The air crackles with pressing heat that wails to be broken, to let the rain we desperately need fall. Despite the warmth, the sky is layered with thick, rolling clouds, grey and casting a stagnant glow with how the sun pleads to be let through. It’s humid and I hated it, my curls heavy and already creating a stickiness on the back of my neck. I’m down to the dregs of my clothes now it's Monday, but I’m sure the guys have some form of a laundrette here, but it also wasn’t out of the realm that they’d arrange an external cleaning service to have their own clothing done. It meant I was wearing a very worn Fleetwood Mac t-shirt and gingham shorts, with a frill along the hem which made them super cute.
Stepping out onto the back patio, I felt the heat sting my cheeks and I can’t wait for the rain to crack through.
“Ah, Rob Sweetheart!” Phin pushes his sunglasses down and stretches out on the sun lounger he occupies. Merle sits besidehim and places his book down, smiling up at me softly but he looks so tired. I’d seen them both last night for a small dinner, but they’d just laid food out and told guests to help themselves. My stomach tightens with the knowledge I now possess and there's no way I can keep this from my best friend. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in life times. I think you’re purposely hiding from me. Swept away with that rockstar of ours.” He’s teasing, but I look down at my sandals and try to muster a chuckle not to worry him. It feels wrong to not be truthful with him, but as weekends go, this one has been horrendous and he doesn't need to worry about me too.
Looking up, I change the subject. “I started the suspects list and put together some motives, where everyone was and their secrets. Getting a jump on the detectives might stop them from asking everyone questions about me finally.” Last night I'd thought about ways to subtly push Merle to figure him out, and getting him involved in my self-preservation plan meant I could watch him closely.
“In your element! What would Featherton do?” Phin asks with a chipper attitude and I wonder if someone has given him something, because he seemed much more at ease than he had for the prior two days. Merle's hand rests casually on his thigh, but he seems to be vibrating from the inside out.
“Detective Featherton wouldn’t have cracked his case if it wasn’t for Thistle. I need everyone's help finding the secrets. I just want this to be over with so we can go home.” I wince, sitting at the bottom of the lounger so I can give his knee a squeeze. “I’m sorry, I hope you don’t think I’m being harsh. After everything he did to me, I don’t want to have anything to do with him anymore.” Understanding bloomed in both their expressions and they nod, Phin shifting to sit up and he reached for my hand. Throughout our entire lives, the one thing to never change is how we will always be there for each other.
“Did you guys find any more clues or secrets?” I ask, trying to frame the question innocently but looking up to Merle through my lashes. He twitches, before picking his book and shifting his focus back to it. When reading people I look for certain tells, or anything that is a screaming red flag. It becomes so apparent in their postures if someone doesn’t want to respond or hesitates to collect their thoughts. Mavis hadn’t wanted to look at me yesterday, Merle became twitchy and even Wren had seized up when he rejected me last night. I’m quite untrusting, but that's a problem my therapist is still trying to hash out with me.
“To be honest we’ve both been wrapped up with the detectives and trying to find the missing phones. Starling said he’s working on notifying everyone's place of work, and he got in touch with Bran’s manager.” This would be the perfect time to bring up finding his secret, but it’s going to hurt Phin and I don’t know if it’s the right time. He needs to know soon, maybe not a couple days after his brother's death. It angers me to look at Merle, but I placate him with a fake smile and nod, letting go of his hand and moving towards the steps leading down into the gardens.
“I’m going to go find the next clue. I’m pretty sure I know where one is, but if you find any more let me know.”
“You’ve gone full miss Marple haven’t you?” Phin calls, singing a tune as I walk further away. I’m not sure what medicine he’s on, but if his crumpled t-shirt and tossed waves weren’t a give away something was a miss, his blood shot eyes tell me everything. I need to figure out who murdered his brother and get him the fuck out of here soon.
TRAILING down the dirt path through the forest, birds singing together and all types of woodland creatures scuttling in the undergrowth. I watch the birds dive from branches above, distracting myself from how perspirant my skin feels. God I hate hot weather, which usually isn’t a problem living here. I take inthe gorgeous collection of wild flowers and all the colours that look like something out of a fairytale. The guys had no influence over the nature here, they’d only hired a grounds team to fit the wooden beams, hung lights to signal the path through the trees and allowed the woodland to be itself. I imagined how peaceful the woods would become later with the sound of heavy rain moving through the leaves, hopefully not flooding this area too badly. The drive and entire lane leading up to the village bridge would be inaccessible within hours once the downpour started, the hotel unfortunately sitting on a floodplain. I still choke at how that little detail had bumped up the mortgage.
Even if they said we could go home tomorrow, if the rain got too heavy, I don’t think the cars could withstand the water level.
Taking my time walking down the path, the sandy brick buildings start to appear in front of me. Walking towards the glass bird house I had shown Wren, it makes perfect sense for this to be where the clue is hidden.Vows yet to be spoken.A wedding ceremony and reception space.
As I push on the double doors, a rustling comes from a bush behind me. Snapping my head to the side, clearly the weekend has me on edge because it’s probably just a small creature finding dinner. Steading my breath, I enter the glass building from the front this time, walking into a giant dark space and being thankful for the shade. Despite the glass, they’ve converted this side of the structure to have a rustic material roof which keeps out the sun, making it surprisingly cool inside. I’d shown Wren the back where the conservatory was untouched, but this side was a dangerous building site.
Thankfully someone made it easy for us to find the clue, as the envelope and rolled piece of paper sits on a workbench. Wasting no time so I can move onto figuring out the next clue, I take both and hesitate only for a second before opening the secret.
Baker is very fortunate to have a father in high places. Drinking and driving don’t mix, not when it puts little children in the hospital.
I feel like vomiting. Cardinal is playing Jordan Baker—he’d told me so himself. This secret feels disgusting, like the black ink swirls and drips from the paper. I don’t want to touch it, so I screw it up and discard it in the dirt on the floor. Swiping the next clue, all I can focus on is lifting my feet one after the other, until I’m back out in the oppressive heat.
I’d thought Cardinal was a good guy, but he was just another stranger pulling the wool over my eyes. If this was true, I don’t know how you’d be able to get past your own actions, if you felt remorse at all. Rich kids felt they were untouchable, the Claythornes were proof of that. How in the world had Corbin found out about this? At this point I could only chalk the weekend up to him having a complete mental breakdown and taking us all with him.
My thoughts are reeling with confronting him as I run straight into Lily and we both nearly go sprawling out into the dirt.
“Rob, Darling! Christ alive, you scared me half to death.” She laughs, steadying herself on my shoulders and kisses both sides of my face. “What are you doing out here?”
Her familiar perfume and presence soothes me and I instantly relax, thankful to steal this time with her. “I was finding the next clue.” I hold up the red envelope, peeling it open because I’m sick of wasting time when I could just find them all.
Amidst delicate leaves where zen prevails, a secret rests where the fragrance exhales.
“I swear he used a bot online to generate these.” I grumble, pocketing the clue and starting to mentally check off theproperty for potential spots. There are a lot of plants around the hotel, as well as the green house, the gardens and conservatories. The orangery was probably the best place to start.
Wrapping her arm around mine like she always has, we start on the path which will lead us to the front of the house. Her hair is in loose waves and Lil’s sporting a matching pink work out set. I note a slight sheen to her skin too. “Have you been on a run?” I look at my friend in bewilderment.
“What? Don’t you think I can take up a little light jogging? I have the cutest little sets for it,” she gestures down her body. “Plus with the amount of gorgeous men swanning around, I’ve been hoping to catch one of them out here too.” There it is. The only person I’ve seen running around is Cardinal, which currently makes me feel uneasy. Sure he’s good looking, definitely her type, but until I find out what his secret means I don’t want her anywhere near him.
“I just found Cardinal’s secret,” I start, flashing her a grim expression which makes her lean into me further like I have hot gossip. “He drove drunk and sent a kid to the hospital. The secret suggests his father sorted it out, like paid to make it go away. I doubt he got in trouble.”
“My, what a filthy little rich kid. How do you think Corbin found out about it?”
“No idea, maybe Aya told him? He said the other day that your brother had been getting close with his dad, so maybe he came across the information? Waited to use it to his advantage.”
She shrugs, leaning her head down to rest on my shoulder. “Why wait till now? Why gather a bunch of guests, who don’t know each other, to individually embarrass them?”
“It’s a bit more than embarrassing Lil, he could have ruined Phin’s relationship and this could put Cardinal in serious trouble if it got out.”
