“Um. Sure. Okay. Thanks?” She couldn’t help being a little thrilled, but also confused. Wouldn’t an email have been better?
Sierra’s dire warnings echoed in her head, but she dismissed them. Of all the people on this show, Louis was least likely to be the murderer. The love and attention to detail he put into his escape rooms proved how deeply he cared for the game, and the contestants.
Which reminded her—
“Actually . . . Game Master,” she said, as he started to turn away. “Can I ask a question now? Off the record.”
“That depends on your question,” said Louis, though he’d noticeably preened when she called him Game Master.
“I was wondering about something in the fortune teller room. The, um . . . the horoscope pictures. We were surprised byTenth-Third-F-U.Was there a meaning behind that? A message you were trying to send to somebody?”
Louis’s broad smile faded at the same time Fitzy gave a low whistle and said, “See? I told you you’d have to watch for this one.”
“Yes, our Solve Specialist,” said Louis, his assured expression returning. “You know me, Carter. I like to mix things up. Keep contestants on their toes. I never want anyone saying that our clues have gotten . . . predictable. Why don’t you—”
He was interrupted by a high-pitched, saccharine voice. “Oh, Mr. Game Master?”
A woman strode toward them in clacking heels. She looked vaguely familiar, but Carter couldn’t place her.
“Holy hell,” Fitzy muttered under his breath. “What’sshedoing here?”
Louis didn’t smile as he stepped forward. “Symphony. Can I help you?”
“Oh yes,” she said. “I’m here to talk to your wife.”
“Is she expecting you?”
“Am I supposed to make an appointment now? After everything I’ve done for this show?”
A muscle flexed in Louis’s jaw. “Of course not. But Ranielle is very busy.”
“Never too busy for me, I’m sure.” Her gaze slid past Louis to
Carter. She scanned her from head to foot and gave a slight scoff.
Carter immediately felt as small as a snail. But then an arm was around her. Fitzy squeezed her to his side while reaching his other hand toward the woman. “Don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Fitzy.”
Symphony didn’t take the outstretched hand. “Enchanted,” she said, before turning to Louis. “Shall we?”
As Louis led the way toward the producer’s office, Fitzy let his hand drop with a bemused chuckle. “What a piece of work.”
“Who is she?” asked Carter, noting that Fitzy’s arm was still around her.
“Symphony Parvesh. Used to be an A-lister. Now she’s the face of some fitness lifestyle brand.”
“Right,” said Carter. “That’s where I’ve seen her. Hawking those god-awful shakes.”
“That’s the one. Course, she’s also Adi’s mum.”
Her eyes bugged. “MyAdi? Er—my team’s Adi?”
“He hasn’t mentioned his famous parentage?” His dimples flashed, though his smile was rueful. “Can’t say I blame him.”
“Wow. I’m beginning to feel guilty for having normal, boring parents.”
Fitzy gave a pained look that made Carter feel like she’d said something wrong.
Crap. She hadn’t even thought about whathischildhood might have been like.
