‘So, at precisely two p.m., I will fire this starting pistol—’ He pulled a tiny gun from his jacket and waved it around dramatically. ‘And you will all rush to the stables. Along with the body, there will be four clues for you to follow up, by talking to our suspects, who will be scattered around the grounds. Each suspect you talk to will help you narrow your list of possibilities – or send you chasing after further clues, just like the Lady Detective herself! But remember, you won’t be the only investigators seeking the truth this afternoon – or hoping to win the prize of free tickets to next year’s convention. Out there in the gardens, another group are being instructed by a volunteer right now. As VIP delegates and early-bird bookers, you’ll have a fifteen-minute head start over them, but that is all.’

The clock over the fireplace chimed, and Marcus raised his starting pistol.

‘If everyone is ready …’ He fired, the sound of the shot rattling the chandelier and the windows.

Before Posy could blink, it seemed the room had emptied out. She made to follow, but Marcus stopped her.

‘Not you. Or you three,’ he added, motioning to Caro, Rosalind and Kit. ‘You four are suspects!’

‘Suspects?’ Rosalind sounded insulted at the suggestion. ‘I think not.’

Anton laughed at that. Even though Marcus hadn’t singled him out for taking part, it seemed he wasn’t desperate to rush and find the culprit, either. ‘Ah, you’re going to have to acclimatise to not being the fabled Lady Detective again, Rosalind. There’s a new Dahlia in town.’

Rosalind’s expression soured. Beside her, Caro didn’t look any happier at the reminder.

They were going to have to get used to it. Posy wasn’t going anywhere, blackmail or no blackmail.

She turned to Marcus and asked, ‘What do you need us to do?’

‘Just a little bit of acting,’ he replied, airily. A flurry of creamy envelopes appeared from his inside jacket pocket – his butler’s outfit appeared to be designed around hiding items about his person – and he fanned them out towards them. ‘Inside are your instructions – which area of the grounds to loiter in, what to say when detectives approach you, and where to direct them next.’

‘How long do we have to do this for?’ Kit asked, taking the envelope with his name on. ‘Some of us have important napping planned before our panel later.’

‘Oh, you’re one of the first stops, so anyone who’s serious about winning will have found you within the hour.’ Marcus handed out the rest of the envelopes. Posy’s felt heavy in her hands. ‘Don’t worry, it’ll all be over before you know it. Now, I’d better go check that our murder victim is good and dead, and our detectives are finding the clues. Actors; places, please!’