Amy stared horrified, at Hamilton.
"You think I killed him?"
The glare of lights in her eyes was suddenly too bright, and she wanted to sleep this away, wake up and find that this was only a dream.
She stared at the circle of shocked and confused and sorrowful faces. Nellie, Jonah, Dan, Ian, Natalie, Cara, Hamilton, Sinead, Jake and Fiske.
Fiske and Dan looked confused, but Nellie's face was twisted. "Amy." She said, after a long moment. "I don't know if you killed him or not, but I will say one thing." She spat out the words hatefully. "Its awfully suspicious."
Amy shook her head. "It wasn't me!"
"Right." Ian said, stepping far away and looking her up and down. "And the leopard doesn't have spots either."
Dan looked as if he was going to say something, but then he stopped himself. "It is your sword, Amy." He said, swallowing. "And...you're drunk. How do you know what you did?"
The words were thrust to Amy's gut, and she felt like she was going to throw up. "I didn't!" She cried. "Why would I kill Sammy? I have nothing against him!"
The rest of the people stood awkwardly, milling around, whispering to one another. "Amy." Fiske began. "I don't think it was you." He frowned. "I think I heard you ask Jonah where the bathroom was...but...I might have had too many drinks myself."
Right then and there, Amy determined that if she ever got out of this mess, and ever had another party, there was going to be no alcoholic beverages.
Then Natalie frowned. "Guys. We need to call the police."
Amy's mind swirled. She needed to figure this out, and fast, before the police decided that it was her, and whisked her off to jail.
Cara spoke up, from where she had been standing, horrified at the sight of the blood. "Yes. I agree. They should be able to sort this out."
Fiske pulled out a phone, and dialed 911. His speech was slurred, and all of them could tell the operator was having a hard time understanding if he was serious, or just a drunk man having some fun.
Finally Fiske set the phone down and said, "They're coming...they're sending two men. They said nobody touch anything."
Natalie looked squeamishly down at the sword she was holding. "Now they'll think it was me! My fingerprints will be on it!"
Amy's mind whirled. Was she just saying that? Was that why she had pulled the sword out? To give an excuse as to why her fingerprints where on it?
Jake stepped out from the shadows. "That makes you sound awfully suspicious." He accused.
Amy stared confused. Was Jake trying to pin the blame on her?
Hamilton voiced her thoughts, as did Ian and Sinead. They were all blaming one another, and soon the sound of fighting broke out in the ballroom.
Nellie was still on her knees by Sammy's body. Tears and mascara were running down her face. "I swear." She whispered. "I will find who did this, and they will pay."
Just then there was a knocking at the door. The boys shrunk into the shadows, as if they were afraid and Sinead glanced around nervously, patting down her dress. Natalie gulped, and set down the sword with a clang.
Fiske swallowed, and walked out of the room to let the police in. He led the two men in a few seconds, swaying slightly, and pointed to where Sammy's body lay.
The men, gasped, as if surprised there was actually a murder. One of them pulled out a notebook, and began taking notes right away. The other pulled out another one, and asked. "What weapon was he killed with?"
Natalie, her hand shaking, motioned towards the sword. Her voice wobbled as she spoke. "I...I...I pulled it out, sir. But it was before you told us not to touch anything!"
Amy could tell what the police were thinking. Why would a teenage girl not be afraid to touch a sword stuck in a dead person's chest? Had she touched it just to have an excuse as to why her fingerprints were on it?
The police man grunted, asked her name, and made a small mark on his notepad, causing Natalie to cringe.
Then they moved on to Nellie. "Name?" The one asked in a strong, commanding voice.
"Nellie Gomez."
"Age? Relation to the...the..."
"Dead?" Nellie bitterly spat. "I'm 27, and he's...was...my boyfriend."
The officer nodded, and wrote something on his pad. Then he moved on to Ian, Jake, and Hamilton.
When he came to Sinead, she seemed awfully suspicious. When he asked her her name, she flitted about, answering in short bursts, and glancing around nervously.
After he had finished, the officer stood writing on his pad for a long while.
Amy cringed for her friend, but she wasn't sure if Sinead was innocent. She wasn't sure what to think about anyone. Her head spun, and she shut her eyes tightly, trying to shut out the crimson stain on the white tile, the look of horror on her au pair's face, and most of all, the look on everyone else's face when Hamilton had accused her.
Just then she realized that police officer was talking to her. Motioning for her to follow him, he led her a short distance away from the others, and said, "Age? Name? Relation to the murdered?"
Amy swallowed, and answered the questions, trying not to sound suspicious.
"What were you doing the past couple of hours?" The man asked, not mean, but not kind either.
Amy gulped. "Drinking."
The police officer looked shocked. "You're the only one who's told me that, but I could smell the alcohol on everyone." Then he looked embarrassed, as if he wasn't supposed to say that. "I mean...Ok." He made a note on his pad, and then asked another question.
"What were you doing? The others said that you disappeared, and only came back after..." He paused, and then snapped his fingers. "After Nellie screamed."
Amy shut her eyes. This was going to be difficult to answer.