Page 95 of Secrets in the Dark
He came in to find that Edmund Taylor, Jeanne Lapierre and François Bisset were seated at the table, studying their laptops.
“They’ve now received hundreds of tips on the hotline,” Edmund said, looking up when he entered the house. “Hundreds. We’re looking through them, but...”
“I think we know where he is—right here somewhere, under our noses.”
“Yes, I explained to Edmund and Jeanne that you went to see the archeologist and the anthropologist because you believe that he’s getting underground somewhere here, near us,” François said. “Or, he’s simply slipping into one of the businesses. And there are flats above some of the businesses. But we’ve had police knocking on doors—not banging down doors, mind you, just warning the residents to be careful. There is little else that the city is talking about, and every neighbor who has a dispute with another is suggesting that the object of their animosity is the killer.”
“Unfortunately, that’s human nature. You can vilify just about anyone who angers you,” Mason said. “But we do need to go through everything because something real could be in there along with all the panic. Then again, we can eat, give up computers for the night and do that fun thing—troll the pubs for a killer.”
“Dinner should be here any minute,” Edmund said. “I will be ready. I keep forgetting lunch—and it’s here!”
“Dinner. Wonderfully welcome. And while we French don’t have the culinary availability of the best in Indian cuisine, I have cultivated a wonderful love for curry!” Jeanne said.
Edmund headed to the door to get their delivery. As always, he walked a few feet behind, ready to draw his Glock should the delivery not be what was ordered.
But Edmund accepted the bags, thanking the delivery-woman, and assuring her that her tip was on the app. The young woman delivering the food was attractive and seemed to find Edmund to be so, too. She smiled, thanked him and said that she’d be delighted to be their delivery-girl again.
Edmund grinned as he closed and locked the door.
“Our youngamihas a conquest!” Jeanne teased
“The lass was lovely. Maybe one day when we’re not so hot on a killer...”
“Ah,mais oui!” Jeanne commiserated.
“Need help with those bags?” Mason asked, grimacing.
Edmund laughed. “I only need to make it to the dining room table. But you can help me open the bags.”
“I will get napkins and silver,” François offered.
“And I am famished—I will open the boxes as Mason sets them out.”
Mason distributed the food out, thinking that Della would come down while he helped, but she didn’t.
Mason smiled and looked up the stairs. “Is Della up in the room?” he asked.
Edmund looked at him and frowned. “She must be here somewhere. She’d been about to put the kettle on. She must have run upstairs for something—I haven’t seen her yet.”
“But she’s here somewhere—I checked the cameras as we were arriving and I saw her return to the house,” François assured him.
Mason frowned, wishing he didn’t feel a sense of unease so instantly.
He needed to behave like a normal person!
He managed to nod to Edmund and say, “I’ll check upstairs.”
“Wonder if she fell asleep!” Jeanne mused. “I wouldn’t blame her! But wait!” Jeanne already had all the boxes of food open and he’d dished out yellow rice onto a plate. “Wait, seriously, taste this. You will then lure her down quickly for a delicious dinner among coworkers and friends.”
Mason wasn’t sure that he felt hungry himself, but in the vein of diplomacy, he accepted a bite of the rice.
It was good. He wasn’t that big a curry fan, but the rice was excellent.
“I’ll go lure her down,” Mason said.
“Maybe. If she fell asleep, I’d leave her. Sleep has become such a precious commodity,” Edmund said.
“Trust me, she’s not asleep. I’ll run up.”
