“So what upset you?”
“I didn’t say anything upset me.”
“Daisy.”
When he drawled her name, she knew she couldn’t hide much from him. “He wanted me to remember what happened.”
“And?” Jonas pressed.
“And I couldn’t.”
After Jonas finished his gingerbread, he laid down his fork and reached out his hand to clasp her arm. “What do you mean you couldn’t? You told me what happened.”
“I told you what happened before I found the body. But I went blank when Zeke asked me what I had seen.”
Jonas slid his hand down her arm to her hand. “Now I understand. That can happen. Seeing Margaret’s body was a shock. In a way, it froze your brain. But memories are in there if you want to retrieve them.”
“You mean like with hypnosis?”
“Oh, I don’t think you have to go that far. I don’t think they’re buried. I just don’t think you want to remember that sight, do you?”
“Of course I don’t. On the other hand, if I can help the detectives solve this, I’ll do anything I can. Zeke made a suggestion.”
Jonas’s frown cut deep lines around his mouth. “Good or bad?”
She took in a breath and exhaled. “He said if I tried to remember with someone I trusted, maybe the details would become clear. He suggested I try and do it with you.”
As if he wasn’t surprised by the idea, he asked, “Do you want to?”
“Yes. I want to find out who the murderer is.”
“Do you trust me?”
When Daisy hesitated a second, Jonas frowned, but asked another version of the question. “Do you trust me as a detective to do this with you?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Let’s go into the living room. I want you to relax.”
“I can’t relax in here?”
“In here you’re thinking about brewing tea, making a snack for Vi or Jazzi, what you’re going to serve tomorrow at the tea garden. Correct?”
“Yep.”
He stood and beckoned to her. “Come with me.”
Instead of taking her to the sofa, he took her to the armchair. “Settle in,” he advised in a gentle voice.
She hadn’t closed her eyes and she was watching him watch her. “What are you looking for?”
“You’re a terrible subject,” he joked.
“That kind of flattery will get you everywhere,” she grumbled.
His lips twitched up in a smile. “I know what I’m looking for, and when I see it, I’ll know you’re relaxed. Don’t think about me.”
“Your voice is a disembodied spirit,” she said as if in a trance.
But he took her seriously. “If you want to think of it that way, you can.”
“Let’s do this,” she acquiesced.
After a few heartbeats, Jonas suggested, “Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth six times . . . slowly.”
This time Daisy didn’t argue, she just did it. However, on the third breath, he requested, “Slower.”
So she slowed it down.
“Now flex your hands, wiggle your fingers, and simply let them rest on the arms of the chair.”
It was easy to do that. To her surprise, when she did, her shoulders relaxed a bit too.
“Now I want you to imagine a blue light on top of your head. It has a bit of warmth. It’s going to start at the top of your head and slowly, slowly go down your body. As it does, the muscles under the light relax. You can feel your eyes relaxing . . . your cheek muscles. . . your jaw. Take in one of those deep breaths and let it out again.”
She did.
“The blue light has reached your neck and shoulders. Take a good long time and let it into every muscle and fiber so they relax well. Now the light is shining down your chest and then your arms . . . your stomach . . . your thighs . . . your knees . . . your shins . . . your feet . . . your toes. All you hear and feel is silence and warmth. The longer you sit here, the deeper the relaxation becomes. Not only your body is relaxed now, but your mind too.”
Jonas’s voice was still soothing when he added, “This exercise is going to be easy for you. Memories will come sliding back in color. You’ll notice details you hadn’t noticed before. Take in another one of those deep breaths and let it out.”
All Daisy was aware of was following the timbre and the timing of Jonas’s voice. Each instruction became easier, and she found she was so pleasantly relaxed, she could probably fall asleep. But sleep wasn’t what they were aiming for.
Gently, Jonas said, “You’re at Margaret Vaughn’s house again. Everyone has enjoyed the tea. You’re getting ready to serve the dessert—apple gingerbread with clotted cream. Can you see that?”
Daisy nodded.
“Now you’re going to help me with the next part. The guests scattered for a break. Where did Glenda Nurmi go?”
“She said she was going to stretch her back.”
“How about Heidi Korn?”
“Heidi stayed at the table and Arden went outside for fresh air.”
“Daniel Copeland?”
“He said he was going outside for a smoke.”
“And Jasper Lazar?”
“He said he wanted to see Rowan’s library.”
“Why did you go to the butler’s pantry?”
“Before serving dessert, I had to go to the butler’s pantry to get clean silverware and to see if I forgot anything. My checklist was in there.”
She remembered her intent clearly, but when she’d reached the butler’s pantry—
“What did you see when you entered the butler’s pantry?”
“I don’t want to look.”
“I know you don’t want to see it again, but maybe a clue you provide will help find the murderer. Try to peek in there again. Tell me what you see.”
Swirling gray memories coalesced into specific images. “Margaret was crumpled on the floor, blood at her center. Lots and lots of blood.”
“Was she on her back?”
“Yes. I could see her chest and her face and her arms.”
“Was the knife still in her?”
“No, but I automatically glanced to the brushed nickel knife holder up on the counter. The middle one was gone.”
“Did you notice
