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Lenny filled the tea kettle, gazing out the window. “Wow, that’s a lot of snow.”

Ellery said, “How did I miss Tosh and Oscar? I thought it was always Belle and Oscar.”

“Oh, it was,” Lenny got a couple of mugs from the cupboard. “But eventually that fizzled out. There was always a little spark between Tosh and Oscar.”

“Wasthere?”

Lenny and Flip laughed at him. Lenny, coffee pot in hand, said, “You need a top up, Ell?”

“Nope. I’m good.”

“Oh my gosh. Are thosecroissantsin the oven?”

Ellery said, “Chocolate croissants, yeah.”

“You are the greatest host ever.”

“It’sItnot like I did anything but defrost them.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to be able to return to real life after this.” Lenny carried a mug of coffee to the table and sat down with Ellery and Flip.

For a few contented moments there was only the sound of the tea kettle hissing and the trees creaking beneath snow.

Then Flip said, “You know Chelsea took that hatchet, right?”

“Did you see her take it?”

“No. But it’s totally on brand.”

Ellery agreed but stayed noncommittal.

Lenny said, “If we find Tosh with a hatchet in her back, we’ll know who did it.”

“Yikes,” Ellery said. “That went dark fast.”

Lenny shrugged. “Chels is jealous of Tosh. She always has been, but in college it was different. Having Tosh to hang around with worked to her benefit. Plus, she was always smugly aware she was more talented.”

“Except she didn’t get the roles,” Flip said. “Anytime she and Tosh went up against each other, Tosh won.”

“And Tosh is winning now,” Lenny said grimly. “When it comes to Freddie.”

Neither Ellery nor Flip had anything to say to that.

“Did Jack get off okay?” Flip asked suddenly.

“Huh?” Ellery stared at him blankly and both Flip and Lenny started laughing.

Lenny said, “Look, he still blushes. That’s adorbs.”

Ellery said, “Could you two please make yourselves useful somehow?”

“Yep, what can we do?” Flip said briskly.

“I don’t know. Help me figure out lunch.”

“Lunch?”Flip and Lenny looked at each other in alarm.

“Dinner,” Ellery corrected with a glance at the clock. It seemed that most of their crew had the same impulse he’d had that morning. And Watson, the little scoundrel, was enjoying a lie-in with them.