"You got it spot on," Rosemary chimed in, "Next up, the puppet master's gonna be peeping at our every move. What we gotta do ain't to mess up our own game, but to lock up these hitmen and keep spreading the word that Erik's hanging by a thread and ready to spill the beans on the past at any moment. That'll make them antsy enough to slip up."
Rosemary continued, "With holidays coming, both kin and business associates are likely to drop by—especially after my identity's out in the open—we'll have even more visitors. If our mystery foe wants to
check if Erik's really kicked the bucket, they'll probably come snooping around themselves."
With a sly smile, she added, "Then, we'll see who's too curious about Erik, and who wants to sneak down to the basement. That's when they'll show their true colors."
"You're right on the money," Hunter agreed, "With New Year around the corner, I reckon they won't stir the pot in the next couple days, so as not to raise any alarms."
