Winter pulled at the silky way-too-long nightdress she was wearing for her role, the morning sun shining brightly through the east facing window and making her sweat like she’d just done a 5k. She quickly started waving the material underneath her chest so obvious sweat lines wouldn’t appear before the first guest was awake.
Stacey tapped her foot next to her, looking perfectly comfortable in her wardrobe, though Winter had no clue how. The form-fitting pant suit had to have been three times thicker than the flimsy pajamas Winter would never wear to bed herself. No, she preferred the fluffy warmth of flannel when tucked underneath her duvet. She might sweat in that, too, but the evidence wasn’t so obvious.
“You have a lot of night owls, I’m guessing,” Stacey said, eyes going briefly to the Fitbit on her wrist that displayed the time. “Usually we get at least one person wandering downstairs by now.”
Winter nodded, still waving the material and finally getting a breeze up her skirt. It was a miracle she was awake; last night was a late one, what with wandering around the gardens and hiding in a bush. A giggle floated from her lips, echoing around the empty foyer. The memory of Will’s face when he’d tripped his way into hiding, dragging her with him, had to have been the funniest thing she’d ever seen. His mouth had popped open beneath his scraggly beard, a crimson blush ran through his entire face, and his blue eyes said he was completely flabbergasted to how they’d gotten in the position. How she managed to stay quiet, she’d never know. But even now, a few hours later, Winter felt joy rippling through her entire being. Spying on her matches had never been more fun.
A flutter played her ribcage like a drum. Before Will went back to his room for some much needed sleep—his brain seemed to have checked out at some point while hiding—he’d mumbled something about getting Maybelle and Garreth on a one-on-one with him and Winter. It was a great idea, but the more Winter thought about it, the more it sounded like a double date.
She was sure it wasn’t, that it was only business, of course, but her mind kept turning over with possible things to wear and topics that would give her more insight on Will and not the couple she should be focusing on.
“Oh,” Stacey said, breaking her from her reverie, “show time.”
Winter glanced up to see the elevator doors open, and she turned to Stacey quick and got into character. Stacey positioned her badge so the guests would know who she was.
The tears started in the backs of her eyes, and she sniffed. “We had a late tennis lesson last night,” she said much to the interest of the few guests who’d exited the elevator. She could sense them walking over. “He left around nine-thirty and headed to his room, as far as I know.”
Stacey nodded, her demeanor as a detective so believable Winter wondered if she ever was one before going into acting.
“And where were you around eleven?”
Winter gulped and let her eyes dart to the guests before going back to Stacey. “I-in the gardens.”
“And did you see Edward there?”
“Just… just his body.”
“Wait a second!” a shocked voice came from the crowd of guests. Winter tried not to smile at Alexis’ enthusiasm as she pulled her trusty pen and notepad out and started scribbling. “Is someone else dead?”
Winter nodded sullenly, and Stacey turned to them. “Someone else? This isn’t the first death?”
Alexis’ mouth dropped open, and her eyes went to Winter. This happened a lot—Stacey was so great at acting like a cop that the guests would sometimes have a flicker of doubt in their heads that maybe an actual murder had happened.
Winter’s brows pulled upward in an innocent pout. “We… we lost someone two days ago.”
“I have suspects,” Alexis piped in. “Theories.”
An excited flutter flew through Winter’s stomach as Alexis turned out her pad that was already halfway filled.
Stacey nodded and gestured to the formal living room. “Let’s discuss this privately.” She turned back to Winter. “Let me know if you remember anything else.”
As soon as the girls left the room, Winter turned to the remaining guests. “Breakfast will be served in the parlor at eight-thirty. Please come. There will be… an announcement.” Then she left with a frown, drooping her shoulders as she made her way back upstairs. As soon as she hit her suite, the princess slipped away, and she was back to bouncing around like usual. She had a busy day ahead of her.
“Okay, who doesn’t have the revisions?” Mel asked, holding up a handful of papers and waving them around the rambunctious room. The enthusiasm from the actors was so palpable Winter could actually put a taste to it—chocolate and raspberries. It was a good group of guests this time around, and everyone could feel it.
“Hello?” Mel called out when no one answered her. “I know not all of you look at your emails at five in the morning, so I’ll ask again. Who doesn’t have the revisions?”
Everyone looked around and slowly raised their hands. Rounds of laughter then went through the room as Mel handed the pages out.
“So… wait. We’re going to swim tonight?” Velvet wrinkled her nose and slumped into her seat. “But it’s supposed to rain.”
“We’ll use the indoor pool.” Mel handed the last packet to Winter, who was perched on her spot on the side table. “We had to move the pool party up because of the early demise of Eddie.”
“How is he doing?” James asked from the couch, arm draped over Velvet. The husband-wife combo, and newest members of the cast, reminded Winter so much of her own parents. Only her mom was a politician, her father an actor, but still… both very talented.
“He’s resting. Stay away from his room.” Mel started handing out thin sets of what looked like rolled quarters, but when she dropped it in the palm of Winter’s hand, Winter noticed it was a tube of Airborne. “I want everyone drinking this. We can’t lose anyone else, or the murderer will be the only one left.”
Her eyes fell to Michael, and he dropped the sucker into his water bottle and shook it up. Winter’s brows rose; Michael was never one to follow the rules, especially when it came to Mel. He preferred to annoy the heck out of her.
“Now that our detective is here a day earlier than expected,” Mel continued, gesturing half-heartedly to Stacey, “she’s going to have to stay low-key until tomorrow. That way we don’t have anyone solving the mystery before it’s over.”
Winter raised her hand like a child, the first time she’d done so to speak during one of their meetings. But Mel seemed particularly moody. “I really don’t think anyone has a clue.”
Mel raised an eyebrow and turned, arms crossed. “Even William Monroe.”
“Even him.”
Mel stood there staring at her long enough that it made Winter laugh. What was she so worried about? Will didn’t give two hoots and a holler about who the murderer was. And if he did, he was a better actor than all the people in this room.
After a few long seconds, Mel slowly swiveled back to the room. “We’ll announce the pool party at lunch. Say we’re commemorating Edward.”
“Our people sure like to party after a death,” Michael said, and the joke eased the tension in the room. Mel sighed, her way of covering a laugh, and then continued to drone on about the rest of the week. Winter was suddenly preoccupied with imagining Will in a bathing suit.
“Um, I hate to interrupt this very interesting meeting,” Ms. Vancouver said, standing from her lounge chair, “but it’s nearly lunchtime, and I have a date with a handsome southern man.” Her eyes met Winter’s for a moment, sparkling with an inside joke Winter wasn’t sure she understood, but she smiled anyway.
Mel sighed, this time in exasperation, and waved them all out the door. Winter hopped off the side table and bee-lined for Michael.
“Hey.”
“Hmm,” he grunted back. She frowned. He’d been quieter than normal during that meeting, and she was still wondering about last night.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked. “Did you catch what Eddie had?”
He smirked, pushing up from the couch and gathering his things. “I’m good.”
“But are you well?”
His eyes met hers, and there might have been a smile on his face, but it wasn’t in his soul. “I’m fine, Princess.”
“It’s Winter right now.” She folded her arms and watched him fumble with his papers. “And I’m worried about you.”
He took a deep breath and shook his head before turning to face her. “Promise, it’s all good. We got a pool party today, and that means many, many single women in bathing suits. Perhaps they’ll want to snuggle up to this.” He ran a hand down his torso, and Winter backhanded him in the chest.
“You keep away from them.”
“Nothing wrong with a little flirting.”
He said that a lot… but there was something different about it this time. Like he was trying to convince himself and not just her.
Winter shook it off; if he didn’t want to talk, that was fine.
“Well, just keep it in your pants,” she teased, and that seemed to pull him out for a moment. He laughed whole-heartedly and plopped a heavy arm over her shoulders and steered her toward the door.
“Hey, I will if you will.” He winked and then headed toward his room, leaving her scowling at his clever—and not entirely inaccurate—pun.