Con Artist Legacy

Chapter One: The Funeral

Once out, I ran to the third panel from the start of the wall. My fingers felt the familiar wood until I felt one of the carvings move slightly. Suddenly the panel swung out and I hurried in before it closed. I found myself in a dark hallway but it didn’t matter because I knew my way.

I ran through the narrow corridor, my excitement growing as I reached a bright blue wall. All the secret panels were painted a different color on the inside, which corresponded with their location (similar to street signs, it was my idea). Once I got there, I put all my weight on the panel because it tended to get stuck. The panel flew open and I stumbled into the room, almost falling. I manage to straighten myself out before I heard him speak.

“I was losing hope you’d make it Ollie.”

“Better late than never grandpa,” I couldn’t help but smile. “What are we doing today?”

He danced over to my side of the room, which made him look silly and I couldn't help but laugh. These moments were probably the only time anyone laughed in this house....well except for Sophie but she was really weird and shouldn't count.

My grandpa spread his arms out over his table and looked at me expectantly. I took the time to study the items before me. There were six different safes lined up in a row, a stethoscope and other things I didn’t recognize.

To someone just walking in this would be a strange situation (I mean if that someone happened to find a secret room, where the only entrance was through a moving wall), but this was a different type of classroom. This was where the secret ninja spies trained. It was also where all the games in the house were, so it was my favorite.

My grandfather was an interesting man.

“Today we are going to learn how to open safes. Inside each is a prize that you can keep if you can open it,” grandpa said with a twinkle in his eye. “You never know what will come in handy during a mission.”

That day I won a necklace with a small heart shaped pendant, pizza for lunch and a new watercolor paint set. I also remember helping him with a new train set that we made travel around Elena’s bedroom. She wouldn’t sleep alone for weeks because she thought there was a ghost. My mom thought we had mice, and Tere just thought Elena was as crazy as her mother.    

I was jarred from my memories by a very painful elbow hitting my side. It was my mother and she did not look happy. The ceremony was starting and everyone was already on their feet. I suppose I was making her look bad. I quickly stood up and tried to focus…I wasn’t eight anymore but it was still a problem.

The priest was saying a prayer in Latin, which wasn’t helping. All of a sudden everyone sat down and I didn’t have to look at my mother to know she was staring at me. I sat down and smiled at her.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Aunt Tere glaring at me. She had spent the whole morning telling kids to stop running and random people to be quiet. It was no way for civilized, proper people to behave during a funeral. I have never been and will probably never be proper. Some people just never change.

Come to think of it, if people weren’t here for the money they had come to get a closer look at the spectacle that had become of my family. Not everyone handles death well.   

“Shhhhh!” a shrill voice distracted me. Guess who it was, I dare you. It was Tere…reprimanding her sister Sophie who decided it was a good time to tell people jokes and people had the audacity to actually laugh.....at a funeral.

Gasp.

I was glad I didn’t have a sister.

People were getting up again and this time to say their last good-byes. It seems I somehow managed to mentally skip the entire thing. I wasn’t a good person.

I stood up, smoothing out my black skirt and making sure my blouse was still tucked in. When I looked ahead of me I noticed Elena and Nathaniel already in line. They were holding hands, wasn’t there a rule about family members dating best friends? I felt a different type of loss, but I shoved it aside. I really didn’t have time for that right now. 

As the line moved slowly up, I had to fight the tears I thought wouldn’t come. I didn’t think anyone knew what I had lost, what we all had just lost and that made the occasion worse.

When it was finally my turn, I looked around making a show of looking for eavesdroppers before leaning down to whisper, “Hey grandpa. I know I was late today, but better late than never right?” I smiled knowing he would get the inside joke. I was never late…he was just always early.

I turned around to leave and my heart stopped.

An inch away from my face was my grandmother. She was wearing no makeup and her hair was frizzy and all over the place. She was wearing a loose dress and a lot of bangles. It might not be strange unless you knew her a week ago. There was no resemblance to the posh and refined woman I grew up with.

“Oh sorry grandma, I didn’t see you there.”

I tried to step around her, but she blocked my way. Back and forth we played a little game; I could feel a sense of panic rising. I had never been afraid of my grandmother, but this strange new woman terrified me. I could see my mother coming to rescue me from the corner of my eye, but she was too late. My grandma grabbed my shoulders so I couldn’t move, stared at me intently and said,

“Be careful, there is danger in your future. This family has a lot of secrets and it’s only a matter time before they come to find you.” 

Umm what?

A/N: Drawing on the side is Olivia, wearing one of her favorite things...hats! Drawn by the very cool, Lady_Lucia.