The Murder Mystery Game

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Chapter 6

When Amanda arrived downstairs in the library, Dean, Daniel, Liz, and Olivia were already gathered there. Everyone was still in the pajamas and robes and looking half asleep except Deidre, who had changed into a daytime dress with perfect hair and makeup.

"Who the hell decided to start this game at dawn?" Daniel complained, before following it up with a yawn.

Matriarch Olivia suggested, "Daniel, be nice and humor your sister. Remember, it's her birthday weekend."

Joining the small group, Amanda gave a start when she caught a glimpse of Eunice's body sprawled out on the floor in the middle of everyone; motionless.

"Oh my gosh!"

Then she recalled that Eunice was playacting her role and Amanda gave a relieved heave.

"Amanda! There you are!" Dean stated, calling her over, "Come over and stand next to me."

Amanda dutifully went over to Dean, trying not to get close to the maid's fallen body, "Eunice looks so real as a victim!" she commented.

Deidre agreed, "I know! She's doing a great job! We should give her a raise!"

Olivia gave her daughter a chiding look, "That is not for you to decide, dear!"

"If you say so," Deidre shrugged, "anyway, we might as well get started since Eunice can't stay stiff like that forever!"

Liz complained, "My god, Dee, don't you feel it's WAY too early to play this game? I need some coffee!"

Daniel put his arm around his wife, "Be patient, Honey Bee! Breakfast will be here soon enough!"

Liz smiled up at her husband, "As long as you're with me, it'll always be a good morning!" They then exchanged a quick kiss.

"Gag me," Deidre mumbled at their show of affection. She then looked around, "Has anyone seen Lee?"

"I had gone into his room earlier to wake him," Daniel explained, "and believe it or not, he ended up pulling a gun on me!"

"Good! That shows that I've hired the right man!" a proud Olivia approved, not the least bothered that a gun had been aimed at her oldest son.

"So, where is he?" a concerned Deidre asked.

"I'm here," Lee announced, as he entered the room and immediately took note of Eunice lying on the ground, "Oh boy. It really has started, hasn't it?"

"And not a moment too soon!" Deidre excitedly stated.

She next went over and put the Inspector cape and hat on him.

"There you go!" Deidre stated, looking pleased with how Lee looked.

Dean opinioned, "Doesn't the cape and hat clash heavily with his bathrobe?"

Deidre put her hands on her hips, "The way I see it, dear brother, is that Lee could wear a cardboard box and still look fabulous!"

An annoyed Liz stated, "He looks fine, if you don't mind elegance flying out the window! Can we just get on with the game, please?"

Deidre stated, "Alright, let's do it!"

She next turned to Lee and with an authoritative voice, asked, "And who might you be, Sir?"

"Who? Me?" Lee questioned, pointing to himself, "I'm Lee Stet—oh! You're asking me about my role, aren't you? I'm the detective assigned to this case!"

Deidre shook her head, "Try again, Inspector"

"Oh yeah, Inspector!" he corrected himself and then stood taller, "I am Inspector...no, I mean...I am Chief Inspector Sherlock Hunk of… of Scotland Yard, Albany Division."

Deidre was the only one who giggled in delight at his name.

"Nice to meet you, Chief Inspector," Deidre stated, "And I am...Princess Tiffany of Pradalia, on a visit here to..."

"-hey! Why couldn't I be the Princess?" interrupted Liz, "Instead, I get assigned to play a useless socialite!"

Deidre mumbled under her breath, "If the shoe fits..."

But Daniel gave his wife a pat on the hand to calm her down, "No need to be upset, Precious Flower; perhaps we can change your role and make you a Princess from an even larger country!"

Deidre immediately shot that idea down, "No! We BOTH can't be Princesses, Dan!" she insisted and then explained, "after all, someone has to bow as I go by!" she explained, showing off her royal wave.

"Such amateurs!" Olivia sighed, and then held her head up high, "I shall introduce myself, and show you what class is all about! I am Lady Guinevere McDynasty, grand dame of this summer manor. I am so rich that the world waits upon me like the humble servants that they should be..."

Not much of a stretch for her character, everyone thought, but no one dared to say it out loud.

Lee asked, "So Lady McDynasty, were you the one who discovered the body?"

"Yes, I was," Olivia admitted, "And it was quite a shock, let me tell you! Do you have any thoughts regarding the situation here, Chief Inspector?"

"I do," Lee responded, "My first thought is that I don't care much for my last name of 'Hunk'!"

"Hey!" whined Deidre.

"Please, everyone, stay in character!" Olivia reminded them, and then cleared her throat, "So Chief Inspector, please continue, but make sure it is about the investigation!"

"Of course, Lady McDynasty!" Lee responded back, and then pointed downward. "I've just arrived and am I to assume that the woman on the floor is dead?"

Dean sarcastically remarked, "Brilliant deduction, Chief Inspector. How do you do it?"

Olivia ignored the last remark, "Chief Inspector, that is my maid, Eunice!"

"I see," Lee stated, giving a measured look at the body before announcing, "This has now become an official investigation and I must remind everyone not to touch the body!"

Daniel asked, "Excuse me, Chief Inspector, but don't you have to verify that she's actually dead FIRST?"

Liz added, "Yes! We need verification! Otherwise, she may have just fainted or fallen asleep sloppily!"

"Is there a doctor in the house?" yelled Deidre, looking about.

When no one responded, she looked directly at Dean and frustratingly whispered, "Dean! Doctor in the house?!"

Dean instantly became alert, "What? Oh, uh...yes...I believe I am...a doctor, a true medical doctor."

"HE'S the doctor?" complained Daniel, "I find that rather ironic, being that when we were little kids, Dean was lousy at the game of 'Operation'!"

"Quiet!" Deidre ordered him, and then asked Dean, "Doctor, please introduce yourself to the guests!"

Dean couldn't think fast enough, "Okay. Let me see...My name is...uh.. I am Doctor...Doctor..." he looked over at Amanda for help, "Quick! Give me a name!"

Amanda thought of the first thing that came to her mind, "Pepper!" she whispered back, recalling the name of Deidre's girlfriend who made up this game.

"Yes, hello. I am Dr. Pepper," Dean introduced himself, among some snickering from his siblings, "And with my medical expertise, I can conclude that the person on the floor there is definitely dead."

Amanda leaned in, "Actually Doctor, I think you have to check her pulse, first…"

Dean looked down at the victim and woodenly stated, "Yes, of course. I will do the required pulse verification because that is what I do as a doctor."

He crouched down and lightly tapped her wrist.

Dean then stood, "I have successfully checked the pulse. Or, the lack of one. My conclusion is that the patient is indeed dead."

"From what?" Daniel asked.

"From what?" Dean repeated, totally stumped, "From...uh, not breathing."

Lee had been observing the body at a different angle, "Actually, judging from the ligature marks around her neck, I'd say she'd been strangled!"

A big scowl appeared on Amanda's face.

"Strangled?" Amanda questioned out loud.

"Yes," Lee confirmed, "Is there a problem with that, er, Mrs….?"

"Greenwich," Amanda quickly answered, "Ms. Victoria Greenwich."

"Of course, Ms. Greenwich..." Lee respectfully addressed her, "is there a problem with the victim being strangled when there are clearly ligature marks around her neck?"

"No! It's just not possible!" Amanda insisted, "The victim was supposed to have had her head bashed in with a candlestick!"

Everyone realistically gasped at that unexpected image.

"Are you playing a psychic?" Daniel asked.

Amanda looked confused, "Wha-"

Liz whined, "Why does she get to play a psychic? I want that role!"

Dean asked, "You want to be a Princess AND a psychic?"

Lee ignored their comments as he peered again at the body, "I see no evidence of her being hit on the head, nor is an object like a candlestick located near the body. Why would you ever draw that conclusion, Ms. Greenwich?"

"Because I'm the murderer!" Amanda announced.

Everyone gasped even louder this time.

"What? Amanda! No!" Deidre interrupted, her tone sounding completely frustrated, "Stop! You shouldn't have revealed yourself as the murderer, yet! We were supposed to guess who the murderer will be! That was supposed to be the fun part of the game!"

Daniel remarked, "'Fun' over."

"Way to ruin a game," Liz added to Amanda.

"No! No! No!" whined Deidre, "It can't be over!" she looked desperately over to her brother, "Dean! You're the practical one in the family! Help straighten out this mess! Save this game!"

"Not me, I'm lousy at all games, including 'Operation'," Dean explained, "Why don't we go over to the guy who's married to the Princess Psychic?" he suggested, pointing to Daniel, his older brother.

Daniel pointed to himself and then asked with a British accent, "Me? You require of me to save the situation, Old Chap? That I will do, I will! Let me first introduce myself! I am... Judge Nigel Cuppa-tea, at your service!" he declared with a slight bow. Then looking accusingly at Amanda, he stated, "And this psychic here, Ms. Greenwich, just confessed to a murder, By George!"

Deidre complained to Daniel, "Why are you sounding like Professor Higgins from My Fair Lady? Next, you'll be insisting that 'the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain!'"

His wife Liz snapped back, "I think Judge Nigel Cuppa-tea is doing an excellent job!"

"Thank you, my precious Dove," Daniel stated as he lifted her hand to kiss it.

"Nevertheless, I still wanted to play the psychic," Liz complained to her husband.

Amanda raised her index finger, "Actually, "I never said I was a psychic…"

"But being a murderer is fine with you?" Liz challenged.

Meanwhile, Lee's brows were knitted in confusion as he continued looking at the stilled body on the floor and finally he looked back at Amanda.

"Amanda-"

She corrected him, "You mean, Victoria Greenwich..."

"Amanda," he stated again, to make his point, "did you just say that Eunice the maid wasn't supposed to have been strangled?"

Amanda nodded, "That's right. That wasn't supposed to be how she 'died'," she stated, air quoting the last word.

"I don't like what's happening here," Lee stated, looking at the immobile body again.

Concerned, he knelt down and felt Eunice's pulse, but correctly this time, as everyone looked about in a confused state.

Olivia leaned over, "Lee, what's wrong? Everything is alright with Eunice, isn't it?"

Lee heaved a deep sigh.

"I'm afraid not, Olivia," Lee morosely answered back as he looked around the gathered crowd, "Eunice is dead. Really dead!"

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So, unfortunately, the Murder Mystery Game turned out to be an actual murder mystery.

Eunice the maid was sprawled out on the floor, dead.

At the shocking news, Olivia's face was pale and she looked ready to faint. Liz turned away as husband Daniel comforted her in his arms. Dean held onto Amanda, who felt numb.

"Oh my god!" Deidre exclaimed out loud, "I can't believe it! What a nightmare! My party is absolutely ruined!"

Dean gave a side roll to his sister, "Dee, you're kidding, right? You're worried about a stupid game when Eunice is dead?"

"Yes, Dee, no need to get so upset about your party," Daniel drolly told her sister, "at least you'll still be able to open your presents because you're alive!"

Deidre shrugged and didn't look embarrassed in the least.

Olivia logically asked, "So what happens next? What should we do about the poor Eunice? We can't just leave her here like, like a decoration on my library floor!"

Lee calmly announced, "The first thing we need to do is contact the local authorities."

"I'll go make the call," Dean calmly volunteered as he left the room to find a phone.

Meanwhile, Amanda had walked away to get the blanket that had been draped on the sofa and bring it back, "Is it okay if I cover Eunice with this until the authorities arrive?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," Lee stated, as Amanda covered her.

Olivia tsked as the body was being blanketed, "Dear me, poor Eunice!"

From behind them, they heard a key being inserted and then the sound of the front door opening.

Isabella, the upstairs maid, had arrived for the workday. She was heard yelling from the entryway, "Madame! It's me! I'm here!"

Olivia looked pointedly over at Lee, "Isabella needs to be told about Eunice and the bad news should come from someone of authority."

Lee got the hint.

"Alright, I'll go tell her the news," he groaned. He then addressed everyone, "And while I'm gone, I'm going to re-state what I had stated earlier, but this time I really mean it...no one is to touch the body!"

But Amanda barely heard him.

As she glanced around at everyone, only one thought came to her mind.

Someone here is a murderer!

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