It juddered about five inches before getting stuck on damp ground. But there wasn’t a hail of answering gunfire, which she took as a good sign. Still, trying to take at least some elementary precautions, she crouched low as she got closer, and forced the door wide enough to poke her head through. When she found that she still hadn’t died, she stood, opened the door fully, and walked in.

In some ways, it was an anticlimactic sight. The boathouse was mostly full of boats—primarily rowboats—and boating-related paraphernalia that was currently seeing no use. “Nothing,” she called back to the guests outside. “Unless they’re hiding.”

“We could search it?” That was the vicar.

“Liza, please come out of there.” That was Hanna. “I know this is your thing, but—and I’m doing I statements here—I feel quite scared right now.”

The boathouse door swung open again and Sir Richard entered, with his aunt and the vicar behind him. “Well scouted, old girl, but why don’t you go back outside? We’ll give this place the once-over and report back.”

While Liza didn’t especially like taking instruction from Sir Richard, or anybody else for that matter, Hanna had done the I statements, which meant that she was trying super hard to be understanding while also, on some level, losing her shit. A little sheepishly, Liza emerged.

Hanna had her arms folded in a way that looked a lot less I-statement-y than her tone had implied. “What part of no did you not understand?”

“The part where you’re the boss of me?” Liza shot back.

“You. Could. Have. Died.”

“I. Didn’t.” If she was honest with herself, Liza wasn’t sure if she was reacting more from anger or guilt.

“I … think I might go.” The professor was the only member of the little band who hadn’t gone into the boathouse, and now he seemed to be at least partially regretting it. “You ladies clearly have a lot to discuss.” Without waiting for a response, he hurried off.

“What are we going to do?” asked Hanna. Her voice had an almost plaintive edge to it.

“About us, or about …?” Tilting her head sideways and down, Liza indicated the sprawled corpse of the former detective Belloc.

“Both?” For a moment Hanna seemed to be wrestling with something. “And I suppose actually he is a bit more important right now.”

“Yeah, nothing like a dead body to put your relationship drama into perspective.”

Hanna raised an eyebrow. “Okay, technically yes. But can you not characterise my concern for your safety as relationship drama?”