House-Sitter Part 4
Finn had established a strict routine in the weeks following his arrival on the island. This consisted of waking up, taking a shower, eating breakfast, conducting inspections, working out, going for a swim, having lunch, having dinner, conducting final inspections, logging entries, and going to bed. In the spare time, he would read, watch movies, browse the internet, and do research.
Despite the seemingly mundane nature of his days, Finn believed this was the best way to spend his three months on the island. He didn't want to come out of it overweight and pale.
One uneventful day, while out jogging, he stumbled upon an odd happening. He had tried to stay clear of potential disturbances for the goats as he noticed that they kept the grass short and controlled the presence of blackberry bushes. As he jogged along one of the trails, he spotted a herd of goats standing in a perfect circle, each facing a bare patch in the center. This spot seemed tramped on, and Finn couldn't make out much detail, but he noticed large hoof prints. However, the goats were too small to make these, so maybe it was deer? He carried on with his run, deciding to avoid this trail in the future.
Another activity that Finn engaged in was researching the previous house sitters. He wanted to know what prompted them to take on the job, how things turned out for them, and what they did after their time at the house.
First on his list was Ryan Burns. Finn found more information about Ryan on the Craftlove website. Even though he hadn't had any dreams about Ryan since that night, the colorful swimmer with the smile stuck in his mind.
Why does he keep popping up in my mind? What did he mean by 'get away'?
There were detailed bios of all the employees, including interns, on the Craftlove website.
Ryan Allan Burns
Age: 22
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 135 lbs
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Light Brown
Born in San Diego, CA, graduated William Harrison High, attended Stanford, swam for the team, and competed in surfing.
Date of hire: September 12, 1999.
Date of sabbatical: August 31, 1999.
Had he worked at Craftlove for one year before taking a break?
Finn clicked further. That doesn't seem right. He was still marked as being on sabbatical. Did he quit or get fired? His work at Craftlove was over a decade old.
Ryan's profile on Agora, a Craftlove subsidiary, featured a picture of a bright, young, witty, energetic college student.
A few videos Ryan had posted online showcased his enthusiasm and excitement for life. However, on closer examination, Finn noticed that some of the people around Ryan appeared uncomfortable, keeping their distance from him. They laughed and joked with him one moment, then ignored him the next.
He did have friends, but they didn't really seem to be friends.
Finn couldn't help but notice similarities between Ryan and his own experiences.
Ryan's family life didn't appear especially happy either. His bio mentioned two brothers and a sister, Ryan being the youngest.
Both parents were lawyers - his father a senior partner at Brace and Charles, a prominent and powerful law firm; his mother a superior court judge.
This seemed to be an affluent and conservative family.
A video from Ryan's 18th birthday party showed him with his family. He blew out the candles on his birthday cake.
Finn paused the video to pay closer attention. There's something not right about their interactions. They're warm towards him, but still keep their distance.
The camera then panned over some cards from well-wishers. One card stood out to Finn. It came from what appeared to be a school or organization.
Right Path Institute? He remembered reading about that place. A notorious gay conversion therapy camp that was shut down due to allegations of abuse, physical and psychological.
Finn investigated Ryan's high school years even more. Yes, he graduated, but there was no mention of his junior year. [These are not exactly the same but carry a very similar meaning. - iCareily]
This individual sat back and made a wild guess. Their family had most likely sent them to a conversion camp when they were 16. The people around them in the other video might have held the same opinions as their family.
The connection to Craftlove still wasn't clear. Gavin Peters was widely known for fostering diverse and open-minded workplaces.
There could potentially be pockets of people similar to their family spread here and there. Perhaps they had to interact with those individuals due to their parents?
The intense dream remained a mystery.
Christine Ashwood's biography was significantly longer.
Probably because she appears to be at a higher executive level.
Christine Alden-Ashwood
Age: 33
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 136lbs
Eyes: brown
Hair: black
"Born in East Hampton, Long Island, New York. Attended Esther Hartridge Academy, Winsted, Connecticut. One of the top prep schools in the country. Obtained degrees from Yale, business law, and Penn State, economics. An accomplished volleyball athlete."
Unlike Christine's father, no up-to-date photographs of her biological mother could be found.
I think I have an inkling of what this is about.
Finn, having spent much of his life in circles where wealth didn't always imply integrity, searched online for the Ashwoods.
"A lengthy lineage, dating back to Edward I. Initially, they were earls, then became dukes during the late 1600s. Some American Gilded Age heiresses married into the line, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A long history of wealth and privilege." He examined Bernard's profile.
Bernard Ashwood worked for Carrington, Sykes, and Prior, a major British financial firm. In 197, he transferenced to New York with his wife and son.
Managed CSP's New York office for ten years. Transferred back to London, 198. In the meantime, he had two other sons and Christine, inexplicably his daughter, were born.
"Wife's name is Elaine Danford-Ashwood, second daughter of Peter Danford, Baron Danford, a newspaper magnate. Definitely not Christine's mother."
Finn noticed Bernard's London address and Elaine's Edinburgh residence.
They still managed to stay married but separated for nearly four decades.
He investigated Inez Calderon.
"CEO of Calderon Fashion. Naturalized American citizen, born in Juarez, Mexico. Married with five children, three daughters, two sons. Active in charities."
Three charities caught his attention: Justicia Unida, a legal action group that advocates for undocumented immigrants, Organization for Fair Labor, a lobbying group against worker exploitation, and the Alliance for Responsible Action and Justice, an organization that provides legal and financial support for rape victims and their offspring. I see.
Her bio discusses her status as an undocumented worker during her early years in America. In the New York area.
She briefly returned to Mexico. Leaving her daughter with the Ashwoods. She acquired a visa and returned, permanently, to the US to establish her company.
Finn perused Calderon Fashion's website. Bernard Ashwood had been an early investor.
Christine's life was largely spent traveling between the family estate in Bedfordshire, England, and Hartridge.
Finn questioned his train of thought. He was familiar with affluence and knew how the game was played.
Here's the possible scenario: Bernard Ashwood raped the housemaid, an undocumented immigrant. She conceived a child. The Ashwoods either bribed her or she used that as blackmail against them, him specifically. They struck a deal to raise the daughter. Inez utilized the money to acquire a visa and start her company.
There were numerous implications in the bios. How was the family towards her?
She was the child of rape, Perhaps, but the Ashwoods accorded her a privileged upbringing.
Her bio mentioned fashion modeling during her college years. The position she held in Craftlove left Finn puzzled.
What's a chief financial officer doing house-sitting for Craftlove?
As with Ryan Burns, Christine's employment status was listed as being on sabbatical.
These sabbaticals are incredibly lengthy. Ryan felt a shiver up his spine.
Callie Hall's bio was the oldest.
Callie Benbow Hall
Age: 25
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 120lbs
Eyes: blue
Hair: ashy blonde
"Born in Abilene, Texas. Father was involved in oil rigs. Mother worked as a waitress. Worked as an IT specialist. No additional details on her family were provided."
In the images, a young, athletic woman with a serious expression appears. She's rarely smiling in the photos. Tall and slender, her short hair gives her an almost elfin appearance. The most fitting word to describe her is a "serious pixie" according to Finn.
Callie Hall's online presence is quite minimal - just a brief bio and a few photos.
"If I ever find myself in Tampa, maybe I can try reaching out to her and compare notes," Finn thought.
Finn closed the laptop and contemplated the different bios.
"It's all speculation, and I've got a good idea about two of them. Ryan and Christine don't seem to have close connections with their families or many friends. What if the same goes for Callie?"
The thought made Finn shudder. The resemblances between them and his own life were uncomfortably close.
"Could Craftlove be searching for people who wouldn't be missed by those close to them or go unnoticed if they were gone for extended periods? Outcasts or black sheep? What's Gavin Peters up to?"
Ridiculous ideas of murder houses from cheesy horror movies briefly crossed his mind.
"Throw that thought out, Finn. The sabbaticals could just be website glitches...Craftlove is well-known for their tech repair. Any glitch should be fixed promptly. It's unusual for glitches like these to persist on a Craftlove site for this long, but still..."
The idea that Callie Hall had successfully carried out her mission made Finn feel uncomfortable.
"I need to keep my mind busy and find other hobbies."
Finn left the laptop and went to bed. The library was quiet for a while before the laptop lit up again.
Seven days until midsummer. He awoke with an intense throbbing in his cock, a sexual hum pulsating in his ears.
The bathroom was illuminated through the crack in the door. The light fluctuated between a sensual red, an ethereal silver, and a lustful purple. It seemed fitting for the atmosphere the room had created.
He entered the steamy space. It was dimly lit, with only the woman in the shower visible. Her image shimmered in the misty water, like a magical creature emerging from the mist.
A woman he recognized was in the shower. She resembled an altar or throne, with her sophisticated demeanor and beautifully toned body.
The room was darkened, but the shower itself was illuminated by the neon white numbers on the laptop.
He walked toward her, his mind swirling with questions he knew couldn't be answered. But as he got closer, he hit a barrier.
"She's behind the glass." He realized the iconography matched what he'd seen earlier.
He pressed his body to the glass, his erection pressed firmly against it.
The woman was pregnant, her rounded belly bulging with life and her breasts now enormous and full. The image of fertility, larger than life, was largely erotic, even if it was unusual under normal circumstances.
The details of her body were perfect: the blue veins running across her swollen breasts, the conical nipples, white beads at the tips, and her navel protruding like a tiny nub. The soft, glistening skin was alluring.
The woman in the shower was the source of the light produced by the mirrored wall. The shower itself was dark, except for her and the woman's exposed body.
He watched as hands engaged with her body. Not his, but it still brought him euphoria. The sound of slithering moans and soft whispers filled the air.
Two shadowed figures began to attend to her. One of them started breastfeeding from her engorged breasts, while the other hands stroked her swollen belly.
A dark figure knelt between her legs. He recognized her. Her face held a mixture of pain, ecstasy, lust, and pleasure. The noises she made, both chants and whispers, seemed to reach out to him through the glass.
Intrigued, he moved closer, straining to hear her words.
Finn suddenly woke up in his cold, sweaty bed. His dream had ended.
"Holy shit." He sat up, his cock still hard. "A pregnant woman? Why would I dream of her in such a way?"
He was familiar with pregnant women, but never in this context or light.
"And why would it be Christine Ashwood? And what was she talking about with 'it begins...on Midsummer...get away'?"
As he pondered the dream, he realized something.
"This is getting weird."
Read also:
- Criminally-Tuned Rhythm Chapter 1
- Death's Angel, Part 4:
- Functional Defect 3
- Chapter 3: The Altered Text
Source: www.nice-escort.de