We found our way to the front of the house, where a long table under a tree was laid out for a tea party. There were seats for a dozen people—or whatever you wanted to call the citizens of Wonderland—but I saw no guests at all. Not even the Mad Hatter or the March Hare. The table was empty.
“That can’t be right,” I said, leaning close to Duke. “The mad tea party never ends.”
“Never?”
“The Mad Hatter’s watch is broken, stuck at six o’clock, forever teatime.”
“That is entirely too much tea even for me,” Duke concluded.
“Yeah, well, welcome to Wonderland,” I said with a shrug.
Together we approached the tea table. Carefully I lifted the tablecloth on the off chance the partygoers had passed out from too much mad revelry. Nothing under there but the abandoned chairs and the soft green grass.
“Anything?” Duke asked.
“Nothing,” I said. “And no one.” We met eyes across the table. “The tea party that never ends has ended. Makes no sense. I mean, even less sense than Wonderland usually does.”
“Did a Burner do this?” Duke asked.
“Maybe. But this feels different. I’ve been in stories where Burnershave tried this. In one book they succeeded. It’s not like this. It’s not empty. Not…blank.”
“What is it like?”
“They left the bodies for the Witches to find.”
“Rainy…” Duke said. “You never told me that.”
“Why would I? The history books say Charles Dickens didn’t finish his last novel,The Mystery of Edwin Drood.He did though. The reason everyone thinks it’s unfinished is because the Burners got to it before we did.”
“This isn’t the Burners then?”
“I don’t believe so. This feels like…a set. A theater set but no actors.”
Duke walked along the tea table. It was a disaster. Empty cups. Empty pots. Plates covered in crumbs and jam.
And there in the middle of the table, at the only place with a clean plate and cup, a name card.
“Seems you were expected, love,” Duke said.
In swooping cursive, the place card readRainy March.
“A woman’s handwriting,” Duke said. “Let’s hope it wasn’t a trap.”
“Should I sit down?” I asked, picking up the card.
“No, let me,” he said.
“Duke—”
“Rainy, I am the detective here. Let me detect.”
“Please be very careful.”
He pulled out the chair and sat down. Nothing happened.
“Now what?” he said, speaking to himself.
“Listen to me,” I said.
