Page 55 of Wolfsbane Hall
Celestine felt it in her bones that the Specter was one of her men—not their father or uncles—but she wasn’t entirely certain, so she kept all of them within her suspect pool.
“Well,noweveryone knows,” Irene spat out like a venomous lizard.
“Everyone already knew, Mother,” Vivian sighed dramatically—like mother, like daughter. “Your lipstick is on his collar, and you’re not even good at hiding it. I bet Celestine saw that as soon as he entered the room.”
All eyes landed on Celestine, who gulped and nodded. “Yes, I noticed.”
“He might pretend to be the genius detective”—she pointed at Everett—“but he’s a fraud, and she’s the real deal.” Vivian turned and directed her following words only to Babette. “That’s why the Specter truly adores her; her mind, not her…assets.
Babette scoffed.
Irene whirled on Celestine. “Maybe Celestine is the killer.”
Celestine pinched her lips into a flat line and answered, “Me or my character?”
“You. I heard her threaten you and your relationship with her boys. Perhaps you killed her to remove the only obstacle between you and marriage to one of her sons.”
“Only obstacle?” Celestine scoffed. “What about the fact that neither of them has even given me any indication they’re interested?” After all, Dean hated her guts, and he’d never make such an offer. What was it with rich people thinking Celestine wanted them or their money? She just wanted to live in peace. “Besides, I’d be far closer to marrying your son—”
“Marriage, Cellie, I—”
Celestine ignored James altogether. “Firstly, I do not want to get married, and secondly, and not that it matters, James would never condescend to marry me. But if you want to accuse my character, Margot, of trying to marry an Ashbrook, then by all means. She does have a motive to get rid of Lorraine since she is engaged to Everett.”
“Married,” Dean amended.
Silence descended in the room, and it felt sticky, almost as if they had dipped their skin into hot tar.
Celestine’s gaze landed on Everett, as did everyone else’s. Would he finally admit it? He had a lot of explaining to do.
After enough pressure, Everett finally said, “So everyone has a motive. Now what?”
He still wouldn’t admit out loud that he married Margot.
16
Saturday, November 11, 1939
The Grand Ballroom
“Now, we investigate the murder.” Celestine’s gaze tracked once more to the balcony. The arrow had come from above. Celestine could tell by the angle of the wound. The murderer wouldn’t have had much time to take the shot and get back down to the ballroom, so it was possible the weapon was still up there or stashed somewhere near it.
“That’s what I was thinking, too.” James walked over to Celestine, slid his hands in his pockets, and followed her eyes up to the metal glinting in the candlelight. “It’s up there.”
She nodded. One thing she appreciated about James above the others was his mind. He was a man of science. Physics. Rationality. And he understood her line of thinking. The arrow came from the balcony, so it was the logical location to search there first.
“Cellie and I are going to go search for the bow and arrow,” James matter-of-factly told his family. “Try to be useful and look for the other murder weapon or the killer’s change of clothing or anything.”
“No, thank you.” Vivian leaned back in her chair andsnapped at one of the ghost waiters to bring her more booze. “I’ll stay right here. I have no interest in these silly games.”
The character inside Celestine’s mind flashed awake and barked out, “Of course, you wouldn’t. You love to stand aside and do nothing when it matters.”
Vivian’s throat worked, but her eyes narrowed, and she examined Celestine like an impossibly complex math equation. “Hello, dearest Margot. I’ve missed you.” She winked. “But you’re correct. I have no interest in helping you. Not then, and not now.”
Celestine’s chest tightened, and fury burrowed into her stomach. A flash of murderous thoughts stroked through her mind as Margot’s anger deepened. She wanted to skin Vivian alive, and strangely, Celestine wanted to let her. She didn’t know why, but whatever had happened between the two girls was horrific. Celestine could feel it.
Margot retook control. “Do watch your back, Vivian.” Margot’s voice was dark venom. “James, let’s go.” She grasped his hand and pulled him out of the room.
Margot clawed at her mind, wanting to take over completely again, and Celestine decided not to fight it, slipping to the back of her mind, allowing the ghost to have the reins.
