chapter 10

That sound gave Lisa and the entire audience pause. Lisa's heartbeat probably quadrupled in the next few seconds. She didn't remember putting any metallic object whatsoever in the cabinet. "God, let that be a nail or some such crap." Lisa silently prayed. But that prayer was not to be answered, because as they all came to know, it was indeed the amulet.

Lisa took deep calming breaths. She was going into a full swing panick attack.

"How did that get here?", "I've never seen that before.", "Why does this have to happen to me?" and many other questions of a similar nature begun to hum through Lisa's mind.

The guard brought the amulet to Mrs Ward then. She said," My amulet is no longer lost, it would seem. What is your name?" She asked Lisa. Lisa calmed herself long enough to croak out her name.

"Would you happen to know how this got to be amongst your belongings?" Mrs Ward asked.

Lisa said," I have no idea Ma'am. It must be a mix up. I don't even remember ever seeing that piece before."

"You seem sincere enough." Mrs. Ward said, and with a small pause for effect she continued, "but I wouldn't be where I am today if I let any and every innocent looking, or sincere sounding person go without a thorough investigation. So I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for the time being, ofcourse just until you are able to prove your innocence. You may all leave us now. "Mr Ward seemed happy to get some rest while the others just seemed relieved it wasn't them.

"If in the days to come there is no proof of either innocence or guilt then we'll chuck it all up to a mix up during clean up or something, because somehow I don't see you as someone who would steal. And logically who would steal a $5,000 worth amulet when they just received $10,000 pay cheque and will be receiving another in just about three days. That said, you can put your mind to rest. Don't look so surprised. My son tells me everything he deems necessary for me to know." Mrs Ward laughed.

Lisa was speechless. In just about ten minutes she'd gone from surprise, to bone crippling fear, then to sadness, and now back to shock. One thing was certain. If she was to live out the rest of her days working at the Wards' mansion, she'd not die of boredom, but she could die of a heart attack or brain damage if what happened today was going to be a common occurrence.

It was 8: 00pm when Mrs. Ward left Lisa's rooms. Lisa was psychologically and physically exhausted. So it wasn't surprising that she didn't have a nightmare that night. She slept the night right through. She was fortunate. Someone else in the Wards' household didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

The watcher was pissed. She had been so certain that tomorrow she'd wake up to a Lisa free house. This Lisa was proving to be a harder target than the previous ones.

"It doesn't matter," the watcher thought, "I'll think of something else. Maybe I'll put another stolen items among her things, no, no that's not imaginative at all. Perhaps I'll make her out to be an addict, or a prostitute. So many vile ideas to choose from." With a sinister smile on her face she said, "just you wait Lisa. You won't see what's coming until it hits you in the forehead."

Lucas arrived home late that night to find that his parents had returned from their trip, and to the surprising story of the no longer lost amulet. He was overjoyed to meet his Mom and Dad. Lucas had his mother's brown colored hair and his father's eyes. He had a brief talk with his parents about their trip before heading to bed.

Lisa woke up at the sound of her alarm. After a few moments the events of the previous day came rushing back to her causing her shoulders to droop and her facial expression to change to one of pure sadness. How would the other workers in the household behave towards her now. All evidence pointed to her having stolen the amulet. The other workers were probably going to scorn her.

Lisa was never one to wallow for long. She had been through far more trying times on her life and yet here she was. A little malice from coworkers didn't even come close to the trials she'd successfully vanquished. She'd come out untop. She always did. She went ahead with her morning routine then.

When she went into that kitchen that morning, she was expecting a range of reactions from the other employees, but she was surprised once more. The only one who seemed a little distant, was Amy. Mrs. Lee and Carie both treated her just as they usually did. She went to work alongside Carie and Amy cleaning Lucas' parents' rooms. And then she went to the garden to continue her work there, but deep down she knew that garden was doing alot more for her than she was doing for it.

She walked into the garden almost absent minded, which was not like her at all. She almost missed the occupants of the garden. As soon as she noticed the pair, she tried making a quiet exit, but it seems the wheels of fate were turning against her, she was almost certain there were very few others with the kind of rotten luck she has. She stepped on a twig, and it snapped. In the almost ethereal silence that was in the garden the snapping twig sounded like a gun shot.

Mr. and Mrs. Ward turned immediately at the sound and saw Lisa. Mr. Ward called to her to come back. Lisa made her way to where they were seated on a bench, drinking coffee.

Lisa did not want a confrontation with the bosses so early after what happened yesterday, but here she was.

"Lisa , is it?" Mr. Ward asked. "Yes sir." Lisa replied.

Mr Ward said, "I like what you did with the garden. My wife and I enjoy the outdoors and fresh air alit. You've made the garden cozier, and more beautiful. You've been doing an impressive job, One would never guess you weren't trained to be a house keeper. I hope you get to keep your job."

Lisa said, "Thank you sir." And then she thought, " if only my you knew how much training I've had in that department. The kind of training that comes with cleaning after messy boys, doing all the house work, and working four part time jobs."

Lisa left the garden then, to give the couple their privacy.