Cocking my head slightly at my sister’s strange behavior, I continue down the hall to my room. I go to my desk and take out several sheets of paper. At the top of each I print a single name, a paper for Louise, for Ben, Father and so on. Then, beneath each name, I begin to write down all I recall about each individual’s movements over the past few days. Like this I will be able to keep my thoughts straight, and keep track of any clues I might learn about my suspects.

About half an hour into this exercise, a knock at the door stops my hand. I rise and cross my dark, cluttered room, opening to find Susan standing there, looking tired as usual and overworked. Her blonde hair is a bit straggly and falling from her cap in places. I note a bit of wax on her apron.

“Supper’s ready, Miss Frances.”

“Thank you, Susan, I’ll be right down.”

Shutting the door, I glance back at my desk, at my haphazard notes. This is a good start, I determine. And hopefully, after tonight, I’ll have more information to log away. But first, I have some sleuthing to do.

Tonight, I dine in the lion’s den.

“I don’t see why we have to wait. It’s not like anyone wants her here,” I hear Louise grumbling as I come upon the dining room.

“She won’t be much longer,” Father says.

“Not like she couldn’t stand to miss a few meals, anyway,” Ben puts in.

“That’s enough out of you two. Frances is a part of this family, and you will treat her with respect.”

“Acting the part of the doting father for a change, are we?” Mother cuts in, her words slurred. “What is it you really want from her, Duane?”

“I just felt we were too harsh on her yesterday. I thought we might make it up to her.”

I flinch at the sound of my mother’s laughter, callous, cold and unwarranted. I wish I knew what it meant.

“Oh, shut up, Marcella,” Father’s voice, tired. “If you can’t act like a decent human being, just go to bed.”

“No,” she answers, sobering instantly. “I’m staying right here. To witness your fatherly display for your beloved eldest child.”

I make a deliberate noise outside the door, and the table grows quiet. A few moments later, I poke my head in with a nervous smile, pretending I haven’t heard a word of their conversation.

Louise shoots me daggers as I take my seat, which I do my best to ignore. Father smiles.

“There you are, Frances.”

“Sorry I’m late.”

Mother belches lightly. Her eyes are glassy and her cheeks flushed. She looks to be in another world. Susan appears together with another servant and begins dishing up our meal. In spite of the sour mood that seems to have settled over the dining room, the scent of curry is heavenly.

We eat in silence, mostly. Well, Mother doesn’t eat, really, but continues to drink heavily from her cocktail. When her glass is empty, she calls for another.

Father seems stressed. Though he pretends to be in a good mood, I cannot miss the vein bulging in his forehead, or the sharp looks he gives the staff when they misstep.

Louise seems especially cold tonight, though I think her ire is not directed at me so much as it is at Ben.

“Would you pass the naan, Louise?”

She glares daggers at Ben, who only smirks back at her. Father looks up irritably. “What are you waiting for?”

Louise grabs the plate and practically tosses it at Ben. It clatters sharply against the table. Father looks about to scold her when I cut in.

“Yesterday,” I begin, and the whole table goes absolutely still as every eye turns to me, “before the toast—”

Father breathes a little sigh of relief.

“—I was looking for you two. You were late to the toast, as I recall, Louise. What were you doing?”

“I was in the powder room,” she sounds annoyed. “Fixing my makeup.”

“And you, Ben?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” he smiles and it strikes me just a bit mean. “I was in the crowd the whole time, taking pictures.”

Louise scoffs sarcastically. I watch her cut him a disgusted, scathing look. Ben only smirks in response and wipes the gravy from his plate with a bit of naan, tossing it in his mouth with a careless gesture.

“Excuse me,” Louise says abruptly, standing so quickly she upsets her water glass. She doesn’t stop to right it, but leaves the dinner table without another word. Father swears.

“Frances, what did I tell you about starting any interrogations?”

“I was just making conversation.”

He gives me a warning glare before returning to his curry. Ben lifts his eyebrow at me and smirks. I shoot him a questioning look, and he only shrugs his shoulder, bringing his attention to a second helping of curry.

He’s in a good mood.

Father is the next to leave the table.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

Ben rises immediately after him. “Well, I think that goes for me too. Have to develop more of those photos from yesterday. If I find a decent one of you, Cowbird, I’ll be sure and give it to you. Though I doubt you’re really capable of taking a good picture.”

“Thanks for the thought,” I reply sarcastically. He laughs at me and leaves me alone with Mother who sits back in her chair, looking completely glazed over.

I finish my pudding, and leave her to the servants.

I didn’t learn much over dinner, though everyone was acting a bit strangely. Louise’s behavior especially interests me. I must be sure and make a note of it.

On my way back to my room, I pass Father’s office. The door isn’t quite closed, and I can’t help but overhear the conversation between him and Louise. Curious, I stop to listen.

“But I’m engaged now, Father—surely you can see I must have a bigger allowance.”

“Absolutely not. Your allowance is too generous as it is.”

“Be reasonable, Father!”

“Louise, you seem to forget I have a business to run. I said I can’t spare the cash right now and I meant it!”

“But Father!”

They argue like this a minute, and I’m about to dismiss the conversation when Louise’s next words catch my attention.

“Why are you being so stingy? It’s not like we can’t afford it. Anyway, Frances said that Squire whatshisname was here. Doesn’t he always bring you a ton of cash?”

“I never met with the man. Anyway, even if he did, that’s hardly any business of yours.”

“Please, Father. Just lend me the money.”

“Are you deaf?!”

Their argument reaches a fever pitch and I hurry away and down the hall. Then as I round the corner I come face to face with Ben. He wears a cruel smile.

“Well, Cowbird. Overhear anything interesting?”

“It’s not my fault they didn’t shut the door.”

“But you were snooping,” he accuses me almost playfully.

What can I say to that? He’s not wrong. But I’m not going to let my own little brother back me into a corner.

“You lied, earlier. At dinner you said you never left the party. But I’m sure you disappeared the same time as Louise. Where did you go, Ben? What were you two doing?”

“Interested in our little secrets, Cowbird?” He picks a piece of lint off of my shoulder carelessly. Then his brilliant turquoise colored eyes meet mine in a look of definite warning. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

“I’m just trying to account for everyone’s location at the time of the murder.”

“Still going on about this murder business? Haven’t you caused enough trouble with that?”

“Just answer my question.”

Just for a moment, Ben forgets himself, and a dangerous look flashes across his features. But he reins it in quickly, and returns to his cruel, mocking smile.

“I’d be careful if I were you, going around, snooping about into other people’s private lives.”

I glare back at him, undaunted.

“I just want to know the truth.”

He shrugs. “See, that’s the funny thing about the truth. Once you know it, you know it, and then you can never go back.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing, Ben. Like you’ve got something to hide.”

“But we all do, Cowbird. Every single one of us is hiding something,” he says, and he leans in closer so his voice is just a whisper in my ear.

“It’s better that way. Don’t you think?”