The Boarding House Horror

17. No Concerts Right Now, Please

The blind woman grimaced. "I keep forgetting to mention that. Yes, I hope we can draw the snake out. It should find that trapped mouse tempting. To glimpse it would be nice proof."

Daria also drew her feet off the floor, her facial expression dark. "You couldn't have mention that a little sooner?"

"Sorry," Ace hung her head a little.

Mariam nudged me. "So who's the snake trainer?"

I liked getting those nudges. "Well, means and opportunity are no help, as everyone had both. Well, except Mario. He is no animal handler."

"No!" Mario blurted. "Like I tell-a you, if I were to do it, I would just-a do it." Daria shot him a black look.

I said, "That leaves us with motive. Surely, thought I, only one of the guests could have a suitably strong reason for killing Raptis."

"But no?" prompted Mariam.

"I uncovered motives for everyone. You, Mariam, have a sneaky side, and Raptis singled you out for special torment. If you were yourself a snake-trainer, you might take a gamble on releasing the animal in the night."

Mariam wrinkled her forehead at me. "Honestly, that's not completely crazy. But I don't like snakes."

"And Lazar is another. Raptis threatened to expose his past to his employer."

The ex-soldier did not deign to reply, but kept his vigil.

Mario cheerfully volunteered, "I hated him, too."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "I'm on your suspect list, too?"

"Oh, yes," I said. "At first it was your refusal to divulge your personal information, and now it is your interesting status as a hunter of ex-Ottomans. If you had a venomous pet, why not release it and quietly rid the world of another?"

"That's disgusting." Ace's chin rose and she turned her face from me.

"Sorry if I offended," I said flatly, "but thinking the best of people is not an effective way to conduct a murder inquiry.

Trevor rubbed two fingers on his temple. "I suppose my motive would be Lola's death."

"Yes, the revenge motive. I learned from Mario that most people assume that Lola was herself murdered. Sorry to be so blunt, Trevor."

He stared at me with hollow eyes. "Nothing changes the fact that she is gone. Nothing changes that singular fact."

Daria tore her eyes from the widower. "What about me? Does it have something to do with that will you mentioned?

"Yes, that's right." I paused for another sip of water. "I suppose one never knows until after the lawyers have a go, but the document I saw grants most of his assets to you."

Mario sat bolt upright. "Do not take them! Daria, do not accept that dirty money, unless you take it to the orphanage and give it all away."

Daria's jaw dropped. She murmured, "Why, Mario. What an amazing thing to say."

"I," he said, "am serious."

"I believe you." Daria lay her head on his arm as it rested over her shoulders.

I said, "Close family is always high on the suspect list, and there could be an additional greed motive for Daria, but only if she is an excellent liar. I saw no sign that she told even one untruth." I glanced at the patrolling Lazar. "Mr. Yankov, on the other hand, would make a terrible poker player."

"This is true," he replied. For the first time all day a grin spread across his face, and the transformation was like sunshine after rain. But the sunshine passed and his pacing resumed, his darting eyes restless.

"So," Mariam's coy voice warbled, "Who is the snake charmer?"

"I'd prefer to establish that there is a snake, first."

"You're a terrible tease, Bartel." Her eyebrow rose in challenge.

"Perhaps. But let me just ask it. Did someone here bring a snake?"

Silence fell, except for the crackling of the fire and the click of Lazar's boots as he paced.

Mariam huffed a gust of breath. "So what do we do now? Sit around and wait for assassins to invade? Or sit around and wait for a venomous snake to slither in?"

Each face closed tight, lips compressed, brows knit together.

"We wait and make the best of it," said Mario. "There is stew. Or you could play for us, Daria."

Daria said, "I don't feel like playing piano."

Ace's head snapped around. "There's a piano?"

The blonde piano teacher bobbed her head in the affirmative, though Ace couldn't see the gesture. "Yes, over by Lazar."

"Oh, I wish I had known. I love a piano."

Lazar spared a glance over at the women. "No concerts right now, please."

Without warning, Trevor cried out and hunched forward.

"Snake!" shrieked Daria.

My bewildered eyes roved, fruitlessly. Once again, when sudden action beckoned, I sat paralyzed and uncomprehending, unable to influence events.