personality was evident. She even left the old pictures of dark, brooding landscapes on the wall.
Now, however, as she paced back and forth, Penny’s thoughts circled in maddening confusion, preventing her from finding any peace at all in her little haven.
“Oh, that Lester! Is he really serious? Does he actually think one of us will kill her? What if he had drawn the X? Would he do it? Or was this just an elaborate joke on his part? What if Audrey or Bernie had drawn the X? Do they all hate Agnes that much? Yes, certainly Audrey and I do. Agnes ruined our lives if Audrey was right about things and she must have been. But Lester and Bernie? Bernie hasn’t been here long enough and she’s tough. So far she has stood up to Agnes but, as Audrey says, Agnes has ways of destroying people. And, there’s no way to know she’s doing it until it’s been done. But Bernie doesn’t know that. Not yet anyway. Lester obviously hates Agnes. She has robbed him of his dignity. He lives here in the lap of luxury as long as he tows the line. Of course, he does it for Kevin’s sake but would life be better if Agnes died and Lester inherited? Could I get my life back together at this late date? Oh, what am I thinking? I drew the X so Agnes won’t die. How could I kill someone? Agatha Christie loved poisons but I don’t know the first thing about something like that.”
Finally, almost exhausted from the pacing and the worrying, she lay in her bed wishing those fears would dissipate. At last Penny fell asleep with not only disjointed thoughts but also with conflicting emotions. She was actually contemplating ways to commit murder and those thoughts terrified her.
Next door, Audrey stood by the window in her room, a room furnished very much like Penny’s, gazing out over the darkened grounds of Henley House, not really observing the moonlight dancing on the pool or the ominous shadows of the gardens beyond. Her mind dwelled in a more surrealist realm.
“At least half of this should be mine. Life would be better if Agnes were gone. Much better, of course, for Lester than the rest of us. How clever of him to have us draw for an X. Does he really expect one of us to do it? Or was he just playing a parlor game to ease the tension and boredom of our lives? I wonder what is in Agnes’ will. Surely she left ample provisions for Kevin, but Les would be the primary beneficiary. And if something happened to Agnes then Les would make Kevin his heir. Or did Agnes even have a will? Has she ever contemplated her own mortality? After all, she considers herself a goddess to be worshipped by all.” Audrey laughed out loud at such an absurd thought.
“But Les would inherit, no matter what. Therefore, he, Kevin, and Bernie have nothing to lose. If Agnes made a will, did she leave me anything? She cheated me thirty years ago. Has Agnes changed at all since then?”
Looking upwards to the ceiling and beyond, Audrey entreated her beloved aunt, “Oh, Aunt Hilda, what did Agnes do to make you disinherit me? I know you loved me. Would my life be better if Agnes died? Would Les give me at least a portion of what should be mine? And if he didn’t, what would happen then?”
Her mind jolted back to an excruciating fact. She had drawn the X, parlor game or not, and she more than anyone, probably even more than Les, wanted Agnes out of their lives but could she actually murder her own sister?
After Kevin had fallen asleep, Bernie took a long, hot shower. “Thank heaven I drew that silly X. Kill Agnes? Damn, what a laugh! But could I get what I wanted that way? And get away with it? Living here is divine.”
The hot water cascaded down her slight figure as she remembered cold showers in her family’s trailer where hot water was at a premium with her large family. She trembled as she recalled her home life with her abusive father, alcoholic mother, squabbling younger siblings, and the annoying police showing up every time her father got out of
Now, however, as she paced back and forth, Penny’s thoughts circled in maddening confusion, preventing her from finding any peace at all in her little haven.
“Oh, that Lester! Is he really serious? Does he actually think one of us will kill her? What if he had drawn the X? Would he do it? Or was this just an elaborate joke on his part? What if Audrey or Bernie had drawn the X? Do they all hate Agnes that much? Yes, certainly Audrey and I do. Agnes ruined our lives if Audrey was right about things and she must have been. But Lester and Bernie? Bernie hasn’t been here long enough and she’s tough. So far she has stood up to Agnes but, as Audrey says, Agnes has ways of destroying people. And, there’s no way to know she’s doing it until it’s been done. But Bernie doesn’t know that. Not yet anyway. Lester obviously hates Agnes. She has robbed him of his dignity. He lives here in the lap of luxury as long as he tows the line. Of course, he does it for Kevin’s sake but would life be better if Agnes died and Lester inherited? Could I get my life back together at this late date? Oh, what am I thinking? I drew the X so Agnes won’t die. How could I kill someone? Agatha Christie loved poisons but I don’t know the first thing about something like that.”
Finally, almost exhausted from the pacing and the worrying, she lay in her bed wishing those fears would dissipate. At last Penny fell asleep with not only disjointed thoughts but also with conflicting emotions. She was actually contemplating ways to commit murder and those thoughts terrified her.
Next door, Audrey stood by the window in her room, a room furnished very much like Penny’s, gazing out over the darkened grounds of Henley House, not really observing the moonlight dancing on the pool or the ominous shadows of the gardens beyond. Her mind dwelled in a more surrealist realm.
“At least half of this should be mine. Life would be better if Agnes were gone. Much better, of course, for Lester than the rest of us. How clever of him to have us draw for an X. Does he really expect one of us to do it? Or was he just playing a parlor game to ease the tension and boredom of our lives? I wonder what is in Agnes’ will. Surely she left ample provisions for Kevin, but Les would be the primary beneficiary. And if something happened to Agnes then Les would make Kevin his heir. Or did Agnes even have a will? Has she ever contemplated her own mortality? After all, she considers herself a goddess to be worshipped by all.” Audrey laughed out loud at such an absurd thought.
“But Les would inherit, no matter what. Therefore, he, Kevin, and Bernie have nothing to lose. If Agnes made a will, did she leave me anything? She cheated me thirty years ago. Has Agnes changed at all since then?”
Looking upwards to the ceiling and beyond, Audrey entreated her beloved aunt, “Oh, Aunt Hilda, what did Agnes do to make you disinherit me? I know you loved me. Would my life be better if Agnes died? Would Les give me at least a portion of what should be mine? And if he didn’t, what would happen then?”
Her mind jolted back to an excruciating fact. She had drawn the X, parlor game or not, and she more than anyone, probably even more than Les, wanted Agnes out of their lives but could she actually murder her own sister?
After Kevin had fallen asleep, Bernie took a long, hot shower. “Thank heaven I drew that silly X. Kill Agnes? Damn, what a laugh! But could I get what I wanted that way? And get away with it? Living here is divine.”
The hot water cascaded down her slight figure as she remembered cold showers in her family’s trailer where hot water was at a premium with her large family. She trembled as she recalled her home life with her abusive father, alcoholic mother, squabbling younger siblings, and the annoying police showing up every time her father got out of
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