Hey, thanks for the reviews. (I got 13 reviews on Friday the 13th). This is the final part of my story.
All eyes turned to Danny and Lindsay. Danny nodded towards Lindsay. "Ladies first."
Lindsay stepped forward. "First of all, we can all see that Professor Mac is responsible for Master Bobby's death. He received burns on his hands from strangling him. Ms. Elaine was killed in the exact same way as Master Bobby which means Professor Mac murdered them both."
Danny stepped in. "But Professor Mac didn't murder Lady Stella, she was shot with a gun."
"No, Professor Mac was surprised when Lady Stella's body was found because that wasn't part of his plan," Lindsay added.
"So now the question becomes why did Professor Mac murder Ms. Elaine and Master Bobby, and who murdered Stella?" Danny stated.
"We all know that Master Bobby knew something about Ms. Elaine's murder. He told Detective Stiles in front of everyone. Professor Mac saw this and murdered him. Master Bobby's death was Professor Mac's way of covering tracks. He was never part of the real problem," Lindsay stated.
"That's right the real problem," Danny jumped in again, glancing at Lindsay. "Mac strangled his victims but this was no crime of passion, at least not for him anyway. After all, what would he gain for the murders? And if you're not murdering for passion? Why else?"
"Money. Professor Mac was paid to murderer Ms. Elaine," Lindsay said, feeling her thoughts mix with Danny's.
"Paid by his rich, long time friend, the one and only Sir Flack. When Lady Stella was murdered he told Professor Mac that it was not what he told him to do. Sir Flack was worried. Worried that Ms. Elaine would ruin him. Expose him for the dirty lying cheat that he was."
Lindsay and Danny were running the show now. Everyone listened intently as Lindsay continued.
"So Professor Mac murdered Ms. Elaine because Sir Flack was worried that she would tell Ms. Stella about the affair. But there was one more person who posed a threat to Sir Flack. Me."
"That's right. While Sir Flack and Professor Mac were having a conversation he kept glancing across the room cos at the exact same time you were having a talk with Lady Stella. The Mrs and the mistress, now that got him worried," Danny said.
"So when he got the chance he pulled me aside and threatened me not to tell."
"Then he nodded to his assassin that he took care of it and that Lindsay was not a threat."
"So their work was done, which brings us to Lady Stella's murder," Lindsay said to Danny.
"Master Bobby thought that Lady Stella murdered Ms. Elaine. Of course we know now that this is not true, but Master Bobby must've thought that Lady Stella murdered Ms. Elaine for the affair. After all, everyone seemed to know about it except Lady Stella."
"So you're saying Master Bobby murdered Lady Stella because he thought Lady Stella murdered Ms. Elaine?" Adam asked.
"No," Danny replied. "Master Bobby was just a simple Butler. He didn't care about Lady Stella or Ms. Elaine. But he did care about his only friend, Master Hawkes. When Ms. Elaine was murdered, Master Bobby confided in Master Hawkes that he thought it was Lady Stella. But why would Master Hawkes care he wasn't involved in Lady Stella or Ms. Elaine either?"
Danny looked to Lindsay.
"Master Hawkes thought that Lady Stella was out for revenge, killing Sir Flack's mistress. And he thought if she were murdered, surely Sir Flack's other mistresses would be next."
"Master Hawkes killed Lady Stella, because he wanted to protect you," Danny said, pointing towards Lindsay.
Lindsay nodded.
"Master Hawkes wasn't in a relationship with the maid, but he cared for her. With Sir Flack it was purely sex, but with Master Hawkes, he had an emotional connection. He wanted to protect her. And he was not about to let her get murdered. When the attention was turned to four people, he tried to push the blame on Colonel Adam, saying he had motive. He didn't want anyone suspecting him."
"Master Hawkes thought he was protecting Lindsay by murdering Lady Stella," Danny explained.
"But Lady Stella wasn't the murderer, Professor Mac was," Lindsay said knowingly.
"And Master Bobby didn't figure it out until it was too late. Professor Mac thought that Master Bobby knew he murdered Ms. Elaine and was gonna tell Detective Stiles."
"So I paid Mac to murder Elaine, Hawkes murdered Stella, and then Mac murdered Bobby," Flack summed up.
Jimmy clapped. "You solved the murder, or murders. Now it's time to eat."
The group followed Jimmy into the back room where Stella, Bobby, and Elaine were waiting.
Mac and Hawkes walked up to Stella. "Forgive me for murdering you?"
Stella put her arm around his neck. "Of course. I thought you'd be the one cracking the mystery Mac."
Mac smiled. "And steal the limelight from those two?" He nodded towards Lindsay and Danny who were chatting across the room.
"They make one hell of a team."
Hawkes made his way over to Lindsay who was laughing at Danny. "I had fun being in love with you Linds, even if you didn't feel the same way."
Danny smiled. "She would've rejected you for Flack."
"Please, I can get any girl Flack can."
"Oh yeah? Twenty bucks says you can't win her over," Danny said, pointing to Flack who was chatting up Elaine. Hawkes smiled. "You're going down Flack." He made his way over to them, leaving Danny and Lindsay alone. Lindsay noticed Danny's grin.
"I told you you'd have fun," She said with a smile.
"Ok, so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Definitely didn't see you coming as a maid with a saucy accent."
Lindsay smiled and twirled in her outfit. "Yeah, I'm thinking of pulling out mt sexy nurse costume at the Christmas party."
Danny smiled and turned to see how Hawkes was doing.
Elaine was standing in between Flack and Hawkes. Both were talking to her but she didn't seem interested, she was busy checking out Adam across the room.
Finally she smiled at them both politely before excusing herself and making her way to Adam. Danny and Lindsay smirked at Hawkes and Flack across the room. "I just won 40 bucks," Danny said victoriously.
"40, what happened to 20?"
"20 from Flack, 20 from Hawkes."
Lindsay laughed. "How many people did you make bets with?"
Danny raised his eyebrows mischievously, causing Lindsay to laugh again.
Hawkes and Flack smirked at them from across the room.
"10 bucks says he makes a move and she turns him down," Flack said to Hawkes.
"I'm tired of losing money," Hawkes complained. "Though I'd probably win."
"You think?"
"C'mon, she's a slutty maid, he's a gruff electrician. They're perfect together."
Lindsay looked at her watch and frowned. "I think I'm gonna get going."
"Are you serious? It's only like 9. Come out for some drinks," Danny persisted.
Lindsay smiled slightly. "I, I can't tonight Danny. Maybe some other time."
Danny sighed as she walked away to say goodbye to Stella.
Flack and Hawkes joined him. "Told you she'd reject him."
"I see you're making great progress with Elaine," Danny teased back.
Flack shrugged. "I don't mind. It's not like I lost her to Hawkes."
Hawkes glared. "Pick any woman in this room and I'll bet you anything she'll choose me over you."
Flack looked around the room. "Let's see, well there's Stella… and Lindsay-"
"Don't even go there," Danny joked.
"Wow, there's a lot less women here than I thought," Hawkes stated.
Hawkes and Flack looked at Stella and then eyed each other. In a heartbeat they were rushing towards her.
Danny smiled and shook his head. He glanced around the room and saw Lindsay was leaving. He sighed. She was the real reason he came to this thing so he figured he'd leave too.
Danny turned on his television and settled on a basketball game between Miami Heats and L.A. Lakers. He got a beer out of the fridge before hearing a knock at his door. It was quiet, so he waited for a minute, wondering if he'd imagined it. Nope, there it was again.
"Hang on." He made his way to the door and opened it. He was surprised to see Lindsay standing in front of him, not wearing the outfit anymore.
He smiled. "You changed."
"You didn't. I was wondering… still up for that drink?"
"Uh, sure come in. What happened to 'I can't tonight'? " Danny stepped aside as she squeezed past.
"I changed my mind."
"Beer?"
"Sure."
Lindsay made herself comfy on the couch in front of the TV as Danny got her drink.
He handed it to her and sat close to her on the couch. "Thanks."
Danny's bare arms brushed up against hers and she noticed the tattoo on his shoulder.
"When'd you get this?" She asked, tracing it with her finger. It burned through his skin. "Uh, a while ago, when I was a teenager."
Lindsay noticed she was still touching his arm and pulled her hand away quickly. She focused on the game. Miami was up by five.
"I… I had a lot of fun tonight." Lindsay said. "Role playing, pretending to be someone else. Who would've thought Mac would be a murderer."
"Who would've thought innocent southern Lindsay would be such a mistress."
Lindsay smirked. Danny turned back to the game. Miami Heats were now leading by eight.
"Plus, It was fun hanging out with you," Lindsay added quietly.
Danny smiled but continued looking watching the game. "You… you don't have to wait for the next murder-mystery party to hang out with me… I mean, we can hang out like this, whenever you want."
Lindsay remained quiet.
After a while she finally spoke. "Ok, Miami wins, you take me out to dinner, Lakers win, I'll take you somewhere."
Danny smirked. "On one condition."
Lindsay looked at him.
"You wear the sexy nurse outfit."
THE END
