Hannah
Are you there? I’m scared.
Hannah
At the Pynchon Estate.
Megan
Already? And on a Friday night?
Hannah
Yeah—that’s when ‘the boss’ wanted me to start.
Megan
She asked you to come at night?
Hannah
Yeah…but no one’s answering the door.
Hannah
It’s really dark out here…
Hannah
And I hear creaking noises.
Hannah
Megan, I feel like I’m in a horror movie.
Megan
Remember that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Hannah
I know—I can’t believe I was chosen to write Virginia Pynchon’s biography.
Hannah
I still don’t understand why she picked me.
Megan
Because you’re an excellent journalist!
Hannah
I guess the sounds are nothing.
Hannah
Maybe I’m still a little shaken up because I got into a fender bender on my way here.
Hannah
I put a huge dent in this Prius I hit.
Megan
Oh no! Was the driver angry?
Hannah
And not only was he not angry, he was actually funny about it.
Hannah
Plus, he was devastatingly handsome.
Hannah
I’d say late 20s, early 30s.
Hannah
You know that phrase “stirring of the loins?”
Hannah
I literally felt that.
Megan
Nice! It’s about time you had some stirring.
Hannah
I was hoping we would “exchange information.”
Hannah
But he said there was no need.
Megan
Well, your insurance company thanks you.
Megan
Who knows? Maybe you’ll run into him if he’s in the area.
Hannah
Hold on. I hear someone coming…
Megan
What?! Where are you?
Hannah
I swear to God it’s like, palatial.
Hannah
It’s in the “Blue Wing.”
Hannah
And the bed! I think these sheets are made of satin.
Megan
Don’t freak me out like that again.
Megan
You texted that someone was coming and didn’t respond for an hour.
Hannah
OMG, sorry! There’s just so much to take in here.
Hannah
So many wings in this house.
Hannah
It felt like I walked a mile to reach my room.
Hannah
I could never have found it if the housekeeper, Bernadette, hadn’t taken me there.
Hannah
She gives me a weird vibe though.
Hannah
She’s this older woman…
Hannah
And the whole time, she acted like I was annoying her just by being here.
Megan
She sounds terrible.
Hannah
Yeah, and she walked me down this really dark hallway…
Hannah
And I tripped over a rolled-up rug!
Hannah
It was right in the middle of the floor.
Hannah
Well, I have a big bruise on my knee.
Hannah
And I could swear Bernadette thought the whole thing was funny.
Megan
Nothing. You know I have a wild imagination.
Hannah
Wait—are you saying she left the rug in the hallway?
Hannah
Why would she do that?
Megan
I shouldn’t have said that.
Hannah
It’s okay. Look, I should probably go to bed.
Megan
Yes, you have a big day ahead of you! Get a good night’s sleep.
Megan
You should let Mom know you’re okay tomorrow. Otherwise she’ll worry.
Megan
Love you too. G’night.
A half-hour later, Hannah thinks she hears a very light tap at her door.
She shoots up in bed and then, very quietly, calls out into the darkness.
Lucinda
Yes. It’s Virginia Pynchon’s granddaughter.
Lucinda
I know it’s late, and I didn’t know if you were asleep…
Lucinda
But I wanted to introduce myself. I’m Lucinda.
Hannah
Thank you—it’s nice to meet you.
Lucinda
Listen, I know how overwhelming this place can be so I wanted to be a friendly face.
Lucinda leans in with a conspiratorial smile and lowers her voice.
Lucinda
Bernadette isn’t exactly the warmest person, is she?
Hannah
Well, to be honest…
Lucinda
Yes, her manners leave something to be desired.
Lucinda
Especially with outsiders.
Lucinda
But you’ll get used to her.
Hannah
That’s good to know.
Lucinda
She has an interesting history.
Lucinda
Yes. You’ll find that this entire house is full of secret histories.
Lucinda
And that includes some from the great matriarch herself.
Hannah
Speaking of whom, when am I to meet the famous Ms. Pynchon?
Lucinda
Tomorrow, at 9 a.m. sharp.
Lucinda
You’ll start out with a private meeting with her in the drawing room.
Lucinda
Then you’ll meet the others at 10.
Lucinda
Yes. There’s me, of course.
Lucinda
And her second husband, Lionel.
Lucinda
And Tyler Grant, the wunderkind CEO of Grandma’s company.
Hannah
Seriously?!! He’ll be here?
Lucinda
Yes. Though he’s not too happy about having to spend the weekend.
Hannah
Then why is he coming?
Lucinda
Because Grandma insisted on it, of course.
Lucinda
She may be the retired CEO now, but she’s still the chairwoman.
Lucinda
And no one can deny her wishes.
Lucinda
Tyler knows that all too well.
Lucinda
But don’t you worry, I’m going to try to make him glad he came.
Lucinda
He’s single, attractive…
Lucinda
Head of my grandmother’s company…
Lucinda
And a flirtation has already begun.
Lucinda
Yes. To me, there’s nothing sexier than mixing business with pleasure.
Lucinda
But listen to me go on! You must be exhausted.
Lucinda
Tomorrow, the kitchen staff will leave out a breakfast buffet at seven. Help yourself!
Lucinda
You’ll need a good night’s sleep tonight. Goodnight, Hannah.
Hannah
Goodnight, Lucinda! Thanks for stopping by.
But Hannah isn’t tired after Lucinda leaves, and she can’t resist doing a little exploring.
Using her iPhone flashlight as a guide, she creeps down the darkened hallway.
And at the end of the hall, she nearly collides with a shadowy figure.
