by Sonia Parin
“Let’s be a little obsessive ourselves and check the footage. I assume there’s a camera outside her office?”
It took them half an hour to fast forward through all the video footage. Sure enough, they saw Marcela step out of her office and double-check... sometimes even triple-check to make sure her office door had been properly locked.
That meant the killer had to have removed the key card from here. “Are there any key cards missing?”
“I...”
“You haven’t checked.”
“I had no reason to.”
“Well, you have now.”
Grumbling, he hauled himself off the chair.
“And do a thorough job of checking.”
He gave her a mock salute.
Lexie watched as he tapped each card with his finger. When she saw his shoulders tensing she knew he’d noticed something wrong.
He raked his fingers through his hair, grabbed a handful of it, and pulled. “There’s a key card missing.”
“Which suite?”
“It’s... it’s the spare master. But that doesn’t mean anything.” He swung away. “I’ll have a hunt around.”
“You do that.” She signaled for Luna to follow her out.
“What now?” Luna asked.
“The killer still has the key card. He’ll either try to return it or... he’ll try to dispose of it... if he hasn’t done so already.”
“Are you going to frisk everyone?” Luna lifted her nose and sniffed. “This smells promising. I think dinner is about to be announced.”
“I wonder if guilty people emit a distinct scent.”
“And if they do, you’d like me to sniff them out.” Luna snorted.
“It’s not such a far-fetched notion.” And she didn’t see any harm in thinking outside the box...
“You’re assuming a killer feels guilt.”
“You can’t say they don’t.” Lexie shrugged. “Perhaps a seasoned killer might be so accustomed to performing bad deeds, they shrug it off. But I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the killer is a first timer and quaking in his boots, seeing shadows everywhere he goes... waiting to be caught. I think that would make me nervous.”
“What do you base your assumption on?”
She had no idea. “Okay. Let’s workshop this. Assuming the killer is a guest, leaving now would make it too obvious. So they have to hang around, bide their time.”
“In that case, I might agree. Yes, they’re on tenterhooks, but only up to a point.” Luna stopped and paced around in a tight circle. “Do you think this is a premeditated act or did they act randomly, suddenly seeing the opportunity and ceasing it?”
Lexie gave a small nod. “If they planned it, then they would have prepared themselves to wait it out until the team-building program ends. Hang on... Now I’m thinking the killer might have been here before, which means they’ve done their homework. We’ll have to ask Marcela for a list of repeat customers.” Zoe and Zach were returning guests, but what about the others?
“We should also look for other connections, which might lead us to motive.”
Lexie nodded. “If they’re in the same business as the victims, it could be resentment for a deal gone bad. Or they might be in competition... Lauren and Lance might have thwarted one of their ventures...”
“It could also be something entirely unexpected,” Luna insisted, “Like a penchant for a tasty morsel they can only get from a particular store miles away from where they live. For instance, Game Indulgence is my favorite food, but you can only buy it from a store uptown. What if every time we go there, we bump into someone and they decide to kill you—”
“Me? Why not you?”
“Think about it. You’re the one going around catching killers. This is bound to come back and bite you some day. Which reminds me, have you done something about life insurance? You were going to work on a contingency plan. If something happens to you, who’s going to look after me?”
“How do you always manage to turn a conversation right around and make it about you?” Lexie waved her hand. “Never mind.”
When they reached the staircase, Lexie nearly missed the first step. “Is that pizza I smell?”
“Your voice quivered. I think you’re suffering withdrawal symptoms.”
“It’s been over a week. My taste buds are inconsolable.”
“It should give you an idea of what I suffer now that my supply of Game Indulgence has run out.”
They followed the sound of voices and found everyone gathered in one of the sitting rooms chatting in small groups. “This will be a great opportunity to study our suspects up close. The killer is bound to give himself away.” Lexie scanned the room and tried to figure out how best to tackle the individual groups. Somehow, she needed to talk with everyone...
“Why did you decide the killer is a man?” Luna asked, “The killer could just as easily be a woman. In fact, given the nature of the crime... hairdryer and electrocution... very tidy, I’m going to place my bets on it being a woman.”
“Okay. You keep your eyes on the women and I’ll focus on the men.”
“That sounds like an unfair distribution of labor. Women are generally more talkative and expressive. There’ll be more for me to take in.”
“You want to flip for it?” Lexie suggested.
“Will you be using the same coin you used last time? I’m onto you. I know it’s rigged.”
“Okay, you can observe the men.”
Luna twitched her little nose. “I get the feeling this is what you wanted me to do all along.”
“You give me too much credit. I’m suffering from pizza deprivation, which equates to limited thinking capacity. Come on, let’s split up.”
Lexie made a beeline toward the first couple that made eye contact with her. As luck would have it, it was Emily and Kenneth Grant. The powder blue couple and her prime suspects.
“We were just saying we feel nervous about being here... after what happened, but the detective insisted we couldn’t leave.”
Emily’s gaze flicked over to a corner and that’s when Lexie noticed Gerard.
Had he been here all along? He stood by the fireplace chatting with the orange couple, his brows drawn together.
“Is he still interrogating guests?” Lexie asked.
“He’s here to lend his support. Some of us have expressed concern over staying on in the house. Our lives could be at risk.”
Kenneth Grant offered his support with a small nod.
“I told Kenneth we should barricade our door tonight, otherwise I won’t be able to sleep a wink.”
“I should do the same.”
Emily placed her hand on Lexie’s hand. “You’re here alone. How will you manage? All the rooms appear to be similarly furnished with heavy furniture. Far too heavy for you to shift.”
“Oh... I’ll manage.”
“Which room are you in? Perhaps you could get your neighbor to help... then again, forget I said that. You don’t want to open the door to a killer...”
“Has the detective offered any assurances about safety?” she asked as a way of keeping the conversation going. Emily Grant’s concerns about her wellbeing didn’t clear her of wrong doing since it could all be an act.
Emily pressed her hand to her chest. “He didn’t. I hope he’s not setting us up as bait.”
Lexie’s stomach grumbled, not from hunger but rather from a craving for pizza. “I guess they’ll be serving dinner soon. Considering what we’re all being forced to endure,” she said with mock sensitivity, “I think we should be given the option of ordering some comfort food. Something along the lines of... pizza.”
“Funny you should mention pizza. I’ve been craving it all day. In fact, we both have. Which is strange because it’s never been our go-to comfort meal. We’re more the blueberry pie type. In fact, we’d give anything for a slice of blueberry pie...”
Lexie smacked her lips together. “It sure would be good to have a slice
of blueberry pie.” Strange, she’d never been a blueberry pie type of person. Pecan pie... yes. Blueberry, not so much. Yet, she suddenly had a craving for it. Belatedly, she remembered why she’d approached them. “Do either of you remember seeing anything unusual when you were upstairs looking for your next clue?”
They spent a few minutes gazing into each other’s eyes, long enough for Lexie to wonder if they could actually read each other’s thoughts.
“To tell you the truth, we were both fixated on succeeding. We overheard Zoe and Zachary cheering each other on. They seem to have an edge over all of us. We didn’t want to be left behind.”
“What about the scream? How did you react to it?”
“We didn’t think much of it. Lou-Anne and Steven Reid had been whooping all day long. That’s another couple to watch out for,” Kenneth said. “They’re highly competitive.”
Competitive enough to kill? “By the way, what business are you in?”
“Realty, specializing in renovations.”
“So you must know some of the people here.”
“No. This is out first time here,” Emily piped in.
“So how did you hear about the program?”
Emily looked at her husband and again Lexie had the impression they were mentally talking to each other...
“We saw an ad for it. At the time, it sounded like fun. Now... we wish we’d taken up gardening.”
Kenneth’s look of disbelief suggested it had been an off the cuff remark, rather than something they’d actually been discussing.
“I know what you mean,” Lexie offered. “If I could click my heels and disappear right now, I’d do it.” She watched with interest for a response and wasn’t disappointed.
“The novelty of not using powers has worn off,” Emily said.
They belonged to a coven? “I was almost convinced no one here had powers.”
“I suppose it’s not so bad. This gives us the opportunity to experience how the other half live.”
“You must have great discipline. If I had my powers, I’d be ordering a large pizza...”
They both gave her a puzzled look. “It’s not as if we had a choice. It was in the contract we signed.”
The one she hadn’t signed because she’d been bamboozled into coming here. She supposed someone at the disciplinary board had signed it on her behalf...
“So... is everyone else here affiliated with a coven?”
Emily nodded.
The news didn’t give her any leads, as she hadn’t seen any signs of strange activities.
Emily looked at her husband and then back at Lexie, “You can actually do that?”
“What?”
“Get pizza on command.”
She had no idea what she could do. As an incoming High Chair, she assumed she had the potential to acquire all sorts of powers, including that of turning into an orb.
“Sure,” she fibbed.
Their eyes widened with obvious interest.
Belatedly, Lexie wondered how much of herself she could afford to reveal, especially under the circumstances. Someone had been compelled to commit murder. What if magic had something to do with it?
She hoped she hadn’t given anything significant about herself away. Playing it safe, she excused herself and turned to the next couple...
Bill and Susan Faraday stood nearby. When Lexie approached them, Susan gave her a small smile.
“Did I hear you mention pizza?”
Lexie grinned. “You sure did. We were just saying it would be a welcomed treat. Something to take our minds of people getting killed.” She shrugged. “Has the good detective spoken with you?”
Bill and Susan exchanged a look that spoke of hesitation. “He warned us not to speak with you.”
Why? Had he heard something negative about her? Or worse... had he come to his own conclusion about her? She slanted her gaze toward him. Gerard had moved to a comfortable chair by the window and sat chatting with Zoe and Zach.
Noticing Luna lurking nearby, Lexie smiled.
I think he likes you, Luna. You should go sit with him.
Luna twitched her tail. She licked her paw and took a dainty step toward him.
That’s a good girl, Lexie thought.
Luna strode by him, her tail twitching in the air. When she reached the window, she turned and strode back... ever so casually.
She circled his chair a couple of times and then stopped just out of his line of vision. Lexie was about to look away when she noticed Gerard’s jaw muscles tensing. A couple of seconds later, he shifted his glance, almost as if searching for Luna.
As he turned, the little scamp scurried behind the chair and reappeared on the other side. While he looked the other way, she leaped up onto the armrest.
Lexie waited to see what he’d do.
Gerard turned back and, sitting back, he met Luna’s gaze.
They stared at each other for long seconds, neither one moving, or even blinking, Lexie thought.
“This could go either way,” she said under her breath.
To her surprise, Gerard settled back into his chair and continued with his conversation.
“Your cat is taking a huge risk.”
“She’ll be fine. Luna can look after herself.” She turned back to them. “So how do you feel about spending the night here with a killer on the loose?”
“Terrified. We won’t sleep a wink. Our suite has a balcony and we’re afraid someone could use it to break in and kill us while we sleep.”
“What number are you?” Lexie asked and had a quick peek at her key card. Thirteen?
“We’re number fifteen.”
She’d have to see Marcela again and ask her to tell her about her neighbors. If someone planned on breaking into her suite in the middle of the night, she wanted to be as ready as she could be.
Lexie glanced around looking for her other suspects. “Have you spoken with the blue couple?”
Susan leaned in and whispered, “They’ve been keeping to themselves.”
Not for long, she thought.
“There’s something curious about them,” Emily murmured. “I’ve been in the real estate business for ten years and I swear I’ve never seen anyone pay so much attention to a house. They have been scrutinizing every square inch of it.”
“Maybe they’re in the market for a mansion. Or... they could be as self-conscious as I am about the security cameras in this place. They’re everywhere.”
“Whatever system they have in place, it’s not fully functional. I swear the butler sneered at me today. I could hear it in his voice. They’re not supposed to have an attitude. Half the time he’s not even available.”
Lexie had expected Susan Faraday to be concerned about the constant scrutiny, but she didn’t seem to be fazed by the cameras. A killer, on the other hand, would be disdainful of the setup. She glanced over at the blue couple and decided they would be her next stop.
“By the way, did you have any trouble finding your clues this morning?”
Again, they exchanged a look. Lexie noticed a slight tensing in Emily.
“No trouble at all. We have a knack for these type of games.”
Which type? Team building or murder?
“We’re highly motivated.”
By going after bouncing balls and solving ridiculous puzzles? Surely there had to be more in it for them?
Chapter Seven
“Lana and Daniel Andrews. Pleased to meet you.”
Finally, she could put a name to the blue couple, her prime suspects. “Have you been warned against talking to me?”
They looked at her with a bland expression on their faces and then offered a light laugh. “Why would anyone do that? Are you trouble?”
Daniel Andrews slipped his hand inside his pocket. “Actually, darling... the detective did mention something about not talking to someone about the case. Remember? He said if anyone with a cat approached us, we were to steer clear of them.”
“He probably
said it in jest. Lexie looks harmless.”
Drinks were being served. Lexie wanted to keep a clear head, so she asked for a glass of water while the Andrews couple helped themselves to champagne.
“So what brings you here?” Lexie asked.
“Marital problems.”
Her raised eyebrows earned her a look of amusement.
“It’s taken us this long to realize we needed to be upfront about it.”
“Is that why you’ve been keeping to yourselves?”
Daniel put his arm around his wife. “I told you we should mingle, darling.”
Lexie wasn’t buying the husband’s endearing tone. It sounded forced. Clearly, they had a long way to go...
“We were on the brink of talking about divorce, but a friend recommended doing this team-building program. I think we just needed to get out and about. You see... we both work from home. We’re book translators.”
“Really? What language?”
“Italian and French.” He shrugged. “We swap over when we’re bored.”
“So if you were having marital problems, does that mean you argued?”
“All the time.”
“In what language?” she forced herself to ask. Small talk, she reasoned, could pave the way for someone to slip up and give away a crumb of information.
“Usually Italian. It’s the most expressive one.” Daniel’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Now we’re thinking our problems are not so bad.”
“What do you mean?”
He looked around as if to make sure no one could hear him. “We heard them fighting. You know... the McCullens. From the time they arrived early today. Our suite is close to theirs and we both had our balcony windows open. At least, I assume they did since we could hear them so clearly.”
“What were they fighting about?”
“Money, of course. I wouldn’t be surprised if the police find she killed him.”
“But she died too.”
He shrugged. “Remorse. Maybe she changed her mind at the last minute and tried to get him out of the bathtub and fell in.”
Interesting observation. She didn’t know much about electrical wiring and appliances, but she assumed standards had improved and appliances now came with some sort of safety trigger. Biting her lip, she glanced over at Gerard. He’d be the person to ask...