“Have a good night,” Gus said, taking my tray and moving to the next cell.
The next day, I was allowed outside again. I went straight to Hargenson and Cunningham, my new friends.
“Teach me how to be rich.”
They shared a look, and I continued on, “Old money. Teach me how to act like I belong. Like I’ve been rich the whole time. Everything. All of it.”
They ignored me for a long five minutes, and then suddenly Cunningham spoke.
“You ever take etiquette classes, Hargenson?”
And so my lessons began. Each day, for one hour, I listened and learned everything I could about the lifestyles of the rich and the famous. They allowed me to ask questions and took turns playing chess. It was difficult for me to play, as I was never allowed out of my cuffs, but I made it work. I had to, because one day, that bastard was going to finally die, and I needed to be ready.
We spoke about everything, their lives before and after their crimes. While they were both educated men, they were still monsters in their own rights. Hargenson had murdered all of his childhood friends, who were also his business partners, and buried them underneath some of the buildings they’d designed. Cunningham had been involved in some dirty business that turned deadly. He refused to elaborate. And then, there was me, the only one of the trio who maintained my innocence.
They laughed the first time I admitted I didn’t eat anyone. Which I had fully expected them to do. They didn’t press, but I could tell they didn’t believe me.
No one did.
For the rest of my life, I would be known as the pretty boy who ate people.
But still, I was never turned away from their table. They continued to allow me space to learn from them. Soon, things began to shift in my brain. In my cell, I hosted invisible parties, interacting with pretend celebrities and the old money folk. I practiced being one of them so that the day the news came, I would be ready.
One day, months later, I sat with my two older friends, and they started their chess game.
“You hear about Dennis Wolfsheim, Cunningham? He’s some fancy pants billionaire.” Hargenson asked.
My spine went straight, and panic grippedme so hard I almost fell back. Cunningham nodded, his lips curling ever so slightly on the side.
I looked between them, and saw… amusement in their eyes. What was going on? Were they taunting me?
“Yeah, I did, actually. Guess he died,” Cunningham replied.
I blinked.
What?
“Did you know him?” My belly rumbled with nerves. My case was no secret, but was it a coincidence? Was it true? Had Dennis finally died?
“I didn’t. I just... knew of him and his sister. You know the one.” Cunningham looked directly at me, his eyes hardening.
I nodded. She was the one they said I ate.
“He’s dead?” I asked, pleading silently for it to be true.
Both men nodded and played their chess pieces.
“I hear he had an interesting will,” Hargenson said. “I’m sure we’ll see soon, won’t we?”
The look they were giving me said more than any words ever could. They knew. Steadying my hands and heart, I nodded. If Dennis was dead, then I was free.
“We will.”
Chapter 5
Daisy
One year later
