Maggie makes a small, strangled noise at that. ‘I think I’m going to be sick.’
I open my mouth to try to reassure her, but before I can, the air fills with wings.
There’s a rush as Coffin swoops down and lands on Eddie’s chest. He winks at me.
‘Oh no,’ I mutter. ‘Absolutely not.’
Too late.
There’s a wet, crunching sound as Coffin plucks his beak into Eddie’s open eye. With a sharp yank, the crow pulls the eye from its socket, the nerves stretching until they snap.
I stare, horrified, as Coffin hops back triumphantly, one glossy eyeball clutched in his beak like a prize.
Maggie retches violently and unloads her stomach onto the floor.
‘What now?’ I ask Eliza.
She wipes her hands on her dress like she’s beenbaking a cake rather than dealing out death. ‘We need to move him.’
‘Move him where?’ I ask, already knowing I won’t like the answer.
She looks at me like I’m an idiot. ‘The pig pen.’
‘No.’
‘Yes.’
‘I am not becoming an accessory to a murder at a wedding.’ I insist.
‘That ship has sailed, Bucko. Plus, it’s not like there will be a trial.’
‘I can’t.’ But when I look at Maggie, I know I’ll have to. She’s in no position to help.
‘Don’t be such a fanny,’ she says. ‘Help me lift him.’
Maggie looks up at me, eyes huge and terrified. ‘Roman…’
I take a breath, my body screaming at me as I move. My ribs ache as I bend, but adrenaline pushes me onwards.
‘What about his family?’ I ask. Someone has to be thinking about consequences.
Eliza pauses. ‘Yes. That might be tricky.’
That’s it. That’s the entire consideration.
‘Okay. The plan. We deny all knowledge of seeing Eddie leave the party. You two were upstairs banging each other’s brains out. His family aren’t staying tonight, so they’ll assume he left early, as he’s been sulking all day. Then we send you two fuckers back to London and hope they blame someone else. Dad will sort the rest.’
‘You’re going to tell him?’ Maggie looks gaunt.
‘Of course I am.’
I blink at her. ‘That plan’s insane.’
‘You gotta better one?’ Eliza has a point. I most certainly do not.
Eliza turns to Maggie to give her an order. ‘Mags. You stay here. Clean up this mess before anyone notices, then get up to your room and make enough noise that people think you are giving Roman the time of his life. Cry later. There’s no time for tears now.’
‘I don’t think I can clean all this up. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen where a mop lives in this house.’
