There were four rooms in the house Kate gave to Riley and her family. It was a two-floor building with all four bedrooms upstairs.
It was well aligned with a corridor in-between such that two are on the left and the other two on the right. The ground floor is made up of the hall, kitchen, and others.
Riley and Lionel occupied the two rooms on the left whiles Rosita and Lian occupied the rooms on the right. It's been almost a week now since they moved in. Riley didn't like the idea of Lionel moving back in with his parents and also being the bait to trap Nichole.
She sauntered to Lionel's door and gave a slight knock.
"Come in, the door is not locked." came Lionel's voice from the room.
She slowly pushed the door open to see Lionel over the bed, packing his stuff.
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" she glided over to him.
He closed the bag and lifted his eyes to her face with a sigh. "Yes," he curbed her face. "I know you're worried but I've got to do this for your safety."
she snuffed, " And what of yours?"
He turned to close his bag, "I will be fine, trust me."
"Sure?"
"Yes." He glanced at her before picking up the bag from the bed.
"No need to worry too much Riley. They are my family and I will still have to go home. I can't keep hiding you know."
She stared thoughtfully at him for some seconds and nodded.
"But don't forget to give me a call if anything and be more careful. You know how cunning Nichole can be."
"I sure do." He winced. I should go now, it's getting late." He snaked his hand around her waist and they glided out of the door.
Rosita stood at the end of the stairs about to shout for Riley and Lionel when she saw them sauntering towards the stairs.
"Oh, there you are."
They both smiled descending the stairs.
"Were you about to call for us?"
"Yeah, I sure was. she smiled, "Are you leaving now Lio?" By this time, they have descended the stairs.
"Yes, mum..." He grinned as he glanced at her.
"Okay..." she nodded with a smile, "But remember to be more careful. You know how deadly Nichole is," she stressed with a serious look.
"I sure will mum...." He let go of Riley and hugged Mrs. Rosita.
"I'll miss you dearly."
"Me too," he replied over her shoulders before drawing back.
"You should be going now." she curbed his face with a smile. "Go see him off, Riley."
"Okay mum..." she took Lionel's hand about to leave when it suddenly dawned on him.
"Oh Auntie, where is Uncle Lian?"
"He has stepped out just now. Don't worry I'll help you inform him."
"Okay," he replied, turned to Riley and they sauntered out of the house. When they got to where his car was packed, he unlocked it and threw the bag into the back seat whiles Riley stood behind her. He closed the door and turned back to her. He smiled at the worried look on her face and pulled her in.
"I'm going to be fine."
She nodded over his shoulder before he drew her back.
"I'll call you if anything," he said before sauntering over to the driver's side of the car. He took a last glance at Riley who waved at him before sitting in the car and driving off.



************
It was noon when Lionel got to the house. He drove to the garage and packed his car. He glided out of the car and found the place unusually quiet.
"Why so quiet?" He sent his eyes scanning through the whole compound before walking into the house. He got to the hall and found nobody around.
He walked towards the stairs then paused, "This is unusable. Where has everybody gone to without locking the door?"
He stretched his neck to the kitchen which was directly on the right side of the stairs with the mind of finding anybody around but it was empty.
He took a secret camera from his bag and found a corner in the hall, "I guess this is my chance."
He stacked the camera there before looking around once again and sighed, "Hope this works."
He smiled to himself and glided the stairs. He walked to Nichole's study room and also hid another camera there. "I guess it's done."
He sauntered to his room, dropped his bag on the sofa, and slammed himself on the bed. He laid on the bed thoughtfully for a while and before he could realize it, he fell asleep.
Lionel was deeply asleep when he felt a shadow fall on him. He opened his eyes and saw a strange finger about to stab him. He sprang up from the bed with a sweaty forehead, frightened but then realized that it was a dream.
He brushed the sweat away from his forehead sighed, "Phew, that was scary."
He was still thinking about the dream when he heard footsteps downstairs and winced, "Guess they're back."
He strolled out of his room.
Nichole was about to walk upstairs when she saw Lionel descending the stairs. She paused at the end of the stairs with a jaw drop. He stared at her, smiling as he descended the stairs aware of why she was shocked.
"Did you miss me?"
Nichole stepped aside with her eyes still fixed on Lionel as he glided down the last stair. He stood opposite her with a smile on, "Why looking so shocked? Did you see a ghost?"
Nichole glared furiously at him and sobbed upstairs. Lionel glared from behind just smiling, " Just wait till I get enough evidence, Nichole.."