Bess Chatterley does not collect shot glasses. Unless, of course, this is a new development. Norway seems to be creating one plot twist after the next.
“Think we should cut her off?” Ransom whispers in my ear with his breath warm against my skin, and I shiver in a good way.
“And miss gems like that? Not a chance,” I whisper back. “But you can cuff me later,” I say, seemingly unprovoked, and give him a wink.
“Your wish is my command.” He lifts his drink my way.
Wes clears his throat as he frowns at the two of us. “I noticed that Beth is constantly checking her phone,” he points out. “And she seems particularly nervous around Victor, or whatever his name is.”
“I noticed that, too,” I agree. “There’s definitely something between them that goes beyond the usual trophy wife rivalry.”
“Maybe she’s blackmailing him?” Ransom shrugs at the thought.
“Or he could be blackmailing her,” Wes counters.
“Or they could be having an affair,” Bess announces, loud enough to startle a nearby seagull.
“That would certainly complicate things,” I admit. “But would it lead to murder?”
“Honey, onThe Bitter and the Beautiful, affairs have led to at least thirty-seven murders, twelve kidnappings, and one alien abduction,” Nettie informs us with authority.
And, actually, I can vouch for all of the above.
“I’m pretty sure the alien abduction was a dream sequence,” Bess argues.
She’s right, but it was still intoxicating to watch.
“It was ambiguous!” Nettie insists. “They never explicitly said Victor wasn’t probed!”
“Can we please not discuss Victor Darkmore being probed while I’m eating?” Wes pleads.
“Fine,” Nettie huffs. “Let’s talk about Harper instead.”
I take a sip of water as I gather my thoughts. “Harper is the most mysterious of the three. I mean, she has her art gallery, and yet we haven’t had a minute to sit down and discuss our shared love.” I lean in. “Elodie may have found a photo in her cabin—a young actress standing next to Victor, with the actress’s face circled in red. Harper had written ‘Justice for Lydia’ on the back.”
Wes inches back. “Please tell me that Ellodie isn’t snooping in our guests’ cabins.”
“Only when necessary,” Bess says, outing the blonde cutie.
“Revenge is a powerful motive,” Ransom says with a sigh. “Those are often the most dangerous because they’re driven by emotion rather than logic.”
“Maybe Harper’s art gallery is a front?” I continue. “And Madison was apparently digging into old soap opera scandals right before she died.”
“Old scandals, you say?” Bess perks up, suddenly a little too alert at the scent of potential gossip. “What kind?”
“I don’t know the details,” I admit. “But it had something to do with Victor specifically.”
“That man has more skeletons in his closet than a Halloween supply store,” Nettie grouses. “Remember when he was accused of getting that young actress fired fromThe Bitter and the Beautifulback in the ’90s? The one who was supposedly having an affair with him?”
“Wait.” I sit up straighter. “What actress?”
“Oh heavens, what was her name?” Nettie taps her chin. “Lillian or something like that. Lovely girl, played a nurse for about half a season before she was suddenly written off. There were rumors she was pregnant with Victor’s baby.”
“I bet it was Lydia,” I say, the pieces clicking together. “As in ‘Justice for Lydia’?”
“Could Harper be related to her?” Wes wonders.
“Or could shebeLydia, after extensive plastic surgery?” Nettie suggests dramatically.
