Page 42 of Seven Deadly Sins

“I’d be a fool not to be scared spitless right now.” Harper stepped closer to his side.

“I know the feeling. I’ve never run across anything like this in my career.” He hoped he never would again. He’d dealt with sick psychos before, but this one won first place.

Steps faltering, Harper pulled back as they approached the shed. “I don’t want to go in there.”

“We don’t have a choice. Someone will die if we don’t play this game to the end.” He pushed the door open.

Steps led underground. Nope. Not liking this at all. “Leave the door open.”

“No problem there.” Harper pulled a small flashlight from her belt and shined it down the stairs. “I sure hope this isn’t our grave.”

Liam pulled his weapon and started down. The air grew noticeably cooler as they traversed the twenty cement steps. The door at the top of the stairs slammed shut, but not before he heard a woman’s laughter.

His phone dinged.

Another game.

Chapter Six

Carl entered hisapartment and glared at Lucy who cackled on the sofa, the TV remote in her hand. “What’s so funny?”

“Doing the job you hired me to do. Leaving clues and such. I added a new element. Sit and be entertained.”

Intrigued, he tossed his car keys in the bowl on a credenza and sat next to Lucy. The dark screen flared to life. The agent and the detective stood in a concrete room. Balloons hung on one wall. Throughout the room were tables with items and furniture with drawers. “What is this?”

“An escape room.” Lucy laughed shrilly. “It’ll slow them down big time.”

“Where did you get the clues?”

“Online.”

“Have you chosen the person they are supposed to save?”

“Of course.” She sighed. “The girl is tied up, gagged, and waiting in a hotel room. I gave her something to make her sleep. If she does wake within the twenty-four hours, no one will hear her.”

“Who is it?”

“A cheerleader who wants to be head cheerleader, but that spot is already taken. She’s the daughter of a prominent businessman. She won’t be missed until she doesn’t show up for cheer practice in less than an hour.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I thought I should continue with your theme of coveting. Now, hush. Watch the show.”

One of these days, he would rid his life of this bossy woman.

~

“What is this?” Liam glanced around the room. “A child’s party?”

“I don’t know.” Harper studied items on a table. One table held scissors with a padlock holding the handle together. Another a sheet of paper and watercolor paint. Another had blocks made with Legos. She turned and moved to the wall of balloons. “These have something inside them.”

She faced him. “I think this is an escape room.”

“I hate those.”

“I love them. Let’s get busy. I have no idea how long this will take us. Since everything looks childish, it shouldn’t stump us too bad.” The killer toyed with them, wasting their time. Well, Harper was good at puzzles. “Start popping these balloons.”

“Okay.” Liam pulled a pocketknife from his pocket and started popping. Pieces of balloons, graffiti, paper, and plastic numbers fell to the floor.

Harper picked up the three numbers and set them on an empty table. “Let’s put all the clues we find here. Then we can decipher them.”

“Why a kid’s escape room?”

---