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He sank back into the chair and eyed Leo expectantly.
Leo spoke slowly, thinking aloud. “We’ve considered the theory that the killer intended to poison Rex but ended up bashing his head in instead, and Grady’s death was cleanup because he knew something about the murder. Right?”
“Yes.”
“But how do you make that happen? How do you ensure Grady gets candied lemon and everyone else gets candied orange?”
Bodhi drew his eyebrows together. After a moment, he shook his head. “You can’t. Not unless you’re the one doling out the drinks. But Grady did that.”
“Right. I doubt he committed suicide by cyanide in the middle of a toast. Another possibility is that Grady was collateral damage. His death was accidental.”
Bodhi made a small noise in the back of his throat. “If the killer sat in that room and watched Grady drink that amaretto sour knowing it would kill him, it wasn’t exactly an accident.”
Leo leaned forward, his train of thought picking up steam. “Unless the killer didn’t sit there and watch Grady consume the cyanide.”
“You lost me.”
“What if Rex poisoned the lemon peels? He was supposed to be mixing the drinks, after all. He could have been planning to kill someone. He could have offered them the drink with the candied lemon twist secure in the knowledge that the rest of the guests would be unharmed.”
Bodhi gave him a long look. “So two people came to this party with murder in their hearts—Rex and the person who killed him. Your mind is a dark place. You know that, right?”
“Occupational hazard.”
“Have you ruled anyone out?”
“Annette and Brian don’t have strong motives. Neither does Joy—not really. Those three are on the periphery of this insular, deeply enmeshed group. The most likely killer is one of the core members: Tessa, Paul, Leeza, Bethany, or Chance. And, theoretically, Tessa and Leeza alibi each other.”
“Theoretically?”
“You said Rex could’ve been bludgeoned hours before he collapsed. They were together when Annette found him. That doesn’t mean they were together when he was struck.”
Bodhi bobbed his head. “Fair point. Thanks for giving me the time to sit with Grady.”
Leo laughed without humor. “You’re so welcome. It’s the least I could do to thank you for taking part in our very special anniversary celebration.”
Bodhi rested his hand on Leo’s forearm. “Wishing that things are different than they are causes suffering. This may not be the weekend you planned, but the sooner you accept the reality of it, the more easily you’ll experience it.”
Leo worked his lips, mulling over the pronouncement. It was a Buddhist version of ‘it is what it is.’ It sounded less fatalistic, though.
“Thanks, man. Come on. Let’s make sure Bethany washes her hands so I don’t have to accept the reality of a third body.”
CHAPTER23
Upon hearing that Bodhi wanted Bethany to wash her hands, Sasha decreed thateveryoneneeded to wash their hands. And so all eighteen of them traipsed into the kitchen en masse and lined up single file at the sink like a classroom full of preschoolers ready to wash up before snack.
The process was not without grumbling. Paul, in particular, pointed out that they’d all have been dead by now if their hands were coated in poison. But Sasha was wearing her brook-no-argument expression. Eventually, Paul got in line with the others, still muttering under his breath.
Once the hand-washing was underway, Leo pulled Sasha to the side.
“It seems to me that we’re down to five viable suspects,” he said. “Unless you think otherwise?”
“The Conklins, the Galetons, and Tessa,” she supplied.
“So you agree?”
“I can’t see Annette or Brian doing it. No motives. And Joy’s motive is weak.”
“So, we’re on the same page.”
