The Peculiar Case of Agnes Astor Smith Read online

  “Abigail. Abigail Bean. The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure.” I smiled a bit more confidently. It may have seemed to lead to a dead end, but the search in the ruins hadn’t been entirely fruitless. It seemed especially worthwhile to mention considering I wasn’t the only one who noticed the strange symbol.

  “It’s been grand, Abigail. Enjoy your stay,” she said dismissively, striding away from the corridor and towards the section I’d first met her. I hesitated at the end of the corridor for a moment, examining every inch of the walls for something that might be out of place. When nothing jumped out, I turned around to slip out of the ruins. I figured it was due time for Agnes and Stefan to show up again, and I was excited to share my discovery with Agnes. I hoped she would find it as interesting as I did, but I had my doubts. Agnes didn’t seem to be surprised by very much in life, and if she used to spend time in this area, I was sure she had made note of the symbols prior as well. Just the same, I refused to let myself talk myself down and inch back into my shell. The little glimmer of confidence that had made itself known wasn’t going to be given up so easily. As I emerged from the ruins, I spotted Agnes lingering near Stefan’s car. She was smoking a cigarette, something I’d not seen her do before. Granted, I’d not seen her in her off time very much at all. The flame at the tip of the cigarette seemed to burn almost unnaturally brightly, but I assumed it was simply my mind playing tricks on me. I strode towards her, a cheerful bounce in my step as I went. The idea that this was some sort of test seemed less offensive now that I was sure I’d passed, but the slightest bit of doubt still crept up my spine. When Agnes noticed me, she licked her fingertips and snuffed the cigarette between her fingers before placing it in her bag. I should have expected as much, as there was no way that the eccentric woman would dare sully this beautiful attraction with any sort of litter.

  “Abigail, just on time. Just as I had expected,” she said with a grin. “Tell me, did you discover anything of interest?” Agnes probed, and though I was ready to erupt with my discoveries, something made me hesitate. Was my discovery perhaps not as grand as I’d thought? After all, it wasn’t as if I’d been the first person to make it. I wished I had some sort of backup plan, something to provide if the initial discovery fell short. It was too late in that moment, however. Agnes stood all smiles, ready to hear what I’d found.

  “Well... it wasn’t a brand new discovery, but I found it interesting at the very least,” I began, cringing as Agnes’ face fell slightly. I could tell she was already disappointed, and truthfully, I felt somewhat disappointed in myself for being unable to provide anything more. “There are these symbols scattered throughout the ruins. I didn’t realize at first, but they seem to point towards something. The tour guide mentioned that they were out of place, didn’t belong with the others. She seemed to think that a strange man placed them throughout the building when it was initially discovered,” I blurted, feeling less and less proud of myself as the minutes passed. The older woman’s eyes grew wider, and her hand lashed out to grab me by the wrist.

  “Take me. Show me,” she ordered, her voice harsh. I was almost afraid I’d done something wrong, but I obliged her just the same. I guided her into the ruins, waving at the tour guide as I passed. She looked at Agnes a bit strangely, but smiled when she noticed me. Agnes seemed somewhat perturbed by the young woman as well, but said nothing as I led her deeper into the corridors. I pointed out each symbol as we walked, following the same path that the tour guide had led me down. Agnes’ face grew more and more and more tense until we reached the final rune, and she released my hand before approaching it and brushing her fingers across it.

  “This is all I managed to find. I know it’s not much, but...,” I trailed off, noting that the other woman looked rather giddy all of a sudden. I swallowed whatever I was going to say, stepping up to her side and scrutinizing the symbol again. “It’s almost as if someone were going to hide something here. But why here, of all places?” I inquired, glancing towards Agnes with curiosity. She drew away, seeming to consider the area we’d come to as if she were mapping out every inch of it in her brain.

  “The question is... why would the tour guide think it as well?” She mused. I shrugged my shoulders, glancing in the direction we’d come from. I was going to suggest that Agnes outright ask the young woman to relay the story herself, but the older woman seemed to be in too much of a tizzy. She grabbed my wrist again, and we strode out of the ruins. I waved at the tour guide as we left, and she waved cheerfully even as Agnes shot her a dirty look. I didn’t quite understand what was troubling Agnes, but I hoped the answers would be revealed soon enough.

  Chapter Nine

  As we strode out of the ruins, I noted that Stefan had apparently given Agnes use of his car. She swung the keys around on her finger, whistling as she settled in the driver’s seat. She seemed a good bit more cheerful, which was a definite relief. I fastened my seatbelt quietly, not yet one hundred percent sure that I’d passed her test of sorts. She’d given no indication either way, and while she seemed pleased with my discovery, I wasn’t prepared to get my hopes up until she gave me some sort of answer. I tapped my fingers on my knees as she pulled out of the parking area, noticing that she seemed to be glancing in my direction every so often. I tried not to let it bother me, but it looked as if there was something she wanted to say. I turned to her with a faint smile, appearing as unbothered as I could manage. I suppose I didn’t manage all that well, because Agnes smirked a bit before turning her attention back to the road.

  “Are you hungry, dear girl? I’m absolutely ravenous after the day I’ve had with Stefan,” she inquired. My eyes crinkled with amusement, and I nudged her with my elbow.

  “Really? I can see how a man like that would be exhausting. And here you were, insisting you were just friends,” I cajoled, yelping as she slammed on the breaks. I jolted forward in my seat, thankfully restrained by my seatbelt. I could hear car horns blaring as people swerved around us, and Agnes looked entirely unbothered as she began to move again. “What was that!?” I demanded, sinking into my seat and breathing a sigh of relief when it became evident I wasn’t going to die a fiery death.

  “Just thought I’d put the fear of God in you. You should be careful with that mouth, Abigail, dear,” she chastised gently, as if she had not nearly killed us both. I stared at her in disbelief, mouth opening and closing as I struggled to come up with some retort.

  “Okay,” I finally exhaled, my voice flat. She chuckled from the driver’s seat, and I resisted the desire to cross my arms and pout. This woman truly knew how to drive someone crazy. “For the record, I am hungry,” I added, looking at her with a hopeful smile. She hummed and nodded, turning down a busy street. She parked quickly, throwing the door open and getting out. I followed suit, noting how busy and crowded the city was. It seemed to be peak tourist season, and though I didn’t voice my fear of getting lost, Agnes seemed to catch on.

  “Do try to keep up,” she said slyly, leading me towards the crowds. I grunted, wanting to point out that her ‘confidence’ in me was doing just the opposite of helping but managing to swallow the thought. The city was bright and vibrant, filled with color and life in every direction you looked. Agnes seemed to be entirely in her element, smiling and waving at people as we walked, exchanging words with them in their native tongue. I wouldn’t deny feeling a bit left out, but I didn’t want to ruin the casual air of happiness that seemed to surround the other woman. I had only seen glimpses of an angry Agnes, and I didn’t care to see her at her worst. I wasn’t afraid of her, per se, I just was highly aware that she could likely kill me with little effort and dispose of my body with even less. Alright, maybe I was slightly afraid. It wasn’t like I thought Agnes would actually kill me, but the woman was eccentric enough that I wasn’t particularly keen on pressing her too hard.

  The rich smells of local cuisine floated through the air, and my stomach gave a noticeable rumble when we got close to a nice looking cafe. I looked imploring
ly towards Agnes, but she no longer seemed to be paying me any mind. Well, for what small amount of attention she had been giving me in the first place. She seemed entirely focused on a dark dressed man who was striding confidently through the crowds, and before I could think to ask who he might be, Agnes gripped me by the wrist and began dragging me quickly behind her.

  “Agnes, what in the world,” I hissed, stumbling to try and keep up.

  “Hush now. Just follow me,” she said quietly yet assertively. I clammed up, struggling to meet her swift steps. For someone her age (whatever on Earth her age was), she moved very quickly. She seemed determined to follow this man, but from what I could tell, there wasn’t anything all that interesting about him. He was well dressed, but the majority of the tourists here were well dressed too. He did seem to navigate the streets more like a natural than someone who was just here on vacation, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was someone from Agnes’ past.

  “Why are we following him?” I demanded, my voice coming out a bit louder than I’d intended. Agnes shot me a dirty look, and I smiled apologetically before moving to sprint after her. The man seemed to be moving faster and faster, and the city was a large one. It would be easy to get lost if I lost track of Agnes, but if she knew this man, I could see why she would so urgently need to catch him. The crowds of tourists grew more and more tightly packed, and I stumbled, crying out as I nearly fell. The man turned around, glimpsing me and Agnes before turning away and running as fast as his feet could take him. Agnes swore loudly, but helped me catch my balance before we began to trail after him again. “Who is he, Agnes? Why don’t you just talk to him?” I hissed, but she did little to acknowledge me. It meant very little in the scheme of things, as it seemed we had lost track of him. Agnes gasped for breath, her hands tensed angrily at her sides. “I’m sorry...” I began, cutting myself short as I caught sight of the man again. “Oh! Oh! Over there! In that... strange building,” I cried out. Agnes followed the direction I was pointing, her breath catching in her throat as it was me who dragged her this time. She quickly caught on, surging ahead of me and inside of the shop. It was a rather odd little corner shop, displaying stones that seemed to be connected to certain parts of the body if the charts displayed were to be believed. There also appeared to be what looked like spirit boards, as well as other divination items. The walls of the shop shimmered. It was quite odd...I almost felt dizzy. I quietly noted that it must have been some sort of metaphysical shop, though I had no idea why Agnes would be concerned with someone who would disappear in such a place.

  “We lost him,” she said after a moment, her voice sounding resigned. She glanced around the shop for a moment longer before meeting eyes with the stern faced shopkeeper. As I looked at him it seemed as though I could see right through him. I shook my head to regain my senses. Agnes frowned, gripping me by the arm again and guiding me towards the door.

  “How can you be so sure? Maybe he’s just... hiding somewhere. Or maybe we missed him slipping out the front,” I sputtered, though I had no idea whatsoever why I should even care. Agnes’ expression only grew more drawn, and I realized that I had seriously messed up in my stumble. “Who was he, anyway?” I asked weakly, trying to contain how utterly awful I felt. I felt as if I had failed my new boss, and if I doubted my ability to assist her before, the feeling had returned tenfold.

  “Don’t worry yourself about it, dear child,” she said dismissively, walking back in the direction we had come from. I fought the desire to pout, though it appeared to be an entirely fruitless cause. I was near tears, and the one person in this whole area of the world who could possibly comfort me was probably furious at me.

  “I’m sorry, Agnes. If I hadn’t tripped,” I began weakly, my voice catching. She paused, turning to face me with a chagrined expression.

  “Oh, Abigail. Don’t apologize. There was nothing to be done for it. I’m sure he would have found some way to escape one way or another. Let’s not worry about it. Come along, now. We’ll get lunch and discuss our next destination on our little trip,” she suggested with a warm smile. I was sure she was still angry at me, but she was doing an amazing job at obscuring it if so. I fell into step behind her, the thoughts of the day washing over me in full force. It seemed strange that she had planned this entire trip because of my interest in Pompeii, yet she had put together some sort of test for the moment we arrived. Even stranger were all the discoveries we seemed to be making, and the people who seemed so familiar with Agnes. It was as if this were all part of some deeper puzzle, but I didn’t quite have all the pieces to assemble it yet. I was drawn from my thoughts as we were seated outside the cafe from before, and Agnes began to peruse the menu. I tapped my fingertips on the table top, debating whether or not to voice the thoughts that were so terribly plaguing me. It was unlikely that all of this happened through sheer coincidence, but it wasn’t as if Agnes were some higher power. She couldn’t have planned to see, and subsequently lose, the man we’d been chasing through town. Something about the store we’d lost him in, as well as the way we’d lost him, was strange as well. “What will you have to eat dear? If I were to suggest something, it would be—,” she paused as I held a hand up to silence her.

  “I’m not all that hungry right now, Agnes,” I said, realizing what a petulant child I sounded like. I truly wasn’t trying to be spiteful, my stomach was simply churning too much to even consider the thought of food in that moment. My companion looked troubled by my assertion all the same, closing her menu and folding her hands on top of it. When the waiter came close, she waved him off, assumedly telling him that we needed more time to decide. Once he had gotten far enough away, Agnes breathed a sigh and reached across the table to gently rest her hand on the back of my own.

  “I’m sorry for being so irate with you, dear girl. I understand that everything must seem very confusing right now, but I can’t explain. At least, not yet,” she murmured. I hesitated, glancing towards her. She was still closed off, but may have been willing to give a little considering how much I looked like a kicked puppy.

  “Agnes, I only have one question. If you can answer that, I will be happy. If you can answer this one question, I will follow your directions without any further questions. I’ll be happy to help you in any way I can, if you just... answer this one question,” I rambled, getting more nervous as her gaze became scrutinous.

  “Well spit it out, girl. I don’t have all day. I did say I was ravenous, didn’t I?” She pressed, her voice lightly teasing though I could tell she was dead serious about my dawdling. I inhaled a calming breath, knowing that if I posed this question the wrong way, our entire relationship, for whatever it was, could be torn asunder. I didn’t want to seem as if I didn’t trust her, but...

  “There’s more to this trip than my interest in Pompeii, isn’t there?”

  Her expression told me all I needed to know.

  Chapter Ten

  I was almost angry, but I hadn’t truly entertained the idea that the older woman had planned this whole trip around my interests. The entire trip, something had seemed amiss, and I knew there was more at stake than Agnes was willing to let on. Well, turns out I’m smarter than even she gave me credit for. I sipped my drink, the feeling of betrayal weighing heavily upon me in spite of myself.

  “That’s not a pretty expression,” Agnes observed, and I found myself chuckling at her bluntness.

  “If you can be so forthcoming about everything else, why not tell me why we’re really here?” I asked as casually as I could manage, but she tensed regardless, tapping her fingertips on the table.

  “I intended to bring it up, after I had more time to ease you into the whole process of being my assistant. Perhaps it was silly on my part, but I didn’t expect you to catch on so soon,” she sighed, propping her chin up in her hand. “You’re terribly bright, and I do mean terribly,” she added as a bit of an afterthought. I laughed again, shaking my head in disbelief.

  “Wasn’t that required in your adver
tisement?” I asked with a grin, receiving a thoughtful hum in return. She nodded a bit, smiling as the waiter approached again.

  “You have a point. Now can we at least discuss things over a hot meal? That is, if I have your permission to order,” Agnes said with a smirk, glancing at the waiter and smiling a charming little smile. The young man seemed a bit flustered in spite of the obvious age gap between the woman and himself, and Agnes seemed tickled pink by his embarrassment.

  “Fine, order, but I doubt our waiter is on the menu,” I said, admittedly a bit cattily. The young man squeaked, holding his order pad to his chest and looking between the two of us. Agnes raised a brow daringly, looking him up and down with an expression that seemed downright sultry.

  “Everything is on the menu if you know the right people, Miss Bean. However, I suppose for the sake of your dignity, I’ll settle for the gnocchi today,” she purred, outright purred!Egads! The man blushed, rubbing the back of his neck before jotting down her order. He glanced at me, seeming sheepish to have been caught checking out my companion.

  “I’ll have the same,” I said a bit sourly, irrationally offended that he wasn’t more interested in me. Then again, Agnes had a certain mystique about her, in addition to her good looks, and charms and... well, if I were attracted to women, I might understand a bit more. Granted, the tour guide I’d met earlier would be more fitting to my type—tall, dark and handsome... in a way. Narrowing my eyes, I blushed at the pointless loops my mind seemed to be circling.

  “And to drink, ladies?” The waiter asked, seeming to have regained his composure.

  “A tall drink of water,” Agnes smiled, her eyes devious in spite of her innocent smile. The man reddened again, sputtering and staring almost pleadingly at me.