The Jim Morrison Heist Pt. 02

"Spilt milk. Shall we have ourselves a bevvie?"

"We've earned one."

"Or two," Zoey remarked dryly.

Before they could get to the punch bowl she heard her granny's voice again. It came from behind her. Her grandmother scurried to her side along with Lady Anyys and the unknown curly-haired woman in hornrims.

Zoey said, "Hullo again, I thought you ladies were playing Seven Suits."

Her granny said, "We were at the end of the rubber and besides, Lady Anyys has a special surprise for you, and your escort."

"And what kind of surprise is this 'special' one?"

Lady Anyys answered. "A limited preview of the sex magick ritual in our intimate manor playhouse. A second presentation will be performed later for the general crowd in the larger downstairs theatre."

Zoey came close to saying everything in the place was downstairs, but would never get cheeky with Anyys. Had it been her grandmother different rules of engagement would apply.

Jallen asked Anyys the name of the presentation.

"The Ceremony of the Virgin."

"I've heard of it but never seen it enacted," Jallen said politely.

Granny declared, "Then you simply must come, Mr. Darling. Zoey has never seen it either."

"I was not old enough," Zoey sniggered. She crossed her arms over her breasts and gave her granny an irritated look. "I don't think this is the kind of thing Mr. Darling would . . ."

"Now you shush. This is your first summer solstice ball since your age of majority."

Lady Anyys added, "Select few of our attendees are afforded the signal honour to see this singular re-imagining of the age-old tale. And our performance is directed by our friend here, Arista Spladt, playwright and member of the steering committee for the famed Percy Anthony Theatre."

Jallen turned to Zoey. "In that case I'm keen to see this. Read good reviews of Arista Spladt's work. The Percy in Hobbstweedle is notorious."

Zoey disagreed. "Distrikt 6 is not much of a cultural hub. I don't think we should, we just walked in the door."

Behind her granny said, "You have all night, dear. Things haven't got properly started, there's not even been a stabbing yet. Arista informed me the ritual ceremony only lasts an hour."

"An hour! I need something to drink, I'm parched."

Lady Anyys touched Zoey's bare shoulder. "We have refreshments in the theatre. No more excuses now, you must."

Anyys started forward and Zoey had no choice then but to follow her, the kindly lady of the manor. She'd not seen her husband Lord Alvin yet, he must be dressed as one of the servants. Granny joined Anyys leading her away. The Spladt woman and Jallen had to lengthen their stride to keep up. Why hadn't that damned Jallen taken her side? Zoey deemed it prudent to stand down though, this wasn't an argument she would win.

She knew granny and milady plotted some cute stunt, and she was not wrong. A classic divide and conquer maneuver was executed once all five of them got inside the theatre, point of no return. Spladt desired to view her production closer to the stage. Lady Anyys abruptly invited granny and Zoey to join her in the balcony, limited seating, VIP guests only. Their pincer move separated her from Jallen. Zoey noticed the seating on the floor and snorted. The Rowling-Boyle guests deserved better than private enclosures suspiciously like the tawdry cuddle booths in bars and knock shops.

Jallen and Arista Spladt would be compelled to sit together downstairs. Nice one, Lady Anyys. Or had it been granny?

TO BE CONTINUED . . .