Murder Games (10 page)

Realization dawning,
Grace grinned. “I take it Hazel and Cal—”

“
Yep, the maid and Ivy’s brother are having a torrid affair right under everyone’s noses. I guess that’s some sort of clue. My character knows all about it, but she is pretending that she doesn’t. Although, to be honest, I haven’t figured out how any of this relates to Ivy’s murder.”

Grace frowned.
“Why are they jumping on the bed?”

“They’re hoping someone will hear and think—”

Grace held up her hand. “Got it.”

Caroline
smiled in amusement. “I’m so happy Jerry’s found a friend to play with.” She pushed herself away from the wall. “Well, if you will excuse me, I’m going to let the lovebirds know the good news. If you wouldn’t mind spreading it to the others.”

“Sure
, and I’ll let Kyle know you want to see him.”

“Thanks.
” She hesitated. “Grace, you do think everything’s going to be all right, don’t you?”

“I’m sure everything is fine
, but just in case, I plan on locking my door tonight.”

“I’m glad
to have Jerry here with me. I’m even glad that Sabrina’s hanging around us so much. You know what they say about safety in numbers.”

Grace nodded before adding, “What were you going to tell me about
Austin?”

Caroline looked over her shoulder.
“Sabrina told me he’s some sort of professor at Yale.”

“
That’s what I was told. How did Sabrina find out?”

“I’m not sure. From Laura, I assume.” Caroline
dropped her voice to a whisper. “Anyway, I went online. I couldn’t find any mention of an Austin Waverly. If he were currently teaching, he’d at least be mentioned on the website. I thought that maybe Sabrina had been mistaken about him being at Yale, so I did a search for any historians named Austin Waverly out on the net. There was one and he did teach at Yale. But he retired a few years ago, after a long and distinguished career beginning in the 1970s. Unless Austin is immortal, I doubt they’re the same person.”

“Maybe they’re not. Perhaps he’s
Austin Waverly, Jr., and is following in his father’s footsteps.”

“Maybe, but that’s not all. See I
—” Glancing behind Grace’s back, Caroline snapped her mouth shut. “Oh, Austin, hello.”

Grace turned around just as
Austin slowly ascended the staircase. He leaned heavily against the banister. His eyelids drooping slightly as he smiled politely at them.

“Are you okay?” Grace asked in concern. “Maybe you should see a doctor, Austin.”

Austin shook his head. “No. I’m just tired. It’s been a very long day. I’m just going to go to bed and get some sleep.”

Caroline slowly backed up.
“Me too. I’m just so exhausted.”

He looked at her curiously for a second
. “Is everything all right?”

“Of course,” Caroline said with fake
exuberance.

Austin tilted his head. “You seem rather nervous.” He turned wearily toward Grace. “You, too.”

Grace automatically shook her head. “Why would we be nervous?”

Austin
didn’t answer at first. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said slowly, “a woman’s dead body turned up this morning, I almost broke my neck down in the cellar, and we are staying at a place called Murder Manor. I would think that would make anyone a bit nervous, wouldn’t you?”

Caroline flinched as another firework went off above the house.

*  *  *

Becoming increasingly frustrated by Kyle’s absence, Grace closed the door to the study a bit louder than she intended.
She had searched every room downstairs and still hadn’t found any trace of the man. In fact, it appeared that the house had been locked up and shut down for the night. All the lights, except for one in the library had been turned off, and the doors shut. She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of anyone since she managed to get away from Austin, ten minutes before, and she was growing increasingly worried. It wasn’t like Kyle to disappear like that. At least, not this effectively, she admitted to herself with a small smile. She was just about to call his name when she heard a sound coming from the library.

She rushed forward,
threw open the doors, and looked around.

Still empty. Grace was just about to leave when she glanced up at the second floor landing. Laura was sitting in a high wing-backed chair in the corner near the circular staircase.

“Laura, have you seen Kyle?” She waited for Laura to respond, when she didn’t, Grace called out to her again. Still receiving no response, Grace tried once again. Her frustration mounting, Grace climbed the staircase. “Didn’t you hear me call you?”

The young woman
still didn’t answer. She just sat there, staring at the book in her lap.

“Laura?” Grace asked worriedly. She peered at the woman closely, looking for any signs of life. She was just about to call for help when Laura push
ed her glasses back onto her nose.

Grace let out a sigh of relief before glaring down at the other woman. “Laura!” she said sharply. When she received no response, she gritted her teeth. “Dr. Nightshade.”

Laura looked up at her and smiled. “Yes, Rose. What can I do for you?”

“Have you seen Kyle?”

“Kyle?”

“You know, blond, tall,
and good-looking.”

“Hmm,” she said scrunching up her nose. “Kyle? I don’t recall meeting a Kyle.”

Grace closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Cheatum. Will Cheatum. Have you seen him?”

“Oh
, Mr. Cheatum. Why yes, I have. He’s down in the cellar.”

“The
cellar? Why would he be down there?”

Laura looked at her
as if she was an idiot. “What do you think? He’s looking for clues, like we all should be doing.”

CHAPTER
NINE

Grace pushed open
the door and peered down into the cellar. Relieved to see a light on, she called out Kyle’s name.

A few seconds later
, Kyle appeared at the foot of the stairs. “I was wondering if you went to bed already?” he said with a smile.

“What are you doing down there?”

“Trying to solve Ivy’s murder.” He bounded up the stairs two at a time, stopping at the stair where they had their little accident a few hours earlier. “Take a look at this,” he said placing his palm against the stair.

Grace gingerly came down the steps. She sank down on the stair above his hand. “And?”

He lifted his palm for her inspection. It was stained a dark brown. “Someone waxed these two steps. The others are just covered with dirt and spiders.”

Grace immediately stood up. She dusted off the back of her
jeans with her hand. “I’m really starting to hate this place.”

Raising his eyebrows,
Kyle looked at her expectantly.

“
Why would anyone wax the cellar steps?” Grace turned and walked up the steps.

Straightening, Kyle took out a h
andkerchief and wiped his hand before reaching into his other pocket and pulling out a crumpled and stained piece of paper. “Look at what I found on the floor,” he said following her up the steps. When they reached the top of the stairs, he handed her the paper.

I’ll wait for you down in the cellar. Ditch Laura and meet me down there in ten minutes. I won’t wait for you forever.

Erica

“Signed by our missing actress,” Grace said with a sigh. She walked out into the hallway and
waited for him to turn out the lights and close the door. When he turned around, she handed the note back to him. “Kyle, I’ve been thinking, we should probably call the police.”

Kyle chuckled.
“The police? Why?”

“What do you mean why?
There’s something really strange going on here,” Grace said before telling him about finding his door open and Abry cowering under the bed.

Kyle frowned. “I must have
forgotten to lock it. Abry was okay when you left him, right?”

Grace nodded. “He’s fine. I’m not, but he is. I don’t know what was going on in your room, but
I think it’s time to face facts, someone obviously greased up these steps, unscrewed the light bulb, and then lured Austin down here.”

Kyle wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “
Grace, there’s a perfectly good explanation.”

“Oh good. I was hoping you’d say that. What is it?”

“We’re playing a mystery game. These things are supposed to happen.”

“A rather dangerous game. Austin could have been killed.”

“Not if he was in on it.”

“Do I have to remind you that we could have been killed
, too?”

“Because we blundered in. They probably didn’t expect me to pick the lock. I thin
k the whole thing was staged and they freaked out when we walked in and almost fell. That’s why Rupert and Ivy were quick to lock everything up. We probably ruined the show they had planned.”

“Wh
y are you so certain that Austin faked the fall?”

“
Well, there’s his lack of injuries for one.”

“He was injured. His head was bleeding.”

“It was barely a scratch and he could have faked that. I just find it hard to believe that he was able to walk after taking such a fall from that height.”

Grace looked at him, carefully considering his words.
“It’s possible. I’ve seen people walk away from worse things before without a mark on them.” She looked at him in amusement. “I’ve seen you walk away from worse things before without a scratch.”

“Well, I’m
special.” He took her hand and led her down the hallway. “I think Austin’s one of the actors.”

Grace paused
in the foyer and dropped her voice to a low whisper, as she recounted what Rupert and Ivy said after Austin’s fall. She also filled him in on what Caroline had discovered on the internet. “I don’t know who Austin really is, but I don’t think he works with Rupert and Ivy. He was here to meet Erica and they’re not too happy about it.”

Kyle frowned. “But why would someone try to kill him?”

“I have no idea.”

“
I still believe this has got to be part of the game. I mean, look around. We’re here at Murder Manor. There are supposed to be murders, red herrings, and clues.” He pointed to the black candelabra sitting next to a skull on the console table. “Freaky stuff like that. This is what we signed up for.”

“Yeah
, but . . .” Grace crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Can you imagine what the police would say if we called them
? Besides, Austin, the so-called victim, was very adamant about not calling the authorities.” He smiled as he rubbed his hands down her arms. “I’m sure he had a very good reason for that. Probably because this is all part of the game. Rupert and Ivy probably knew you were in the bathroom and staged that whole scene for your benefit. I bet you he’s here to plant false clues and lead us down some dark alleys. I think Molly is, too. That would explain how she knows him.”

“What makes you think Molly’s an actress?”

“Look at her; the unnaturally bright white teeth and the dark tan in the middle of winter.”

“She was going to be married. Many brides whiten their teeth and get a tan before the big day.”

“Yes, they do, but have you noticed her hand?”

“
What about it?”

“She told us she had been engaged over a year, right?”

“Yes.”

“So, she’s probably been wearing an engagement ring?”

“Probably.”

“Then
there should be a tan line where the ring used to be. She doesn’t have one. Then there’s the accent that comes and goes.”

“She told me she moved around as a child.”

“So did I, but I can manage to keep the same accent.”

Grace looked at him closely as a small smile began to form. “You may have a point. You know, you’re getting to be rather good at this sort of thing.”

Happy, Kyle nodded. “Plus, for someone that just got dumped by her fiancé right before the wedding, she doesn’t seem that crushed, and she sure latched on to Austin awfully quick. They obviously know one another. She claimed they met last night, but he told me that he didn’t arrive until just before the game started. One of them is lying. You know, trying to spot the actor is as much fun as trying to find Ivy’s killer.”

She chuckled as the tension began to leave her body. “You’re right. I guess I just didn’t expect it to be this realistic.”
She frowned slightly. Based off Rose’s, admittedly short bio and instructions, something just wasn’t adding up. “I don’t understand how all these clues relate to one another or what they have to do with Ivy’s murder.”

“I don’t either, but we still have all day tomorrow to piece them together.”
He kissed her on the forehead before leading her upstairs. “That body in the pond is probably a fake, too.”

“You think so?
”

“What better way to kick off the festivities.”

“But it’s so macabre.”

“That’s the murder game business for you,” he said
, as they walked down the hallway.

Grace smiled. He was probably right.
This is what they signed up for and the Crystal Palace was world famous for their murder mystery events. Who knew they were this good? she thought in amusement. Everything would be much clearer tomorrow night when all the clues had finally been presented. “So, do you have any suspects in mind, Mr. Cheatum?” she asked, getting back into character.

“A few.” He grinned down at her. “You wouldn’t be afraid to be up here all by yourself with me, would you
, Rose?”

“Now why would I be afraid of you, Will,” Grace drawled seductively. She leaned back against her door and smiled up at him. “
I know you didn’t kill, Ivy.”

“
It means a lot to me that you trust me, Rose, but then why wouldn’t you. After all, you’ve been madly in love with me since I became Ivy’s attorney, and we’ve been having a torrid affair for months.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned forward to kiss her.

Smiling, she pressed a hand against his chest. “Hmm. Strange
, but Rose’s bio said nothing about any torrid love affair.”

“
Really? That’s odd. Will’s bio talked about nothing else than their all-consuming love for one another.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiled up at him.
“It did? I think I should see this bio.”

“Nope, sorry,
I can’t let you do that. It’s against the rules.”

“Somehow
, I get the feeling you’re lying.” Feeling better than she had all evening, Grace sank into his embrace, only to reluctantly pull away from him a few seconds later when Molly walked out into the hallway.

“Oh Grace, I’m so glad you’re awake. I need to talk to someone,” she said as tears ran dow
n her face. “I did something very stupid.”

*  *  *

“
He said no,” Molly wailed pitifully. “Can you believe that? I was so convinced he liked me.” She took a deep gulp of air as she continued to sob.

Handing Molly another tissue,
Grace nodded sympathetically. “Maybe you just misunderstood.”

“No is a
very clear and understandable word,” she said harshly.

“Well,” Grace began helplessly, “maybe
Austin misunderstood the question.”

Molly sniffled. “I asked him if he’d ever been skiing before and if he would
like to go after the game was over. He said . . .” Molly’s face scrunched up as her words began to take on a high pitched whine, “he said no, not really. He’s not really much of a skier,” she cried, burying her head into Grace’s pillow.

“He might not have realized you were asking him out.”

Molly lifted her head up long enough to ask, “How could he not realize what I was asking?”

Grace sat down on the bed next to Molly and patted her shoulder. Whatever suspicio
ns she had about Molly being one of the actors, flew out the window as she looked down at the girl’s tear stained face. She couldn’t possibly be that good of an actress. “To be perfectly honest, he seems a bit clueless. I mean, he was barely paying attention to anything during dinner.”

Molly stubbornly shook her head. “He’s the smartest man I’ve ever met. He knew what I was asking.
” She sniffled. “But that wasn’t the worst part. No, the worst part was when Ms. Perfect walked in with her fancy little maid’s costume and her fishnet stockings up to her . . .” Molly’s face crumpled. “He couldn’t keep his eyes off her. I finally just left them both in the study. I don’t even think he noticed . . . I’ve been in my room crying ever since. I’m just so embarrassed.” She pressed her hand to her face as she looked up at Grace. “I’m so sorry that I’m bothering you with all this. I just didn’t have anyone I could really talk to.”

“It’s all right.”

“I don’t know how I can possibly face him tomorrow.”

“Maybe you won’t ha
ve to. He doesn’t really seem to be interested in playing the game.”

“See, that’s exactly why I thought he was interested in me
, but . . . I was obviously wrong.”

Not quite following Molly’s train of thought, Grace said, “Just how long have you known him?”

Still sniffling, Molly rose from the bed. “What do you mean? We just met.”

“Last night?”

Molly nodded as she reached for the door handle. “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Grace shrugged noncommittally. It was obvious Molly did
, or she wouldn’t have asked the question. “You just came off a bad break up—”

“What?” Molly asked in confusion. Her face cleared suddenly. “Right.
Yes, it was horrible. I still can’t believe Max just left me like that.”

“I thought
your fiancé’s name was Mike.”

“Oh, it is. His name is Michael Maxwell.
He’d answer to Max or Mike or Maxwell,” she said breezily, “it confused a lot of people.” She opened the door. “It’s after two. I’d better let you go to sleep. Thank you so much for being there for me. Again, I’m so very sorry that I’ve kept you up so late. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Molly—”

“Nighty night, Grace,” she said, quickly closing the door behind her.

*  *  *

Yawning, Grace counted down the chimes from the Grandfather clock in the hallway.