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“So maybe Emerald organized this weekend as a way to get it all out of their system,” Odelia suggested.

“I do not think that was her intention per se,” said the director, pursing his lips. “It does seem to have a cathartic effect. And who knows? Maybe it is all very, very therapeutic,” he added as he picked up a mallet and studied it—possibly for bloodstains.

“At least we have Coke Emerald,” said Chase, holding up a can of Coke.

“At least there is that,” the director allowed. “By the way, you are not going to print any of this, are you?” he asked, fixing his clear blue eyes on Odelia.

“I have no idea what I’m going to write,” she said. “It all depends on my editor and what his expectations are.”

“It is going to prove detrimental to these good ladies’ reputations if you print the sort of thing that’s been going on here. The behind-the-scenes thing.”

“Trust me, I’ll keep it clean,” she said.

He nodded, flashed a quick smile, then rearranged his lined features in a mournful expression, clasped his arms behind his back, and walked off.

Chapter 14

Since the croquet match was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, Odelia and Chase decided to go for a little stroll through the gardens. The sun was out and Odelia didn’t feel like returning to the house to stare at a bunch of mopey faces. So they set foot in the direction Alina had taken and followed her into a mildly wooded area called ‘Emerald Forest’ according to a sign.

It was where Emerald liked to take her dog for a stroll.

Odelia held her face up to the sun. It was nice to feel the rays touch her skin. They reached the forest and Odelia searched around for Alina. She didn’t want to disturb the woman but she did want to make sure she was all right.

“Weird. Do you see her?”

“Nope. She must be deeper in.”

So they went deeper in, only to come out the other side two minutes later and come upon a small house that had been built near the perimeter. Still no sign of Alina, though.

“You think she went back to the house?” Odelia asked.

“Either that or she jumped the fence,” said Chase, and he wasn’t even kidding.

“She’s not having the time of her life,” Odelia admitted.

“None of these people are, it seems,” said Chase. “And they all seem to be harboring a grudge against this Kimberlee Cruz woman.”

“This Kimberlee Cruz woman? Don’t tell me you don’t know who she is?”

“Never heard of her in my life.”

“She’s quite famous, you know.”

“Oh, I’m sure she is, but as long as she isn’t inDie Hard 6 or the new Dwayne Johnson movie, I probably wouldn’t know her from Adam.”

“Some critics say she could be bigger than Emerald—she’s so talented.”

“And I’ll bet Emerald was delighted to hear that.”

“She’s a great actress, and she’s going to do great things if she keeps this up,” said Odelia, who liked Kimberlee, in spite of the stuff Abbey had told her. Then again, she wasn’t sure how much of what Abbey had said was true or merely jealous gossip.

“Looks like we’ve got this place all to ourselves, babe,” said Chase as they’d traversed the ‘Emerald Forest’ from North to South and East to West. They took a seat on a bench that offered a great view of the whole area and relaxed. They sat atop a gently rolling hill, with the main house below them.

“Imagine living in a house like that,” said Odelia.

“Not for me, thank you very much.”

“Why, too big?”

“For one thing. And too much upkeep. Can you imagine the heating bill?”

Odelia laughed.“Always the practical one, aren’t you?”

“It’s true! Heating a place like that must cost a pretty penny.”

“Not to mention the staff to keep it running.”

“At least it’s nice to look at.”

“And I’m sure Emerald doesn’t have trouble footing the bill.”

They sat in companionable silence for a while, when suddenly Odelia became aware of screams and shouts that seemed to come from the house. She frowned.“Do you hear that?”

“Yeah, I do. Sounds like Emerald’s got yet another crisis on her hands.”

“Let’s go,” she said.

Chase got up with a groan and they walked back to the house at a leisurely pace.“Probably Alina again, trying to kill her husband,” he said.

“Or Kimberlee.”

They’d arrived at the house when they came upon a distraught-looking Verna Rectrix, who was hugging herself and walking in circles on the terrace. She’d been crying and looked terrible. “What’s going on?” asked Odelia.

“A terrible thing,” said Verna between sobs. She was rubbing her arms which, Odelia now saw, were covered in tattoos. “I never thought she’d do it and now she did. I still can’t believe it—this can’t be happening.”

“Who did what?” asked Odelia.

“She-she wasn’t the type,” Verna said, pushing her hands through her dreadlocks. “She wasn’t the type but I always said everybody’s the type if you push the right buttons. And Alina obviously pushed the right buttons. She did!”

Odelia hugged the woman, and felt Verna’s shoulders shake as she burst into a full-blown cry.