Happy Sexy Saturday, kits and kittens! Today I have something super fun and special for you – I was once challenged to write a prompt for something 1920âs with magic and this is what happened. Heavily inspired by the Spiritualism movement at the turn of the century (think Fox sisters, hence some of the names!), I came up with this short story!
The twisty ending is one of my favorites ever!!!
There IS a second part… aaaand I will be sharing that next week! <333
Hope you enjoy it!
Warnings: NSFW/kinda/pretty tame tbh
~*~
The year was 1921 and for the grand sum of a hundred clams, anyone could purchase a room at the exclusive Rees Mansion and spend a weekend with Madame Catherine Fox. She was a renowned spiritualist and medium, sought out all over the country for her talents to converse with the souls of the dead. Guests of the manor would be treated to group seances and tarot card readings.
Her older brother Elisha managed all of the reservations, keeping out the riffraff and making sure everything went smoothly. These weekend spiritual retreats were always sold out, but it was getting harder to pick around the troublemakers.
Elisha spent more and more time trying to figure out if a guest was really here to chat with their dear olâ departed Uncle Fab or if they were a nasty little reporter trying to make a name for themselves debunking a famous medium.
It was becoming a bit of a problem; especially since Catherine was a fake.
The Fox siblings were con artists. They had been keeping up this scam for years, fooling the unsuspecting public with their spiritual trickery. Along with their partner and Elishaâs childhood best friend, Thomas Kane, they had amassed a small fortune together. All of America truly believed that Catherine Fox could communicate with spirits.
It was easy, laughably so.
Elisha always very thoroughly researched every guest before they ever stepped foot in the house, including finances and criminal records. Upon their arrival, Catherine would keep the guests entertained while Elisha and Thomas took their luggage up to their rooms. It would promptly be searched for more clues about what had brought them to the manor.
By the time Catherine was ready to begin the first seance of the evening, she would know all there was to know about every single one of their poor guests. She was very observant, quite talented at reading people and a natural actress. Armed with her wits and the wealth of information provided by Elisha and Thomas, she would have their marks eating right out of her hand and swearing they had just spoken with their long lost relatives.
They had watched others with similar acts get shut down by fraud investigations, and they knew they couldnât keep this up forever. The Spiritualism movement was beginning to fade and the merciless grip of science coupled with the strong arm of the law was choking them out.
This had to be the last time, one final performance for them all to retire on.
Elisha had spent nearly a month preparing for this weekend, every room booked and waiting. Heâd already reviewed the guest list with Catherine and this lot was particularly ripe for the picking. The event started as it always did with the guests arriving together at precisely twelve oâclock.
No one would be allowed to enter the house until everyone was present, Catherine sweeping them away into the parlor to chat them up and offer them illegal sips of alcohol while Elisha and Thomas handled the bags.
One man was there seeking information about how his wife was faring on the other side since her very unexpected passing. Boring, but typical.
There was a woman who wanted to know what had happened to her fatherâs fortune. From his research, Elisha knew the old fool had lost it all at the track.
There was a young couple there who Elisha hadnât been able to find much on, but digging through their luggage revealed they were mourning their beloved pet Yorkie named Poopsie.
The list went on and on, a buffet of suckers for them all to feast on. For an additional fee, guests could purchase a private reading with Madame Fox and everyone invited for this weekend had expressed an interest in doing so. It was why Elisha had chosen them. Whether filthy rich or miserably poor, they were all willing to pay.
Elisha came back downstairs to signal to Catherine that he and Thomas were done with their search, frowning when he heard a frantic knock at the front door.
The Rees Mansion was quite secluded, and it was very uncommon for anyone to come calling. All of the guests who had reserved rooms for the weekend and their kitchen staff were already here, leaving Elisha wondering who it could be.
It was a gorgeous young man, slender and willowy, peering at Elisha with big hazel eyes from behind thick round glasses. His suit was patched and worn, and he was carrying a battered suitcase and clutching an envelope to his chest.
âMay I help you?â Elisha drawled, his eyes scanning over the man and tracking every detail.
âPlease,â the young man pleaded, his eyes wide and desperate. âI must meet with Madame Fox! I simply must!â
âIâm sorry,â Elisha replied with a wry smile, âbut the retreat is already booked. We simply have no more rooms. Perhaps next time-â
âNo! Please!â the young man begged, nearly in tears. âShe is the only one who can help me! I will give anything youâd like, but I have to meet with her!â
âAnything?â Elisha tilted his head curiously, glancing at the envelope. âThatâs your payment, I expect?â
âYes!â he said, shoving it into Elishaâs hands. âItâs everything I have! I tried to reserve a room before, but I didnât have the money to make the deposit so you could review my application in time! I just sold everything I own today to be able to get that!â
Elisha casually flipped through the envelope, quick fingers counting over five hundred dollars. Not bad at all, he mused, looking back over at the young man with a more critical eye.
Definitely lower class, although he hadnât always been without judging by the nice cut of the suit; not that Elisha cared about robbing the poor. Money spent the same regardless of who he took it from and he never felt guilty either way. The young man did seem genuinely desperate, perhaps a bit thin from not eating well, and this was supposed to be their final weekend after all.
One more drop in the pot couldnât hurt.
Besides, the young man was so very pretty and it wouldnât hurt to have a little fun.
Elisha stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind him to avoid the guests hearing anything he was about to say. He leaned close, whispering to him quickly, âListen. I may be able to get you in, but youâre going to have to trust me.â
âI just gave you my entire life savings!â the young man laughed sadly. âIâm already trusting you with everything I have. What more do you want?â
Oh, this was going to be too easy.
Elisha almost felt guilty.
Almost.
âIf the other guests know that I allowed you entry without a proper application, things could get very nasty,â Elisha said carefully. It wasnât completely untrue considering the exclusive nature of the screening process. âBut I do have an idea.â
âAnything,â the young man insisted. âWhatever it takes to meet with Madame Fox.â
âYouâd have to pretend to be my lover for the weekend,â Elisha replied with a frustrated sigh as if it was the very last thing he wanted to do. âThereâs no other way to explain for your presence without arousing suspicion from the other guests, especially since youâd have to stay with me in my room-â
âFine,â the young man said, his jaw tight with determination. âIâll do it.â
Elisha grinned, hungry and sweet, tucking the money away and extending his hand as he purred, âElisha Fox, itâs a pleasure to meet you…â
âDouglas Bradley,â the young man said, shaking Elishaâs hand eagerly. His eyes were sparkling with awe, gushing, âYouâre Catherineâs brother? Oh, my goodness! It must have been so amazing growing up with someone of her abilities!â
âOh, it was just the beeâs knees,â Elisha dryly agreed, graciously taking Douglasâ suitcase for him and escorting him inside the house. âCome along, doll,â he said smoothly as they stepped into the foyer. âIâll take you up to our room.â
âO-oh! Right!â Douglas blinked, looking all around excitedly as Elisha led him up the stairs.
Elisha helped him get settled in, leaving his suitcase up on the dresser with a mind to go through it later. There wasnât even a lock on it, he noted without surprise. What a dumb kid.
Douglas seemed nervous, shyly pointing out, âThereâs only one bed.â
âIs that a problem?â Elisha asked innocently, stepping slowly into Douglasâ space. He took the time to simply admire the young man instead of picking him apart. He really was quite beautiful.
Douglas seemed to take notice of his admiration, his cheeks flushing lightly, replying, âUhm, I s-suppose not.â
âI swear that I will be a complete gentleman,â Elisha assured him.
âI appreciate that,â Douglas nodded, fumbling with his glasses. âI, uh, I really appreciate all of this. You know, for letting me in. It means a lot to me.â
âTell me, Douglas,â Elisha asked softly. âWhat is it that is so urgent that youâd sell off everything you own to meet my sister?â
âItâs personal,â Douglas said anxiously, wringing his hands together. âIâd rather, uhm, Iâd rather just talk to her about it.â
Damn. Elisha was going to need a little more than that to keep this kid on the hook. He had plenty of charm at his disposal, gently reaching for Douglasâ fluttering fingers as he soothed, âTell me, Douglas… who did you lose?â
âMy, my mother,â Douglas blinked, the heartbreak in his eyes real and raw, tears threatening to overtake him once more as he squeezed Elishaâs hands. âShe was murdered… I… I need to find out who did it, okay? Itâs… itâs very important to me.â
âOf course,â Elisha purred, nodding in understanding. âMy sister will help you. I promise. We will make sure your mother gets the justice that she deserves.â
âThank you!â Douglas suddenly exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Elishaâs neck and hugging him tight. âThank you, thank you so much!â
Elisha grunted, the forceful embrace knocking him back a step. He held the young man close, gently rubbing his back and enjoying his warmth. It had been quite a long time since heâd had anything so fine in his arms. He wasnât usually a big fan of physical contact, but for sweet Douglas he was happy to make an exception.
âYou have really blue eyes,â Douglas noted dreamily, still hugging Elisha close and gazing at him as if heâd forgotten what he was supposed to be doing.
âMmm, thanks, doll,â Elisha chuckled, smirking playfully. âPlease donât think Iâm not enjoying myself, but the first seance will be starting soon… if youâd be interested in seeing my sister at work, that is.â
âOh! Please! I would love to!â
âYou have to let go of me.â
âRight! S-Sorry!â Douglas pulled away with a bashful smile, readjusting his glasses.
Elisha linked their arms together, confidently leading Douglas back downstairs to introduce him to Catherine. He found her by the piano in the parlor, holding court with their new guests.
She looked surprised to see Douglas, but didnât immediately comment on his presence. She waved to them, cheerfully greeting, âHello, dear brother! I do believe the spirits are going to be quite plentiful this evening!â
âGlad to hear it, dear sister,â he purred in reply, nodding his head towards Douglas as he said, âYou remember my beloved Douglas, donât you?â
âOf course!â Catherine gushed, playing right along as she pulled Douglas in for a big hug and kissed his cheeks. âHow are you, darling? Itâs simply been far too long!â
âO-oh! Iâm good!â Douglas was immediately flustered, doing his best to act natural and failing miserably. âUh, how are you?â
âCatherine, why donât you and Douglas get a drink?â Elisha suggested, catching Thomasâ eye from across the room. âCatch up a bit?â
âA drink?â Douglas gasped, looking all around and frantically whispering, âElisha, you do know that alcohol is illegal.â
âI wonât tell if you donât,â Catherine teased, taking Douglasâ arm and pulling him over to the liquor cabinet with a sweet smile. She chatted him up as if theyâd been friends for years, keeping him close while Elisha stepped out into the hall to talk to Thomas.
âWhoâs the twig?â Thomas grunted curiously once they were alone.
âNew mark and my lover for the weekend,â Elisha informed him briskly.
âDamn, ainât seen you move this fast in a while.â
âNot playing for keeps. He wants an audience with Catherine and had the bank to catch my interest. Being my side piece is his cover so we donât upset our other guests.â
âCute.â
âI need you to check his suitcase. Up in my room. Dead mom, murdered, wants justice.â
Thomas didnât even blink, nodding obediently as he said, âYou got it.â
Elisha clapped him on the shoulder in thanks, stepping back into the parlor to mingle. His attention was instantly drawn back to Douglas and Catherine, now seated together at the piano.
Catherine was pawing at him, goading him to play something as she teased, âOh! Come on! You know itâs my favorite! You played it for me on my birthday!â
âI did?â Douglas stared.
Elisha resisted the urge to groan. It was a good thing everyone was already getting nice and liquored up because Douglas was terrible at this.
âYes!â Catherine cooed sweetly, never missing a beat. âYou and Lish were so sloshed, and you played the song and dedicated it to him. Sweet little love birds that you are.â
Elisha couldnât help but snort. His dear sister was laying it on a bit thick.
They finally managed to settle on a song, Douglasâ nimble fingers stroking the keys along as he sang with Catherine. He had a lovely voice, as beautiful as the rest of him, easily overtaking Catherineâs as they went on.
Elisha noticed that even though the lyrics were happy, there was a sadness in Douglasâ voice. It made him ache in a way he couldnât explain, eagerly joining the applause that erupted when the song ended.
âThank you, Douglas,â Catherine purred graciously, kissing his cheek as she rose up to address her guests, âNow, I do believe it is time for us to address the spirits. If you will all follow me into the dining room, we will begin.â
She led the eager crowd away, ready to knock their socks off. A few candles here, some incense there, and a little bit of eye rolling was all it took for Catherine to completely bewitch them.
Mr. Brown would find out that his wife missed him terribly, but she was very happy and still enjoying gardening on the other side.
She would have to regrettably tell Miss Kahn that her father had lost his money and how sorry he was to have left her with nothing.
Mr. and Mrs. Blake would be over the moon to learn that Poopsie was doing just dandy and still loved to chew up newspapers.
Despite Douglasâ earlier excitement, he was lingering by the piano. He was swaying a little, a sad little smile on his face as he lightly tapped at the keys.
Elisha fixed himself a drink before joining Douglas, asking warmly, âWhatâs the matter, doll face? I thought you liked to watch Catherine work. You always tell me how much you love the seances.â
Couldnât be too careful if one of the guests happened to be hanging around close by.
âI do,â Douglas replied softly. âI mean, I want to. You know what I mean… I just…â He looked up at Elisha, sighing, âI havenât played since I lost my mother… itâs been a very long time. I was gonna give it up actually.â
âThat would be a waste of considerable talent,â Elisha told him sincerely, gently touching Douglasâ cheek. âWherever your mother is at in the world of spirits, Iâm sure sheâd want you to keep playing.â
Douglas beamed up at him so sweetly that it punched the air right out of his lungs. He took Elishaâs hand, cradling it against his face as he whispered adoringly, âThank you.â
Elisha didnât know what to do with the warmth bubbling up inside of him, quickly dulling it down with his drink. He pressed a quick kiss to Douglasâ forehead, encouraging him, âCome on. I donât want you to miss any more than you already have.â
Douglas was still smiling when they joined the others, his handsome face lighting up as Catherine continued to wow them all with her fantastic visions. Each one was more incredible than the last, carrying on for hours until she had exhausted herself and had to retire for the evening.
After a brief rest, she would accept guests for private readings in her study but not until after dinner.
Elisha stayed close to Douglas all night, enjoying his honest sense of wonder and awe. No one would ever suspect that any of this was fake looking at Douglasâ face. He was truly left amazed, enchanted by the magic Catherine had woven so beautifully out of their treachery.
Dinner came and went, and Elisha had lost count of how many drinks Douglas had guzzled back. Elisha was no stranger to hooch, but he wouldnât have been surprised if Douglas had never touched a drop in his life.
Douglas was flushed and laughing often, leaning into Elisha as if they were really lovers. He enjoyed holding his hand and resting his head on Elishaâs shoulder when it became too heavy from the drink to keep up.
Elisha was completely enchanted, accepting all the sweet touches without pushing for anything more than what Douglas was willing to give. Once dinner was concluded, Catherine announced she would begin receiving guests for their private sessions.
After theyâd paid up and been thoroughly searched by Thomas, of course.
âBefore I go,â Catherine suddenly said, smiling over the table of guests, âthere is one last announcement I have to make.â Her smile had a tiny hint of wickedness, declaring, âI want to wish my brother and his beloved a very happy anniversary!â
Douglas blushed and hid his face in Elishaâs chest as everyone applauded and cheered, laughing shyly, âOh, Gosh!â
Elisha grinned appropriately, but inside he was ripping his sisterâs hair out.
âGo on! Give him a kiss!â someone called out.
âOh, yes! A kiss! And a toast to the happy couple!â said another.
Well, crap.
Elisha peered down at Douglas, wishing he knew a way to tell him that they didnât have to do this. It was obvious that theyâd both been drinking quite a bit and Douglas could easily deny the request with his obviously shy nature.
But when Douglas looked up at him, there was nothing shy about it. He was gazing at Elisha as if he wanted to consume him, licking his lips and pausing only to take a quick breath before surging forward to claim a passionate kiss.
However unexpected, Elisha didnât let his surprise register. He wove his arms around Douglas and sweetly returned his affections, purring adoringly, âHappy anniversary, my love.â
âHappy anniversary!â Douglas hiccuped happily, eagerly going in for another kiss.
Oh, there was tongue.
Elisha excused them from the table, easily scooping the slender boy up into his arms and carrying him upstairs. Douglas protested for about three seconds before his head flopped back, blissfully snoring away.
He gently tucked Douglas into bed, taking off his shoes and his coat. He also carefully removed his glasses, setting them over on the bedside table. He left the rest as it was and found himself smiling, even brushing his fingers through Douglasâ soft hair.
This wasnât good. This was not good at all.
He couldnât catch feelings for a mark.
Damn it.
Elisha left to find Thomas, intent on taking the cash heâd collected and even more interested in learning what heâd found inside Douglasâs suitcase. He was almost hoping Thomas would have discovered Douglas was actually a reporter or something else equally devious.
Then perhaps he wouldnât feel so guilty about what he was doing to him.
No such luck as Thomas revealed Douglas was squeaky clean. There were a few newspaper articles about his motherâs murder, a blue ribbon, and a blank postcard from Baltimore. Thomas had been able to sneak away to make a quick phone call to confirm the kidâs story and it wasnât a happy one.
âTwigâs mom got pumped full of daylight when he was a kid,â Thomas explained. âCoppers put the finger on his old man and gave him the chair. There was some uncle, helped take care of him, but he ainât been in the picture for a while.â
âGood,â Elisha said curtly, resisting a pang of sympathy. âMake sure Catherine knows whatâs up. Douglas is definitely gonna want his reading before the weekend is over.â
âYou got it.â
They bid each other good night, Elisha returning to his bedroom to put the money away. There was a lockbox that he kept under the bed, carefully pulling it out as quietly as he could so as not to disturb Douglas. He locked up the cash and stashed the key back in his coat pocket.
He got ready for sleep, deciding to stay in his pants and shirt for modestyâs sake and the comfort of his new companion. Douglas curled up against Elisha the moment he laid down, throwing his arm up over his chest.
Elisha smiled, making no effort to move him, simply enjoying the warmth as he drifted off to sleep.
When he woke up the next morning, Elisha did everything he could to make the moment last. Douglas was still snuggled up beside him and it felt damn good to hold him.
It couldnât last forever, Douglas stirring at last and groaning miserably, âOhhh… what hit me?â
âAbout ten rounds of hooch,â Elisha replied with a softly chuckle.
Douglas blinked himself awake, squinting up at Elisha as he struggled to get a handle on where he was. His eyes suddenly grew wide, gasping, âOh! I kissed you! I, I, I am so sorry! I re-really shouldnât have-â
âItâs fine,â Elisha purred gently. âAll part of selling who you are to the other guests. You did well… and I definitely wouldnât mind a repeat performance.â
Douglasâ fair face turned a lovely shade of red, mumbling, âI think, I think we should, uhm, go get breakfast.â
âOf course,â Elisha nodded, letting him go without protest. He was a thief, but he wasnât a goon.
He even turned his back while they got dressed, waiting for Douglas to tap his shoulder to let him know that he was decent.
Downstairs they went to join the other guests, the rest of the day passing by much more quickly than Elisha would have liked. Catherine hosted several more seances and tarot card readings in between, Douglas remaining enthralled by her performances at every moment. As the evening fell upon them, Elisha realized he wasnât ready for the weekend to be over.
He wasnât ready for Douglas to leave yet.
It was finally time for Douglasâ private reading and he requested for Elisha to join them. He usually didnât mind witnessing his sisterâs spiritual antics, but knowing they were about to be focused on Douglas made him uncomfortable. He used liquor to ease it, all smiles as he sat down with them in the study.
Douglas was fidgeting excitedly in his seat across from Catherine, babbling away, âItâs truly an honor, Madame Fox. Everything Iâve seen you do, itâs just, wow, itâs beyond incredible. Youâre truly so talented! I just, wow, okay, I keep saying that, uhm-â
âItâs quite all right,â Catherine cut in politely, reaching for Douglasâ hands as she gently instructed. âI need you to clear your mind for me… think of the person you wish for me to contact.â
âOkay,â Douglas breathed, closing his eyes.
âNow, did you bring something of theirs?â
âYes,â Douglas replied, reaching quickly into his pocket to retrieve the long blue ribbon Thomas had found yesterday in his suitcase.
Catherine took it from him, smelled it, held it, even licked it. âYes,â she nodded slowly. âItâs coming together now… itâs your motherâs?â
âYes!â Douglas gasped. âHow, how did you know?â
âShe told me,â Catherine replied sweetly. âSheâs here with us now…â She frowned, her tone sad as she murmured, âOh, Douglas. Iâm so sorry… I didnât know she had been taken from you so violently!â
âItâs okay,â Douglas sniffed, his eyes beginning to tear up. âIt was, it was many years ago. But you see, thatâs why I need your help! I need-â
âTo find the man who really killed her,â Catherine interrupted, tilting her head as if she was listening to someone else. âYour father was falsely accused… oh! Heâs there with her? Theyâre together? Oh, Douglas… heâs also passed on?â
âYes. He was executed for a crime he didnât commit,â Douglas sorrowfully explained. âThis is why I came to you. I need you to please help me. I cannot rest until I get justice for my family!â
Every last tear Douglas cried slapped Elisha right in the face. Maybe it was a good thing this was their last scam. He would miss the rush, but clearly he was going soft.
Catherine moaned and rolled her eyes about, shaking and pulling out all the stops while Douglas watched her intently. She began to gasp loudly, panting, âYes, it was a man… a tall man, but not too tall… a beard, maybe not… and he was wearing…â Catherine suddenly shivered. â…Green.â
âYes?â Douglas pleaded. âAnd? And what else?â
Catherine took Douglasâ hands, shaking her head as she lamented, âThe vision is leaving me, but your parents want me to pass along a message. They want you to give up your search. Theyâre at peace now, they have each other… and they want you to be happy.â
Douglas looked confused and lost, sniffing miserably as Catherine pressed the blue ribbon into his palm. He stared down at it for a long time, his head bobbing slowly as he said, âThank you, Madame Fox. For everything.â
âItâs my pleasure, Douglas,â Catherine cooed. âYour parents love you so very much.â
âI know they do,â Douglas said with a tearful smile, glancing back at Elisha. âUhm. Could we… could we go to bed, my, eh, beloved?â
âOf course,â Elisha purred, saying goodnight to his sister and walking Douglas back to his room. When the door shut behind them, he was surprised to find himself tackled into another fierce hug.
âDouglas, are you all right?â Elisha asked, genuinely concerned.
âIâm better than all right,â Douglas sighed, grinning sweetly up at him. âMy parents are at peace! This is incredible! I can finally start my life! I donât have to keep looking any more for some terrible fiend!â
âIâm happy for you,â Elisha said with a warm smile, his hands settling on Douglasâ hips.
âI can live for me now,â Douglas went on, his eyes still damp with tears but these were joyful. âI can do whatever I want!â His eyes flickered over Elishaâs lips, shy but full of desire. âAnything I want…â
âWhat do you want right now?â Elisha asked huskily, already knowing the answer and selfish enough to take it.
âYou,â Douglas replied bashfully. âTo kiss you… and uhm, whatever… whatever else may happen after that… if, uh, you know, youâd be interested.â
Elisha only smiled, sweeping Douglas into a tender kiss, his tongue deftly stealing away his needy moans. Their clothes fell to the floor as Elisha took Douglas to bed, worshipping his body for long hours before finally sliding inside of him.
Douglas was totally insatiable, a frantic live-wire writhing away beneath Elisha and desperately begging for more. Elisha gave him all that he had and then some, driven by some unfamiliar force to wreck Douglas beyond his wildest dreams.
Maybe it was guilt, his silent way of apologizing for taking advantage of such a sweet soul.
Elisha did not allow himself rest until Douglas had called out his name a third time and the sun was beginning to lighten the sky outside his window. They held each other like the lovers they had pretended to be all weekend, Douglasâ soft voice whispering in Elishaâs ear, âThank you… for everything.â
âYouâre welcome,â Elisha replied as he swallowed back the last stab of guilt he could stand, his mind already made up before he fell asleep.
Tomorrow, he was going to give Douglas back his money.
When Elisha woke up alone, he was actually surprised. He had reached out to find Douglas and was met with cool sheets instead. He blinked himself awake, sitting up with a soft grunt.
Douglasâ glasses were still sitting on the bedside table, but his suitcase was gone.
Something was wrong.
Elisha got dressed, heading quickly downstairs to find Catherine bidding all of their guests farewell. Everyone was leaving happy and satisfied, money well spent and their faith in the beyond successfully confirmed.
He waited for the last one to leave before asking quickly, âHave you seen Douglas?â
âNot since last night,â Catherine replied, quirking her brows. While not a true medium, she knew her brother better than he knew himself and demanded flatly, âWhatâs wrong? Did something happen?â
âHeâs gone,â Elisha said with a deep frown. âSomethingâs up.â
âI never heard him leave,â Thomas chimed in as he joined them at the bottom of the stairs. âWhat are you thinkinâ? Got all skittish on yaâ and ran?â
âI donât know,â Elisha answered honestly. He reached into his coat pocket for the lockbox key, sighing, âLetâs just get the cash and scram. I donât like this…â
The moment his fingers touched the key, his heart stopped. There was something soft there that didnât belong, slowly pulling the key out to reveal a long blue ribbon had been tied around it.
It was the ribbon that belonged to Douglasâ mother.
âWhatâs that?â Thomas grunted.
Elisha turned and immediately bolted back up the steps, skipping the last few at the top as he hurled himself towards his bedroom door. He dove under the bed, dragging out the lockbox with his pulse drumming like thunder in his ears.
No.
It couldnât be.
He stared stupidly down into an empty chest, several seconds ticking by as he tried to wrap his mind around it. All of the money was gone.
Catherine and Thomas had finally caught up with him, Catherine angrily snapping, âLish! What the hell?â
âWhereâs the fuckinâ money?â Thomas snarled, his eyes immediately finding the empty lockbox.
Elisha sat back on his heels, rubbing his hands slowly over his face. All the pieces were falling into place, laughing bitterly, âThat little son of a bitch took it… Iâve been conned.â
âWhat?â Catherine blinked.
âIt was Douglas,â Elisha sighed, feeling more a fool than he ever had in his entire life. He was almost too impressed to be angry. He picked up the glasses that Douglas had left behind, tilting them up into the light for a closer look.
Plain glass, nothing more.
All part of Douglasâ shy and vulnerable little costume that he had chosen to seduce Elisha with.
It had been good. Very good.
Elisha had never even suspected him for a moment.
He knew that the script of Douglasâ act had been very real, but where the actual line of truth and falsehood was drawn Elisha had no idea. He had never before met a con artist so talented and he was equally infuriated and intrigued.
âLish!â Catherine shrieked impatiently, dragging him out of his thoughts. âAre you telling me that little skinny shit whammied you and took off with all of our fucking money?â
âYes, sister,â Elisha drawled with an amused click of his tongue. âThat he did.â He stood up, grabbing a bag out of his closet and starting to pack.
âWhat are you doing?â Thomas grumbled, still quite sore over the lost cash and pouting at the empty box.
âGoing after our fuckinâ money,â Elisha replied. âHe couldnât have gotten too far.â He thought about Douglasâ postcard, adding, âI have a pretty good idea of where heâs going. You two stay here, pack up shop. Weâre gonna need to be ready to ghost this town when I get back.â
âYeah?â Catherine scoffed. âWhat are you gonna do to the little bastard when you find him?â
âHavenât decided yet,â Elisha replied with a playful smirk.
âYou gonna kill him?â
âPossibly,â Elisha mused, still unable to hide how impressed he was with Douglasâ flawless manipulation. âIâll decide when I catch up to him. Iâm either gonna kill him… or Iâm gonna ask him to marry me.â