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It was the day before Halloween, which meant that I went pumpkin carving at Eleanor’s with the women from the book club. Miles had announced he was going to throw a Halloween party at his mansion tomorrow for anyone who wanted to come, since he wanted to move on from the murder.
Alistair had opened the locker but nothing had been inside, which led me to believe that the killer may have gotten to it, but there were no cameras by the lockers and it was impossible to figure out who had entered. Still, Alistair had pulled an all-nighter with DC Daniels to see if they could spot any familiar faces entering the gym—apart from Warren—but nothing.
Of course, that meant that Warren was a suspect. He could have been lying about the key card, or he could have been telling the truth and perhaps he was the one that had killed her and then took whatever it was from his locker. Assuming that was the reason she had been killed.
So, still a lot of speculation. I didn’t like that.
And yet I was in a good mood. Halloween was nearly here. Today we’d carve pumpkins and tonight I’d watch witchy and spooky films with Christina and Eddie. I had invited Alistair as well, but he wasn’t sure if he would make it.
It was Friday and both Eddie and Christina were working, but I had managed to convince Miles to join us. Occasionally he had Friday afternoons off and today was no different.
I hadn’t told the ladies yet. They’d probably be swooning all afternoon.
Miles met me halfway to the vicarage.
“Ready for some carving?” I asked him.
He wore an orange scarf and a long black coat. “I haven’t done this since I was a kid, to be honest. Why do you guys do this exactly?”
“Because it’s fun. We drink wine and gossip and try to make the most creative pumpkins.”
“I see. Well, I’m eager to make this a tradition, then.”
I gave a half-smile. “I promise you’ll like it.”
“I’m sure I will. The people here are beginning to grow on me. Sorry to hear that the murder investigation is at a stand still. Alistair informed me about the latest.”
“Yeah, I know. It sucks.” I couldn’t wait any longer. “What will happen to the teenagers that Johnny and Ivan involved in their schemes?”
Miles glanced at me. “Three of them were underage, but Elijah is eighteen. Still, they were accomplices against their will and they were terrified. The ones that are really in trouble are Ivan and Johnny, especially Johnny.”
“Good,” I said.
I hadn’t spoken to Emblyn much. She had taken days off from working at Nancy’s and had been quiet. I could hardly blame her. She had come too close to something very dangerous.
“Despite the horrendous murder that took place, I’ve put up the website and the Pembroke is officially for hire. It also means that Geoff is coming round this afternoon because I want to hire him as my accountant.”
“Really?”
Miles nodded. “I need someone and I figured, why not him?”
“I’m sure he’ll be pleased, since he’s interested in wealthy new clients.”
“Oh, yes. I’m pretty sure he handed me his business card three times since the start of the murder mystery weekend.”
It wasn’t a bad idea for me to get an accountant as well, probably.
We arrived at the vicarage. Eleanor had decorated her home with fake candles that flickered in dark corners, self-made ghosts hanging from strings, fake skeletons, and weirdly coloured drinks that she’d put in lemonade pitchers. Harold had made a playlist of all kinds of Halloween-related music and it was playing softly in the background.
“Wow. I feel like I should have worn my Halloween costume,” Miles said.
“I know. We only do that on Halloween itself, though. What are you going as tomorrow?”
He grinned at me. “You’ll see.”
“It’s going to be something lame, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not. What makes you think that?”
“Because you’re too excited about it.”
He folded his arms. “Mean.”
Eleanor greeted us and directed us to get drinks and snacks first. She had set several tables in both her kitchen and living room with pumpkins and knives. Most of the women were here already, cackling animatedly. They dimmed down when they spotted the handsome specimen that was Miles and immediately wanted to show him their pumpkins.
––––––––
AN HOUR LATER MILES went home to get ready for Geoff. He had carved four pumpkins and had made one that looked surprised, one that was throwing up its own guts, one that looked smug, and one that looked like a vampire.
I had managed to make one that resembled a Minion, one with square teeth, and a lady pumpkin with a kissy face.
Poppy was always surprisingly good at this. She had made a merry-go-round on a pumpkin once. And even made an Alice in Wonderland pumpkin. This year she carved out the silhouette of a werewolf and a mermaid.
Ava was the queen of inappropriate carvings. Last year she had carved two unicorns mating and a witch with a suspicious looking staff. This year she seemed to be good and was making murder-related pumpkins. Lots of weapons and only one pumpkin with a butt carving.
I was washing my hands in the kitchen, about to go for another round of snacks and a drink, when Callum entered through the kitchen. He was holding a bag which clinked, as if he had brought bottles.
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
“Just came to prepare a new batch of drinks. I offered to make spooky beverages today and I’ll even do so tomorrow at Miles’s Halloween party. He’s so dreamy.”
I chuckled. “That’s awesome. The drinks taste so lovely. Much better than the wine that Olivia and Lily always bring. But don’t tell them that.”
“My lips are sealed, darling.” He put down the bag on the counter. “Oh, by the way. You showed me that picture of that acting group, right? The Dramateers?”
My heartbeat sped up. “Yeah.”
“I checked with a mate of mine, he knows everyone related to acting in any way on this side of the country. He recognised Geoff, said that there was this minor scandal and that he was suspected of embezzling. Never proven and it was done on a small scale, but there were rumours.”
My mouth opened and then closed.
Gears were turning.
“Are you okay?” Callum asked. “You look like you swallowed a piece of Lego.”
“I gotta go.” I ran straight out of the kitchen and outside. As I ran all the way to the Pembroke without my coat on, I tried to dial Alistair’s number. It took me three tries to actually ring him.
He didn’t pick up, so I left a message.
I ran past Pandora who had jumped on top of a stroller, terrorising the young mother who tried to defend her baby with her umbrella.
I still didn’t stop and arrived at the estate completely out of breath. Working out was definitely going to be on my to-do list in the near future. If only so I could get to killers quicker.
Without trying the front doors first, I went around the back and entered the kitchen. I listened, but everything was quiet. I was panting like a dog in labour and had to collect myself. Geoff and Miles would simply be chatting and I didn’t want to alarm Geoff.
“They’ll be in his study,” Detective Black said. “And it may not be a bad idea to bring a weapon.”
I glanced around the kitchen and picked my instrument of destruction. With a paper towel I dabbed my face and then I strode to the staircase and made my way up to Miles’s office.
The door was ajar and I heard Geoff’s voice. “Just stay down and let me think.” He sounded panicked.
Oh, no.
“Whatever happened, looks like Miles is in trouble,” Detective Black said.
I edged closer to the door and peered inside the room.
Miles was on the floor, blood dripping from his temple. He looked pale and held out his hand to Geoff who was holding a poker from the fireplace. Neither of them had spotted me.
I started dialling the number of the police station, so that I could be sure that someone was on their way, but at that moment Geoff looked at the door. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared.
“Okay, stay calm,” Detective Black said. “Just do as he says and stall him.”
“You there!” he shouted.
I held my phone behind my back, then opened the door and stepped inside.
Geoff advanced, knocked the rolling pin out of my hand, then roughly grabbed my arm, throwing me towards the desk where Miles was. He got up and held me to prevent me from tripping.
“Are you okay?” I whispered to Miles while Geoff checked the hall and then shut the door.
“I’m fine. Are you alright?”
I nodded. “I phoned Alistair. He didn’t pick up but I left a message.” My phone was still in my hand. “What happened?”
“I saw the gym card and realised he must have gotten whatever was in that locker. Which means he was involved in her murder. Or at least knew who the murderer was. Then I asked him about the gym and he attacked me.”
“Stop whispering!” Geoff shouted. “Just shut up and let me think.”
Great. He was contemplating whether or not it would be beneficial for him to murder us.
I pressed the recording button on my phone. Just in case his attack on Miles wasn’t enough to put him behind bars.
“Was it you or her that decided to meet in the garden at midnight?” I asked, my voice steady and not too loud. I focussed on his collar because I was afraid that direct eye contact would agitate him even more.
“I—I did. I wanted her to leave me alone. I begged her even. And she laughed.”
“She was blackmailing you and then laughed at you? She deserved to be taught a lesson,” I said.
He ran his hand through his hair, still holding the poker in his other hand.
“She found out you were skimming money from your rich clients and wanted in, didn’t she?”
“She wanted to help me get new clients and get a cut of the money. But then she decided to move to London, start over. And she wanted a big cut or she’d tell the police. I knew she was bluffing, I knew it. But she wouldn’t let go.”
“She was just as eager to be rich as you were.”
“No, no. This was my plan. We deserve to be rich. She was just—she was just selfish. She was a user. She had a notebook where she kept track of any dirt or weaknesses she could find. And she hurt people when she didn’t get what she wanted. She said that she’d break me and Brenda up if she had to. Then when I said nothing, she smirked and turned around and I just grabbed her. I had to.”
I nodded. “Of course. She gave you no choice. She was going to destroy your life. It was her or you.”
“Exactly. I had to do it. And I’m sorry, but I can’t let you go.” He started touching his breast pocket and took out a lighter. Then he moved towards the globe where Miles kept his liquor.
“Err, just one thing,” I said, taking a statue of a panther from Miles’s desk. I bridged the gap between us.
He looked up and I hit him with the statue. He fell against the wall and I quickly grabbed the poker from him while he groaned.
Miles swayed when he came over but he grabbed Geoff’s ankles while I pushed his hands behind his back. My own hands were shaking and my legs felt like jelly.
The door was thrown open and Alistair and DC Daniels burst in the room with frantic expressions on their faces.
“Hello. Did you order a murderer?” I asked.