Page 73 of Dead Serious Case 4 Professor Prometheus Plume

I lean around him to see what’s going on and my mouth falls open. There’s a woman in her forties, with a round, red face, bound to a chair rather thoroughly with duct tape. She’s literally covered from her ankles to her shoulders. Her mouth is also taped and on her head, knocked slightly askew, is a chef’s hat.

I’m assuming this is Aggie, the cook.

While Danny is puzzling out who could have restrained her in this way, I look across to find Bertie, Roger, and Edwina beside her, looking very pleased with themselves. Well, Bertie is grinning and Roger is holding two thumbs up, while Edwina hovers, a little unsure.

“What did you do?”I mouth silently, hoping they can read lips as I have the entire hotel contingent behind me bustling to see what’s going on.

“We decided you were right, lad!” Bertie booms in a hearty voice. “We decided to be helpful like you said!” She holds her hands out to present the bound and gagged cook like a trophy while Roger bounces up and down in excitement.

“We caught the killer for you,” Roger announces gleefully. “TA-DAH!”

“I tried to talk them out of it,” Dusty says in amusement. I look over and she’s perched on the stainless steel kitchen counter with her legs crossed as she files her nails. “But Butch and the Sundance Kid over there would not be swayed. Her ladyship was a bit of an innocent bystander.”

Unable to answer her in front of the others, I turn back to Bertie and Roger, taking in their pleased expressions.

Oh, my fucking god.

18

There’s a quiet click and I twist my head to see Mr Nakatomi take a photo of the restrained cook with his phone before turning and giving me a thumbs-up. I’m beginning to wonder if he still thinks this is all part of the murder mystery event and not an actual murder.

“Aggie!” Ellis exclaims in shock, darting around Danny towards the cook. “What happened?”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Danny mutters.

“It’s what we’d all like to know.” Major Dick shoves everyone aside and storms into the kitchen. “This is getting beyond a joke.”

“Do you think any of this is a joke?” Mrs Snow declares as she glowers at him.

“A bad one, maybe,” Mr Greyson mumbles under his breath, and I swear Ruby smirks.

“Don’t act like you care,” Major Dick replies to Mrs Snow. “You hated Plume the most.”

“None of us liked him,” Mr Meadow interjected.

“Yes, I may have disliked the man.” Mrs Snow’s eyes narrow. “He was a selfish, entitled, priggish, no-talent who thought the world owed him, and what’s more–”

Having removed my gloves from earlier, I stick my fingers in my mouth and give a low, shrill whistle.

“That’s enough,” I say sharply, shocking the assemble troupe of actors into stunned silence. Right now I’m not sure who is more badly behaved, the living or the dead. “As far as I’m concerned, every single one you are at the top of the suspect list right now. Ruby and Greyson, you know exactly why. Mrs Snow, you’re the one who argued with him every chance you got and threw wine in his face in a room full of diners. Mr Meadow, your face right now is making no effort to hide the contempt you felt for the dead man, and Major Dick…” My eyes narrow. “You’re behaving like a dick.”

There’s a loud, delighted cackle and I glance over to find Dusty beaming at me like a proud mama. “That’s my boo, you tell ‘em.” She wipes away a mock tear. “Look at you, all grown up and throwing shade. It’s like I’ve rubbed off all over you.” She winks and I barely resist rolling my eyes as I turn back to the cook.

“Are you alright, Aggie?” Ellis rips the tape off her mouth abruptly and I wince at the red marks encircling her lips.

“What the hell is goin’ on?” She shouts in a thick Scottish accent. “You crazy English people! Here I was mindin’ my own business and the next thing I know I’m trussed up like a haggis for Hogmanay.”

“Did you see who did this?” Danny asks as he retrieves a pair of scissors from a nearby hook and begins cutting the tape wrapped around her.

“You’re not letting her go!” Greyson blurts out. “She could be the murderer!”

“And so could any of you,” Danny points out. “We can’t go around tying people up. This isn’tLord of the Flies. Innocent until proven guilty mean anything to you people? Right now, she’s a person of interest, just like the rest of you.”

“I’m a person of interest?” Aggie says to Danny. “Why? What do they mean bymurderer?” She frowns. “If this is part of that bloody stupid murder mystery, I’m not taking part in it. I’ve still got the dishwasher to load and the meat to take out for tomorrow’s dinner.”

“There’s been a real murder, Aggie,” Ellis tells her worriedly.

“What?” She blinks at Ellis and turns her attention to Danny. “What murder? Who?”