The Swifts by Beth Lincoln

Author:Beth Lincoln [Lincoln, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2023-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

While Phenomena, Shenanigan, and Erf had been in the library proving that Gumshoe’s death wasn’t an accident, Inheritance had been in the Evening Room, telling everyone that it was. Judging by the argument now taking place, no one was convinced. Paranoia had been growing all day, fed and watered in the gossipy little groups that had formed all over the House. By the time the three investigators slipped into the room, things were tipping over from suspicion to outright panic.

“You expect us to believe this rot?”

“Alors!”

“Is anyone doing anything about this?”

“I demand to speak to the manager!”

“Everyone, please, calm down,” said Fauna. “I’ve made tea. We can discuss everyone’s concerns, and—”

“Bother to that!” roared Uncle Ferrier. “Someone here is a murderer!”

Little Finicky began to cry.

“Please,” said Renée quietly. “Could we lower our voices? We’re upsetting the baby.”

“Oh, bother the baby, as well,” sneered Ferrier. “Weren’t you the one who found Gumshoe? Makes you pretty suspicious, in my book.”

“I got lost on the way to the dining room! All I did was open the wrong door!”

“A likely story!”

“YOU CAN’T SPEAK TO MY WIFE THAT WAY!” boomed Fortissimo.

“Why not? She isn’t Family. Not by blood.”

“Hey,” said Daisy sharply. Candour was gripping her hand so tightly his knuckles were white. “With respect, I think you should keep your opinions to yourself.”

“Oh, aye?”

“Yes. People might listen to them, and then we’re all worse off.”

“I’d watch it, sunshine—you’re not married yet. Won’t ever be, if old Schadenfreude gets her way. Come to think of it, if anyone has a motive—”

“Daisy didn’t mean it—she’s just upset,” said Candour hurriedly. “You’re just upset, aren’t you, Daisy?”

Daisy’s expression flickered. “Distressed,” she agreed.

“Overwrought,” said Candour.

For a second, Shenanigan saw real anger on Daisy’s face. Renée didn’t look as if she could hurt a fly, Cook had been with them for almost twenty years and was practically an honorary Swift, but Ferrier had a point about Daisy. When Shenanigan had first met her, she’d dismissed her as nice. The more she saw of her, however, the more certain she was that Daisy possessed an inner steel she was keeping hidden. She was like a bouquet of flowers with a crowbar in the middle. Atrocious had seen it, Flora had seen it, and Shenanigan did too.

“Ferrier’s right about one thing,” said Aunt Dither, straightening her parrot hat. “Someone here must be a murderer, or else why would they try to trap us here?”

“They mean to pick us off!”

“It could be any of us!”

“At any time!”

Crack!

For a second, Shenanigan thought it was Aunt Schadenfreude, striking her stick on the nearest piece of furniture for quiet. But it wasn’t a stick. It was a gunshot. Pamplemousse stood on a table at the far end of the room, legs apart, arm raised. A tiny pistol lay against his palm. A light trickle of plaster dust fell from the hole he’d put in the ceiling and powdered his wig.

“Ecoute, s’il vous plait!” he snapped. The guns and swords and nunchucks on his hips jingled as he lowered his hand.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.