The box had come from the charity shop on Bakewell Road. Dot said so three times.
“Eight scenarios,” she said. “This is just the first one.”
It was a Tuesday. The WI hall had been booked for the decoupage circle. The decoupage circle had been informed by telephone that there had been a change of plan.
Dot dealt the character cards the way she dealt most things — with authority. Lady Cressida Vane. Inspector Morrow. The Widow Blackthorn. Reginald received his card, read it once, folded it along the crease, and placed it flat on the table.
Maggie read hers. Set it face-down.
“You have to keep it,” Dot said. “That’s your character.”
“I know,” Maggie said.
Audrey read the rules aloud. This took some time. There were four procedural errors in Dot’s initial explanation, and Audrey corrected each one with measured patience. The scoring system required clarification on two points. The timeline of the fictional murder was internally inconsistent.
“It’s a game,” Dot said.
“It’s a game with a rulebook,” Audrey said.
Netta, who had been given the card for Countess Elara Voronova and had already mispronounced it twice, declared that she was going to play her as being from Matlock. “Same energy,” she said.
The grey notebook was on the table in front of Maggie. She opened it to a new page.
The game began.
Dot narrated events not included in the scenario booklet. Inspector Morrow — Audrey — requested that all statements be recorded for procedural accuracy and produced a small notepad of her own. The Widow Blackthorn delivered a speech about her late husband that was not in the script.
Reginald, as the murderer, said very little. He poured tea when the urn was ready. He passed biscuits without being asked. When someone accused him of seeming evasive, he paused and said he supposed that was fair.
Maggie wrote something. Closed the notebook. Retrieved a fig bar from her coat pocket and ate it in three bites, unhurried. She did not look at her character card.
Netta accused the Widow Blackthorn, who was also Dot, who was also the narrator. Dot accused Inspector Morrow on the grounds that she had been taking too many notes. Audrey pointed out that this was not grounds. Dot said it was suspicious. Audrey said suspicion required evidence. Dot said the notes were the evidence.
Someone asked Maggie who she suspected. She was still Lady Cressida Vane. The card was still face-down.
“I’d need a moment,” Maggie said.
She did not take one. The deliberation moved on.
Dot was found guilty by a margin of three to one.
“I’m the narrator,” she said.
“You’re also the Widow Blackthorn,” Audrey said.
“Those are two separate roles.”
“The rulebook doesn’t accommodate two separate roles.”
Dot reached for the answer card.
Maggie set her pen down.
Reginald, across the table, did not look up. The biscuits were nearly gone. He had replaced the lid on the tin precisely.
Dot read the card.
The murderer was Colonel Ashford. There was no Colonel Ashford at the table. Someone lifted the lid. The card was still there, beneath the scenario booklet, where Dot had set it aside.
No one spoke.
“Well,” Netta said. “That’s one way to solve a murder.”
Reginald folded his hands on the table. The corner of his mouth moved slightly.
Afterwards, tea. Dot was already reading the back of Scenario Two. Mavis collected cups. Lynn located her cardigan, which had been borrowed as a costume prop by the Widow Blackthorn and returned to the back of her chair.
Netta pulled on her coat. “Did you know?”
Maggie was closing the notebook’s clasp.
“Know what?” she said.
“Who it was.”
“The scenario wasn’t complete,” Maggie said.
She said goodnight and let herself out.
At the kitchen table, later, she opened the grey notebook.
Casefile #45: In Character
Tuesday. WI hall. Seven in attendance. D. organised. Murder mystery game, first scenario. Concluded approx. 4pm. Tea.
R. brought biscuits. Blue tin. The kind L. used to order.
No one mentioned it.