"Ah, Miss Queen. Please, come in..."
Mr. Pulitzer's voice was deep and intense, it sent chills down my spine. He motioned for me to step inside his large office. I slowly enter the velvet carpeted room and stand in front of his cherrywood desk. We were both silent for a moment as he smoked his cigar and I fight the urge to fan the smoke from my face, I stand completely still, with my chin held high. My eyes meet his and I immediately look away and notice all of the fancy decorations on the textured walls. A portrait of him, I'm guessing, a large grandfather clock, many golden objects, and even more vintage Romantic paintings.
A massive piece of art catches my eye... It's him, I assume with his wife, and his young daughter. The paint on her eyes shine in the chandelier lights and look vaguely familiar. I try to put a name with the face, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Mr. Pulitzer puts his cigar out and notices my interest in his paintings. "Oh, do you like my family portrait? It was much too long ago." He lightly chuckled and I regained my focus. "Please, Miss Queen. Sit, sit." He motioned toward the leather chair in front of his desk.
"No thank you. I much rather I stand." I reply politely.
"And I much rather you sit." He spat right back at me with an angry brow. I sat down with my hands in my lap and held my chin up.
"Why am I here?" I ask him calmly.
He cleared his throat. "Well, the plan was to get your friend, Jack, but when I discovered you were taken instead, I figured, she must know just as much about the plan as Jack Kelly does."
"And if I don't?"
"Well, we'll just have to send you back to where you came from then, won't we?"
"Manhattan."
"The Refuge."
I shudder. No way am I going back there!
"What if I tell you everything you need to know?" I smirk.
"You will be rewarded, anything you want."
I like the sound of that... I quickly consider any consequences and make a deal to answer anything he asks.
"Did Mr. Snyder treat you well?"
"Well, I was dragged from my home and my family, I woke up in a prison cell, and then I was thrown into a carriage, and now I am sitting in front of one of the most cruel men in New York."
"I'm glad everything is going well. Now, let's start off simply... Tell me, who are your allies?"
I sigh. "We have none, sir."
"No allies? Jack Kelly must be out of his mind." He mumbled to himself. I shook off my anger and sat up again.
"We... We tried to make allies, but no one... No one was willing to help." I corrected myself.
"Now that sounds like Jack Kelly." Mr. Pulitzer nods and laughs. "Can you tell me anything of Jack's whereabouts?"
Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic.
I wasn't sure how to answer this. I didn't want to give him away, of course, but something tells me, though I'm pretty good at it, Mr. Pulitzer can tell when I'm lying.
"Well, when he is not at the lodging house, you'd find him at Jonathan Green's apartment." Jonathan Green? As in, Sarah Jacobs' crush? Good job, Cory.
"Jonathan Green?" I nod in response.
"One of his relatives. Mother's brother-in-law's aunt's cousin, I think? I don't know. He told me about his family tree once, I didn't really catch on." And you panicked.
"Ah, I see." I silently prayed he didn't see right through that, but the chances are certainly high. "What about his weaknesses. Any close friends?"
I took a breath to say something when there was a burst on the two wooden doors. I turn around, startled, to see the face of the little girl in Mr. Pulitzer's family portrait.
"Katherine!"
Katherine?!
"What are you doing here? Are you okay?" Mr. Pulitzer quickly stood up to greet Katherine, fuming with anger, after storming into the room frantically. He set his hands on her shoulders and bent down to her height.
"I have something to discuss with you." Katherine shook his hands from her shoulders.
"Katherine, I'm in the middle of something." He subtly flicked his head toward me. Katherine looked over to where I sat watching the two. I couldn't believe my eyes, and she couldn't believe hers when she saw just who Mr. Pulitzer was sitting down with.
"Cory?" Katherine looked puzzled.
"Katherine?"
"You two know each other?" Mr. Pulitzer looked at the two of us.
"Why, yes." Katherine neared me.
"Yeah. We know each other," I slowly stood up from my chair and narrowed my eyes at Katherine. I knew she couldn't have been trusted.
"What are you doing here?" Mr. Pulitzer's voice didn't sound as dark and chilling anymore. He sounded almost... Concerned.
Katherine didn't sound concerned at all. She had steady hands and a firm stance. Her eyes were narrowed and her voice didn't shake."I need to talk to you. Please. It's urgent, I--"
"Katherine. I'm in the middle of something, I will get back to you later."
"Get back to me? Get back to me! I am your daughter! Surely you can make some time for me?" She raised her voice at Mr. Pulitzer. He stayed silent. "But I guess you don't have any time for the only family you have left."
They kept yelling back and forth at each other, but all I could hear was the voice in the back of my mind.
Daughter? I knew there was something wrong.
There was always something about her. There was always something that didn't connect, I couldn't decide what I didn't like about her, but that was because there was something I didn't know about her.
I didn't feel betrayed when I heard this news. But I knew someone who would .
Jack.
How is he going to feel when he hears about this? Is he going to hear about this? What am I going to tell him? Am I going to tell him? I couldn't bear to see his face when he hears. I wouldn't want to be there when he hears. It would break my heart.
"You want me to make more time for you?" He shouts. "Snyder's men. Escort Miss Queen back to the carriage and to the Refuge." With a flick of his hand, I'm pulled by two men out of the room and down the hall.
To be honest, I was glad to get out of there. I didn't want to be in the same room as the quarreling father and daughter. I try to keep my mind off of everything that just happened and I brace myself for what awaits me in the Refuge.
After we arrive, I'm thrown back into my room and once again, I'm alone. I'm surrounded by the gray walls and the writings from my long–lost brother. I read all of his stories again, and sob. What would he do if he were still here?
Will you keep the candle burning?
Will you help me find my way?
You're my chance to break free.
And who knows when my next one with be?
Santa Fe...
Wait for me.
I cry myself into a peaceful sleep, praying to God that I would be set free.
📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️ 🎵 📰 ❤️
-hey guys! it's another update! two updates in one month? that never happens!
-anyway... today is GeekyNelly 's birthday! head on over, check out her amazing story, Echoing Mercy, and wish her a happy birthday!
-qotd: if you could spend your birthday with any Broadway character, and/or actor, who would it be??
-aotd: hmm... probably Reno Sweeney seems like she knows how to party. Lin-Manuel Miranda would be so much fun to hang out with!
-alright, that's it, thanks so much for reading, and stay tuned for these next few chapters. exciting!!
love, Hayden Beth 🐢💕