AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
“This is absurd.” Vivianne stood up as Morrie shooed out the hotel staff. “It was one thing when Jonathan was guarding us, but it’s quite another for one of the suspect’s boyfriends to be in charge. If one of the people in this room is a murderer, then they must have had an accomplice outside the room to turn off the power. Anyone in this hotel could be in on it, and I for one will not be a sitting duck! I’m leaving.”
She stalked toward the door. To my shock, Heathcliff stepped aside and let her through.
“Anyone else want to run?” he boomed. “Now’s your chance.”
“Hey, wait a second.” I tugged on his arm as the rest of the writers filed past us and disappeared into the hotel. “How could you let everyone leave? We can’t have the murderer running loose around the hotel.”
“That’s exactly what we want,” Heathcliff growled.
“Why don’t you stop him?” I glared at Morrie and Quoth as I shook Heathcliff’s arm. “What are you doing?”
“We’re solving the murder, of course.” Heathcliff folded his arms. “No need to thank me.”
“I don’t understand. You let all the suspects go!”
Unless, of course, you know that none of them are suspects.
“I told all the suspects that I put the pen back in the library. That pen contains DNA evidence the police need to convict our killer. Whoever is responsible is not going to pass up the opportunity to sneak back to the library, steal it, and get rid of it. And when they do, we’re going to catch them.”
I gaped at him. “You…you set up a trap? That’s dangerous. What if the murderer goes upstairs and hurts one of the guests?”
“Relax, gorgeous,” Morrie said. “I know murderers, and ours set this up deliberately and carefully to ensure they got away with it. They won’t waste the opportunity to get rid of the pen.”
“Morrie and I are going after them.” Heathcliff walked across the room to a coat of arms and yanked two ancient swords from the display. He tossed one to Morrie, who caught it with the grace of a championship fencer. “We need to leave now if we want to surprise them. You stay here with Quoth. I don’t want you anywhere near the murderer.”
I was too flabbergasted and incensed to reply. The room fell silent as they shut the door behind them, leaving me and Quoth alone in the gloom.
The candles on the table flickered, casting eerie shadows over Quoth’s waterfall of dark hair.
“Are you okay?” he asked in that kind, husky voice of his. “It can’t be nice being accused of murder, especially since this isn’t the first time. But if Heathcliff and Morrie can catch the real killer, they will clear your name.”
“The other writers have every right to accuse me,” I said. “My motive is at least as strong as everyone else’s. Hugh was a pretty rotten guy.”
“I don’t think anyone will cry over his death.”
“No, but just because someone is awful doesn’t mean killing them is a just thing to do. Don’t you agree?”
Was it my imagination, or did Quoth stiffen a little beside me? “Of course. Is there any cheese left?”
“Quoth…” I sighed. I needed to know the truth, and I knew I’d be able to make Quoth give it to me. “I know you didn’t go to art class today.”
He froze, his hand hovering over the platter.
“I talked to Kelly-Ann, and she said you never showed up.” I tried to touch his hand, but he angled himself away from me. “Where were you? Why did you lie to me?”
He slumped down, his hair falling over his face, a curtain hiding his eyes. “I was embarrassed. I’m sorry, Mina. I went to speak to the ravens again. I’m trying to figure out a way to free them. I asked Donna about them, but she said that people didn’t want them hopping around the tables while they were eating—”
Quoth’s words were cut off by a shrill shriek.
“That’s someone screaming,” I said, leaping to my feet. “The murderer is striking again!”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
We followed the screams into the hallway, but from there they cut off abruptly, and I didn’t know which way to go.
“Let’s check the library.” Quoth’s voice thickened with worry.
