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“The best.” I did the same and popped it into my mouth.
Paul took a swig of water and set his glass down with a bang. “Hey, Victor, I have a question for you.”
“Yes?”
“What was supposed to happen last night and today?” He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “I mean, with the game and the mystery and the characters and everything.”
“Oh, that.” Victor nodded toward his colleague. “Later in the evening, Ruth would have been discovered as our ‘victim.’ Pretending to be killed the first night frees up the chef on duty to work in the kitchen uninterrupted.” He chuckled. “For the rest of the weekend, we suspend our disbelief when the wonderful meals turn up on the table, ready to go.”
“You’re too kind.” Ruth refolded her napkin beside her plate. “Though I wish the circumstances were different, it has been nice spending time with other people here for a change.”
“Afterward,” Victor continued, “I set up clues and puzzles for the guests to solve throughout the day. Most people claim to have fun when they’re here.”
“Gotcha.” Paul propped his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “Are they usually successful?”
“If a group is struggling, I can help guide them in the right direction. One way or another, the mystery is always solved by the last day.” He tugged at his bowtie and frowned. “Now, unfortunately, it seems we’re playing a new game, and I’m not sure of the rules.”
Once we finished eating, Isabel, Paul, and Brittany volunteered to help clear the table and assist Ruth in getting the dinner preparations underway. Back in the library, I accepted Adam’s invitation to join his game of gin rummy. I sat beside him on the couch like I had the previous night, and Dylan and Laura took the armchairs across from us. He shuffled the deck and dealt the first hand. I marveled at how easy it was to pretend we didn’t have a killer in our midst.
After I lost the fifth hand in a row, the others returned from the kitchen. “The ham’s going to take a couple hours,” Isabel said, sitting in the chair next to Laura. “Ruth said she’d keep an eye on it. Mind if I join you in the meantime?”
“Not at all.” Adam collected the cards. “I’ll deal you in.”
The rain continued its steady assault outside the window, yet the driving rhythm didn’t seem so ominous anymore. Under different circumstances, I saw how the lodge would provide the perfect cozy weekend getaway. The pleasant atmosphere lulled me into a state of serenity, and I wondered if we’d been overestimating the threat of danger. Two people were dead, but since we’d discussed the murders and were being more cautious, would the killer really risk striking again?
“Maybe this place isn’t so bad,” I said. “I’ll admit I was skeptical at first, but I bet the regular mystery weekends were a lot of fun.”
“I know what you mean.” Isabel picked up a card and exchanged it with one in her hand. “Sometimes, it’s easy toforget how…you know…”
I made another attempt at amiable conversation, hoping I’d fare better than Adam had earlier in the day. “Do you coordinate a lot of community programs at your library?” I asked Laura.
“Oh, tons.” She rifled through her hand. “Gone are the days of simply checking out books and putting them back in the right places. We try to make the library an inviting, exciting place for everyone.” After exchanging a card, she adjusted her glasses. “It’s nice, because I do like meeting new people. Just in…safer circumstances.”
“Same here.” Adam picked up the card she’d put down. “We’re lucky, we don’t have a lot of problem clients. Some can be a little difficult at times, but it’s great going into work and seeing different faces every day. Keeps things interesting.”
I studied my cards as I waited for my turn. “Most of my communication with clients is done via email from my apartment. Don’t make fun of me, but this is the most human interaction I’ve had in a long time.”
“I would never dream of doing such a thing.” Adam flashed me a smile before finishing his turn. “Besides, it sounds like Dylan works the same way.”
“Hmm?” He glanced up through the strands of hair that had fallen over his brow. “Oh, yeah, I guess.”
“I deal more with paperwork than people,” Isabel said. “But I don’t mind it.”
I pulled a card out of my hand. “There’s a happy balance for everyone somewhere.”
We switched over to poker, where I proceeded to lose worse than I had before. I enjoyed the light competition and friendly chatter, however, and continued to play. Late in the afternoon, Victor set up the bar with Paul’s help. Despite our insistence otherwise, Brittany volunteered to serve us. I remembered I’d never gotten my second glass of wine the previous night anddecided I felt comfortable enough around my companions to have a drink. “It might help improve my card game skills,” I joked.
Adam chuckled. “Mine would get worse.”
Brittany brought over a tray of filled glasses, and I continued my struggle to wind up with anything higher than one pair. Victor turned on the lights when the room grew dark and closed the heavy shades, muffling the sounds of the storm outside.
After folding his hand, Dylan laid his cards on the table and looked around. “Hey, whatever happened to dinner?”
Laura pursed her lips. “If you’re so concerned, why don’tyougo into the kitchen and check?”
“I’m just saying.” He pushed his hair out of his eyes and jerked his thumb toward Isabel. “Didn’t she tell us it would only be about two hours?”
“So it’s taking a little longer.” She put down three cards. “I’m sure you won’t starve, even if someone isn’t waiting on you hand and foot.”