Chapter 1 Drew Jared Hawley felt the hot, muggy Connecticut summer as he and his family paid their last respects. Wearing a black business suit with a white starched shirt and black tie, Drew heard the minister reading from a prayer book. His granddad died. Guy Cotton. Meh. He lived till he was 90. Not bad. “… as we place our faith in Christ our Lord to guide our beloved ones to heaven…” Drew brushed a gnat away from his sweaty face and discreetly peered at who had shown up. Well, his mom and dad, his cousins… blah, blah, who gives a shit about these people. “…ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” Drew stifled a yawn and stared at the casket. Good ole granddad. The coffin was silver. No, not solid silver, although, Granddad Guy could afford it. “Let us give thanks that Guy Cotton had a wonderful life, a loving family, and…” Loving fam? Oh, dude. He hated my dad. Ha. “Amen…” a few people muttered when the minister finished. The fifty or so mourners present filed past his parents and the minister, shaking hands. Yeah. Whatever. Grandpa Guy never had a nice word to say about these people. He called them leeches. Lazy. Losers. Sometimes to their faces. Drew slipped away from the crowd and noticed a crow perched on a statue of an angel with spread wings. He walked closer to it, gazing up through the weird white haze that always seemed to cover the sunshine in summer. The bird let go a loud caw, and was bigger than Drew imagined a crow would be. Just as he was close enough to see the creature’s details, it took off. The flap of its wings made him jump. He felt the wind! Man, that’s a big bird. “Drew?” He turned around and his mother, Linda, waved him closer. Grandpa wasn’t her dad. It was his dad’s dad. Drew cupped his hand over his phone which was in his slacks’ pocket as he approached her. “We’re going back to the house for a small reception. So, don’t disappear.” “Why do I have to be there?” Drew had zero interest in his cousins and parents’ friends. His mother, who dyed her hair blonde and had Botox, fillers, maybe other stuff done? He wasn’t sure, gave him her scowl of disapproval. Weird that her forehead never moved. His dad, Don, was shaking hands with his elite business associates. You know, the dudes that golfed with him weekly and made business deals. Big money deals. “Your grandfather left you everything. The least you could do is show respect.” “To whom? He’s not here anymore!” “Lower your voice!” Drew hated her. All she cared about were appearances. She didn’t even get along with his dad. They argued, or… gave each other the silent treatment. Why did they live together? Appearances! How lame. This whole Connecticut suburban lifestyle was fake. Neighbors who smiled, waved, and then talked about you the minute your back was turned. Rich. White. Privileged. Snobs. He fit right in. “I swear, you’ve become a nasty ingrate,” she told him. She wore a black brimmed hat with a veil that covered her forehead. That, and a black dress. He thought the hat was stupid. His dad sensed the argument and gave him the stink-eye before continuing his chat. Yes. He knew. Granddad Guy left him… well, everything he owned. A mansion, a collection of vintage cars in mint condition in a warehouse, and money. A ton of money. How much? He’d yet to find out. He hadn’t even gotten it yet and beggars were already holding out their hands to get donations. Since his parents were well off, granddad bypassed his father and left it all to him. When his mother pinched his upper arm painfully, Drew wanted to slap her. He flinched away from her and glared right back.
