Beyond the dark glass of the conservatory’s dome, the moon gleamed. Plum glanced at her cell phone.
Midnight. Was it really only midnight?
Marlowe held up her hands. “The first thing we should do is stick together.”
Plum felt a rush of pride and admiration in her best friend as the group turned to her.
“Oh? What old movie has that in it?” Shelley asked.
“All of them,” Marlowe said. “Literally every killer-on-the-loose movie ever.”
“Right.” Cici pointed a baby-doll-pink fingernail at Marlowe in an excited stab of agreement. “Because if we all stick together, even if one of us is the killer, then they won’t get a chance to kill the next person.”
“Safety in numbers,” Sofia agreed.
“The boat will come in the morning,” Plum said. “We just have to make it until then.”
“You girls are safe.” Sean stepped into that wide stance again, arms crossed high on his chest. “I’ll protect you.”
“Thank you,” Cici said sincerely.
“Gee, thanks,” Marlowe drawled sarcastically.
Sean tilted his head at her, one eyebrow cocked in a question.
“I mean, thank you? I guess I’ll take your word that you’re not the killer?” Plum said.
“Other than of countless pet chickens,” Sofia sniffed.
“Drop it about the chickens—” Sean began.
“I suggest”—Dude’s voice cut over the argument—“that if the goal is that we all stick together, we should all bunk down here for the night.”
“Yes,” Marlowe agreed. “It’s big enough. And all the sofas are here.”
“We should also barricade the doors,” Jalen said in his narrator’s voice.
Plum didn’t have to look to confirm that he was recording again.
“We know these drinks are okay, so we can have them if we get thirsty,” Plum suggested, pointing to the card table “cocktail reception.”
“I can vouch for the scotch on the liquor cart,” Sean said.
“And there’s a small bathroom right here.” Cici crossed to a door set in the wall near the dining room. She opened it, checking that the room was empty, even though they all knew it was from the previous search. She left the door cracked open and the light on.
“And there’s one more thing we have to talk about,” Plum said.
Marlowe gave Plum an encouraging nod.
“We have to talk about why we’re all targets.”