The Peculiar Case of Agnes Astor Smith Page 4

  Chapter Five

  Surprise, surprise. I just so happened to have a passport; bare of stamps but filled with dreams. I don’t think Agnes expected anything less from me, but then again, it was impossible to get a read on the older woman. The drive back to her estate was a short and quiet one, with Agnes looking a mix of pensive and excited. I dared not to break her from her reverie, too swept up in my own thoughts of what she could possibly have planned. Some sort of trip seemed like an obvious answer, though I could only wonder what sort of adventure Agnes had in mind. She seemed the sort who would be up for any sort of escapade, caring very little about the societal responsibilities or consequences. I didn’t know her well enough to know if I could properly call her reckless, but one thing was evident; and that was how utterly daring she was. I knew whatever she had planned would be plenty exciting, though I didn’t quite know what role I would play. At least, not yet—assuming I played any role at all. I internally weighed whether or not I should press her for answers, though I had no place to be making any demands of her. She seemed oblivious to my internal dilemma, humming Naples, of course. Where else would be going?under her breath in tune with the song playing on the radio.

  “So, Agnes,” I began in a manner I hoped was casual, smiling a bit nervously as she glanced towards me.

  “Abigail,” she replied amicably, making no effort to push me to continue the conversation. I drew my lip between my teeth, nervously worrying it for a moment before speaking again.

  “Where, exactly, do you want to go?” I finally managed to get out, receiving an amused grin for my efforts. She pulled into the driveway of her estate, allowing the car to idle for a moment.

  “Naples, of course. Where else would you be going? You did express an interest in Pompeii, after all,” she said breezily, cutting the ignition before pushing her car door open and slipping out. I stared after her for a moment, fumbling with my seatbelt and lurching out of my side of the car.

  “Y-you can’t be serious? Naples? Just because I expressed an interest in it?” I demanded almost frantically, trailing after her as she strode towards the front entrance.

  “Well, not strictly because you’re interested. At least, not for that reason alone,” she seemed to muse to herself. I continued to follow her, stopping short as she paused at the front door. She spun around on her heel to face me, tilting her head almost like a curious dog. “Aren’t you going to go home and pack your things, dear?” She inquired, as if I were some sort of fool. Heck, in that moment, I wondered if I were some kind of dunderhead.

  “I thought you might want to discuss the trip further before I actually packed my things. After all, doesn’t this whole situation seem a little strange? I can’t be the only one who thinks so,” I muttered. She smiled a bit, seeming thoroughly entertained by my answer. I didn’t think it was all that entertaining, but Agnes’ smile was so infectious, I fought to hold a grudge.

  “Isn’t the strangeness what keeps it so fun? Now run along. I’ll expect you to book us the quickest flight available. As far as the accommodations, don’t worry too terribly about that. I have a contact in the area who should be happy to host us for the duration of our trip,” she said airily. “See you in a few hours, dear. Money isn’t an issue, so simply finesse your way into the soonest available tickets,” she finished, waving a bit before slipping into her home. I stared after her for several long moments, not quite sure what to make of the entire situation. Then, with a faint smile, I turned and strode back to my car. I would do as she asked to the best of my abilities, and hopefully we would be in Naples by the end of the week. Somehow, I doubted that the end of the week would be an acceptable timeframe, so I noted to make my best effort to land the best flight available. As I slipped into my car, I had already pulled out my cellphone to browse some travel booking websites. The flight was my main concern, and though the idea of staying with some stranger was a bit disconcerting, somehow I knew Agnes wouldn’t place me in danger. At least, not on purpose. If she was bringing me along to stay with this acquaintance, I was certain he must be a reputable individual. I idly wondered how Agnes knew the man, salaciously wondering if perhaps she’d been across the map in some torrid love affair. I shook off the thought quickly, feeling almost ashamed at my behavior. This was my boss, I shouldn’t be entertaining myself with thoughts of her personal business—even if I was sure she would simply laugh and confirm my suspicions, regardless of their verity.

  As I pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex, I continued to browse flight bookings on my phone. There was a flight departing from the nearest airport in a few hours, but I wondered if that would be too soon. Was too soon even a possibility in this scenario? I swiped to claim the plane tickets, sending an email to Agnes to confirm whether the flight was a possibility. I didn’t expect an immediate response, so I busied myself with packing the necessities for such a trip. I had no idea what I might need on a trip to Naples, but I was going to prepare myself to the best of my ability. Regardless of how average I might have been in most cases, there was nothing average about this situation. I would get to visit my dream destination, and get paid to do so in the meantime. I mused that I should probably call my father and glanced at my phone, only to see a message from Agnes confirming that the flight later that evening would be ‘perfect’. Well, as exciting as that was, it meant I needed to put a rush on packing my belongings. I sent her a smiling emoticon before swiping away from the text, selecting my father’s number and dialing it up. I set my phone on speaker, placing it on the coffee table as I considered what I might need to take along. I definitely needed to pack several changes of clothes, though Agnes hadn’t made it very clear how long or short the trip might be. I packed clothes for the remainder of the week, hoping desperately that the older and eccentric woman wouldn’t find some reason to stay much longer. In spite of my fascination with the area, it wasn’t as if I could forsake my entire home life for some fun trip with a woman who I wasn’t even sure was going to pay me. Sure, the experience should have been payment enough in a perfect world. I needed cash to get by, however. I couldn’t eat the memories of a fun time shared with a woman I was coming to consider my friend. I knew it was a bit soon to think as much, especially considering that Agnes likely saw me as little more than a little pest that asked too many questions. I was so caught up in my thoughts, I didn’t realize my father had answered my call until I heard my name being screamed. I shook off my distraction, striding towards the coffee table to speak closer to the phone.

  “Hi dad, sorry. I was a bit caught up in... my own mind, really.” I explained, hating how weak the explanation sounded, even to me.

  “It’s fine, kiddo. It’s a bit strange that you would call me and then forget about it, but, well... you’re an odd kid at the best of times,” he teased. I rolled my eyes, humming under my breath as I finished packing up my items.

  “I just wanted to call and tell you that I’m going to be out of town for the rest of the week. Agnes and I are going on a trip to Naples—-,” I began, only for my father to cut me off.

  “Naples...? You two are going to Naples? Why? This seems awfully sudden,” he said gruffly, doubt edging his voice. I couldn’t blame him, but I found myself growing a bit defensive in spite of myself.

  “Well, I had mentioned my interest in the area, and Agnes has... a good share of connections. We’ll be leaving in a few hours, and she said we’ll be housing with a friend of hers for the duration of our stay,” I explained, trailing off a bit nervously. It sounded even stranger as I explained it more, but I felt as if my father knew Agnes, he would understand why all of this seemed so natural.

  “So... this woman is taking you on a cross country trip, just on a whim?” He asked bluntly, and I hesitated a moment before nodding. It was belatedly that I realized he couldn’t see me, so I voiced my answer.

  “If you met her, I feel like you would understand,” I said weakly, only to receive a grim laugh in response.

  “Assuming yo
u don’t get yourself killed on this wild trip, I’d love to meet this woman. She sounds like a riot. Seriously, though, Abbie. Be careful out there. You never know what the crazies in this world might do to do you,” he said warningly. I rolled my eyes, grabbing the phone off of the table and switching it off of speaker as I pressed it to my ear.

  “I’ll keep that in mind, dad. I need to get a move on if I’m going to meet Agnes at the airport in time. I’ll try to update you as much as I can. Hey, maybe I’ll even get you some kind of souvenir,” I said with a smile. He chuckled, and I could picture him shaking his head in disbelief.

  “My daughter almost got herself killed, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt,” he quipped.

  “A bit wordy, but I’ll see what I can do. I love you, Dad. I’ll be in touch as soon as I’m able,” I said my heart cracking a bit at the nervousness with which he spoke.

  “Alright. If anything happens to you, I hope you know I’ll have to kill this woman. I love you, kiddo. Be safe,” he breathed. I smiled, swiping to end the call before shoving the phone in my pocket. I glanced at the bags I’d managed to pack in the duration of the call, inhaling a deep breath before beginning to carry them to my car. It only took one trip, as I’d ultimately decided I’d need little more than the clothes on my back and perhaps my digital camera. I packed plenty of batteries to be safe. Once my bags were safely loaded in the car, I checked the time, only to realize more had passed than I realized. I sent Agnes a quick message to inform her that I would meet her at the airport. Slipping into my car, I sat behind the steering wheel and considered what I was actually doing for a moment. My dad was right, in a way. I had no idea what I was getting wrapped up in, and it did seem pretty strange that Agnes would want me to join her on such a trip so early on. A feeling of foreboding settled over me for the briefest of moments, but I dismissed it. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I yelled at a vagrant to extinguish the small fire his cigarette had caused. He swore after me, but I was too caught up in hoping that my dreams didn’t go up in flames just the same.

  Chapter Six

  When I met Agnes at the airport, I had to admit that I had my share of nerves. She had packed very sparsely for someone who had so much, the few things she’d brought along appearing to be old leather bound book that referenced the location. If she noticed my trepidation, she didn’t give any indication, patting me on the shoulder as we carried our bags to the plane. I would have wrung my hands if I weren’t so encumbered with my luggage, but it was just as well, I suppose.

  “Are you excited for the trip, Abigail?” She asked with a faint smile, though she didn’t look in my direction. I hesitated, fidgeting for a moment before nodding. “Use your words, dear girl,” she teased. I felt my cheeks redden, resisting the desire to snap at what could be construed as condescension. However, deep down I knew as plain as day that Agnes would make no efforts to embarrass me. She simply guided me as she saw fit, though I wasn’t sure if I was exactly fond of that trait.

  “I’m very excited,” I finally answered, and she smiled even more broadly. “But a bit confused as well.” I amended, expecting her to droop or react negatively in some way. She did not, much to my surprise. She only smiled slyly, reaching out to pat my shoulder again.

  “That just adds to the thrill, doesn’t it? I’m sure you’ll find your answers in due time, but until then, relax and enjoy the ride,” she said passively. I slowly raised a brow, not sure how to reply. However, she quickly ushered me towards the gate we were exiting through, and I realized we’d made it just in time to board the plane. I shuffled quickly beside her, struggling to keep my carryon bag balanced as we rushed forward. Agnes didn’t seem particularly set on starting any deep conversation, and I could only dismiss it as her being tired or something of the like. Agnes didn’t seem the type to tire easily, but she tended to be somewhat talkative when she was in good spirits. I didn’t want to consider why she might be feeling less than content in that moment, but as she glanced over to me with one of her signature warm grins, the feeling faded away.

  “Who will we be staying with for the duration of the trip?” I asked mildly, hoping I did not seem as if I were pressing her too hard. She hummed under her breath, pausing to allow me to take the window seat before shoving our bags into the overhead space. She slipped into the seat beside me, primly folding her hands as she settled in.

  “Oh, just an old friend of mine. His name is Stefan, I’m sure the two of you will get along swimmingly,” she smiled. I felt myself grinning a bit as well, in spite of myself. I gave her a slight nudge, meeting her gaze with a toothy smile.

  “Oh, an old friend?” I pressed, not sure what sort of reaction to expect. I was feeling bold, so sue me. She raised a brow curiously for several moments, narrowing her eyes as she seemed to realize what I was implying.

  “Yes, a friend,” she said bluntly, rolling her eyes a bit. “Honestly, Abigail. I may seem the type who gets around, but I hold no interest in Stefan. He’s too much of an old fuddy duddy,” she added dismissively.

  “A fuddy duddy,” I repeated, resisting the desire to laugh. “I think you’re the fuddy duddy, considering you’re the one using that phrase,” I teased. She looked irate for a moment before breathing out a laugh and rolling her eyes.

  “Perhaps you’re right. It’s not exactly the most hip terminology, is it?” She hummed, standing for a moment to grab something out of the overhead storage. She sat down a moment later, flipping through a book about ancient history.

  “I don’t think anyone expects someone as brilliant as you to be... hip, Agnes,” I chuckled, receiving an overly dramatic pout in response. I snickered a bit as she pressed the back of her hand to her forehead as if she were feeling faint.

  “Oh, Abigail, you must know that it means everything to be in with the cool new lingo,” she said with a sigh, fanning her face. I rolled my eyes, nudging her with a smile. In spite of her supposed position as my boss, Agnes was an exceedingly friendly woman. She seemed to not place emphasis on how she was ‘supposed’ to act, instead doing what came naturally. It was an admirable trait, at least, as far as I was concerned. I wished I could be as open and honest with my inner feelings as the older woman was, but I had the feeling that the more time I spent in her presence, the more I would find myself opening up. It wasn’t a guarantee by any means, and perhaps I was foolish to think so, but there was some feeling deep inside of me that made me feel as if Agnes would somehow change me. Be it my outlook on life, or how I faced challenges, I couldn’t shake the thought. Then again, it was unfair to expect a woman who had hired me to do much else beyond paying my weekly checks. Heck, I wasn’t even sure if I would be receiving weekly checks at that rate. As far as I knew, the whole thing could be some sort of fraud on Agnes’ part. She didn’t seem like she would be anything but forthcoming with me, but I didn’t know her as well as I may have felt I did. She could be some sort of criminal for all I knew, flying me all the way to Naples to orchestrate my untimely death. My father’s concerns flashed to the front of my mind, but I dismissed them as ridiculous. What could Agnes get out of harming me? She seemed to notice that I was caught up in my own mind, giving me a little nudge with her elbow. “Stefan is a nice enough fellow, but he’s not exactly my type. Gods, dear, at my age, I don’t even know if I have a type anymore,” she chuckled. I smiled a bit, folding my hands in my lap as she continued to flip through the book.

  “I’m sure any guy would be thrilled to court you, Agnes. You’re a fascinating character if nothing else,” I smiled, realizing that the statement might not have been as complimentary as I thought. She seemed to catch on as soon as I did, raising a brow slyly.

  “Fascinating, hm?” She prompted, closing her book with a slam and turning to face me. “Sounds like you’re trying to be kind, Abigail. What, do you think I’m strange?” She smirked. I sputtered for a moment, not sure how to reply. Of course I thought she was strange, though not necessarily in a bad way. She was just eccentric, in the sort of way
most people couldn’t speak for. I tapped my fingertips together, glancing out the window with a pensive expression.

  “Not in so many words,” I finally settled on, rewarded with a rich laugh for my efforts.

  “I see. You’re being polite, then. I appreciate the effort on your part, Miss Bean, but I’m not above admitting to my strangeness,” she hummed. She tucked her book into the back pocket of the seat in front of her, reaching out to rest a hand on my wrist. She turned to face me, her expression warm as she considered me for several moments. “I understand that this whole thing seems a bit odd, but I knew you were the perfect person for the job as soon as you walked through my door. I really hope you come to enjoy my company, Miss Bean. I’m not holding you hostage by any means, and you’re free to back out of my services any time you may like. Of course I hope it doesn’t come to that, but it’s always an option for you,” she explained gently. I gave pause for a moment, tapping my fingertips on the arms of my seat. She looked at me with such an earnest expression, that I couldn’t even begin to think she meant any harm for me- not that I’d ever thought as much to begin with. Still, there was one thing that troubled me about this entire situation.

  “I have no desire to duck out, Agnes. I want to see this job through until the end, whatever that may be. I just... honestly, I don’t understand why everything has to be so cryptic,” I murmured. She smirked, her smile widening until she tossed her head back in a laugh that came straight from her gut. I stared in confusion, not seeing what was so humorous about the situation, but then again, Agnes seemed to find humor in even the smallest of things.

  “Dear girl, it wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining for either of us if I came right out and told you exactly what I expect of you,” she grinned, the words coming as if it were the most natural statement in the world. I stared at her through wide eyes for a moment, musing that no, it wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining, but it would certainly make more sense. Deciding to give in to the sheer nonsensical value of the situation, I simply smiled and nodded.