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The scream Emma heard brought everyone running from different directions of the house. Sophie came first, followed by a woman with an apron wrapped around her waist and a dusting of flour across her clothes where she had wiped her hands quickly to respond to the woman's scream.
Midge's secretary came running from somewhere near the front door, still holding her clipboard. Other staff members came from upstairs and from the back rooms, all concerned about the sound that had sent chills up Emma's spine. It wasn't the scream of somebody who had been startled, it was the scream of somebody who feared for their life.
Travis's long strides brought him into the room first, and Emma watched him turn his head from side to side, trying to find out where the scream had come from. By instinct, Emma looked toward the Christmas tree and saw a bundle of cloth near the base of the tree. But this wasn't Santa's sack of goodies; this was a woman's body surrounded by broken ornaments. As she had fallen, she must have grabbed hold of one of the white blankets that had been lying across the chair, bringing it down with her, giving the appearance of her body lying in a soft drift of snow.
"Cindy, no! Somebody help her," Midge cried out, her voice echoing against the marble floors before getting lost in the high ceilings. But she didn't need to give directions. The others were already in motion, moving forward to help the still woman. Travis was the first to reach her, and he gently turned her, so she was facing upwards. As he did, Emma saw the gaping wound on the side of her head. As if the movement had made the blood start flowing, it ran down behind her ear, soaking the white blanket.
Midge's efficient secretary was already on the phone, calling for an ambulance, while Cook was giving Sophie directions about where to find the first aid kit. Travis looked up and caught Emma's glance. She could tell by the look on his face there was going to be no need for a first aid kit. Whoever this Cindy woman was, she was beyond the stage of band-aids and antiseptic cream. Midge also saw her son's expression and turned to the others, taking control of the situation.
"We need to make room for the authorities to get here. They will know what to do. In the meantime. I need everybody in the kitchen. Cook, please make a strong coffee for those who need it." She turned her attention to her secretary and gave a second order. "Marianne, I want everybody to stay in the kitchen until the authorities talk to them. No one leaves."
Without hesitation, Midge's staff began to move toward the kitchen as she directed. But when Emma started in the same direction, the older woman stopped her, placing her hand on Emma's arm and giving a slight shake of her head. When Marianne turned back to see why Emma wasn't following them, Midge waved her hand toward the kitchen, dismissing her assistant. Marianne gave Emma a stare that sent a chill down her spine. It was clear Marianne did not like the idea of Emma staying behind while she had to go to the kitchen with the rest of the staff. As soon as everyone had left the room, Midge turned to her son and Emma.
"She's dead, isn't she, Travis?"
"Yes, it'd be hard to survive the blow that she took, and I can feel no pulse. Why do you want Emma to stay, Mother? She doesn't need to be involved in this. She's not part of the family or staff."
Midge remained silent for a moment, her gaze fixed intently on Emma as if measuring her response. Emma, feeling the weight of the situation, began to discreetly survey the room, her natural investigative instincts subtly kicking in. Noticing this, a slow, knowing smile crept across Midge's face. 'That's exactly what I thought.' Midge finally broke the silence, her words drawing puzzled looks from both Travis and Emma. Sensing their confusion, Midge continued, "Charlotte Potter spoke highly of your curious nature and knack for unraveling mysteries."
Midge's words made them stare at her, wondering what in the world she was talking about. But Midge didn't answer their inquiring looks immediately. Instead, she waved them to follow her, as she walked away from the body by the tree to stand closer to the entry door, where she could watch for the authorities. Making sure there was nobody within listening distance, she turned to Emma, ready to answer her unasked question.
"Charlotte Potter told me you were a smart girl. A lot like your mother, I believe. Do you also have her gift of murder?"
Emma gasped, and Travis looked at his mother like she'd lost her mind. But Midge nodded in approval at where her private thoughts were going, and then she linked her arm with Emma, forcing the younger woman to step closer to her so she could hear her whispered words. "You need to help solve this. We need to find out why Cindy was murdered. And I think it might have something to do with the threatening notes I've been getting. Your mother had more than her fair share of crimes that she solved, and from what I understand from Charlotte, you've also had a few. I'm looking to you for help, Emma."
Before Emma could answer her, Travis butted in, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. "What threatening notes? What haven't you been telling me? And why do you think those notes have anything to do with Cindy's murder? Couldn't she just have been knocked down by a random home invader?"
Midge shrugged and gave her son a look that made him squirm. "Think, Travis. Would a home invader show up in the middle of the day when everybody was here? Of course not. Whoever attacked Cindy did it for a specific reason. Either she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or she was the target."
"But why?" Emma couldn't help but ask, feeling herself getting drawn into a situation she had no intention of sticking with.
But it was as if her question triggered something with Midge, and the older woman's cry of distress had them both following close on her heels as she turned and headed back in to where the body was. Not caring if she was disturbing evidence or not, Midge began to toss wrapping paper and boxes around, looking for something. But whatever she had expected to find wasn't there.
"The ornaments! They're gone. Help me look for them—they should be in a blue Tiffany box. Cindy was getting them ready for me to show Emma."
Without argument, Travis and Emma started helping search for the signature box with the Tiffany logo that held the diamond-encrusted Christmas ornaments. Finally, in defeat, the three of them acknowledged the box was gone. They had their motive for Cindy's murder. Now the question was whether she was involved or just a bystander.
"You must help, Emma. Not only for me, but for yourself. Your entire presentation revolves around those ornaments. You need to find them and the killer."