So Then There Were None

by Annie Adams

  “I’ll try not to think about that,” I said with a shudder. “I’ll meet you on the pool deck, then.”

  “Okee dokee. Oh, and I want to get another look at that poem. I’ll go snatch it out of the parlor and we can take a closer gander after we eat.”

  I continued upstairs, mulling over the possibilities of how Eva had let herself into my room and why she couldn’t have just handed the key to Alex some other time, or just slid it under the door. I couldn’t bother with the burn on my dress, the wedding was over, and there were so many other things to worry about if I wanted to win that money.

  This time, when I walked into my room, there were no surprises. I couldn’t imagine why Alex would need a jacket, as warm as it felt inside, but the breeze kicked up off of the lake each evening, so I grabbed a jacket for him and for me. I draped them over my arm and left the room.

  Suddenly, the air became cold, and chills raised the skin on my arms.

  “Soda outside.”

  “What?” I said to no one that I could see. I didn’t stick around for the answer. I ran down the hall and barely took the time to touch my feet on each step. I pushed off of the last one, trying to cover as much ground as possible, as quickly as possible. I launched and slammed into what felt like a brick wall.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The air was filled with a number of sounds, including groans of pain and the tinkling of hundreds of beads from K.C.’s skirt bouncing off the tiled floor.

  “Oof!”

  I looked up from my seated position to see the source of the exclamation. Megan lay there on top of K.C.

  “I’m so sorry! Are you guys okay?” I said, trying not to melt from extreme mortification.

  “You came out of nowhere, like a rocket blast,” K.C. said.

  Megan struggled to stand up without pushing off of K.C. in the wrong places. Once she stood, she extended a hand to me, helping me up and then we each took one of K.C.’s arms and helped her to stand.

  “Quincy, are you feeling alright?” Megan asked. She let out a little laugh. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  I darted a glance at K.C., who stood just behind Megan. I could see K.C.’s eyes pop open and she clapped her hand over her gaping mouth.

  “I…tripped on the step…clear up there,” I pointed to the landing at the top of the stairs. “And I wind-milled my arms and tried not to fall down the stairs the whole way down. I was moving so fast, I didn’t even see you two.”

  “Luckily, I’ve got built-in pillows to land on,” K.C. quipped as she patted her backside.

  The three of us went toward the garden room and the French doors leading to the pool deck. Just before we entered, Megan stopped us.

  “Before we go out there—I found something and I don’t know if I should show everyone.”

  K.C. and I exchanged glances.

  “What have you found, dear?” K.C. asked.

  Megan’s eyes covered the room before she cautiously continued. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of metal. “It looks like a charm,” she said.

  “Oh, let’s see.” K.C. held it out at arm’s length. “I don’t have my glasses on, what is that?”

  “It looks like a…cell phone,” I said.

  “Is that one of the charms from the cake?” K.C. asked.

  “I guess so,” Megan said. “But I don’t know who got this one.”

  “I sure wish we had that poem to look at,” K.C. said.

  Which is exactly what she had gone to do when I went upstairs. “I thought you were—”

  “It’s gone,” Megan said.

  K.C. nodded her head in agreement.

  “I found this charm, and I didn’t remember who got it, so I went to find the poem and see what it said. That’s when I ran into K.C. Not like you just ran into us,” she teased good-naturedly, “I just wish I’d paid more attention when I was reading it.”

  “I think all of us wish we had,” K.C. said.

  “There they are,” Pam’s voice, combined with loud music, blasted out from the patio as she flung open the French doors.

  Megan discreetly tucked the charm back into her pocket before we went outside.

  “Finally we can eat,” Regan grumbled loudly. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a large animal.”

  “Looks like you already did,” her twin sister said.

  Apparently the sisterly love had run its course for the evening.

  “What took you guys so long?” Kourtnee asked. She looked at Pam. “I thought you said they were on their way.”

  “I ran to get a jacket for Alex…” I took his over and handed it to him.

  He took the jacket from me, a raised eyebrow telling me he wasn’t sure why I’d brought it. “Um, thanks, babe?”

  I turned back to the group and continued. “And as I was coming back downstairs, I tripped and these two caught my fall, I’m afraid.”

  “How am I not surprised?” Audra said.

  I convinced a smile to appear for her. “What do you mean?” I said, trying to keep my voice light, so it didn’t sound like I had taken offense, even though I had.

  “I’ve been hearing a little bit about you, that’s all. You must have a great insurance plan at your little flower shop.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” K.C. said.

  “Steaks are ready!” Alex shouted. “Get ‘em while they’re hot.” He set the steaming platters of meat on the table that had been set up, then came over and ushered me away from the group. Audra flashed a condescending smile as she passed, just before Alex reached me.

  I started to ask him if he knew what Audra had been talking about, but he kissed me on the forehead first. “Thanks for bringing me the jacket. I don’t know if I’ll need it, though.”

  “I wondered why you asked for it, but I figured if you needed one, I would bring mine too.”

  “I didn’t ask.”

  “But Pam said…” The pained look on his face at the mention of her name told me all I needed to know.

  He sighed. “I asked her if she wanted to see if you guys needed any help. I hated to sic her on you, but I had to distract her somehow.”

  I put my arm around him and leaned into his side. “She told us you had asked for a jacket. I guess she was just concerned for your welfare.”

  He let out a chuckle which was probably ninety percent frustration mixed with varying percentages of other emotions that did not include happiness. “She’s way too concerned about me and my welfare. It’s still almost ninety degrees out here. I’m pretty sure I won’t need a jacket.”

  Alex had invited Chad to eat with the group and we lined up behind him in the food line. While the two of them chatted about barbeque grills, I let my mind wander. As I looked at the group, I tried to imagine who the next victim would be.

  Eva stepped out of line and got my attention with a wave. She came over to where we stood. “Quincy, can I talk to you for a minute?” She nodded at Alex, and then took a few steps away from the line and I followed.

  “Don’t worry about Audra. I think she’s had a couple of Long Island iced teas on an empty stomach. And you know what’s in those so…” I didn’t know. I just nodded and laughed, mostly just appreciating Eva’s attempt at being nice to me.

  “I don’t know what Audra was talking about, but I took her comments to mean she thinks I’m clumsy. I don’t know where she would get that idea, she doesn’t know anything about me.” I looked off into the distance to avoid shooting dagger-glances at Audra as I spoke.

  “I think somebody, maybe Audra or someone else, was asking about you when we were all together at the getting to know you thing in the parlor.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that. “Why would anyone be interested in me? And who was there that even knows me?”

  “Well, most of us know each other in some way, and that includes Alex. You and K.C. are the only ones here that we don’t really know. Like I said, someone, I don’t remember who, was asking questions about
you. And K.C. was there—”

  That was all I needed to know. “Ah, say no more. If K.C. was there, I know who was doing the telling.” Goodness knows what stories she had told about me or the both of us. She did have the tendency to add dramatic flair to a story. Maybe I would ask her about it later. I assumed it was Pam who’d done the asking, but I didn’t want to bring that up and have it turning into me tearing her down in front of Eva.

  I touched Eva on the shoulder. “Thanks for coming over to me. It was thoughtful of you.”

  “I just know what it feels like to be in Audra’s focus. She’s jealous of your relationship with Alex. Believe me, I got plenty of experience with her and her jealousy. I’ve tried not to lash out at her, especially when she puts on such a front. If she comes after you again, just remember, she’s not as high and mighty as she’d like everyone to think. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret. There is no bar tender here, but it’s not a problem for her. How do you think she got those iced teas?”

  Since I didn’t know what they were made of, I just shrugged and played dumb.

  “She tends bar at nights in a bowling alley lounge. And not that there’s anything wrong with that job, but the way she acts, she would have you believe it’s beneath her.”

  “Babe, are you coming?”

  I looked up and noticed Chad and Alex had finished dishing their food and were standing at the far end of the food table. Eva and I stood there, an island unto ourselves. I felt my cheeks flare up, hoping no one had been able to hear us, since I’d been oblivious to our surroundings. Was I that desperate for some friendly attention from these women?

  “Thanks, Eva,” I said. “That was really nice of you.”

  “No problem, I’ve just been on the other end of her tormenting and wanted you to know you aren’t alone.”

  We got our food and sat at one of the highboy tables on the pool deck. Chad and Alex had waited for us, and then followed us to the table despite invitations from others.

  “You guys, Candee isn’t here,” Kourtnee said.

  “We haven’t seen her since she went out to find a cell signal, have we?” K.C. said.

  There were blank stares all around.

  “So…are we assuming she’s the next victim?” Audra said.

  It seemed everyone hesitated, but then finally nodded.

  K.C. stood, cleared her throat and moved to the edge of the pool, where each person could see her from their respective table.

  “Kourtnee here has proposed a wonderful idea. We would like to have a bonfire on the beach.”

  “Of course she wants to light a fire,” Audra pretended to say to herself, but actually said it loud enough to hear her on the mainland. Or maybe it was those iced teas doing the talking.

  Kourtnee responded with giving Audra the look of death.

  K.C. shot a dirty look of her own at Audra, but continued talking without missing a beat. “We will meet in half an hour on the sandy side of the island. Bring whatever beverages you may want, there are a bunch of different things to choose from in the kitchen and I assume the various bar cabinets throughout the lodge.” Regan and Audra called out some “woohoos” for that. K.C. rolled her eyes while she waited for them to finish. “We’ll look for Candee or any clues to her whereabouts or her part in the mystery on our way. How does that sound?”

  It sounded like most everyone said they would meet her there.

  “How about you, Alex?” Eva said. “Think you guys will join us down there?”

  He looked at me. “I don’t know about Quincy, but I think I’ll help Chad clean up the dishes and then call it a night.”

  Eva looked at me. “Quincy, how about you?”

  “I think I’ll help in the kitchen too. Have fun though.”

  Eva finished eating and left to talk to others in the group.

  “I’m gonna try and find Johnny so he can help us like he’s supposed to,” Chad said.

  “Should we save some dinner for him?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. He had to do some maintenance stuff at the pump house today, but he should be back by now. Yeah, maybe you should save a steak for him. If he doesn’t want it, I’ll eat it.”

  Chad left Alex and me alone at the table. It felt delightfully unusual not to have anyone else there with us.

  “What’s a Long Island Iced Tea?” I asked, nonchalantly.

  He paused a moment and blinked a few times before responding. “Honey, if you’re thinking of taking up drinking, I would not start with one of those. Why do you ask?”

  “No reason.”

  “Sounds kind of specific for no reason.”

  “I just wondered if a couple of those would be a good excuse for being extremely rude.”

  “Ah, I think you’re talking about someone specific. I think someone who is inclined to be rude would definitely have that behavior enhanced by one of those. I don’t know what exactly goes into one, but there’s like three or four different types of liquor in one glass, along with some other stuff.”

  “Wow.”

  “Have you been holding out on me?” he asked. “Have you got a flask tucked away somewhere?”

  “Funny.”

  As people went inside the lodge, the group outside diminished to just me and Alex, Megan, Regan and Audra.

  “Should we go in and tackle the kitchen?” Alex suggested.

  “Sure.” K.C. volunteered to help with the clean up before heading out to the beach, but we told her not to worry about it. There wasn’t that much to do anyway, mostly just covering leftovers and putting them in the fridge.

  Those of us remaining stood to leave and Regan let out a bellering “ouch” at the same time as a chair fell over. It happened behind me, so I didn’t see anything. It would have been in Alex’s field of vision if he’d been watching. It didn’t seem like he’d paid much attention, so I wondered how painful it had truly been. If I went by the volume of her cry, it would seem she’d broken her leg.

  “What happened?” Megan said.

  “I tripped on the stupid chair,” Regan said, her voice over-loud and full of venom.

  “At least you didn’t knock your sister over. That would have been twice within the hour.” Audra’s snotty comment was made loud enough, it was sure to reach my ears. For some reason, we had suddenly been transported back to junior high school. And what made me the most furious, was that I felt like I was back in those halls slouching so that my ridiculous, early growth spurt wouldn’t make me stand out as a target for all the Audras who prowled the lunch line looking for people to pick on. I shouldn’t have been bothered by her, but I was. I tried to muster every ounce of power from within not to let my cheeks get red or to show even a glimmer of having been affected.

  The trio walked past where Alex and I stood.

  “Sure we can’t convince you to join us?” Audra said in a sultry voice, aiming her gorgeous eyes at Alex.

  “Thanks, but I’ve got other, much more appealing things to do.”

  Audra’s jaw dropped, and those beautiful eyes looked to be aiming laser beams right at his heart. “Like wh—?”

  He stepped toward me and repeated the same kiss he’d given me in the kitchen.

  I grasped at his back with both hands and maybe—okay—probably, all but one finger curled into his shirt. That middle one just wanted to make sure Audra had the send off she deserved.

  Chapter Twenty

  This was my chance. I had Alex all to myself in the kitchen while Chad was off looking for Johnny and the rest of the women were getting ready for their bonfire at the beach.

  “Finally,” I said. “We’re alone.”

  Alex’s eyes seemed ablaze and he flashed a smile that could send anyone to the bank to empty their accounts for him. “I know. What are you thinking we should do about it?”

  “We should talk while there aren’t any listening ears around.”

  The fire in his eyes extinguished faster than a match dipped in water. “Oh. Talking…yeah, that’s
...what I was thinking, too.” He held up a serving spoon that he’d just washed. I was the dryer, he was the washer.

  “I have a lot of questions, and I think you know most of the answers,” I said.

  “What type of questions are we talking about?”

  “All of them.”

  His shoulders hunched over and he sighed. “All…of them?”

  “C’mon, it won’t be so bad. You want to win the prize money, don’t you?”

  “It is a lot of money. We’d pay a lot of it out in taxes, though.”

  “Hello, buzz kill,” I said. “There would still be some left over. We could maybe go on a honeymoon, somewhere nice.”

  “Okay. You’re right. Go ahead and ask. I’ll tell you if I know the answer.”

  “You promise?”

  He clutched at his chest, but then looked at his hand dripping water all over his shirt and dropped it. “You wound me. Of course I will.”

  “Okay. Did you give Pam your room key so I could go get your jacket?”

  “What does that have to do with the mystery?”

  “It doesn’t yet. Humor me.”

  His eyebrows almost met in the middle of his forehead. “She really had my key?” He lifted his dripping hands out of the sink and went to reach into his pockets but then stopped. I handed him the towel I had been drying with.

  “I don’t believe this,” he said once he checked his pockets.

  I held up the key Pam had given me. “I had my key already, but she handed me yours. I wasn’t about to tell her I didn’t need it so that she could keep it for later use.”

  “What later use could there possibly be?”

  I gasped at the audacity of his question. “The question should probably be what couldn’t she want to use it for. There are probably a lot less things on that list.”