Seductive Suspect - Page 26

“Sure.” I flashed him a genuine smile. “I’ll reset the board.”

I sat down and placed the pieces on their assigned squares. Adam returned within a few minutes, taking his seat while I finished up.

“You go first this time,” he said.

“All right.” I lifted my chin in mock arrogance. “I’m determined to beat you this round.”

He laughed and leaned forward. “Bring it on!”

We started our next match. I wanted to concentrate on the game to increase my chances of winning, but something else tugged at the back of my mind. Since becoming less agitated and skittish, I was able to examine the details of the ongoing mystery with a clearer head. No criminal mastermind operated without mistakes. There had to be some clues left behind somewhere.

I replayed my prior conversations with Adam while we moved the pieces around the board.Motive or opportunity…why or how…I thought of the others’ actions throughout the day, from meeting them on the staircase first thing in the morning to when they left me in the kitchen to wash the dishes after we ate lunch.The kitchen…with the cute garden and trellis I hadn’t noticed before…

Suddenly, the answer to some of my questions exploded into clarity. Though little more than a theory, I felt confident I knew how the killer moved around without drawing attention. The wooden lattice outside provided plenty of footholds for anyone wanting to move from the upper floor to the lower without using the staircase or passing by the other bedrooms. I doubted anyone had checked to see if the kitchen door had been locked, and there might even be other ground floor entrances to the lodge I didn’t know about.

Excitement at my discovery lasted mere seconds. I realized I’d only seen one person out on the balcony. Were Adam’s desires for fresh air and admiring the scenery nothing more than excuses? After he brought me food and tried to comfort me last night, did he scale down the wall to set a lethal trap? Could he switch from acting kind and compassionate to plotting murder so quickly?

“Veronica?” His voice interrupted my thoughts. “You know it’s your turn, right?”

“Oops, sorry.” I moved a rook without caring where it landed. Across the room, Laura walked through the doorway with another cup of coffee. I hadn’t even seen her leave. So much for being alert.

I debated whether to share my revelation with Adam. I wanted him to reassure me he wasn’t skulking around the lodge and killing off our companions, but his words alone wouldn’t fully convince me. The best course of action, I reasoned, was to act natural and attempt to remain observant.

“Careful,” he said when I reached for a bishop. “You don’t want to leave your queen unguarded.”

I withdrew my hand. “Are you letting me win?”

“Merely offering some advice.” The mischievous sparkle reappeared in his eyes. “The queen’s as important as the king here. She should also be protected.”

“Trying to charm me with chess strategies.” I opted for picking up a knight instead. “Very cute.”

“Is it working?”

I set the little horse back down and gave him an exaggerated shrug. “Maybe.”

Despite my best efforts, I lost the second game. “One more round,” I said when he plucked my king from the board. “I have to win eventually.”

Before he answered, movement out the corner of my eye caught my attention. Dylan jerked his head up, looking away from his phone for the first time in hours. “Do you guys smell something?”

“Smell what?” I asked.

The high-pitched screech of an alarm pierced the air.

Adam leapt from his chair. “What is that? Where’s it coming from?”

“It sounds like a smoke detector.” Laura’s pool stick clattered against the floor when she dropped it. “If it’s not a crazed killer we’re worrying about, then it’s the freaking house burning down around us.” She tossed her hair back over one shoulder and marched toward the foyer. “Come on, let’s go.”

We followed her out of the room. “I think it’s coming from the kitchen,” Isabel said.

Adam approached the door and gave it a tentative nudge. Thick smoke spilled out from behind it when it opened. Isabel yelped when he jumped back, and a new surge of panic slammed into me.

“Be careful!” I yelled.

Eyes wide, he put his hand on the door again. “It’s not hot. I think it’s mostly smoke in there, and we can stop it before it gets much worse.” He pulled the edge of his shirt up over his mouth and nose. “There has to be a fire extinguisher around somewhere,” he said, disappearing into the kitchen.

“Adam!” Frozen in fear, I tried to rapidly pick the best from a set of terrible options. I didn’t want to become injured or incapacitated in the kitchen, but being forced outside to endure unpredictable weather and eventual nightfall didn’t sound appealing either. I recalled how I’d felt when helping Victor out of the mud and I knew I had to at least attempt to do the right thing. Taking a deep breath, I barged into the smoky room.

Inside, I couldn’t see more than a few inches in front of me. I reached for the wall and used it to help guide me around the perimeter of the room until I arrived at the rear entrance to the garden. I flung open the door and hoped some of the smoke would drift outside. After gulping in a few breaths of fresh air, I set out to do the same with the windows.