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“I have to say,” Sanjay said after they’d talked with Blackburn about Sanjay’s correspondence with an unknown killer, “I really hate being used like a pawn.”

“Isn’t it better than being the intended victim?” Gideon asked.

Time of death wasn’t an exact science, like TV shows would have you believe. Since Lucas’s body hadn’t been discovered right away, they might never know the exact time when he was killed, but Blackburn agreed that Lucas could very well have been dead a few hours before their dress rehearsal that first night.

This changed everything.

If Lucas was already dead by the time someone was texting Sanjay, the killer could have put him into the trunk at any time. The house wasn’t under surveillance. The killer didn’t need to be present when they found the body—at least not the first time. But someone had staged the twisted escape room and made Lucas’s body reappear last night. Why?

Detective Blackburn was adjusting his investigation accordingly, but had walked them out of the station. Hint taken. Tempest, Sanjay, and Gideon now stood aimlessly in front of the station. Ivy had left to have dinner with her sister, Dahlia, and her family, having done her duty to open their minds with her curated selection of classic mystery novels.

“Maybe,” Sanjay consented. “I guess I’m glad nobody is trying to kill me, but being used is disturbing.”

“That explains how forensic evidence suggested Lucas was in your trunk after he was dead,” said Tempest. “Because he was . But only that first afternoon before you dumped him out of the trunk.”

“That wasn’t my fault. I didn’t know he was dead,” Sanjay insisted. “I simply thought he wasn’t great at maneuvering out of a tight space.” He typed out a message on his phone.

“Who are you texting?” Tempest asked. “We should leave Ivy in peace for the next few hours. She’s at dinner with her family. They’re packing up to move from their house at the end of the month, so it’s an important meal for her.”

“I’m not bugging Ivy,” Sanjay said. “I’m texting Milton.”

“Please tell me you’re not accusing him of murder because he lied about his job. Detective Blackburn already knows Milton’s occupation.”

“We couldn’t find him earlier, and we still don’t know why he lied. I’m telling him that tonight’s rehearsal is back on.” Sanjay grinned at his phone as three little moving dots appeared. “Nobody’s trying to kill me! So we might as well see this through and catch our killer. Come on, Milton… Be free.”

“Gray House is still a crime scene,” Tempest pointed out. “And Milton is only one of a bunch of suspects.”

Sanjay looked as if he had a rebuttal, but paused. His face fell. “I’ll tell him we’re moving locations for tonight. How about the barn workshop at Fiddler’s Folly?”

“That could work,” Tempest said. “I think we’ve got enough random furniture and plywood that we can re-create the living room at Gray House.”

Sanjay looked at his phone and swore. “It’s Milton. He texted me back that Kira didn’t know about rehearsal being back on. He’s already texting with her.”

“You didn’t think this through at all, did you?” asked Gideon. “And is it just me, or is it weird for us to be plotting to gather all the suspects together when we’re literally standing in the shadow of the police station?”

“Is it so wrong to move us forward when everyone else is stuck?” Sanjay replied. “I don’t know how much longer I can go on as a murder suspect.”

Tempest took Sanjay’s phone and made it vanish. “You’re not texting him back until we figure out what we’re doing.”

“I know it’s in your back pocket.” Sanjay pointed at her hip.

She turned around, palming the phone as she did so. Sanjay knew her well enough that he was able to guess that’s what she was doing, but he didn’t attempt to snatch the phone back.

“If you two are done fighting over the phone,” said Gideon, “I have an idea.”

Tempest handed Gideon the phone. He was a good arbiter. She felt a pang of regret, knowing these would be the last couple of days she’d get to spend with him in months and that she’d been running around trying to catch a killer.

“Sanjay didn’t mean to set things in motion,” said Gideon. “But he did. We can’t make the perfect plan—but we can make the plan that exists in reality now. Which seems to me would mean getting everyone together for a dress rehearsal tonight.”

“I’m not prepared to gather all the suspects together,” said Sanjay. “Milton is the only one we have a lie to confront him about. Can’t I just tell him I was wrong about rehearsal?” He held out his hand to take his phone back.

Gideon shook his head. “Milton will be suspicious now. So will Kira, since he’s already in touch with her. It’s not a perfect plan, but the best one we’ve got.”

“He’s right,” Tempest said. “The sooner we can figure this out, the better. Just because someone wasn’t trying to kill Sanjay doesn’t mean they weren’t trying to frame him now that he’s the main suspect.”

Sanjay swore.

“If Milton doesn’t hear back from us soon,” Gideon said, “he’ll probably reach out to Cameron to ask what’s up with the rehearsal being back on.”

Sanjay reached for the phone. Gideon handed it to Tempest, who made it disappear again. This time, not in her back pocket.

“First,” she said, “we agree exactly what we’re doing. We’re gathering everyone together at the Fiddler’s Folly barn for a rehearsal of the murder mystery play at nine o’clock.”

“Who’s ‘everyone’?” Gideon asked.

“Everyone involved,” said Tempest. “That means Enid and Mrs. Hudson. And nine o’clock is late enough that Ivy should be done with dinner at her sister’s house. Milton and Kira are the ones waiting for a reply, so Sanjay should text them.” She handed his phone back to him. “And I’ll text Ivy so that she can make sure Enid and Cameron are there as well.”

“Who’s inviting Mrs. Hudson?” Gideon asked.

“Good point,” said Tempest. “Anyone have her phone number or email address?”

Nobody did.

“Maybe I’ll ask my grandfather to make her cookies that we can bring her to entice her. Once she smells his cardamom shortbread through the door, she won’t be able to resist.”

“You’re bringing your family into this?” Sanjay asked.

She shrugged. “We’re meeting at my house. There’s no way to avoid them knowing. I also want to ask my grandfather what else he’s learned from his magic Rolodex.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this in response to inviting a murderer to your house,” said Gideon, “but that sounds good.”

“Now let’s get planning,” said Tempest.