The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

by Ally Carter

“Well, somehow I doubt he would say the same about you.” Eleanor’s voice was low and her eyes were mischievous and Maggie was just starting to wonder what it all meant

“As I told you, Victoria, Maggie, Ethan, and Sir Jasper are my guests,” Eleanor said from her place at the head of the table. Her gaze was sharp, but her tone was overly indulgent. “I’m a great admirer of their work. Besides, it seemed we were going to have more than enough room this year.” She shook out her napkin. “Tell me again why your boys couldn’t make it?” The question was just innocent enough to disguise that it had teeth. Victoria smiled but took a sip of her drink, leaving the duke to explain. “Switzerland. Skiing. Couldn’t miss it.”

“I don’t talk about my past because I’m not the star of my books. Ultimately”—dramatic pause—“my characters have to speak for themselves.”

whispered, “I could always pick you out of a lineup.”

I’m not surprised he left her. I’m not surprised he left her. I’m not surprised— “Maggie?” It was the pity in his eyes that did it—that lit the fuse and made her burn. “Sometimes I lie in bed at night, thinking of ways to kill you and make it look like an accident.”

She hated him because he was universally adored and even the people who were legally obligated to love Maggie had shrugged and said maybe not. She hated him because she was alone and afraid and nothing. She was nothing. And Ethan . . . Ethan hadn’t even known her name.

“You’re Margaret Elizabeth Chase. Born January fifteenth, which does make you a Capricorn. I don’t know your rising sign, but I could look it up for you if you want. You’ve written twenty-eight novels under four different names—three of which you just started using in the last year. I don’t know why, but I’m gonna find out.”

and if Maggie knew anything, it was that good didn’t last and the best you could hope for was okay. Okay was fine. Okay was bearable. Okay was a nice, slow ride around a flat, even track—no angst-ridden climbs or terrible falls. A high-free, low-free existence and it was all she wanted.

“I know the world hasn’t given you a lot of reasons to believe this, but just so you know, if you were mine, I’d never make you park the car because my shoes are suede. If you were mine, I’d carry you through the storm. If you were mine, I’d fight the sky.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “All this time, I thought you knew. I thought we had an inside joke.” “Oh, Ethan—” “If I’d known you didn’t remember . . . I never meant to hurt you. The last thing I would ever do is hurt you.” The words were almost as hard as the look in his eyes. “I will never hurt you.” “I know.”

“You know, if mankind has one universal superpower, it’s gaslighting women into thinking they’re the problem.”