“I’m done. I don’t know why I even bother with you.” I move to the door and he laughs his deep laugh. “Fuck you, Hogan. You’re such a bastard!” He jumps in front of me as I attempt to leave. My blood is boiling. “Get out of my way.”
“I care about you too. More than I should,” he says, eyes almost sincere.
“I don’t give a flying fuck about your feelings. I’m sorry if I misled you. But I’m here for a prize and I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but that prize isn’t you.”
His eyes narrow into slits. “I’ve really touched a nerve, haven’t I?”
“Get out of my way before I scream. I’ll never ask to talk to you again.”
“Sam, don’t get so angry. I’m sorry, okay? I’m glad you like to talk to me. I’m glad you were worried about my feelings. I know you’re not mine and you don’t owe me anything, but I could see you were uncomfortable with DJ and my gut instinct was to rush in and pull his slimy hands off of you. But then I remembered who you are. I know you can take care of yourself and there’s no need for me to have this hero complex around you. It’s hard for me though, because something about you makes me want to risk everything for you.”
I’m still angry as hell, but I can tell he’s not playing with me anymore. He wants to be near me? Risk everything? My concerns about him bubble to the surface. “Don’t say stuff like that to me. For all I know, you’ve got a wife and kid at home waiting for you.”
“Two kids, actually,” he says with a smile.
“What?” I blurt out and he laughs.
“No kids. No wife, Sam. I’m as single as I could possibly be. No one wants a guy who travels constantly and loves his job over everything else.”
“Not even a girlfriend?” I ask. I mean, look at him. He’s got to have women throwing themselves at him daily.
He steps closer. “That depends. Do you happen to know a hot-headed beautiful blonde who might want to take a chance on me?”
“Wha…? What did you say?”
He laughs and opens the door. “Good luck in the game today.”
And then he’s gone, and I’m standing there all warm, fuzzy, and confused as hell.
BRYCE STANDS IN front of the closed doors to the dining hall. He’s wearing a tux as well. Everyone is dressed to the nines. He does a double-take at Carmen in her beautiful blue dress. I haven’t been able to tell her, but I know it will make her feel over the moon.
“We have a little surprise for you this evening. It will require a bit of imagination and a whole lot of ingenuity. Imagine the year is 1954. The Highlight Hotel is hosting a dinner party for the elite, who have traveled from near and far for a special performance by world renowned singer, Amelie Silverson.
“Most of the guests are familiar with each other, but that doesn’t mean they like one another. Amelie’s first husband, Sevian, will be in attendance with his new fiancé, Monique. Monique was once in a relationship with Count Montavo. Count Montavo introduced Sevian to Monique during a business dinner which resulted in the takeover of a business empire. Let’s just say no one gets along.
“There are seven guests you should take the time to meet. When I open these doors, you may walk about and speak to them. You may ask questions about their lives and their relationships. As always, Chef Nowar has prepared an elegant dinner.
“In this challenge, you will be asked to solve a murder mystery. One of our guests is not long for this world, and another guest will do anything to avoid being discovered. Everyone has secrets and everyone will lie to keep you from discovering them. This quest is different than the others; therefore, you may work by yourself or with other players, but your answers and explanations must be yours alone. The Fabulist is watching your every move, so play well.”
I bite my lip in excitement. This is going to be so much fun. The fact that I get to play with Carmen makes it even better.
“This mystery will take you throughout the hotel. The rooms where events are known to have occurred will be made known to you. Have fun, play smart, make good decisions. You never know if the moves you make may be your last. The diary room will be open all evening. The first person to guess the murderer correctly, with the best evidence to support their decision, will be our winner. You may only guess once. After you’ve used the diary room, you must go to the bar and stay there. Use your time wisely.”
The doors open to a grand ballroom. The normal dining room has been updated with gorgeous chandeliers and elegant table displays. A stage is on the left, and next to it is an ice sculpture in the shape of an angel. Waiters walk about with trays carrying tall flutes of champagne. It’s not difficult to determine who our targets are. Their clothing reflects the ‘50s, and they stand out like a sore thumb among the crew in all black and the waiters in solid white.
Carmen fastens her arm through mine. Maria gives me a smile and DJ winks. Ugh. DJ. Let the games begin.
After three hours of running between floors and speaking to the “police” and “suspects,” I think I have a good idea who may have murdered Sevian. Carmen and I played together as much as possible, stopping to compare notes with Maria and Brenda when we ran into them. We all agreed there would be no hard feelings and as soon as anyone thought they knew, they should go to the diary room.
Stuck-Up and I ended up in a room with Count Dooku—oh wait, that’s Star Wars. Well, whatever his name was, we questioned him at the same time. Stuck-Up asked some surprisingly good questions and for the first time, I was able to see why he’s made it as far as he has.
Hogan and the other camera operators had their work cut out for them. They ran about the hotel with us, following us from suspect to suspect. Hogan was assigned to me, as usual. I gave him a run for his money. Toward the end, I had to take off my heels. They were holding me back.
I stood in the hall outside Amelie’s “dressing room” and put my thoughts in order. Something clicked when I realized the shiny key she’d had around her neck when we met was missing when I spoke to her. As soon as I put the pieces together, I glance around for Carmen. I think I know who did it and I want to tell her. I notice Tex making a beeline for the boardroom, and I decide I need to sprint to beat him to it. Running at full speed, with Hogan close behind, I make it there before him and close the door. Knowing it’s locked, I take a minute to prepare myself, shuffling through my notes. I’m glad I wrote down their names. Reminding myself no fluff, just facts, I begin.
Hogan films as I speak. “It was Colonel Mustard in the library with the revolver.” I laugh at myself. “Sorry, I’ve been wanting to say that all night. Okay, no fluff.”
“Even though Monique appears to have the best motive since Sevian was cheating on her, she didn’t do it. She was in the bathroom, throwing up due to her morning sickness. Sevian didn’t know she was pregnant.”
I twist my legs underneath me as I continue. “The count also didn’t do it. With his bad knee, he couldn’t have killed him on the sixth floor and made it back to the dining room in five minutes, using the stairs.”
I review the three other suspects, going into detail on the things they said that led me in one direction or another. I end by addressing the key around Amelie’s neck. “It was a gift from Sevian, and she swore she’d wear it as long as they both drew breath. Her heart belonged to him. When it became obvious Monique meant nothing to him, they rekindled their romance. But Sevian was a fraud. When she found out Monique was pregnant and he’d already moved on to a new mistress, she was so heartbroken, she stabbed him in the back with a knife used to carve the Angel ice sculpture. The key wasn’t around her neck after her song. It had been removed before we even knew who had been killed. Obviously she took it off because she knew he’d drawn his last breath. So, Amelie with the knife in room 622. Boom!” I make a hand explosion and stand.
I pass Tex as I leave the diary room. He’s pacing, out of breath, and not very happy to see me. Hogan continues to film me all the way to the bar.
Once I’m seated, Hogan drops his camera of
f and turns to leave. I glance around and see other camera operators filming. Part of me wonders why he rarely films here. Cocoa and Stuck-Up are already seated in the corner. Swiveling away from them, I make sure they don’t see how upset I am they beat me to the diary room.
Tex is the next to enter. He hitches up his pants and tightens his belt, frowning at me as he makes his way to his cohorts.
Over the next hour, people return to the bar. I make very little conversation with Jack and I can tell he finds it worrisome. DJ had been trying to get me alone all night. Whenever I saw him coming, I’d snap my fingers like I had an idea and take off in the opposite direction. At one point I snapped my fingers and Hogan almost darted off without me. He was adorable.
Carmen is one of the last to show up, and I’m concerned. She plops down next to me and smiles brightly. “It was Amelie, right?”
“Yep.”
“Good. I think I did okay. I just couldn’t get there fast enough.”
“I bet you’ll be fine. Hey, I meant to tell you earlier, Bryce was staring at you tonight.”
“Why? Do I have something in my teeth?” she asks in a panic, opening her mouth for me to see.
“No,” I huff, shaking my head. “He was staring at you because you’re gorgeous.”
She waves me off. “Aww poop, Sammy. You’re just trying to make me feel better.”
Grabbing her hands, I force her to face me. “I am not. Trying. To make. You feel better! The man likes you. I can feel it. I know these things. You should trust me.”
“Oh, so now you know when a man is interested?”
“Yep. Along with my lie-dar, I have man-dar. Bryce Donahue likes you,” I sing.
“Then that man-dar should be telling you DJ won’t take his eyes off you.”
“Ugh,” I mumble in annoyance and sip my drink.
“And I’d bet money, Hogan Harper has his eye on you too.”
I can’t control the smile on my face her words cause.
“Uh-huh!” She points. “You know it.”
“He might. But even if he does, nothing is going to happen. It is fun, though.”
“He’s hot as hell, Sam. I haven’t gotten close enough to him to check out the tats, but they appear to be wings or something.”
“I think so too, but there’s so much other stuff going on, it’s hard to tell without staring. And I don’t want to stare.”
“Heavens no,” she says sarcastically.
Bryce secures our attention. It’s time for the results. After we’ve gathered in the boardroom, the movie screen springs to life.
“Good evening, mates. Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery? The opportunity for lies and deception is truly endless. It is certainly a place where I feel at home. Obviously, our guests were trained actors. This time, discovering the truth was about so much more than just determining the lie. It was about gathering the facts. People bluff for many reasons. In business, it’s often more than just knowing a colleague is lying; it’s also understanding the motivation behind it. Tonight I asked you to work quickly. You had an opportunity to team up or go it alone. I admire both choices for different reasons.”
Even though I only spent a few moments with him, I feel as if I understand him more than I did prior to our meeting. It’s not like I didn’t pay attention before, but now, knowing he’s a man of few words, I value each one he speaks as if it’s a gift. There’s a reason for everything he says. I just need to figure out what he wants and give it to him.
“On to our results. Ervin, please return the clock to Bryce. Ervin, you cannot be eliminated from this round of the game no matter how you fared.”
Ervin hands the clock to Bryce and he holds it as The Fabulist continues to speak.
“I’ll ask each of you to stand next to a chess piece on the outside of the board as I instruct. The king….” He laughs. “Well that would be me now, wouldn’t it? I am the highest rank, and in essence, you are all trying to get to me or possibly trick me into losing the game. I won’t be joining you on the board today, but trust me when I say I am always with you.
“The queen. An interesting piece. She moves any way she wants, as many spaces as she wants. Like the players in the game, she stands out as a favorite, although not necessarily known for making the best decisions. Her carelessness could lead to her downfall. Courtney and Sam, stand next to the queen.”
As I move, I wonder if my placement is good or bad. Maybe I shouldn’t have joked with him even a little. Was I wrong again?
“The bishop is also an important piece. Respected and second in power, he moves diagonally. He is feared for his abilities but can be taken down as quickly as any other piece. Carter and Thomas, next to the bishop.
“In medieval times, the knight was the protector of the king and queen. To be a knight, you must be highly educated. Unfortunately, knights are often sacrificed for the good of the game. Next to the knight, George and Maria.
“The rook is a tower that safeguards the king, queen, bishop, and knights. These pieces are the walls of safety that other players may hide behind. The rook: Ervin and DJ.”
I find this entire process extraordinarily impressive. I wish I could read his mind.
“And finally the pawn. The pieces most easily sacrificed due to their number and lack of value. If I could have, I might have placed over half of you in this position. Adjacent to the pawn, Brenda and Carmen.”
Oh shit. Does this mean Carmen is at the bottom with Brenda? Are the pawns the first to be sacrificed?
A different color light shines on each of us in our position. The Fabulist continues, “Take a spot to reflect on the positions of the players on the board. Know thy enemy as you know thyself. One of you not only answered correctly but also had me gobsmacked by your deductive reasoning and clarity of thinking. The winner of this challenge is… Sam Wittaker.”
What? Did he say me?
“As we say in chess, well played. For you time has stopped. You cannot be eliminated in the next challenge. Cheers!”
Bryce places the clock piece around my neck. I stare at it for a moment before glancing up. Carmen is clapping her hands together excitedly without making any sound. Brenda and Maria smile happily in my direction. On the other faces is a mixture of contempt and anger. I search the room for my favorite face. It’s behind a lens, but I can tell from the half-smile that peers out the edge, that he is pleased for me.
He continues. “Some of you guessed incorrectly, but your answers were so well thought out and communicated, I decided to allow you to continue. The two people who scored the lowest may have guessed correctly, but I found either the manner in which you played or your rationale to be disappointing. The two people in jeopardy of being captured are… Courtney and Carmen. You each have one minute to make your final plea to your fellow players. Only they can determine who is worthy to continue.”
The screen goes black and my eyes dart to Carmen. Carmen’s still smiling. She shrugs as Bryce motions for her and Courtney to join him on the board. Courtney was a queen, yet she’s at the bottom. I wish I could have recorded what he said so I could review it. There were important clues there, I can feel it.
Carmen and I make eye contact and I nod to her, doing my best to give her all my strength with one look.
“Carmen, since this is your first time in the bottom, you may go first.”
She takes a deep breath. “I know I should tell you a bunch of bad things about Courtney to make you think less of her and more of me, but I don’t think life should work that way. Putting other people down to make yourself feel better or stronger is something a bully would do, and even though it might help me in the game, I’m not going to do it. I’ll never be a bully. What I can say is I love this game, I love being here and I don’t want to leave. This opportunity has meant the world to me. I promise to play harder and smarter if you let me stay. I’m a squirrel reaching for a nut just like the rest of you. So, yeah. Thanks.”
My heart is cracking into pieces. I lov
e Carmen to bits. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, she's still the kindest person I’ve ever known. It just isn’t in her to be mean. That’s my job. I need to figure out a way to make her stay. There’s no way in hell Cocoa deserves to be here more than Carmen.
Cocoa rolls her eyes as Carmen finishes speaking. “This isn’t the third grade, Carmen. There are no girl scout awards for courtesy. This is real life and real business. Carmen was placed next to the pawn position, which tells me The Fabulist thinks she’s expendable. She’s a pawn you sacrifice to save your queen.” She places her hand over her heart as she speaks. I want to cut a bitch.
“Obviously he thinks I have the right moves, the power, and the knowledge it takes to stay. Think about who you’d rather have here. A queen like me or a peasant like her?”
I can tell Carmen is hurt. She’s trying to appear in control, but I know her, and she wants to cry. It’s taking everything I have to not scream at Cocoa and make things worse for Carmen. I want to hurt Cocoa the way she deserves.
“Okay, everyone. I know it’s late, but we’ll reconvene in one hour for voting. Carmen and Courtney, you have one hour to alter your destiny. Good luck.”
Cocoa struts angrily off to Stuck-Up, who attempts to console her as Tex, Sarge, and DJ stand nearby. Carmen doesn’t move. Her hands are at her sides and she stares at me blankly. Bryce puts his arm around her. “Are you okay?” he asks.
Seemingly surprised by his touch, he appears to pull her out of her thoughts. She waves the air. “Me? Oh, I’m fine. No biggie. It is what it is, right?”
“For what it’s worth, Carmen, I’ve never been so impressed by someone’s character as I am with yours.”
Carmen faces him and he gazes into her eyes. “It’s worth a lot, Bryce. Thank you.”
He nods, then smooths his jacket before heading off to the producers who are waiting to speak to him.
The Fabulist Page 17
