Chapter 6
When we returned and pulled up to the house Marv was already waiting outside. He looked like he'd been waiting for a few minutes. I looked to Knix in confusion when he put his hand over mine as I went to unbucklemyself.
"I texted him," Knix said. "He's taking the SUV, go ahead and just stay here. I just need to talk to him for amoment."
"About what Alex said?" Iasked.
Surely, he wasn't going to tell Marv about Grayson. Knix nodded and reached down for the box of diner leftovers before shooting me a smile and getting out. I released my seatbelt, leaving itbuckled.
Marv and Knix only spoke for a few moments before they parted ways and Knix waved at me as he entered the house. Marv popped open the SUV's driver side door and smiled. "Hey, Princess." Hegrinned.
"Hey."
He climbed into the SUV and buckled his seatbelt. "You ready to go?" he asked. I gestured down to my buckled seatbelt and he smirked. "Alright then, let's go." I squeaked as he gunned the engine and my side slammed into the passenger sidedoor.
"What the fuck?" He laughed as the curse slipped out. "Jesus, Marv. Are you trying to killme?"
"Never, Sunshine." He chuckled. "Never." After that he settled down and drove at a more reasonable pace, but I continued to watch him out of the corner of myeye.
The further we drove, the more somber he became, until all of the teasing had escaped his expression. By the time Marv pulled between a set of arching, iron gates, his lips were set in a frown and his eyebrows squished slightly together, forming a few lines between them. When the car rolled to a stop and he turned off the engine, I finally glanced away. My mouth dropped. We were at a veritable mansion. It was even bigger than Marv's parents' house. Four stories high with symmetrical windows all along the front; it was something out of a country manorcatalog.
Marv got out and walked around the front of the SUV as I moved to unbuckle my seatbelt. Marv opened my door and his serious expression cleared slightly at my slack-jawed look. He smirked before glancing back at the house over his shoulder. "Yea, it's big, isn't it?" hesaid.
"Big?" I repeated as I slid out of the car to the ground. "Your mom's house is big. This house is giant bycomparison."
Marv released a low chuckle as he placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me towards the front door. I looked down at my jean shorts and tank top. The tank top was nice enough if I had been wearing a skirt with it. What were these people going to think of me? Before I could dwell on it too much, Marv rang the doorbell and a stuffy looking elderly woman answered. Marv spoke in low tones to the woman, whose eyes never glanced my way. She nodded and opened the door to let us into the foyer...which was bigger than the living room at our house. The woman hurried away after she let us in and I looked at Marv,confused.
"Just wait a moment," he whispered to me. I didn't say anything in response, but nodded. I knew I probably wouldn't talk very much during our visit. I was only here to offer Marv comfort if he needed it. I hoped he wouldn't need it, but I was more than willing to be there if he needed me like he had been there when I neededhim.
My eyes trailed to the luxurious, wooden carvings along the interior of the doorways. There was also something else. The whole place smelled like potpourri – the thickness of it was intense – like someone had very recently removed a hundred-dozen dried flowers and plants from the entire house, but the building wasn't ready to let go of the scent. I looked to the intricately woven carpet under our feet and could even smell the scent coming up from there as well. It was all around us, and yet I couldn't figure out its source. I was so focused on trying to figure out where the smell was actually coming from that I didn't notice the pristine and well-dressed man enter the room and didn’t see him until he was right in front ofus.
"Marvin Carter," the man said as he approached with an elegant hand raised to takeMarv's.
"Sir," Marvnodded.
"It's good to see you, son," the mansaid.
"And you, Mr.Spencer."
"And who is this lovely young woman?" Mr. Spencer turned my way, catching me offguard.
I sucked in an embarrassingly loud breath and Marv put his hand on my back once more to calm me. "This is my friend,Harlow."
"Harlow," Mr. Spencer smiled and reached for my hand, "it's lovely to meetyou."
"You too..." Ireplied.
Mr. Spencer released my hand and turned back to Marv. "Shall we head to the sittingroom?"
We were led past the foyer and into yet another lasciviously set room. The fireplace and mantel on the furthest wall looked to be made out of pure marble. I shook as Marv gestured me over to a red cushioned settee that faced a pair of same colored wingback chairs. On the mantle there were glass figurines. Small winged angels and tiny white elephants. Vases on the side tables. I carefully took my seat, afraid that any sudden movements would cause one of the fragile knick knacks to fall and shatter. Once we were seated, though, the air seemed to change. Mr. Spencer's smile fell to a serious straight line as he sat across fromus.
"I take it after the conversation we had over the phone, you're here about Sarah." Mr. Spencer sat back against the redcushions.
Marv nodded. "I am, Mr. Spencer. I completely understand if you are uncomfortable answering any of myquestions–"
"No, no, that's quite alright," Mr. Spencer interrupted. "I can't fathom how my..." He paused to look towards the open doorway. "How Sarah has changed so much over the last few months. I want to help her, I truly do. If answering a few questions might shed even a little light on what's going on, I'll answerthem."
"We appreciate it," Marv replied. "Would you mind if Harlow took notes forme?"