Janus Yellow looked concerned. "Are we stuck on Fidelis Island?"

Penelope, his wife, had just informed him that the impending storm had caused all the ferries to stop running.

Janus lamented, “If the nudist show on the mainland hadn’t been cancelled, we would have been home by now.”

“I know you were looking forward to that show, Janus, but we have been through this. The nudists told me that the venue they booked was too cold. Given the short notice, we were fortunate to secure the ornithologist's booking for last night.”

The seven ‘Perfect Murder Mystery Players’ actors were all standing there in a circle, on the very stage they had successfully performed on last night. With a storm brewing and the first ferry full, they had chosen to wait and rehearse until another ferry arrived.

"You think that in nineteen-seventy-six there would be other ways of getting to the mainland other than a boat,” Janus muttered, not wanting to let it go.

“There will be another ferry as soon as this storm blows over.” A sudden howl of wind filled the theatre’s auditorium, and the loud slam of a backstage door emphasised Penelope's point.

“It is unfortunate, but it appears we will be spending another night at Baskerville Hall. However, on the positive side, it does allow us to carry on with this rehearsal for next week's show.”

An audible groan rumbled around the ring of cast members; none of the actors liked rehearsing.

A sharp scream from backstage shattered their silence, and the seven actors glanced towards the rear of the stage. A tall, bottle-blonde woman staggered onto the stage. She wore a grey hotel badge with gold letters, which read, Deni Spiller (Hotel Keeper).

However, it wasn't the badge that drew the actor's attention. What did were the large splatters of blood that covered her hotel uniform and the knife in her left hand, also coated in blood.

A crumpled piece of paper went unnoticed in her right hand.

She staggered once more, holding the knife in the air. Her mouth frothed as unintelligible words gurgled out of her. She then spun in the middle of the circle of actors.

The shocked actors looked on as the dagger pointed at each of them.

She screamed, “You did it. You KILLED me!”

Then, with a choking gurgle, she collapsed in the middle of them—Deni Spiller was DEAD.

*****

Meanwhile, just a mile away at Baskerville Hall, Detective Jack Reader was actively working on a case. His eyes were currently doing the investigating, as they studied the tight, firm ass of his partner, Doctor Katie Payne. She was bending over, looking into an open wall safe and describing its contents.

He should have been taking diligent notes, documenting the evidence that she was currently reciting to him. With a hidden boyish grin, he scribbled some notes as his eyes travelled downward along her shapely legs, his cock stirring as he caught a glimpse of her stocking top.

"Jack, have you got all that?" Katie asked, standing back up.

“Yep, tight, firm ass, shapely legs with a hint of stocking. I think I got it all.”

“Ass!”

“Tight, firm ass,” Jack grinned as he showed his partner his notes.

Katie couldn’t help smiling, though she was constantly worried that their clandestine dating would have to go public soon. The police force strictly prohibited couples in a relationship from working together.

Detective Jack Reader and Doctor Katie Payne had been discreetly dating for a year. His tall, rugged looks, dominant personality, and slightly greying hair were underlined by a tender side that came with a smattering of boyish humour.

Then there was the sex, where Jack enjoyed exerting control and pushing Katie's sexual boundaries in a way no other man had ever done before. Yet, afterwards, he was only too pleased to snuggle up and cuddle. 

It hadn’t taken Jack long to win Katie’s heart.

The call to investigate a possible burglary at Briarcliff Manor on Fidelis Island had come as a surprise to the two detectives. They had travelled over twenty miles from their large mainland city to investigate a simple break-in that resulted in no theft.

Their involvement was political, as the extremely wealthy yet reclusive Lord and Lady Blue necessitated a police response.

The couple saw it as an opportunity to unwind and relish their time together, away from the city. There was little risk of anyone here discovering that they were not only detective partners but also a couple in real life.

Yesterday they had caught the ferry to Fidelis Island and stayed at Baskerville Hall. Their instructions were to be discrete, as elderly Lord and Lady Blue, who were currently holidaying in Marbella, didn’t want the break-in splashed across the press.

“Where is their son, Peter?” Katie questioned. He had called the police and should have been assisting the detectives with their questions. Yet on arrival, they learned he was not staying at Briarcliff Manor.

"London," Jack replied. "That's what the butler told me. Apparently, he rarely leaves the city, as it is too dull and too quiet here. When he called about the break-in, it was the first time he had visited in months; that is why we are three weeks late.”

Katie shrugged. “I guess we need to be seen following up, but the crime trail is cold, apart from the photo, and even that is not much help.”

The fuzzy image told them little. They had worked out that the perpetrator was over five feet six and had enough money to purchase one of these new-fangled instant cameras. But they could have been either male or female.

From what they could make out, someone had just walked into Lord Blue’s office, opened the concealed safe, and taken photos of its contents before putting it all back. The break-in would have gone unnoticed without the single photo from the new, hidden security camera.

The detective looked at Katie. “It is a pity that the family wants to keep the details of the three documents private. All the family will reveal to us is that two of the documents are variations of the same legal will, outlining what happens when Peter reaches the age of twenty-five and legally assumes control of the estate. The other document is a legal agreement covering the first two documents.”

“When is he twenty-five?” Katie enquired as she peered out the window, noticing the wind for the first time.

“In two months.”

With his normal formality, the butler knocked and announced, "Sir, I have a phone call for you."

In less than ten minutes, Detective Jack Reader and Doctor Katie Payne were on their way to Baskerville Hall.

"I couldn't say anything back there, but it looks like a murder has taken place at Baskerville Hall."

"A woman who works there, called Deni Spiller, collapsed and died on the stage. The local police are currently handling the crime scene, but they need two detectives there as soon as possible.

“Where we stayed last night?”

“The very same, and that’s not all. It looks like it will be just the two of us running the case as the island ferries have been cancelled. There is a storm coming in, so it is unlikely there will be any until tomorrow.”

“Some positive news, then,” Katie remarked as she ran her hand up Jack’s thigh until it rested squarely on his cock. She felt it stir and smiled. “It looks like we're going to be forced to sleep together again; it’s the island’s only hotel. Do you think we could have the same room? – That is if your head can take it!”

As Katie’s hand sent warm feelings to his groan, his mind went back to last night and their relationship.

They had watched the murder mystery play that the hotel had put on before retiring to their shared old-fashioned bedroom and the romantic four-poster bed. While it wasn’t unusual for Katie and Jack to sleep together, last night felt different. Perhaps it was the sense of being away together, the romantic setting, or even the sea air.

Jack had been thinking about proposing for a while, and he even had the engagement ring in its box, snugly nestled in his jacket pocket. He was simply searching for the perfect moment to propose.

He liked to be in control, just like he had been last night. Katie submitted to him, the bed gently rocking, her hands and feet tied to the posts with silk scarves. Sex had been at first frantic, with Katie taking his large cock in her mouth, licking and teasing until he grabbed her hair and fucked her mouth—his first ejaculation splashing down her throat.

It had come as a surprise to him that Katie was submissive in bed. She was so clever, intelligent, and strong-willed when they worked their crime cases.

With sex, Katie wanted her partner to assume control and force her to both give and receive the carnal pleasures she had always craved. Last night, they had taken advantage of the four-poster bed, with Katie’s body reacting and her cunt gushing as his large cock took her with masterful strokes.

The sex had been wonderful—the climax glorious, even if he was now carrying a bruise from where he banged his head on the four-poster bed, top beam.

Jack knew he was a lucky man to be with someone as attractive as Katie, both in a professional and private relationship. Her beauty often betrayed her intelligence. Jack would never admit it; he knew she was smarter than him, though he was better when it came to reading people. Their strengths made them a formidable team.

Yet he had to admit that it wasn't her intellect that initially drew her to him.

Jack Reader was an ass-and-leg man, and Katie had lucked out in both departments. A wave swept through her honey-blonde hair, its length barely grazing her shoulders. Her painted red voluptuous lips and green smiling eyes complemented her hair, and at five feet seven, she was nine inches shorter than Jack and nine years younger at thirty-four.

Katie may have a past; she went through a divorce three years ago, but she didn't carry any baggage in the form of kids. That had been his only condition before they got together. If Jack Reader raised children, they would be his.

After a winding car journey that took little more than ten minutes, the couple found themselves at Baskerville Hall, ironically pulling into the same parking space they had left only six hours earlier.

Sergeant Tower anticipating their arrival, welcomed them. He assured the detectives that nothing had been touched, and a doctor had certified the body. He then added, “We have their names and addresses, but with the approaching storm, all of the ornithologists have left."

“They checked out before Ms Spiller did?” Jack asked as Katie rolled her eyes in disapproval, schoolboy humour again.

The sergeant nodded his head, not getting his city joke.

As the three of them walked, Sergeant Tower filled them both in on the crime scene, giving them the information they included and telling them both that the main suspects were a semi-professional drama group called "The Perfect Murder Mystery Players."

"There are seven individuals involved: Greg Green, Penny Pink, Penelope Red—”

"—Pam Purple, Slick Silver, Mindy Mint, and Janus Yellow, we watched their show last night.” Detective Reader pulled out the show's pamphlet that he had been carrying in his pocket. It matched the one in Sergeant Tower’s hand.

“On stage, they all dress in the colour of their last name. In last night’s show, the killer was Mindy Mint,” he cautiously said as he glanced towards his partner, knowing he had got it wrong by insisting that Pam Purple was the murderer.

Katie had made a different suggestion, which turned out to be right!

As soon as the sergeant left them, the two detectives looked at each other; they knew the routine—it was time to get down to work.

“What can you tell me, Dr Payne?”

Reading off the notes that Sergeant Tower had given them, she said. “We have a deceased Caucasian lady, forty years old, named Deni Spiller. She is single, has no children, and has worked for Lord and Lady Blue for fifteen years. She used to work as the housekeeper at their manor, but for the last five years has held a similar position here at Baskerville Hall. Her official title is Hotel Keeper, and she manages the team of cleaners. She lives in a small staff apartment within the hotel—which we will need to search.”

Detective Reader agreed as they both glanced down at the body.

"Jack, this blood is just as phoney as the knife.”

Reader nodded, not wanting to question how she could tell so easily; the blood seemed real to him.

He glanced at her and suggested, "Let's do a walk-through, then a once over the body."

They both walked backstage and into the actor’s dressing room. It was where Ms Spiller had emerged from before stumbling onto the stage.

The first thing they noticed was a tall bottle of red liquid that had been knocked over. It covered half the dressing table and was dripping onto the wooden floor and into an ever-growing pool of blood. At the rear of the room was an open door, gently swinging in the breeze.

The doctor read the label on the spilt bottle and confirmed with an inward smile that it was fake blood and told Jack just that. She knew he couldn’t tell the difference. 

Katie Payne stated, "It appears that Ms Spiller stumbled through the rear door and grabbed the knife. In doing so, she knocked the bottle of blood over, covering herself and the dressing table. She must have known she was dying as she staggered onto the stage.”

With authority, Jack Reader said, “It looks that way, Dr Payne.” He was trying to sound like he was there way ahead of her. He then added, “The sergeant's notes indicate that a door slammed just a few seconds before Ms Spiller's appearance on stage. So if the blood and knife are both false, how did she die?”

“I need to conduct some tests, but I am fairly certain that she was poisoned. Whether it was injected or digested, or the exact timescales, is hard to say. However, my best guess is within the last twenty-four hours.”

Detective Reader stared at his partner; how could she know all that? Doctor Payne hadn’t even examined Ms Spiller’s body.

He took the easy answer and just nodded.

They returned to Ms Spiller's body, and with the crime scene now preserved in a series of photos, they started to retrieve the evidence before getting the body to the local hospital mortuary, where Doctor Payne would perform her tests.

With gloves on, Detective Reader carefully removed the blood-covered knife from Ms Spiller’s left hand. He confirmed that the blade was sprung-loaded and just harmlessly slid back into the handle. With care, he bagged it.

Jack Reader directed his attention to the body's right hand; it had a screwed-up piece of paper in it. He carefully removed it and read what it said.

“PAY £300,000 or I go public.”

The rest of the paper was blank. It was unclear whether she had received or was sending the note.

“Blackmail,” the Reader remarked as he showed the note to Dr Payne before she left with the body for the local hospital.

*****

Detective Reader gathered the following information from the hotel manager, some of which he already knew:

Ms Spiller was forty years old, single, and never married. No children. She lived in a staff apartment at Baskerville Hall and worked there as the hotelkeeper for the last five years. She was in charge of a small group of cleaning staff. Before that, she worked at the manor house for ten years and was friendly with Lord and Lady Blue and their son, Peter. Until recently, she had spent quite a lot of her free time at Briarcliff Manor.

Deni Spiller was a private person who did their job well but kept things to herself and lacked close friendships with the hotel's staff. Unfounded rumours circulated, suggesting that she was a lesbian who saw other women away from the island—in the same city where Detective Reader and Dr Payne worked.

Jack mentally noted that he should reach out to the city's police station to find out if Ms. Spiller was well-known in any of the city's gay bars.

Deni Spiller's staff apartment was rather plain and small compared to the large, ornate room he and Katie were staying in. However, the room search did bring up two items of interest.

The first was two empty wine glasses, one with a red lipstick stain on its rim.

The other item was an old black diary, found inside the drawer of the bedside cabinet. It contained a handwritten list of names and telephone numbers, of which only Peter Blue's name held any significance for Jack Reader. However, two diary entries caught his eye.

The first read: twenty-five, left, forty-one right, six-left, twenty-one right, eleven-left. 

The other was for last night; it just read: ten p.m. 

He called the sergeant, who arranged for the room to be photographed and the empty glasses tested to determine their contents. Strangely, there wasn’t an empty wine bottle or even a cork.

The detectives’ last check before reporting back to headquarters was Ms Spiller’s makeup, particularly the lipstick colours. There wasn't any red. 

*****

Detective Jack Reader and Doctor Katie Payne stood there looking out of their bedroom window at the stormy weather. They had just finished reading the seven ‘Perfect Murder Mystery Player's’ statements. Each one detailed what they had done from the moment they first arrived on Fidelis Island.

Doctor Payne’s preliminary results of Deni Spiller’s body examination had confirmed that she had been poisoned, though the timing and exact poison used remained unknown. However, what was surprising was the method of administration. She had been poisoned by an object being repeatedly pushed into her rectum, maybe as part of a sex act.

However, later, when reading Detective Reader's notes, Katie couldn't help but roll her eyes and mutter the word "child."

He had simply put—the poison was fucked into her ass!

*****

In alphabetical order, the Perfect Murder Mystery Player's stage names are: Greg Green, Mindy Mint, Penny Pink, Pam Purple, Penelope Red, Slick Silver, and Janus Yellow.

Both detectives were aware that one of them had become a real killer.

But before conducting the interviews, they searched the sealed hotel rooms of the seven actors. Their investigation revealed several intriguing insights into their private lives, the main one being that they were all very sexually active, even the innocent-looking Ms Mint.

Mindy Mint’s room was tidy. It had several racy Harold Robins novels and a vibrator on the bedside cabinet. Interestingly, there was also a pair of binoculars. It was an unexpected discovery, and both detectives agreed that it was unlikely Mindy had used them to watch the island's Golden Orioles.

As they sat watching the show last night they learnt from the ornithologists that Fidelis Island was the home of the UK’s only breeding colony of these birds.

Greg Green's room was very different. It looked like he hadn’t bothered to unpack, most of his clothes being still in his suitcase. It was also noted that there were no coat hangers in the wardrobe. 

However, the detective’s main attention was drawn to the two sets of handcuffs still fastened to the headboard rails. Their presence reminded Jack and Katie of the wonderful sex they had last night.

In the bathroom, there were two toothbrushes, women’s toiletries, and makeup, including bright red lipstick.

Slick Silver and Pam Purple, a married couple, shared a room. When the detectives searched it, they found the bed was neatly made, but nothing of real interest other than a small black address book, which they flicked through. One name stood out: Peter Blue, the son of Lord and Lady Blue.

Penny Pink’s room was in a different hotel wing to the rest of her acting colleagues, one floor above Ms Spiller’s small staff apartment.

A careful look through Penny Pink's wardrobe confirmed most of her clothes were a shade of pink, and it came as no great surprise that they only found pink lipsticks. It seemed that in real life, Penny Pink dressed similarly to her stage character.

However, it wasn’t her clothes that seemed to attract the detective’s attention; it was the collection of sex toys she had with her. There were several pink vibrators, three different-sized skin-toned dildos, and most interestingly, a strap-on harness with a larger plastic pink cock sticking out of it.

With a grin, Detective Reader asked Katie if she had ever worn anything like that.

Her only reply was, “Are you interested in me fucking you with one?”

Penelope Red and Janus Yellow's room was, somewhat surprisingly, the messiest of all. Given their position as directors of the ‘Perfect Murder Mystery Players,’ the detectives had expected it to be both the cleanest and tidiest.

The bed covers were on the floor, various items of clothing were scattered, and condom wrappers were still on the side. A strap-on dildo still lay on the bed, and a collection of sex toys rested on the bedside table. Interestingly, on the dressing table, there was an array of different shades of red lipstick. 

With the room searches completed, it was now time to question the seven actors and find out which one was the murderer.

*****

Detective Reader looked at his partner and said, “Before we start these interviews, Doctor Payne, we must remember one of these cast members is now a killer and therefore liable to lie.”

Katie Payne just knowingly smiled; it was her only answer. 

Pam Purple. Her full name was Mrs Pamela Jane Sutton, and she was married to Slick Silver, for three years and a member of the Perfect Murder Mystery Players for five. At twenty-seven, she looked stunningly beautiful, and of the four women in the acting group, Pam Purple simply stood out.

She had a white complexion and a curvaceous figure. Her dark black hair had a natural wave and was long enough to touch her bra strap. Mrs Purple's deep blue eyes captivated you, and her slightly petite curvy figure resembled that of a glamorous model.

“I hope you don’t mind us calling you by your stage name; it just makes it easier for us all,” Detective Reader said as Pam Purple sat down in the small private office they had commandeered.

Like all the 'Players', she was not bothered.

With Katie Payne taking notes and Jack Reader asking the majority of the questions, they reached the crucial part of the last thirty-six hours. What transpired following the conclusion of last night's show?

It was likely that Ms Spiller's poisoning occurred during this time.

"Remember, Mrs Purple, this is a murder inquiry, so I will advise you to leave nothing out.”

“Nothing?”

"Absolutely nothing, Mrs Purple—well, unless you have something to hide!"

"Of course, I am not.”

”If we uncover something you were hiding, it will be harder for you to deny being the killer.”

Unknown to Jack, his assertive remarks were sending little naughty shivers down Katie’s spine. She liked it when this dominant side came out. Detective Reader was so different from her former husband. It had taken her ten years to leave him, their love and passion ebbing away as she realised he couldn’t give her what she wanted.

She needed an alpha man who could sexually dominate her and make her submit to him.

Last night she had submitted to Jack’s cock, sucking him, swallowing it whole, and then letting him fuck her mouth just like a slut. No man had ever done that to her before. When it came to sex, Katie was submissive; she needed to be shown and told what she had to do. She wanted to give naughty, even kinky pleasure to her man.

When Jack came, she gladly gulped his semen as her fingers found her wet, sensitive folds. It was a mutual pleasure—her swallowing his cum as she came on the hotel room floor.

Then, just when she thought he was done, he playfully threw her onto the bed and tied her to the four corner posts.

She was willingly his, Jack taking her with long, masterful strokes, and her body soon swathed in orgasmic pleasure. With Jack, she knew what real sex was like; she needed her alpha man. 

Then, after they had both reached their climax, another emotion emerged: laughter.

In a rush for the tissues, Jack jumped up and bumped his head on the four-poster bed cross-beam. He cursed and hopped around naked, rubbing his head, his flaccid cock swinging. 

She lay there, in the afterglow, still tied down but now giggling like a schoolgirl, taking in Jack's new dance routine. Sometimes it was these little things that you remember; she smiled, her thoughts now creeping back into the interview room. 

“My husband is a cuckold detective. You do know what that is?”

Reader shrugged; he wasn’t sure. He glanced behind Mrs Purple and towards Katie; he was looking for help. She silently flapped her hands like a bird.

“A cuckoo?”

“A cuckold,” Pam replied, disbelieving.

Katie tried her best not to laugh and then amplified her hand movement to make sure Jack knew she had written that down. 

He did his best to ignore her.

Mrs Purple sighed. “Look, I know you don’t believe me, but my husband wants me to sleep with other men, and that's what I want too, specifically black men.”

Detective Reader looked at her sceptically. 

The scrutiny was enough to prompt Pam Purple to pull up her dress in front of both of the officers before quickly dropping her knickers. She wanted to show them the black Queen-of-Spades tattoo that nestled on her fully-shaven pussy mound.

“There is my proof,” she said triumphantly.

“Well, at least the tattoo matches the colour of your hair!” Jack Reader remarked instinctively. 

“Make sure you have that in your notes, Doctor Payne.”

“I have seen a tattoo before, detective,” Katie stated. Though she knew he was talking about the absence of pubic hair. Shaving it off was something he had mentioned several times, Jack’s last sexual partner having done it!

"Right, Mrs Purple, we got the message; you can cover yourself up. We have a few other questions.”

Jack held up the address book they had found in their room. “Is this yours?”

“It is ours; where did you get it from? You have stolen it!”

“Borrowed it, and remember, Mrs Purple, we are trying to solve a murder.”

It turned out that they both used the address book and carried it with them everywhere to stay in touch with people back home.

Pam also explained that she had only been on the island once before with her husband, Slick Silver, whose hobby was birdwatching. She stayed in the town, but her husband went to see the Golden Orioles. It was there he met Peter Blue, and they became friends. 

Mrs Purple confirmed that she had only seen Demi Spiller when Greg Green spoke to her about the lack of coat hangers in his wardrobe and that she didn’t have any children.

Regarding her career, she had dabbled in modelling and acting, but she asserted that she didn't require a job because her husband, along with his family, owned a sizable construction company.

“Thank you, Mrs Purple; you may go; here is your telephone book.”

Jack Reader gave the little black book back, and after receiving a thank you, watched her backside wiggle its way out of their temporary office.

“Make sure you don’t go blind,” Katie whispered in his ear.

His eyes slowly return to hers.

“Yours is nicer,” he stated and smiled.

Jack knew it was not in Katie’s nature to be jealous, unlike his last girlfriend. It was one of the many things he liked about her and part of the reason he had taken the huge step of purchasing an engagement ring.

“Why did you give her the address book back?”

In crime cases, it was rare Katie didn't understand something before Jack.

“Partly because she has a nice ass.”

“And,” Katie was not taking the bait.

“And partly because that was her client list.”

“She is a prostitute?”

“Let’s just say Peter Blue wasn’t the only wealthy person in that book, and whether she is or not, is something we do not need to know about.”

Katie nodded and then asked, “Detective Reader, apart from having a nice ass, was there anything she said that helped us with our case?”

*****

Greg Green. His full name was Greg Adrian Summer; he was single and the only black member of the Perfect Murder Mystery Players, a group he had been a part of for almost ten years. At thirty-six, and tall, even Detective Reader had to admit that he was handsome, though perhaps he wouldn’t go as far as Doctor Payne.

She had written in her notes: “Greg Green looks like he came straight out of a mail-order catalogue.”

He also had a bit of an attitude when it came to the police.

With a little effort, he confirmed what Pam Purple had said—that her husband, Slick Silver, was fully aware that they had spent the night together. Mr Green went as far as suggesting that her husband encouraged his wife to sleep with other men and that Slick Silver was no angel himself.

“So who does he sleep with?”

“He is my friend, so ask him yourself,” Green retorted.

"I will, but when you refer to him as a friend, does that imply that you sleep with him and Mrs Purple together?"

"Unlike the rest of the cast, Pam and I are completely straight. So to be clear, I only fuck women and other than her husband, Mrs Purple only fucks black men. Don’t you realise that the Perfect Murder Mystery Players are a group of sexually liberated people?”

Greg Green paused and then said, a little more calmly, "We are called ‘Players’ for that reason, and it is not because we are actors. If you are not willing to sleep with other members, then you don’t stay in the group very long.”

“Thank you, Mr Green. However, that begs the question, "Which other 'Players' have you slept with?"

“Only Pam and Penny Pink; I had a relationship with Penny a while back, but these days she is more into other women.”

“And you are more into, Mrs Purple.”

“Exactly.”

Doctor Payne took over the questioning, realising a softer female touch was needed, and they quickly went through the more mundane subjects.

Mr Green had never been on the island before, nor had he met Peter Blue, and when not acting, he worked in the hospitality industry.

He had only spoken to Deni Spiller once when he noticed her "Hotel Keeper" badge and enquired about getting some coat hangers so he could hang his clothes up. That happened around noon yesterday.

“One last question, Mr Green, when we checked your room, unlike the other ‘Players’ it looked like you were packed and ready to leave.”

"Well, I haven't even unpacked yet, but you're correct—unlike Pam Purple, I had to depart because I am auditioning in London tomorrow. You see, I am planning to leave the ‘Players’ as soon as I am successful in obtaining a part in the West End. I simply feel that ten years was enough, and it was time to move on.

“That impromptu rehearsal caused a delay, and once we learned about the impending storm, we found ourselves stranded here. If all had gone to plan, I would have been on the earlier ferry with the ornithologists.” 

“Thank you, Mr Green, you can leave.”

“Are there any clues there, Detective Reader?”

He shrugged, not knowing.

“I think it's time to bring in Slick Silver,” Doctor Payne suggested.

*****

Slick Silver. His full name was Mr Steven John Sutton, and he was married to Pam Purple, for three years and a member of the Mystery Players for five. Silver, was thirty years old, and had slightly receding hair and a tightly cropped beard. He was also a good eight inches shorter than Jack Reader, who, in summing Mr Silver’s looks up, wrote ‘Pretty Boy’ in his notes.

He explained that he came from a wealthy family who owned a large construction company and that he and his three brothers had recently taken over the running of it from their father. He also confirmed that he had never seen or spoken to Deni Spiller, nor did he or Pam have any children. As for being on Fidelis Island, he had been here many times to see the breeding colony of Golden Orioles.

“I even brought Pam here once, though she never made it further than the town's shops and bars.”

That figures, Jack Reader thought, "And what is your relationship with Peter Blue?"

He was hoping the question would bring a response. 

“Peter Blue, why do you want to know about him? He is just a bird-watching friend who lives in London.”

“Anything more than that?”

“I know he used to live here, but I don’t understand how he is relevant, detective.”

Once again realising the need for a softer approach, Doctor Payne took over the questioning.

“Mr Silver, let us just say Peter Blue might be of interest to us in this case, and we need to understand your relationship with him.”

“I still don’t understand; all I know is that he is adopted and has plenty of money to spend on the ladies. Does that help?”

Katie smiled, then surprisingly said, “We thought the play was very good, though maybe a little easy to work out who the killer was, but still very good—isn't that right, Jack?”

Jack grunted his reply, knowing that Katie was subtlety remaindering him, which one of them got last night’s murderer right.

“I feel like you don’t understand the type of open relationship Pam and I have; our marriage was convenient, and the sexual arrangement is by mutual agreement.”

“Pam was a nude model at the time, and I was finding myself increasingly questioned by my family about my sexuality. We met at an amateur show production and struck up a conversation. It took a year for us to marry; she has financial security, and I have a beautiful woman on my arm.”

"You see, officers, Pam is a cover for me because I don't want my family to know that I'm both a cuckold and bisexual. Let’s just say it would not go down well.”

Turning to Detective Reader, Silver continued, “It is nineteen-seventy-six, and I am over twenty-one. So, engaging in sex with other men isn’t a crime anymore. If you need to know, my relationship with Peter Blue involves both bird-watching and occasional consenting sex.”

Reader nodded, even though he believed that sex between two men should still be illegal, an opinion that was completely at odds with Katie's.

Silver continued, “But of course tastes change; these days Pam and I rarely have full sex; she allows me to watch but now prefers black men. Perhaps she mentioned to you both that she has a Queen-of-Spades tattoo on her mound above her pussy. ”

Reader and Payne exchanged a look, each recalling the image for different reasons.

Slick Silver misunderstood their glance, “Don’t feel sorry, officers. I love my wife, and she loves me. You need to remember, it is only sex, and if you must know, I have fucked all the cast members except Mindy Mint and Greg Green. Those two are off limits.”

“What do you mean, off limits?” Reader questioned.

“Greg might be regularly fucking my wife, but he is also a good friend and straight, while the innocent-looking Mindy Mint is a lesbian, so both are off limits.”

Slick Silver explained that after last night’s show, he had watched his wife get ready and then leave with Greg Green, but for once he didn’t go with her to watch. He wanted to spend some time down at the hotel bar with the ornithologists, and on his way, he collected Janus Yellow. 

“You must have seen us; there was a large group at our table.”

Jack and Katie glanced at each other, unable to suppress a smile as they recalled their actions from last night, which were strikingly similar to those of Silver's wife and Mr Green.

Once again, Slick Silver miss understood their glance. "If you don't believe me, simply ask the bar staff; given that both our wives were entertaining, what else could we do?"

“Who was Penelope Red entertaining, Mr Silver?”

“Penny Pink, they had made prior arrangements.”

“So let me get this straight: you both went to the bar from the show at nine-thirty p.m. and stayed till?”

“We had a shower and then went to the bar, so say nine fifty. We left together at around eleven to spend the rest of the night in a foursome with Penny and Penelope. I imagine you both received quite a surprise when you searched Janus's room."

Jack Reader didn’t answer; he just thanked Mr Silver and told him that he could leave, which he did.

Smiling, Doctor Payne asked, “Are there any clues there, Detective Reader?”

"I'm unsure, but I can't shake the feeling that he shared something significant with us. I think it's time to bring in Penny Pink.”

*****

Penny Pink. Her full name was Miss Penny Lesley Smith; she was single, thirty-eight and a member of the Perfect Murder Mystery Players for six years.

Detective Reader couldn't help but smile as the tall Miss Pink gracefully entered the interview room.

Unlike the other 'Players', who had been dressed casually, Penny Pink appeared as if she had just stepped off the stage. She was wearing a shimmering pink dress and no bra, her nipples and areola hinting their presence through the thin, shiny material.

Miss Pink was attractive; her long, slender body was one of a dancer. Her hair was bra strap long, a golden brown at its crown, running down its length for a few tantalising inches before graduating into platinum blonde.

After taking in her body, Detective Jack Reader looked at her face. It was flawless—her foundation, the makeup, and those lips painted with shocking pink lipstick and matching perfectly manicured nails.

“Are you ready to start the interview, detective?” Katie asked while grinning at her partner.

His girlfriend’s words energised Reader. With his jaw now returning to his mouth, he started asking questions and quickly confirmed that Miss Pink did not have any children. She was once in a relationship with Greg Green, but it ended shortly after Pam Purple joined the players.

“So, how is your relationship with Mrs Purple today?” Detective Reader asked. He was thinking there could be some friction there.

“We work well together, detective. The Perfect Murder Mystery Players are all close, but to answer your question, Pam and I have never had sex. She remains the only ‘Player’ I haven’t slept with.”

“Do you swing both ways, detective?” Miss Pink cheekily asked, already suspecting that he didn’t.

“Only when I walk naked from the shower," was Jack’s straight answer.

Katie Payne found herself silently giggling, knowing he was right!

“So, Miss Pink, did you know the victim, Ms Spiller?”

“I knew her, detective. I wondered when you would ask.”

It was a surprising answer. Neither Jack Reader nor Katie Payne was aware that any of the "Players" had previously known Deni Spiller.

Penny Pink continued by explaining that she first met Deni two years ago at Rainbows, a gay bar in the local city. They became distant friends, but despite having many things in common, their friendship never developed.

"Her life was here, while my life was in the city, where I work at a bank. Our friendship gradually faded; you know how it is. We had not seen each other for over a year, so when I found out about the show at her hotel, I phoned Deni to let her know I would be on the island. It is my first time here.”

“We apologise about this question, but we have to ask; what were your feelings after this morning, knowing she was murdered?”

There was a pause.

“First shock, I haven’t stopped thinking about her, officer. I cried. After the show last night, I went to her room to catch up, but she didn't have time to talk. She had another appointment and told me that we would chat today.”

“Do you know who that other appointment was with?”

“She didn’t say, and I didn't ask. Anyway, I could not have stayed long as Penelope was expecting me.”

“Do you know the exact time you left Ms Spiller's room?”

“Not exactly, but it could not have been later than nine-fifty p.m. From there, I walked up the stairs to my room, showered, and changed. Mindy knocked, and we talked as I got ready. Then I went to see Penelope in her room.

“What time was that?”

“Maybe thirty minutes later, I never checked. I didn't leave Penelope's room until this morning. Slick and Janus joined the two of us later on, around eleven, though I didn’t check the time.”

“One final question, Miss Pink, Do you know Peter Blue?”

“I neither know him nor have I ever heard of him, detective.”

“Thank you; you may go, and our condolences about your friend.”

Penny Pink nodded and left.

"Do you think we are going any further with this case?" asked Doctor Payne.

Jack looked at Katie. Her relaxed demeanour gave him a distinct feeling that she now knew something he didn't. He suggested that they review their notes, and it became evident that they required the results from the poison laboratory to confirm their findings.

They agree to interview next, Janus Yellow and his wife, Penelope Red, together.

*****

Penelope Red. Her full name was Mrs Penelope Ann Yellow and had been married to Janus Yellow for eighteen years. She and her husband started the Perfect Murder Mystery Players nineteen years ago.

At forty-three, Penelope Red was a fine-looking lady, on the shorter side, curvy, her long red hair adding to her attractive looks and helping to project her inner allure. With hazel eyes and thick scarlet red lipstick, she carried her stage presence when she walked into the room.

However, it was the open split in her red skirt and the emergence of her black stocking top that caught the detective's attention. When she took her seat, she didn’t bother to cover it. She was deliberately projecting her sexual magnetism to both sexes.

In comparison, her husband, Janus Yellow, looked older than fifty. Perhaps it was because of his greying hair and his bushy beard. However, it was Janus's sand-coloured tartan jacket—which had black leather patches on its elbows—that inspired Jack Reader to scribble in his notebook, "Geography Teacher."

He then said, "I hope you don't mind us interviewing you both together, and for this one occasion, calling Mrs Yellow, Mrs Red, as it will help stop confusion."

They didn’t mind.

"That nicely leads me to my first question, which is related to your stage names."

Jack Reader produced last night’s play pamphlet and read through the actors’ names: Greg Green, Mindy Mint, Penny Pink, Pam Purple, Penelope Red, Slick Silver, and Janus Yellow.

"You all wore clothing that matched your character's surname in last night's play. For instance, Pam Purple wore a purple dress and Slick Silver a silver jacket. I get that, and I also get that your Christian name has the same letter as your surname, so in those cases, PP and SS. But what I don’t understand is why your name is Penelope Red; shouldn’t your first name be something with R?” 

“Very observant, Inspector, but not observant enough,” Penelope Red curtly replied.

“You see, my husband’s name is Janus with a J, not a Y. Before Greg joined, we had Jason Orange in our small group; everything changes detective, he left us for something bigger. But perhaps I am being presumptuous. If you must know, I am only Penelope for the one murder mystery, the one we put on last night.”

Penelope then spoke in a sophisticated accent. “You would have seen that I played a Lady, the Lady of the Manor,” then switching to a gruff worker's voice. "Rachel was not considered a posh enough name for the part I played last night."

Janus nodded in agreement. 

“So, putting it simply, detective. For all our other murder mysteries, I am Rachel Red. It is just for the show we performed last night that I am Penelope Red, the first name also being my real one.”

“Thank you, Mrs Red, but it does lead me to two further questions. How many different versions of the murder mystery do you perform, and who has the final decision?”

“Maybe I should answer that.” 

Detective Reader looked towards Janus.

“As for choosing which murder mystery to perform, it depends partly on the location and the audience. Last night's play, which revolved around a country estate and extortion, was an effortless choice to make. Also, to keep it fresh, everyone takes a turn at being the murderer.”

"Thank you, that’s been bothering me. Could you explain how you met and started the company?”

For the next few minutes, the married couple explained how they met in an acting class and were paired together. Janus worked in a school as an English teacher, and she was a newly qualified drama teacher.

When Detective Reader heard that he inwardly smiled, he had been close with a geography teacher.

Penelope explained, “It wasn’t long before they set the Perfect Murder Mystery Players up and married, though, as you probably now know, one of the company rules is that every member needs to fuck at least two other members.”

Detective Reader’s cock stirred when he heard Penelope say the word “fuck” in her slightly posh voice; it felt almost surreal.

“That is partly why Greg was leaving, as he now only wants to fuck Pam, and even Mrs Purple is in a delicate position. She needs to either hope that Greg’s replacement is a black man or start opening her legs again for white men, and hopefully even us ladies.”

“So just to confirm, you both had sex with everyone, except Mindy Mint, Pam Purple, and Greg Green?”

Janus answered, “Almost correct, Detective Reader. Penelope has been with Miss Mint many times, and I did have the pleasure of Mrs Purple when she first joined. She was very game back then and wasn't just into black men!”

Doctor Payne took over the questioning. "I understand that this venue was available at short notice due to the cancellation of your original one."

Janus explained the cancellation of the nudists' booking, concluding, "It was a pity; I was looking forward to that show."

“He has been saying that ever since I told him it was cancelled.”

“So you handle the bookings, Mrs Red?”

“No, we both do. It just happened that I took that call and then remembered the ornithologists' inquiry for the same weekend. That's how we ended up here at Baskerville Hall."

“I see, and have either of you been to Fidelis Island before?”

“Only once, with Slick Silver, to see the colony of Golden Orioles, but I'm not into birding the way he is.”

“And you, Penelope?”

“This is the first time I've been here since I was a teenager. Every year, my family used to holiday here for a few weeks in the summer while my father worked in the small hospital.”

Katie nodded; earlier, she had spent a couple of hours there examining Deni Spiller’s body.

Detective Reader then said, “Before we go through your movements since you have been on the island, I need to ask, have either of you had children?”  

"We've tried, detective; it just hasn't happened for us."

Janus then looked at his wife; they may have been actors, but Reader sensed there was something else.

“And you, Mrs Red.”

“Janus is right; we tried...”

She was looking at the floor; it felt out of character.

Still staring at Penelope with his hand resting on her knee, Janus slowly turned towards Detective Reader and softly said, "It was a long time ago before we met, but Penelope had to give up a baby for adoption. It was difficult for her, but she had no choice as her parents refused to support her. They called her a tart, and worse, she ended up leaving home.”

“I was only eighteen, detective.”

“I am sorry, but I need to ask you a little about the baby.”

“There is nothing to say.” Tears were now welling up in Penelope’s eyes. No one other than Janus knows that I am a mother and gave up my little boy. The father is probably dead, and I have no idea where he lives now. It is not important to this murder; it is behind me, and that is all you are going to get.”

Mrs Red did not give any more information, and Janus said that he did not know any more than what his wife had just said.

After a pause, they reviewed their statements, with Janus Yellow confirming what Slick Silver had told them. After a shower; they went to the bar and chatted with the ornithologists, then later joined Penelope Red and Penny Pink in a foursome in their room, where they all remained until the morning.

Penelope Red, who had recovered, agreed with her husband. She told the detectives that after Janus left, she had a shower and waited for Penny’s arrival at ten p.m.

Lastly, while Janus told the detectives that he had never met Ms Spiller, Penelope said she thought she might have seen her once at Rainbows; it was over a year ago, and she was with Penny Pink. I just said hello. 

With that, the couple left.

“I think we are getting closer now, Detective Reader.”

He nodded in agreement.

*****

Mindy Mint. Her full name was Miss Mindy Mint; she was single, tall, and a member of the Mystery Players for nine months.

Even though Mindy Mint was eighteen, when she walked into the interview room, you might have thought she had just come out of school. Her white blouse and short flared blue skirt gave the detectives the impression that she was wearing a schoolgirl’s uniform.

Miss Mint wore very little makeup, and her brunette hair was long and slightly flyaway. There was no doubt that she was deliberately playing the innocent—or, in her case, not so innocent—young woman.

With a youthful voice, she asked, “How can I help you, officers?” She then crossed her long legs, allowing her already too-short skirt to ride even higher.

Doctor Payne's eyes were still adjusting to how short Miss Mint's skirt was when she asked, “So just to clarify, Mindy Mint is your real name?”

"Yes, officers,” she giggled. “I am Mindy Mint, and that is my full real name; I don’t have a middle one. Sometimes, I wonder if that was how I got into the cast—having a surname as a colour. Though it could be because I have a bald pussy, which I keep shaved for the older girls to lick.”

On hearing that, Jack Reader wanted to put Miss Mint across his knee. But then thought, she might just enjoy a spanking, even with him being a man!

So he rebuked her, “Remember this is a murder inquiry, Miss Mint,” and looked to Katie. It was only then that he realised she was gazing at Miss Mint, who, like a nervous schoolgirl, was now opening and closing her legs in Katie’s direction. From his partner’s stunned expression, Jack Reader got the distinct impression that Mindy Mint had forgotten to put on one crucial item of clothing!

Detective Reader was about to reprimand her once more when, in a ladylike manner, she turned towards him and expressed concern, saying, "That knife looked very much like the one in our dressing room as a prop."

"The knife is of little interest, Miss Mint, however, have you been on this island before?”

"No, the sudden change in our schedule excited me, as I had never been here before."

“Okay, do you work?”

“I am at college, studying drama. That is how I first came into contact with Mrs Red.”

"Have you met or did you know the victim, Deni Spiller?

Mindy shook her head and then expanded her answer by saying, “No, her staggering onto the stage was the first time I had seen her; it was quite a shock.”

"Quite," Detective Reader remarked, unsure if he believed her.

“Finally, we would like to go over your movements last night after the play; please go through them.”

“I went to my room and showered, officer.”

“And then, Miss Mint?”

“I was feeling lonely, bored, and of course horny. After performing on stage, your adrenalin is flowing, and sex is a good way to relax. So I walked along the corridor to Mrs Red’s room and knocked several times, but there was no answer.”

“What time was this, Miss Mint?”

“I guess close to ten p.m.”

“With Mrs Red out, I walked to the other wing and knocked on Miss Pink’s door. When she answered, she was getting ready to go out. I was welcome to join her, Mrs Red, Janus Yellow, and Slick Silver, but I don’t do men. Everyone, even my parents, knows that I am a lesbian. So I turned the invitation down and left Miss Pink to finish getting ready.”

“And then?”

"I returned to my room at ten twenty-six pm, as indicated by the hotel's gate clock. I know this because as soon as I entered my room, I heard a splash outside. As I looked out of the window, there was a second splash and I grabbed my binoculars. I saw someone running away from the hotel jetty."

“Do you know who it was?”

“Sorry, it was too dark, but they had just thrown two items into the sea.”

The detectives nodded.

“Finally, Miss Mint, what do you normally use the binoculars for?” Detective Reader was curious.

Mindy smiled and innocently remarked, “Bird watching! – What else would you use them for?”

“You can go, Miss Mint,” Detective Reader replied, suddenly wishing he hadn’t asked the question.

“Did you learn anything, Katie?” he asked after Miss Mint had left.

“I learned that she wasn’t lying about being fully shaved!”

*****

Both Doctor Payne and Detective Reader were just waiting on a telephone call as the seven ‘Perfect Murder Mystery Players’ gathered in front of them. One of Greg Green, Mindy Mint, Penny Pink, Pam Purple, Penelope Red, Slick Silver, and Janus Yellow was a murderer.

With perfect timing, the phone rang.

The seven suspects anxiously looked on as Detective Reader picked up the receiver. It didn’t take long for it to be confirmed that the champagne glass found in Deni Spiller’s room had traces of a powerful sleeping drug in it. The fatal toxin used to poison her had been injected into her rectum at around the same time. This information confirmed that Ms Spiller was drugged at ten p.m., not long after last night’s show ended.

“Before I explain all, I need to arrest one of you for murder.”

There was a dramatic pause as the cast nervously looked at one another.

“I am arresting…”

*****

A LushStories story INTERMISSION (LOL)

NO PEEKING – Who did it? Do you know?

Have you liked my story and made it one of your favourites (okay, maybe not).

Time to go back to the story…

*****

As they sat there, the cast anxiously looked at one another.

“I am arresting you, Mrs Penelope Red, for the murder of Deni Spiller – You have the right to…”

“It was an accident, Detective Reader. I only wanted her to keep quiet for a few weeks.”

“We will let the court decide, Mrs Red.”

Without further ado, Sergeant Tower led her away.

Janus mumbled to himself. “We should have stuck with the nudists!” He had realised during their joint interview that his wife was the murderer.

*****

It was late, the storm had passed, and Jack Reader and Katie Payne were wandering down the hotel jetty, hand in hand.

“We are going to have to get the divers in,” Jack announced as he looked into the water at the end of the jetty.

However, Katie was hardly listening, her mind elsewhere, “You know, Mindy Mint was right, sex is a good way to relax.”

Jack turned towards Katie, his mind thinking back to the wonderful sex they had after they had made the arrest. Their eyes met, and the full moon broke free of the fading clouds.

With a smile, Jack whispers, “I think it is time to break up our team and become official; let’s make this our last case together.”

As joyful tears welled up in Katie’s eyes, they looked towards Baskerville Hall, its yellowy lights shimmering in the water. It was with one fluid movement that Jack Reader went down on one knee, and for the first time in his life, he said those magic words...

“Katie Oliva Payne, will you marry me?” 

The END.

Author Note: This is a short explanation of the clues. There are other Easter eggs within the story; did you spot any? 

It was Deni Spiller who photographed the safe documents. Her diary contained the safe combination.

Peter Blue learned about the break-in and blackmail from his birth mother, Mrs. Red. They were still in touch, something Janus Yellow suspected.

The unexpected cancellation of the confirmed nudist show was so Mrs Red could confront, or murder, Deni Spiller.

Slick Silver's confirmation of Peter Blue's adoption provided the first clue in the interviews.

Deni Spiller's diary contained a 10 p.m. appointment. This was when she was poisoned. Only Mrs. Red gave a false time, something Janus picked up on.

Miss Mint’s statement is the key to the timing. She also witnessed Mrs Red throwing the bottle and object with the poison into the sea. In her haste, Mrs. Red had forgotten the two glasses. One of which still had traces of the sleeping potion, and the other her red lipstick.

Then there is the note: “PAY £300,000 or I go public.” PAY is Penelope Ann Yellow’s initials.

The killer's name was in full view from the start on Ms Spiller’s hotel badge: Deni Spiller (Hotel Keeper) is an anagram of Penelope Red is the killer.

On the front cover, Janus is pointing at his wife; this is the first hint as to who the killer is.

And finally, Katie said yes to Detective Reader’s proposal.

Authors Note: All characters engaged in sexual acts are 18+ ©2024 wxt55uk. This story may not be reproduced in any manner without the express permission of the author.