Carter reached across Beck to lay a hand on Sierra’s leg. “Want to take a minute?”
Sierra swallowed. “No. I want to end this.”
“It was blackmail all along,” said Adi. “She was blackmailing Ranielle.”
Sierra’s hands were shaking. “This has to be Ranielle’s motive.”
Adi dragged a frustrated hand through his hair. “We already had a motive. Alicia was sleeping with her husband.”
“Which is bad enough, but this? If Alicia went public about her relationship with Louis, it would destroy the show. Hitflix would drop them instantly. How much money does Ranielle stand to lose if that deal falls apart?”
“That’s a good point. But it’s still notproof.”
“Alicia was being reckless,” said Sierra, gazing at the translated message. “She knew she was in danger. Whatever Ranielle offered her, Alicia was risking a lot for it.”
Suddenly, Beck gasped. “I know what we need to do!” He launched himself from the bed, scattering the strips of paper in his hurry to get up. “We’re going to need paper, pencils, and a lot of markers.” His face split into a giddy smile. “We’re going to makea murder board.”
45
Beck
Though his teammates hadn’t been quite as enthusiastic as hewas about making a detective-style murder board, they still chipped in to assemble the information. Carter and Adi headed to the hotel’s business center to print the most relevant photos and the Real Game Master’s posts, while Sierra made separate cards for every suspect. Beck did his best to compile a workable timeline. He desperately wanted to run to the craft store, as they were missing some key components, like a corkboard, thumbtacks, and colored string. But sometimes one had to make do.
By the time they finished laying everything out on top of the bedspread, italmostfulfilled one of Beck’s secret dreams. He’d made a real-life murder board.Cool.
They stood back to absorb the information.
There was Alicia’s letter, in which she confessed her affair with Louis.
Do not trust the Russells.
Multiple (oft dubious) alibis for Alicia’s time of death.
Other finalists in bed asleep
Sierra on the streets alone
Ranielle and Louis at home together (lied for each other?) Fitzy livestreaming from home
Vera posting on social media—at home (??)
The photo Adi had taken of Louis’s suicide note.
I killed A licia. Can’t live with the guilt anymore. P lease apologise to my fans and everyone I’ve hurt. Tell Rani I love her.
Details of the two deaths, written out in separate lists.
Alicia: suffocated by hand; death location unknown; time of death between 1–2 a.m.; transported to soundstage via cart; body found wet; missing phone and comforter; no security footage (rolling blackout); strange car at villas close to dawn?
LAR: cyanide poisoning ; death location: hotel; time of death around 8 p.m.; two wineglasses (one empty—for Carter?); blond woman on security footage? (Likely Ranielle)
Across the pillows, they’d included details of the various ways in which someone had been trying to sabotage them, or the show. The freezer. Carter’s drugged drink at the party. The wrecked painting. The cow heart. And—a sore spot—the recording of Adi taking the cheats.
One full corner of the bed was dedicated to the clues that had been planted in the rooms. The anagram of Alicia’s name.Tenth-Third-F-U (10/3=birthday). The alien room video—they’d done their best to remember as many details as they could. The deciphered ribbon code and mirror letter.
“The police think they have their guy,” said Adi, pointing at the suicide note. “Ranielle might be charged for lying about his whereabouts and impeding the investigation, but what does it matter? Case closed.”
“Besides,” said Carter, “we know she can lie through her teeth. She might be able to spin it in a way that makes her seem innocent. Like—she was asleep the whole time, so how could she have known her husband disappeared in the middle of the night?”
