Page 119 of Kill Your Darlings

“Smoke & Mirrors.”

“The Femme Fatale.”

“The Plot Twist!”

“Harp.”

“Make it two.”

Finn sighed.Looked at me.

“Plot Twist,” I said.

He nodded and departed for the bar.

“Has anyone seen Grace Hollister since the banquet?”I asked suddenly.

Adrien said, “She left this morning.Cherry drove her to the airport.”

“So, she got off all right.Good.”

Kyle was staring at me with amusement.Christopher demanded, “Are you going to tell us or not?”

“Well, you must have heard by now.There was a drunken fight by the pool—”

They all made loudNnnand buzzer sounds.

Adrien said, “We know that someone is being held in connection with the drowning death.And we know that T.McGregor took off for Scotland like a bat out of hell this morning.”

“His wee wifey’s giving birth in some undisclosed location.”Christopher’s accent was nearly as bad as ‘McGregor’s.’”

I blinked but managed to say nothing.

Kyle said, “And he’s not signing with Wheaton & Woodhouse after all.”

“Huh,” I said.

“Zero interest,” Adrien observed to Christopher.

“I noticed.”

Finn returned from the bar, wisely tucking his credit card away.He sat on the edge of my chair and rested his hand on my shoulder.I smiled up at him.He smiled down at me.

Kyle said to his fellow snoops, “I don’t think we’re going to hear the real story.I suspect it all worked out in the end.”

I laughed.All at once I felt completely, blissfully relaxed.It was a beautiful afternoon.In a little while, Finn and I would go upstairs and talk and laugh and make plans for a future I’d never really believed in until now.

I stared out the giant picture window at the long rollers crashing against the beach, and knew a moment of perfect peace.

Or maybe it was just simple, unadulterated happiness.

Either way, it was something I felt I could get used to.

I studied their faces, the expressions varying from curious to quizzical.

“Speaking of Wheaton & Woodhouse,” I said slowly.“I might just have an idea…”