A Little Bit of Magic and a Lot of Fur by Lisa Oliver

Author:Lisa Oliver [Oliver, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-03T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Riley carried a sketch canvas in a cotton drawstring bag, and had his usual backpack slung over his shoulder when he was led into Banfield’s home. Devin was off meeting friends for the afternoon, and Riley felt as though something was missing the moment he’d got in the car Banfield had sent for him. It was a strange feeling – as though something was urging Riley to stop the car, and call for Devin to get him, but he reminded himself Banfield helped him pay his bills. He would see Devin for dinner.

The entryway looked a lot like every entryway of every rich person’s home he’d ever seen in movies and TV shows, with a large round table in the center, a staircase curving up on one side, and a larger room beyond that he could see through the sets of double doors.

Everything shone and sparkled. Statuary holding fresh flowers sat in strategic places to draw the eye, and a large marble bowl on the table rose up into a short fountain that made a pleasant babbling-brook sound. The ceiling of the entryway extended to the second floor, making it a huge and almost cavernous room with tall walls and an arched ceiling that held a chandelier with light glinting off its hundreds of hanging crystals.

The tall, bare walls were a plain, eggshell color, but the architecture itself was an interesting focal point. As beautiful as the place was, something about it felt off to Riley. It seemed cold and strange, and he wondered if there’d be an echo if he shouted or if the room would swallow up the sound as if he’d never made it.

As the man who drove him led him around the table to the next part of the house, Riley realized what felt so strange about the entryway. There was so much empty wall space, but not a single painting or piece of art hung anywhere.

“Riley, my boy!” Banfield’s voice came from outside the large lounge area, so the man led Riley to a sliding door on the side that opened into a patio, a well-manicured lawn, hedges, and a colorful flower garden that seemed to be doing well despite the cooling temperatures.

Banfield stood and shook his hand, then gestured for him to sit at the oblong glass patio table next to where he sat at one end. Two glasses, a plate on a charger, and utensils already waited for him.

“There’s butter chicken and chicken rice casserole to choose from. Of course, I’m happy to have Chef make anything you want, if you prefer something else. I let my son choose the dish options, and he was apparently in a chicken mood.”

“Chicken’s fine, Mr. Banfield.” Riley put his backpack on the ground next to his chair and pulled the canvas from the cotton bag. “I thought you might want to see the progress so far.”

“Oh, yes, yes.” Banfield’s unnaturally white teeth, the kind that’s seen on wealthy people or others who went into debt to get veneers, seemed even brighter than they should as he smiled tightly.

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