Beth Byers [Byers - Murder on All Hallows

All Hallows, 1925

Vi Wakefield decides it is time to embrace the fun. Shes arranging a scavenger hunt with prizes, specialty cocktails, and costumes.

What she doesnt expect is a series of pranks that ends in a body. Once again, Vi, Jack, and friends are faced with a body, a series of mean and quite dangerous pranks, and the baffling cruelties of mankind. Will they be able to discover what is happening and why, or will this criminal escape into the night?

G inny, darling, I find myself both appalled and delighted by your presence. Violet cupped her ward, Ginny, by the face and soundly kissed both cheeks. You look fabulous for a criminal.

They deserved it, Ginny said flatly, sniffing once. Its not my fault.

She tilted her dark head and glanced about with inquisitive eyes. There was not a single gram of guilt in her gaze. In fact, if anything, Ginny was challenging. Violet hid her instinctive reaction and watched as Ginnys gaze flicked from person to person.

First she looked at Violets twin, Victor, and his wife, Kate. They were each holding one of their twin babies. From them, Ginnys gaze moved to Lila and Denny and on to Jack. Rita was the last person that Ginny paused on. She didnt know Rita as well, and their last friendHamilton Barneswas at work.

I believe, Violet said carefully, that when you take a girl by the hair, drag her through the halls, and shove her face into the sink to wash out her mouth with soap you can no longer claim that it was not your fault.

Ginny shrugged and did another one of those sniffs. Violet thought that might, in fact, be an imitation of Vi and her friends. Its not like I didnt warn Dorothy. Never call me guttersnipe again. I had said it time and again. So often that she mouthed it with me. It was time for consequences.

I agree with Ginny, Denny said, sniffing. It was time for consequences.

I agree as well, Rita said carefully, eyeing Violet. Though perhaps the consequences should have been less violent.

I might have done the same, Victor admitted and then winked at Ginny.

Violet turned on them with a dark look. Only Rita held up her hands in surrender.

Im not saying that Dorothy Poppington isnt a horrendous creature, Violet tried, but Ginny had quite a powerfully sarcastic snort.

She is! Ginny inserted and sniffed.

Im not saying that she didnt deserve consequences, Violet said again very carefully, controlling all sniffs, snorts, winks, and lifted brows.

She did.

Thank goodness Ginny didnt sniff again, Violet thought, as she was about to smack her ward on the back of her head.

But it wasnt your place, Violet told Ginny flatly. You cannot manhandle and assault your peers. You needed to report the problem to the teachers.

I did, Ginny told Violet. Miss Entley witnessed the entire event and did nothing. She didnt even scold Dorothy. I swear she laughed, though I didnt see it. I did see the other girls smiling her way. Dorothys henchwomen, I mean.

She did what now? Victor asked, gaze narrowed. He had leaned forward, and the cool threat in his voice had baby Agatha squirming.

Nothing. Ginny lost her cool as she snapped, voice low. She did nothing.

Violet took a long breath in, fists curling. She rose and left the house, walking down to the street. Violet didnt even take her coat or hat. She was wearing a gray, pleated dress, gray silk stockings, and simple gray shoes. Her hair was held back with a silver pin on the side. It had been an appropriate dress for a morning with the family.

Thankfully, it was a short drive through the city to the ladies club where Mrs. Partridge, who ran the school that Ginny attended, stayed while in London. The Partridge woman was, after all, staying at Violets own invitation.

Violet strode up the steps and past the attendant at the door. Violet rarely visited the Piccadilly Ladies Club despite being a member, but the staff knew her all the same.

Where is Mrs. Partridge?

The girl heard the cool fury in Violets voice. The dining room, my lady.

Vi stalked into the dining room and found Mrs. Partridge sitting at a table with three other ladies. Oh! Violet, dear. How nice to see you. I was just telling these ladies about your Ginny and our hopes to add more scholarship students.

Violet took a seat, noting the reporter, Emily Allen, at the table. They were not friendsnot even closebut the Allen woman enjoyed publishing a good story.

Violet nodded once and only at Miss Allen, who arched her brow. To the others, Violet said flatly, Ginny is not a scholarship student. I pay rather significantly for her to attend. In fact, I believe that my brother and I donated rather a lot to the school for you to even consider her acceptance.

Mrs. Partridge blushed and stumbled. Well, you are her benefactress, of course. Her scholarship provider as it were. Shes come so far. I believe that other children can be similarly

Bullied? Violet demanded. Treated as lesser though I paid significantly more for her to attend? I told you flatly when I placed her in your school I was trusting you with her. That she had a terrible burden of a beginning. I believe I stated quite clearly that my brother and I consider Ginny our family. We even gave her our name. My father, the earl, considers Ginny family. My stepmother, who likes no one, likes Ginny Carlyle. Yet

This is neither the time nor the place to discuss your street ward, Mrs. Wakefield, Mrs. Partridge interrupted, omitting the title that she preferred to use whenever possible. Mrs. Partridge looked down her significantly pointy nose at Violet, but Vi had been looked at thus by her own stepmother for the entirety of her life.

Violet shifted in the way she did when she put on the persona of the earls daughtera persona she avoided. Oh, I am sorry. I was confused by your lies. Lets be clear, then, this is the time youve set aside to lie to the rich women of my club and tell them that you accept and encourage young women when you do not? You seek to manipulate them with the story of my ward while she was forced to defend herself in your hallowed halls.

Mrs. Partridges gaze narrowed. Your ward is a street rat thief who torments the other children, jealous of her betters.

Violet rose, a cold smile on her face. You are a cold, cruel woman without the imagination to see what lies ahead. Let me help you. Dorothy Poppington will marry a drunkard who doesnt love her. Hell burn through her fortune, and when shes penniless shell be a burden on the people around her, but shell still believe herself better than you.

Mrs. Partridge put her hand over her chest.

While Ginny Carlyle with her intelligence, kindness, bravery, and friends will be a successful woman capable of doing anything she wants. But, heres the rub, she will be better than you then. She is better than you now. She was better than you when she was a hungry orphan taking care of her sick grandmother and still willing to risk herself to save Isolde Carlyle.

Dont think you can bring her back to my school. Shes aahoodlum!

Violet slowly smiled. Do you remember our contract? Because it was specific. You should read the details of it once again. You should remember that the funds I provided were not a donation. You sold your soul, Partridge, to be able to use my name and accept my ward. Consider me the devil calling your bill due.

Marissa Partridge paled.

Ill be taking control of the school, or youll be returning my funds. I believe the contract gives you three days. Those start now. Enjoy your brunch, ladies.