Read Online Murder Games by Elisabeth Crabtree - Free Book Online Page A

as his creepy butler persona, Rupert said, “You have no idea. I’ve seen worse than that.”
    Ivy nodded. “It can get pretty cut-throat at times. People really want that Best Sleuth trophy. Some will go to any lengths to get it, too.” Ivy motioned to the pie sitting in the center of the table. “Would you like some? It’s chocolate. I made it myself.”
    Nodding, Grace dropped into an empty chair at the table. “But still, I can’t believe anyone would steal her notebook .”
    “It’s okay . I remember everything I wrote,” Laura said nonchalantly. “The only person walking away with that trophy is me!” she declared as she swung open the kitchen door.
    Sabrina stood next to the table, staring at the door, apparently internally debating whether to follow her sister or not. She finally sat down at the table. Leaning forward, she took off one of her high heels and rubbed her ankle. “I really should have reconsidered this outfit.”
    Ivy handed Grace a p iece of pie. “I love it when everyone dresses up. There’s definitely a different vibe in the air when everyone’s in costume.” She smiled at Sabrina. “And I must say you are such a good sport. Most people don’t take to the maid role as well as you.”
    Sabrina shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to be an actress , and I figured that if I was going to pretend to be the maid, then I would be the best one you all have ever seen.”
    Ivy nodded. “Oh, you are.”
    Sabrina slipped her shoe back on and leaned across the table. She craned her neck as she tried to look at the tablet lying in front of Rupert. “Any news, yet?”
    Rupert shook his head. “They said they’ll have to wait for the autopsy ‘till they know for certain. There’s no way it was an accident. I bet she was murdered. The cops are looking for some guy.”
    Grace set her teacup down. “Are you talking about the woman they found in the pond?”
    Ivy nodded. “Horrible. Nothing like that’s ever happened here.”
    “Do they know who she was?” Grace asked.
    “ No.” Ivy slid the tablet back over to her side of the table. She swiped her finger across the screen. “It’ll probably be days before we know anything.”
    “Could she be someone who worked for the hotel?”Grace asked . She took a bite of the pie and closed her eyes. Absolute Heaven. “This is excellent, by the way.”
    Ivy beamed. “Thank you. It’s an old family recipe.”
    “Yeah, the Hershey family’s recipe,” Rupert said softly under his breath.
    Ivy spared a second to glare at him before saying, “I doubt that the woman worked at the hotel. If she did, management would have made some announcement by now.”
    “Good,” Grace said over a mouthful of the best chocolate pie she had ever eaten.
    Rupert looked up sharply. “You seem relieved? Why? What do you know?”
    Grace shrugged. “I overheard you and Bec ky talk about a missing actress and I just thought the woman in the pond might have been her.”
    “One of the actresses is missing?” Sabrina asked worriedly.
    Ivy patted Sabrina’s hand. “Relax. I’m sure it’s not Erica.” She looked at Grace over the rim of her coffee cup. “Can’t be Erica. She wouldn’t be caught dead near the pond, because she was afraid of water.”
    Rupert nodded. “Yep, definitely not Erica . The dead woman was a blonde.”
    “So was Erica,” Ivy said, “but I’m sure it wasn’t her.”
    “ Erica wasn’t a blonde,” Rupert said. “She had brown hair.”
    Ivy scowled. “No, she didn’t. She was a honey blonde.”
    “What is a honey blonde ?” Rupert snapped. “You’re either a blonde or you’re not. Besides, Erica had a tattoo of a butterfly on her wrist and this woman didn’t.”
    “ Erica did not have a tattoo on her wrist,” Ivy said testily.
    “Yes, she did,” he insisted , “she showed it to me.”
    Ivy glared at him over the table. “It wasn’t a butterfly. It was a ladybug, and it was on her ankle.”
    Rupert sucked in a breath .