Page 144 of No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding

“What are we even talking about?” Emma asks.

“I’m sorry, Em. Where were we?”

“We’ve just eliminated Connor as a suspect,” David says. “Who next?”

“You?”

He tips back in his chair. “Me? Whyever?”

“Eleanor, please,” Allison says. “Be serious.”

“Iambeing serious. I don’t trust him. And you shouldn’t either.”

“Why not?”

“Because he wrote you into the movie, and now you’re dating him. Doesn’t that raise a red flag?”

She looks uncertain. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“And didn’t Emma get you fired off a movie, David?”

Emma sits up. “That’s true.”

“You did?” David asks. “You expressly told me you hadn’t.”

“I only meant I knew that you thought I did.”

“So convincing.”

“So, you’ve been mad at Emma ever since?” I say.

“It was years ago. And yeah, I wasn’t happy. But if I was going to kill her for getting me fired, I would’ve done it back then. Not now.”

“But you thought about it?”

“No!”

“I don’t think it was him, El,” Emma says. “He might hate me, but why would he want to kill Fred?”

“Yes,” David says. “Exactly. Why would I?”

Everyone turns to look at Fred. He holds his hands up. “Don’t look at me. IlikeDavid.”

“What if he did it for publicity?” Harper says. “For the movie?”

“That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?” Oliver says.

“Not ifhehas money problems. David, I mean. And that’s who gets blamed, right, if the movie doesn’t succeed? Not the actors, unless they’re women, but Emma’s already well established. But the writer and director? Especially if they’re people of color...”

“We don’t need you to defend us,” Simone says. “You can keep your white-savior act for someone else.”

Two spots of color tinge Harper’s cheeks. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Whatdidyou mean?” David asks.

“Only that you might be desperate to save your career. This is only your second credit, right?”

“I...”

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