Vee cleared her throat and backed away while Michèle stood up and walked to the window. “Well, Mikhail was Jili’s dad, but he’s deceased.”
“I’m done playing. I just want to go home,” Lana said, getting up from her seat.
Bronson held up his hand, “No one is going home. We’re snowed in, remember?”
“How about we all take out our cell phones and place them in a pile?” Mallory suggested.
Everyone took out their phones and placed them on the ottoman. She made a note of who placed whose where. Now with any luck, she would find Ellie’s phone using the call history.
“What the hell is that thing?” Danior asked, pointing to the chunky prehistoric device on the ottoman.
“Right?” Eve howled with laughter. “That’s Michèle’s phone. She thinks the government is out to get her.”
Michèle grabbed her phone back and held it to her chest like a protective new mom, “It’s not just the government who can spy, you know.”
“But how do you text and bank and stuff?” Danior asked.
“Oh, Michèle still pays her bills by phone.” Eve folded her hands around her mouth as if to hide what she was saying from her sister, “she doesn’t even have a Facebook account.”
Danior gasped. “Even Nana has a social life online. What are you, an octogenarian in a fifty-year-old’s body?”
“I’m forty!”
Mallory held out her hands. “Okay, okay. Lay off her. I think we’re getting off track.”
Michèle turned toward Daemon. “What about you? Where’s your phone?”
Daemon opened his coat. His limbs remained relaxed, but his chin lowered, jaw set. “Someone liberated my cell phone along with my wallet.”
“How convenient.” Harley stood up and approached Daemon.
All at once people began shouting and pushing one another. Bronson punched Daemon. Daemon fell into Vee and somehow, Mallory was knocked over the ottoman. She barely missed taking Harley down with her.
When Mallory got to her feet, she noticed two things: in all of the chaos, someone had dumped the phones into the fire, and Lana was missing.
“Lana! I’m sorry for fighting. Come back,” Harley called as he got to his feet. “She hates violence.” When he received no answer, he turned to the door and chased after her.
32
M ostly everyone scattered out of the room after them. Some people headed upstairs while others ran down the hall
“Damn it! Where are they all going?” Rubbing her wrist, Mallory ran out into the hall, shouting. “We need to stay together.”
Nana reached out and grabbed her from behind. “Just stay put. One of them is a killer.”
“Anyone see who chucked the phones in the fire?” Mallory asked, turning back to face Kaden, Nana, Danior, Eve and Rebel.
They all shook their heads no.
“One of those phones would have told us who the killer was.”
“Well, why did you alert everyone, Sherlock?” Nana said snidely. “You could have just called it and we would have known whose pocket rang.”
Penny and Kaden both nodded while Eve piped up, “You know, there is a bright side.”
“Oh, yeah, what’s that?”
“We wanted to pit our instincts and intelligence against one another to solve a murder. So, here’s our chance.”
“I just wanted to solve a pretend murder,” Rebel said quietly.
Eve nodded her head.
“Well, let’s start by seeing if our little blue-haired thief really did put the coin back.”
Surprised, both Mallory and Danior grinned at her.
“You know where it is, don’t you?” Mallory whispered.
“I have a good idea,” Nana said, heading out into the corridor. Eve tagged along while Rebel forced food filled plates on Kaden and Penelope to try to get their strength up.
Danior tugged on Nana’s hand when she tried to walk by the library. “Yeah, well, I’ve got an idea, too.” She led her to one of the bookshelves. Light streamed through the nine-foot-tall windows, illuminating the room in a soft glow. “Oh, no.”
“What’s wrong?” Mallory asked.
“Someone got to it first.” When Mallory looked at her curiously, she added, “Grandfather’s bust was in here. I figured the coin was hidden inside.”
Smiling, Nana turned and walked down the corridor to the dining room, pausing as the sound of running footsteps could be heard throughout the house.
A loud noise, like something heavy crashing against a wall, reverberated.
She ran her hands across one of the paintings. It was the same one Mallory and Daemon had admired only days ago. “Jili always was obsessed with this painting.” She lifted it from the wall and ran her hand over the back of the frame where the words, “For Dad” had been written. “You know, she’s the one who painted it and your father built the frame.”
“I thought Simza had these all commissioned?”
“Oh, she did, but this one, the one of your grandparents in front of the caravan was damaged by a guest who’d had too much to drink. Your grandfather was so upset about it and so your mother, God bless her heart, repainted it for him for his birthday one year. She was a gifted artist as well as a musician. My goodness, I miss her.”
Mallory rubbed Nana’s back, “me too.”
“Jili was always telling me that it would be worth money someday.” She smiled when she heard a click and a small compartment in the frame opened. Pulling a small velvet pouch out, she stepped back and held it to her chest. Then she carefully opened the sack to reveal a coin. “She was right. You know what helped me to connect the dots?”
“What?” Mallory asked.
“You. You’re always staring at it. Tell me, Malhala, do you hear something when you look at it?”
Mallory opened her mouth to reply when a loud bang shut her up. Several more bangs, different in sound, rang out in quick succession.
Mallory grabbed the painting and hung it back on the wall. “That sounded close.”
“They don’t do fireworks for March Break now, do they?” Nana asked.
“I don’t think so.” Mallory grabbed the pouch from Nana and they crept back out into the corridor. “It sounded like it came from outside… wait… I just thought of something. How would Geneviève have known where Mom hid the coin, unless she knew her, or unless Mom told someone who told her?”
“She’s too young to have known your mom. Your mom went missing over a decade ago.”
They both looked at each other and said, “Joelle,” at the same time.
Nana nodded. “It’s the only explanation.”
“Over there,” Danior said, pointing to the left.
Mallory and Nana hurried to the dining room window where Danior was already standing.
Mallory leaned forward, pressing her hands against the glass. The coin pouch tightly hidden inside her fist. “I don’t see—” Then she saw what Danior was pointing to. “It’s a body!” Blood stained the snow underneath.
“Can you tell who it is?” Kaden asked, walking up behind them. He was holding a half-eaten sandwich and a cup of coffee
“No, but there’s blood.”
Food left on the table, Kaden and Penny were already out the front door by the time Mallory turned around.
“I guess their adrenaline has kicked in. Do you think whoever it was saw us?” Dani asked.
Mallory looked down at the pouch, praying she had kept it out of sight. Surely, the killer didn’t see . . .
Footsteps and a gunshot rang out overhead.
Danior leapt forward heading out into the corridor. “This way,” she said when they’d made it to the foyer. She grabbed a coat from the tree in the corner and threw it over Nana’s shoulders, unlocking the front door and running around the side of the house after Kaden and Penny.
The body lay face down in the red-stained snow.
Kaden and Penny knelt next to the body. Penny turned as they approached.
&
nbsp; “It’s Lana,” She said sadly. She was shaking her head as she took the woman’s pulse. Mallory noticed that pieces of plaster from the bust were scattered all over the snow surrounding the body. She reached over and picked up a nose shaped piece lying next to the dead woman’s hand. “Looks like she had the same idea you had, Dan.”
“Look at the drag marks?” Danior pointed.
“They lead from the shed. What was she doing in the shed that got her shot?”
Kaden shook her head. “I don’t think they’re from her. There’s no blood, and she clearly fell from that balcony above.”
***
“We’re safe now,” Vee said, running toward them down the main stairs as Mallory, Danior and Nana returned to the foyer.
“What do you mean, we’re safe?” Mallory asked.
“We caught the killer! That’s what I was coming to tell you.”
“Who did you catch?” Kaden asked, returning with Penny.
Vee looked surprised. “Bronson! He was standing over Harley with a gun. We just locked him in Rebel and Penny’s bedroom.”
“We?”
“Yes. Eve, Gloria and I.” Vee replied as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.
“You’re saying Bronson shot Harley. Why?” Mallory asked.
“We don’t know yet. They’re both unconscious. I hit Bronson over the head when I saw that he’d shot Harley.”
“Bronson would never do such a thing,” Joelle said, coming down the stairs. She was wiping away a tear. “What possible reason would he have?”
“Aside from him being Ron?” Vee retorted.
“Where’s Harley now? I’d better check him out,” Rebel said, stepping from behind Kaden and Penny.
“In the library.” Vee replied. “He’s still alive, but he’s losing blood. Where were you guys?”
“Has anyone seen Mitch?” Eve interrupted.
Mallory shook her head.
Nana, Danior and Mallory, chilled from their brief adventure outside, rushed toward the fireplace. Warming their hands by the fire, they looked over to the sofa where Harley lay.
“Did you see what happened?” Mallory asked Eve as she came up beside them.
“No. Vee was there first. She screamed after she knocked Bronson out and Gloria and I came running,” Eve said as she pressed a washcloth against Harley’s ashen face.
Rebel poked at the bandage that was wrapped around his upper arm. “Maybe I should dig out the bullet. We don’t want it to become infected.”
“Have either of you seen Lana or Mitch, yet?” Eve asked.
“I’m right here.”
They all pivoted around. Michèle stood at the door, holding a hand up to her head. Her fingers were stained a bright red. Eve rushed forward and gave her sister a quick hug. “Mitch! What happened?”
“Where in the heck did you just come from?” Mallory asked.
“The shed.” She replied, just as Denise came up to join her. She handed Michele a wet cloth.
“Outside?” Mallory questioned. “Why did you go outside?”
“Well, first I ran up to my room. When I came back out, I saw Daemon in the doorway of Lana and Harley’s room. He looked very suspicious, so I turned to run the other way and the next thing I knew, I was hit from behind,” she said with a sneer. “By the time I came to, he was gone.”
“Who was gone?” Mallory asked.
“Daemon! He was obviously the one who hit me. Anyway, rude! Quit interrupting! As soon as I was able to get out, I began searching for him, and guess where I found him?” She looked at everyone expectantly, but when no one bothered to guess, she sighed. “I found him standing over Lana’s body.”
Joelle gasped. She pressed a hand to her mouth as tears filled her eyes.
“Her body?” Eve whispered, horrified.
Michèle nodded. “He killed her.”
Penny nodded, “We just found her as well. She’d been shot and thrown from her balcony.”
“Where is Daemon now?” Mallory asked wearily.
“I managed to get the jump on him and knock him out cold while he was on all fours in the snow. He was so busy digging that he didn’t even hear me coming. I tied him up and dragged him into the shed.”
“You dragged him to the shed all on your own?”
“Of course not, Denise saw me through the back door and came out to help me. It’s not like it’s that far. It’s right there. Although my back is a little sore, now that you mention it.” She turned to Denise, “How’s yours?”
“That explains the drag marks. Did you actually see Daemon kill her?” Danior asked.
Michèle raised her eyebrows. “No, but after carefully analyzing the clues, it’s clear. Also, I know you were the one who poisoned Nana.”
Rubbing a hand across her forehead, Mallory sighed heavily. “Let’s not confuse the game with real life, okay?”
“Well, we are supposed to be giving our theories now. It’s got to be close to 7 p.m., isn’t it? I hardly think I’m the one with the problem,” Michèle grumbled. “Anyway, I’m at least ninety percent sure it’s Daemon. He was on his hands and knees next to Lana examining the bust, or rather what was left of it. Stupid man. The coin wasn’t in there.”
“Oh, and I suppose you know where it is?” Vee asked.
Michèle pursed her lips together. “Maybe.”
Smiling, Joelle rose to her feet. “Well, that’s a relief. I’ll just go let Bronson out now.”
Danior held out a hand. “I think we should leave Bronson where he is for right now.”
Rebel sat back down with a sigh.
Michèle walked over to Harley. “What happened to him?”
“He was shot,” Rebel said.
Michèle knelt down and lifted his arm to peer at the wound, causing him to stir slightly with a groan. “Is he alive?” she said, laying his arm gently across his chest.
“No, he’s a zombie, dumbass.” Eve retorted.
“Yes, he’s just unconscious,” Rebel replied shooing Michèle away.
Harley’s eyelids fluttered, but he didn’t open them.
Vee stood up and walked out of the library.
“Where are you going, Vee?” Michèle asked quickly.
“I’m going to check on Daemon,” Vee said. “He’s probably freezing out there.”
“Don’t you mean Ron?” Michèle asked snidely. “I’ll go with you. We wouldn’t want him to somehow get loose.”
Vee, in the act of shrugging on her coat, paused long enough to give Michèle a withering look.
Eve clutched at her sister’s arm. “Don’t think I’m letting you have all the fun again without me.”
Michèle grabbed Eve’s hand and pulled her from the library. “Wouldn’t dream of it, but you’d better keep up.” A few seconds later, the door slammed shut.
Nana rose to her feet. “C’mon, Joelle. Let’s go get the first aid kit from the kitchen so Rebel can do her thing. The girls can watch over Harley.”
As soon as Joelle was out of sight, Mallory reached into her pocket and pressed the coin pouch into Danior’s hand.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“I don’t trust these guys. Someone needs to go for help.”
“Then we’ll grab Nana, Eve, Michèle and Penny and go together.”
“Too many people to go unnoticed. Besides, Nana would slow us down and we can’t leave her behind unprotected. Take Kaden, he’s looking better now. Get to the parking lot. The snowstorm’s passed over and I’m sure the roads are passable. There’s a spare key in the visor of Nana’s truck. Penny and I’ll keep an eye on things here and make sure they don’t all kill each other.” At Danior’s worried expression, she added, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. I won’t go down any dark hallways by myself.”
Danior smiled. “I wouldn’t look in any closets or under any beds, either.”
“Don’t worry; I took very good notes during Horror Movie Watching 101. Just take the coin—” She paused. Sh
e could have sworn she saw something out of the corner of her eye moving in the hall. She walked out of the library just as Joelle approached holding a first aid kit. Nana walked up behind her.
“Got it!” She passed by without stopping. “Nana! Get in here. Harley’s stirring!” Joelle shouted. “Don’t try to get up. You need to lie down.”
Harley shook his head. “I’m fine.” He looked over at Danior and Mallory from a sitting position on the couch. “Where is Lana?”
Joelle came to stand in front of Harley. “Now, you don’t worry about her. You just worry about yourself.”
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What are you not telling me? I want to get up. You can’t keep me prisoner here.” He closed his eyes and groaned.
“Do you remember who shot you, Harley?” Mallory asked.
Harley nodded and Rebel helped him to his feet. “It was Daemon. I was looking for Lana and he was in our room . . . I don’t know what happened. Why won’t you tell me where she is?” Tears sprang to his eyes as he looked at them. “She’s gone, isn’t she?”
Danior nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Harley sank down to the ground. “I heard Daemon’s voice as I climbed the stairs and then a gunshot. I heard his voice,” he said softly. “Lana was so afraid of him.” He lifted his hand to his face. “Where is he? Where is Daemon?”
Nana looked over her shoulder at Mallory and Danior. “Gone,” she lied.
“I should have listened to her. He must have been after the coin, but she didn’t have it. She would have told me if she had found it. Has anyone found the wretched thing yet?” he asked angrily. “Maybe we can bait him. Bring him out into the open.”
Joelle shook her head. “We haven’t found it yet.” Bending down, she helped him to his feet. “Come on, you need to rest.”
He swayed unsteadily on his feet. “I’d give it up to have her back again. I just don’t understand. Why kill her?” Harley painfully made his way up the staircase with Joelle’s help. “I just want to be left alone. Please take me to my room,” Harley said dejectedly.
Their voices faded away as Joelle, Nana and Rebel led him to his room.
33
“D
o you think Joelle heard our plan to leave?” Danior asked Penny, Kaden, and Mallory as they walked to the front door.
Gypsies, Traps & Missing Thieves Page 14