occasion that Rae was the one she thought would be most likely to tell someone if she ever chose her husband's name, just because she was a paediatrician and cared about children.
"Mr Stunnis?" The voice made him jump and he began scratching his arm.
"No, no-one has threatened me. I don't know enough people for anyone to hold a grudge."
The two officers looked at each other and Edwin knew that neither believed him. He'd seen that look pass across Veronica's face far too many times to not notice when other people used it. They thought he was hiding something, and maybe he was, but it was nothing to do with them. He wasn't part of the plan to get rid of his uncle so there was really no need for him to be worried. He couldn't stop scratching, though.
One of the men nodded and they stood. "Well, thank you for your time."
He stood as well and followed them out to the door. He held it open and let them step out before he spoke. "Is my uncle alright?" he asked.
"As of now, he's fine. We're just following up the tip, so it might turn out to be a false alarm." With that, the two officers headed back to their car and Edwin slammed the door shut and rushed to his window, peeking out from behind the curtains to watch as they drove away.
Never again did he want to experience that. Police freak him out.