Page 72 of Dead Serious Case 4 Professor Prometheus Plume

“Okay, if everyone could move into the lobby.” Danny herds them towards the door. “Ellis, do you have a safe?”

“We have one in the office,” Rosie pipes up.

“Let’s get the murder weapon into the safe while Tristan finishes up with the body and closes up the study. This room is now off-limits to everyone until the police can get to us in the morning.”

I watch as they all empty out, Danny behind them. He shoots me a thumbs-up as he exits the room.

I rise slowly and turn to the spirit, whose gaze hasn’t wavered from his corpse. I’ve seen this once or twice in the past year, when a spirit has passed so suddenly they go into shock, not able to process they’re dead. “Professor Plume?” I call to him, and it occurs to me I don’t actually know his real name. “Professor Plume? My name is Tristan. I know this has been a big shock for you, but I need your help. We’re all stuck in this house for the next twelve hours or more with a killer. I need to make sure no one else gets hurt. Can you tell me anything you remember? Professor Plume?”

He turns his head towards me, his eyes glassy. I can tell he’s not firing on all cylinders right now. “Knife,” he whispers.

“Yes, I know, but what happened? Who had the knife?”

“Knife,” he whispers again.

Oh, boy.

“Professor Plume, why don’t you come with me?” I take a few experimental steps away from him, like I’m training a dog. “Professor Plume?”

I beckon to him. Seeming to understand the gesture, he walks towards me. It’s not a perfect solution, but as he’s not in any state to give me answers, I think I need to keep him close and away from his body. Hopefully, he’ll come out of it soon and be able to tell us something useful.

I exit the study, checking that Professor Plume is still following me. I close the door, shutting his body safely inside, and head back towards the lobby. Everyone is huddled in small groups and whispering amongst themselves, and I see Danny walk out of the office behind the reception desk with Rosie at his side.

“Did you secure the knife?” I ask.

“Yeah, it’s in the safe, and only Ellis and Rosie have access to it,” Danny replies. “I’m going to head to the kitchen to see if I can speak with Aggie the cook, and you’re coming with me.”

“Am I the Watson to your Holmes, then, as Maddie’s not here?” I give him a little smile.

“Not so much.” He shakes his head. “But after being shot at by a killer and drugged by an old lady, I’m not taking any chances.”

“My goodness,” Essie says loudly from close by. “You do lead an exciting life.”

“We’re going to speak with the cook,” Danny tells the crowd. “Please stay here, stay together, and no one is to go back into the study.”

There’s a mild muttering from various people but Danny and I head toward the kitchen, only to stop a few moments later when we realise we’re not alone. Turning back, we find the guests, the actors, and Rosie and Ellis following us like a brood of baby ducks.

“What are you doing?” Danny says, frowning.

“Coming with you.” Ellis looks up at Danny with his big blue eyes. “It’s safe with you,” he says so trustingly.

Major Dick huffs. “While I’ll admit the killer is unlikely to be you, there is something to be said for safety in numbers.”

“There’s fourteen of you all,” Danny points out. “You’d have been plenty safe together in the lobby.”

“That’s what they say in all the horror movies,” Mr Pennington says. “Until everyone starts getting picked off one by one.”

“What type of fiction do you write?” I ask him, remembering Ellis had mentioned he was here in an effort to get past his writer’s block.

“Horror.”

“Riiight.” I turn back to Danny and lift my hands, shrugging in awhat are you going to dokind of gesture.

Rolling his eyes, he says nothing else, and we continue on to the kitchen in search of the elusive Aggie.

As we reach the door, Danny steps in front of me protectively, just in case, and I can’t help my smile. Pushing the door open and stepping inside, he stops dead.

“Bloody hell.”