It’s never easy dealing with a toxic narcissist and Ari certainly fills the bill on that score. I had at first thought of asking her to dinner, but she preferred candle lit ambiance and I wanted to avoid intimate settings.
As the proverb goes, he who sups with the devil must have long spoon, so I wisely opted for a game of tennis and it turned out to be the best choice—Ari loved winning, so I let her and then asked if I could interview her famous uncle and amazingly she relented.
At the time, I couldn’t figure out why she agreed but later the cost of that rash move on my part became painfully obvious.
Two days later, Ari and I were up at dawn to make the three-hour drive out into the countryside to meet Victor Russet at his country estate.
I heard rumors about his luxurious retreat—some called it a manse, and others a castle. I must admit my curiosity was piqued.
We followed a winding lane for about a quarter of a mile before approaching an imposing seven-foot wall guarded by a massive iron gate.
“We have to get out here, and enter the main house through a maze.”
I looked at her puzzled. “Your uncle has a maze?”
“Oh, that’s Uncle Victor,” she laughed, “always arranging for some dramatic entrance to impress visitors.”
“I hope you know how to navigate it.”
“Really, Theo—don’t you know your mythology? Ariadne was the one who guided Theseus through the labyrinth.”
“Then, I hope you brought some thread,” I laughed.
We got out of the car and bypassed the locked gate walking some distance along the wall before coming to a small green wooden door.
“Well, here we are—Hernando’s Hideaway,” she chuckled.
“Do I have to knock three times and whisper low?”
“No, Silly—you just have to follow me and don’t let me out of your sight.”
That wouldn’t be hard. Ari was dressed in a mid-rift bearing top and jean shorts that accentuated her derriere. I refrained from comment on that topic.
When we cracked open the wooden door I couldn’t believe my eyes.Before us were two parallel rows of cedars at least ten feet high, with a narrow corridor between them, bending out of sight.
“C’mon, Theo—take my hand and hold tight.”
Despite misgivings, I took hold of her hand, and when I did, she turned slightly to face me and leaned in to whisper, “And don’t get me into any dark corners.”
At close quarters, the scent of her expensive perfume was intoxicating, as were her huge eyes.
She had a mischievous smirk on her face and despite my aversion to her, I was curiously drawn as well, as if the one force energized the other.
We set out down the corridor that was about the width of a normal household door—only this corridor bent and curved, looped back and divided—until after walking for perhaps no more than thirty feet, I was totally disoriented and lost.
She tugged at my shirtsleeve playfully. “Hurry up, slowpoke—Uncle Victor’s expecting us.”
Then, she stopped suddenly. “Oh dear!”
“What is it?” I asked, alarmed she may have forgotten the way.
“Oh, it’s nothing—just the fact I told Uncle I’d phone him when we arrived so he’d be prepared to receive us—he hates being caught off guard. But I forgot my cell phone—may I borrow yours?”
“Of course.” I handed her my I-phone and watched her punch in the numbers.
I backed off a few paces to respect her privacy. She immediately switched into a bright lively tone I can honestly say I never heard before from her.
She was trying to conclude the call quickly, but her uncle seemed to want to talk. She shrugged her shoulders, as if to say, what can you do? And made a cute frown and winked at me.
I sat down on the grass listening to her conversation drag on. At length, it came to an end and I got to my feet to continue on with her, but to my dismay, discovered she was gone.
I called her name—calmly at first, and then, with rising panic. Finally, thinking irrationally she might not be able to hear, I began shouting.
After a few minutes of making myself hoarse, I came to the inevitable conclusion I had been tricked.
Ari, the spider, had lured me out into the middle of nowhere only to trap me in her web.
I could only hope there was no Minotaur lying somewhere in wait for me.
