Page 39 of Seven Deadly Sins

“No, he doesn’t. I’m grasping at straws. Where to now?”

“Ms. Davis’s receptionist, a Mary Excell lives half a mile from here. She might know something.”

Probably not, but they still needed to talk to her. He followed the directions on her GPS and pulled up to four-unit apartment complex.

The woman who opened the door had pufferfish lips and a perpetually surprised look on the rest of her face. He pasted on a smile and introduced them.

“She’s dead?” The woman’s fingers fluttered around the neckline of her blouse. “Murdered?”

Liam nodded. “Any idea who might want her dead?”

“No one other than Doctor Landry. I overheard them arguing about clients yesterday. Ms. Davis was very well-liked otherwise.”

Unfortunately, Landry had an alibi. “Thank you for your time.” He exhaled heavily in the car. “We don’t have any more answers for this murder than we do for the Seven Deadly Sins Killer.”

“Would save time if they were connected. We’re already stretched thin.”

Liam glanced up to see Landry watching them from his office window. “Is there a Landry on the list of family members who died while under your grandfather’s care?”

She scrolled through her phone. “No.” She followed his gaze. “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing.” He looked for a suspect where there wasn’t one. He drove to Mary Excell’s house.

Harper knocked on the door of the house belonging to Mary Excell. The door swung open. She put her hand on the weapon at her hip. “Anyone home? Ms. Excell?”

Liam held out his arm. “Let me go first.”

Scowling, she stepped back. “We’re equal, Liam.”

“Yes, but I’m still going first.” He entered the house and let his eyes adjust to the gloom. “Ms. Excell?” The hair on his arms rose. Something wasn’t right.

Chapter Five

Harper followed Liaminside. The house was eerily quiet as if death resided inside.

“I’ll take the back of the house.” With slow steps, she made her way down a short hallway.

Rather than search the front of the house, Liam followed close behind and ducked into the bathroom. “Clear.”

Her hand shook as she reached for the doorknob of what she guessed would be a bedroom. The door squeaked as she pushed it open. Her heart dropped.

Sitting in a posture of prayer next to the bed was a woman, naked except for the doily on top of her head. Her folded hands rested on a sheet of paper.

“Liam.” Harper moved toward the bed. She peered over the woman’s shoulder. “It’s instructions for what seems like a scavenger hunt.”

“Follow the clues. Take no one other than the agent and the detective. If you follow the clues successfully, you’ll find another clue. Fail and another dies. Time is ticking. You have twenty-four hours. Your clue is here.”

Harper frowned. “I don’t see it.”

“The body. We need to go to a church.”

“But which one?” She stared at the body. “One where they wear head coverings? There’s only one that I know of. The catholic church in Oakdale. Some of the women there cover their heads during mass. What did Mary Excell covet? Do you think it relevant?”

Liam moved to the room next door. “Home office.”

She joined him and flipped through the woman’s calendar. “She was scheduled to have her nose fixed. Coveting beauty?”

“Right along with the others who worked with her.” He thumbed through a stack of mail. “A few bills, mostly junk. Let’s go. We’ll let the chief know what’s going on. I think the twenty-four hours is for the whole game, not just the next clue.”

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