The Dirty Ones

I think the dining room is that way. But unless he takes his breakfast in the industrial catering kitchen or at that ridiculous monstrosity of a dining table, I can’t imagine he’s that way.

I turn to look at another wing of the house and wonder if he actually lives here.

Like… does he sleep in this fucking place? I can’t even imagine it. It’s like bedding down at the Met every night.

I shiver, shaking off the chills of spending a night in a place like this alone.

Do his parents even live here still? Like is there anyone here at this moment?

Servants, surely.

But there’s literally no one around.

I turn into a hallway and walk for a little while, passing a music room, another library or maybe an office, an atrium that is loud with birdsong, so that’s probably an aviary.

And then eventually I reach a huge sitting area. And by sitting area I mean Waldorf Astoria Hotel New York kind of sitting room. Like they throw afternoon tea here on Sundays. That kind of room. A dozen small round or square tables surrounded by low, upholstered armchairs.

I cup my hands to my mouth and yell, “Hayes! Where the fuck are you?”

Nothing but an echo.

I turn and look back the way I came, wondering if the girls heard me and I woke them.

Nah. No way that’s even possible. They’re like a half a mile of stairs and hallways away.

“Dude,” I say, loud but not yelling. “Where the fuck are you?”

There is literally no hope of me finding him in here and that suddenly makes me think of Emily and her great escape last night.

No way they found her. No fucking way. I continue through the sitting room and come to another hallway. “Hayes!” I yell again. “Dude!”

Then the slapping of feet behind me makes me turn.

“Hayes?” I ask the empty hallway. “Is that you, man?” Knowing it’s not.

I backtrack the way I came. “Hayes?” I ask the empty air again.

More slapping feet.

Does he have family here? Like little nieces and nephews or something?

No. Dude is an only child. I know that.

“Hayes?” I say, louder this time. “Hayes!” A little more urgent.

Because right now, I think I’m lost in his stupid house. I thought I was taking the obvious path when I came this way, but when I backtrack and walk past a pool, I know that’s not the case. There are no birds, either.

A giggle makes me whirl around, and then there’s a flash of disappearing nightgown around a corner.

“Who’s there?” I ask. Then I roll my eyes at myself. I sound like a dumb girl in a horror movie. “Whoever the fuck that is—”

“Connor!” Hayes called.

“Dude!” I yell back. “I’m lost!” And then I laugh, too loud.

“I’m in the conservatory!”

Another laugh burbles up. Because I think of Camille and her stupid Clue references last night. I’m pretty sure people get killed with a candlestick in the conservatory.

Or is that the observatory? I’m not sure.

Another giggle behind me, but this time when I whirl around there’s a girl.

“Emily,” I breathe out. “Shit, you fucking scared me.” And then I say, “This house is creepy as fuck, don’t you think?” Because I don’t know what to do.

This girl tried to kill me ten years ago. She put a bullet through Kiera’s shoulder.

“I didn’t do it,” she says.

“Connor!” Hayes yells. Closer now. “Where the fuck are you?”

I look around, spy a billiards room, then hate Camille for her stupid Clue game references.

Emily did it with the pool stick in the billiards room.

“I’m by the pool table!” I yell back.

“Which one?” He’s closer, but not close enough to save me from this moment with Emily.

Jesus Christ. This isn’t happening.

I clear my throat and speak to Emily. “Um… what now?”

“I didn’t shoot her.”

“Yes, you did, Emily. I mean, you actually tried to shoot me, but you missed. Or rather, Kiera threw herself in front of the bullet to save me. So yeah, you absolutely did shoot her. I had blood all over me. I went with her to the hospital. Stayed with her all night.”

“No, you didn’t,” she says softly, shaking her head of wild hair no.

“Yes, I did! For fuck’s sake, why are you still here? What do you want?”

“You need to know the truth,” she says.

“Connor!” Hayes yells. And he’s very close now.

I turn and call, “In here!” And when I turn back, Emily is gone. “Where the fuck—”

“Dude.” Hayes laughs. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Emily,” I say.

“She’s gone. They found her a few hours ago and took her back to the hospital.”

“What?” I turn to look at the empty place where Emily was just standing.

“Yeah, crazy bitch. The dogs found her hiding inside a dumbwaiter. She’s a mess.”

“But—”

“Are the girls up?”

Shit. And now I remember why I was coming to find him. “No. Not yet. But just… you know, last night…” He waits for me to say more, so I do. “Um… well, just thanks, man. I appreciate it.”