Page 86 of The Anniversary Party

She flapped her good hand at him. “Hmph. I guess you’re probably wondering whether we’ve heard any scuttlebutt.”

“I won’t lie. The thoughthascrossed my mind.”

John gave them an indulgent smile. “Bethany’s not talking. But Officer Duncan is convinced once the forensics come back on the fireplace poker and he gets access to Rex and the baby’s medical records, he’ll have more than enough for the district attorney to get a conviction.”

“There’s likely to be a record of Bethany buying the cyanide salts, too,” Bodhi offered. “Those purchases are tightly regulated.”

“Are you all planning to stay through the new year?” Hatty asked. “We’ll understand if you don’t.”

“Oh,” Leo said, “it takes more than two murdered strangers to get us to shut down a party. Right, Sasha?”

She laughed.

The Carlisles regarded them with twin horrified expressions.

“It’s a long story,” Sasha explained, “but our wedding was, believe it or not, more eventful than last night.”

John shook his head slowly. “I believe it, but I also believe I don’t want any details.”

“I’ll second that,” Hatty said with a chuckle.

After the kitchen had been restored to its usual spotless condition, John reminded them to take some champagne.

Leo turned to the group. “You heard the Carlisles. Grab a few bottles.”

He scanned the room to see where Sasha had gone off to. He spotted her in the butler’s pantry. She’d pulled Hatty aside, and the pair had their heads together, whispering. What was she up to now?

CHAPTER33

They passed the afternoon snowshoeing and having a battle of the sexes snowball fight. While both sides declared victory, Sasha was sure everyone realized the women had actually won.

When they moved inside to warm themselves with a fire and hot drinks, Maisy cajoled the group into sharing their favorite memories of Sasha and Leo’s wedding. The stories made Sasha alternately cry because they were so sweet and laugh so hard that she cried because they were so ridiculous. When Naya launched into her imitation of the chic, semi-retired Parisian seamstress, Marisole, putting a mercenary in a headlock while bellowing the crudest French profanity imaginable, Sasha roared with laughter until she could no longer breathe.

She threw her hands up in surrender. “Stop, I’m begging you,” she finally gasped.

It was the weekend she and Leo had envisioned, despite all that had happened. While the horror of the day before hadn’t faded, everyone in the party seemed to be responding to it in the same way. Coming face to face with death—especially violent death and intentional murder and all the ugly secrets that had led there—was a powerful reminder of how fleeting and impermanent joy could be. So the ten of them instinctively grabbed at happiness with both hands and held on tight. Sasha knew they’d savor the memories of the bright winter sunshine, the bracing air, the pillowy snow, and the clear blue sky for years to come. And when days were darker, they could recall and revel in the warmth and comfort of the thick blankets, the sumptuous food, and the connections they shared with one another.

Aroostine overruled Leo’s request to stay out of his kitchen and let him cook a culinary wonder unimpeded. Instead, the entire group made dinner as a team. Aided by lively conversation and a bottle or two of bubbly, they managed to pull together a passable pasta dish and salad. The cottage was filled with happy chatter. And Sasha’s heart was so full, she thought it might burst. She wrapped her arms around Leo’s waist and whistled loudly.

The laughter stopped, and everyone gave her their attention.

“Thank you for making our anniversary—not to mention our marriage—so special. You mean more to us than I can put into words,” she said, trying not to sniffle.

“Hear, hear,” Leo said. “And not simply because most of you are handy in a crisis.”

“Mostof us?” Naya feigned indignation.

“Simmer down. He’s probably talking about Chris,” Daniel stage whispered.

And, just like that, the sentimental moment passed, and the laughter and joking resumed.

CHAPTER34

After dinner, an irresistible chocolate cake free of almond flavoring, and a series of champagne toasts that grew progressively sillier, culminating in Bodhi and Carl butchering a Four Tops song at full volume, Sasha and Leo snuggled into the loveseat and watched their guests drift off into groups of twos and threes. Chris and Daniel turned in early. Naya and Carl played chess at the small table by the window. Hank, Bodhi, Aroostine, and Maisy dug Clue out of the game cabinet and, inexplicably, set about trying to solve the murder of Professor Plum.

“Tell me again how our friends see enough death in their daily lives?” Sasha ribbed her husband.

“There’s something wrong with them,” he whispered.

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