“So, that means we’re teammates.” Willow coos, still shamelessly trying to steal Wren’s attention.
“That's a hard pass.”
“But our characters are together. You have to play with me.”
“Careful Wil, your desperation is dripping on him.” I say, rolling my eyes. She always brings out the confrontational side of me and I hate it, ashamed of how I let her get to me.
A low chuckle halts the onslaught she was preparing. “She’s right. Can’t have you favouring your wife over your mistress can we?” The look Corbin shoots our way is venomous. Wren’s knuckles turn white as he flexes his tattooed hands out flat, like he can expel the feeling. I feel it too, wishing I hadn’t expressed it in a verbal spar.
“Any character connections mentioned on your cards are who you’re paired with this weekend. Which means you three are a team.”
Great. So the Wilsons are stuck with Gatsby all weekend? Make it make sense.
Merle frowns. “I’m a doctor? Who do I pair with?”
“Anyone you want.” He looks at his watch and stands, over this already.
Phin throws him a wink, but it doesn't ease his boyfriend's frown. “You can pair with me, Babe. Maybe you can be my secretlover.”
Everyone starts to shift around the table and quite eagerly Lily jumps up. “I’m going to pair with my future sister-in-law! Us girls have to stick together.” She links a slender arm through Aya’s and practically drags her up out of her seat. Giving the room his back, Corbin is the first to disappear into the house and I take that as the game has begun.
“Drew, can I team up with you guys?” I’m surprised to see Cardinal now standing next to our group. Willow looks up at him, accessing with her arms crossed—if anyone can handle her bullshit, this broody man is probably the right person for the job.
“I knew I’d wear you down.” I say rather enthusiastically, feeling Wren’s grip tighten ever so slightly on my hand.
“I just don’t want to waste my time cluelessly walking around this house.”
I pause for a moment, really wanting to crack a clue pun, but I have a stifling thought. Is he aware of how I know Nightingale house so well? He can’t. Unaware of the reason behind my pause, he continues a little nervously. “You know, because you’re probably good at finding clues."
I laugh because I already figured out the clue. “I mean you’re not wrong, I know where it is.”
Wren hums in approval, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “That’s my beautiful wife.”
After putting on Wren’s blazer again, our team of four is finally out of the dining room. Most of the guests headed out into the gardens, probably checking out the pool house. Another good hiding spot would be the jetty at the lake, but that’s not where the secret and new clue will be. I lead our group throughthe house and exit out of the front doors, Wren's hand lightly touching my back as we walk, keeping our distance from the other two who are sulking like teenagers.
“I hate that all the characters don’t match up.” I sigh, speaking with Wren but it’s Cardinal who replies; walking closer behind me than I realised.
“Does it matter?”
“It’s just a little sloppy.”
As we move down the front cobbled steps, Willow pushes past the three of us whilst flipping her long curls over her shoulder. “Who fucking cares. I want to find the first secret in case it’s mine,” she spins to look at me. “Where is it?”
I have a competitive nature, but for once this isn’t a game I want to win. Are the secrets real? I can’t imagine he would set this all up just to use fake truths. Looking at the three people around me, it’s only now I start to wonder about what their darkest secrets could be. What is mine? What if I don’t like what we find? I don’t know Cardinal at all, nor Wren—not really. I can only imagine the situations Willow has gotten herself into.
She’s waiting on my answer, so I just raise my chin towards the stone fountain that flows in front of the house. The birds flying out of the birdcage are lifeless in the moonlight, the stars are shining in full glory, watching in suspense.
“There’s little boats in the fountain. It should—might, be in one of those.” My confidence wavers, but I’m pretty sure the small vessel is one of the wooden toy boats. Phoenix put them in the fountain to give the hotel some personality, as well as other decor pieces, like a taxidermy peacock wearing reading glasses is in one of the ensuite bathrooms.
Both guys take a step towards the fountain but she beats them there, and without hesitation leans over the stone ridge to search within the four boats. For a moment the only noise is the buzz of beetles in the bushes, and the trickle of falling water from thefountain. Dangling dangerously forward, she lets out a gasp of air and shoots back onto two feet, holding a crimson envelope with a rolled up piece of paper.
“Got it!”
She doesn’t care for the new clue and hands the envelope to Cardinal, who looks down unimpressed. I can’t help but hold my breath as she finally gets the paper open, skimming quickly over the words.
“Well, it’s not mine. I think we should read this one with everyone else.” Her smirk sends a chill down my spine.
Before any of us can ask to see the secret, she glides across the drive to the dirt path that will take us around the house to the gardens; heels crunch as she strides, the noise churning my stomach. I really hope the secrets aren’t real, but I’m helpless as all we can do is follow her.
