Dead Souls Volume One (Parts 1 to 13)

  ***

  “Cocktails?” Alice replied a little uncertainly as she filled a glass with water. “I... I'm not sure if... I mean, I've never...” She paused. “Ever.”

  “It'll be a blast,” Didi continued. “We'll go to that little bar in town and have a girl's night out. What do you say, huh? It'll be fun!”

  “I don't think I can go into town,” Alice said quietly.

  “Nonsense, we'll get Eddie's men to drive us down there. Hey, maybe they'll even join us for a drink if we're lucky.” She stared at the plain gray dress Alice was wearing. “And no offense,” she added, “but have you got anything a little livelier? That thing doesn't exactly look like something you'd wear out on the town.”

  “I can't go down there,” Alice replied. “The town... I can't explain it, but I just can't.”

  “Yeah, you can.”

  Alice shook her head.

  “What is wrong with people around here?” Didi continued. “Does no-one know how to have a good time?”

  “Maybe Kate -”

  “Kate's off doing something else,” Didi replied, interrupting her. “She's probably down in those tunnels again. Well, I hope she gets good and lost this time. I swear to God, this house is the most boring place on the planet. You know when people say that money can't buy happiness? I always thought that was a load of bull, but I'm finally starting to think it might be true. I mean, with Eddie's money we could be flying to goddamn Monte Carlo tonight. We could head to Athens, or Rome! We could hire a private yacht!”

  “That sounds -”

  “And what are we doing instead?” Didi continued. “Eddie's got paperwork to finish, Kate's probably gonna want to stare at a bunch of old documents in that archive room, and you don't want anything stronger than a drink of water.”

  “Perhaps you could stay here,” Alice offered meekly, “and we could play a board game? Do you like dominoes?”

  “No,” Didi replied darkly, “I don't like dominoes.”

  “Is that because you haven't tried them?” Alice asked. “I could teach you the -”

  “Forget it,” Didi replied, turning and heading to the door. “I swear to God, this entire house is filled with losers who wouldn't know a fun night if it came up and slapped them on the ass!”

  Stopping in the hallway, she realized that it was time for the nuclear option.

  “My problem,” she muttered to herself, “is that I'm just too damn subtle. Time to shake things up.”