“I hate seeing you so worried. I wish there was more I could do.” Roxie patted my arm, then looked up at the B&B.

In the brilliant sunshine, Ivywood Hollow looked almost like a dollhouse with its tower, gables, and gingerbread trim.

After a quiet moment passed, Roxie mused, “It’s just so crazy to think about, isn’t it? Someone getting in like that?”

I nodded. “It all happened so quickly. The killer had to be someone who’d visited the house before.” I wrapped my arms around my waist. “Which goes against any theory it was a Graves family member. I don’t think any of the siblings or Liz have been inside.”

“Oh, well, I can solve that mystery for you.”

I looked back at Roxie.

“Graves House has an almost identical layout to Ivywood Hollow.”

“What?”

“They did have the same architect,” she said, still studying the house. “I’ve been in both. And while Ivywood has a few extra bells and whistles, in terms of structure, they’re mirror images.”

That would explain how the killer knew how to find the hidden staircase, if one of Constance’s relatives was in fact responsible.

“Anyway, I should get going,” she said, patting my arm again. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”

I knew Roxie was disappointed. She had been so excited to share her news. And I wanted to make her feel better about the situation, but I didn’t know how. I couldn’t pretend the circumstances were anything but what they were.

I wrapped the blanket more tightly about my shoulders as Roxie ambled down the driveway.

I was just about to go back inside when the strangest feeling came over me.

It was a beautiful day. Nothing appeared out of place. But all of the sudden, I felt vulnerable. Exposed.

Like someone was watching me.

I looked up and down the street. I couldn’t see anyone, aside from Roxie.

Huh.

I stifled a yawn. It had been a late night. I was probably imagining it.

Instead of heading back over to the garage, I decided to go into the B&B. Now that I was up, I could at least get some coffee ready for when Nora and Izzy came home.

The silence waiting for me inside wasn’t exactly welcoming. The house felt so different without my aunts there. They both had such a life force, it felt empty without them.

Just then I felt something brush against my legs. I smiled. Of course, the place wasn’t completely empty.

I bent to scratch Faustus behind the ears. He wasn’t normally one to ask for attention. It was especially unusual given how disappointed he had been in me the night before.

“Things aren’t right, are they?”

The cat gave me a slow blink.

I straightened back up. “You must be hungry. Why don’t we go see what Izzy has for your breakf—”

A loud bang tore through the still house.

I jolted so hard the blanket wrapped around my shoulders fell to the ground. “What was that?” I looked at Faustus, but he wasn’t looking at me. His wide eyes were focused on the landing at the top of the stairs.