Page 84

But no. Because Chelsea’s deathhadto have resulted from her figuring out that Freddie had killed Noah. She had seen something in Tosh’s photos that no one else had.

Ellery glanced automatically at the rug covering the trap door of the hidden cupboard where he’d stashed Tosh’s photos.

What had Chelsea seen in those faded snapshots?

And how had Freddie realized that Chelsea knew something she shouldn’t? Had Chelseatoldhim? Why would she?

“Knock-knock.” Freddie rapped on the door frame of Ellery’s room.

“Ready,” Ellery jerked out.

Freddie followed him down the staircase in silence, and with each step, Ellery wondered if his old friend might decide to give him a push and then claim he’d slipped.

He tried to reassure himself that Freddie couldn’t be sure that he—that any of them—suspected him. Any more than Ellery could be sure Freddie suspectedhim.

They reached the bottom step safely, turned, still weirdly silent, and walked down the length of the great hall, into the drawing room.

Great-aunt Eudora gazed thoughtfully down from her portrait above the fireplace. Someone had started a fire in the grate and set up the gameboard for Clue on a nearby table. No one was playing, but Lenny and Flip sat at the table, drinking their coffees.

“Your coffee’s here, Ell,” Flip said casually. “Who do you want to be? Lenny is Miss Scarlet.”

“Of course, she is.” Ellery took his place beside Lenny. She patted his knee as if he’d just put his team in the lead by executing a triple back flip on the parallel bars. “I’ll be Professor Plum.”

“Okay, I’m Colonel Mustard.”

Ellery took a swallow of coffee. It was very sweet. Briefly, he wondered if Tosh had turned the tables on him and lacedhisdrink with the tranquilizers.

But no. Tosh might flush the pills down the sink. She wouldn’t drug him. She had made her views on drugginganybodyvery clear.

Tosh, seated on the loveseat next to Oscar, said, “I’m guarding your coffee from Oscar, Freddie.” She made a face at Oscar.

Oscar, idly, absently slipping his lucky gold coin through his long, graceful fingers, shook his head. “I don’t know if I need booze in my coffee. I’m ready to fall asleep as it is.”

“How in the heck can you sleep with everything going on?” Lenny inquired.

Oscar said defensively, “Nothing’s going on rightnow. I didn’t sleep much last night. You can only go so long on adrenaline.”

Ellery watched the fluid, rhythmic motion of the gleaming coin gliding smoothly from fingertip to fingertip, rolling over Oscar’s knuckles with practiced ease. As the coin disappeared from sight, Ellery had a sudden flash of memory.

And with that memory came sickening realization. He understood why Noah had known his upcoming conversation with Freddie would be a difficult one. And why Freddie, ambitious and egotistical, used to everything always going his way, had seen Noah as an unexpected and intolerable obstacle.

An obstacle to be removed from Freddie’s path by whatever means necessary.

Freddie regarded Tosh for a moment and said abruptly, “I’m going to get a glass of water.”

Tosh’s smile faltered. Freddie turned, left the room. They listened in silence to his footsteps going down the hall.

Tosh grew very pale.

Oscar said quietly, “Holy... What does he think?”

Flip was looking pointedly at Ellery.

Ellery shook his head.

Flip opened his mouth, but Freddie was already back. He couldn’t have done more than walk to the kitchen, verify the pills were still on the counter, and walk back.

Freddie said with unnerving good cheer, “Actually, I think Iwillhave that coffee. I haven’t had Irish coffee in years.”