Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Shit.
Chapter 12
Better Safe, Than Sorry
The security room shifted to chaos. Christopher gave out orders as everyone frantically scrambled around each other, trying to fix the problem with the cameras.
A few typed on their keyboards in a blur. The woman shouted into a phone at somebody.
Ethan took my hand and guided us to the back of the room.
When we got there, he turned to me. “So, this killer. . .he knows how to turn off my security footage.”
Chills ran through me. “This is a lot of planning to get rid of me.”
“A hell of a lot.”
“Goddamn it. What did I do to his person?”
Ethan held up one finger. “They knew you were coming to my party.”
“Definitely. How many people knew that among your employees?”
“Many.” He frowned. “I was excited like a teenaged girl. The chef thought it was adorable.”
I blushed, then paused. “Wait. Maybe. . .someone else on your staff didn’t think your obsession of me was cute at all.”
Ethan blinked. “The killer’s motive is jealousy?”
“Could be. I can’t think of what I could have done to make someone want to kill me. I just sit in my office at home and write for days. I have little social life to speak of. No dating.”
“We are definitely going to change that.”
I blushed again. “Let’s. . .get back to. . .breaking this down.”
“Yes.” Ethan winked. “Why would the killer pick my party? Why not break into your home and kill you there?”
“Yikes.”
“Sorry.”
“No. That’s a good point.” My heart boomed in my ears. “I’m just freaked out by that. I’m getting better security.”
“You should. I had men sitting across your house for weeks, watching. No one noticed.”
I widened my eyes. “You had men watching my house. Why?”
“I couldn’t find any information on a boyfriend or lover.”
“O-kay.”
“I apologize if that was a bit too much.”
“Hey. . .my hero would have done it in a book, yet. . .in reality, it’s a little weird.”
“A tiny bit off-putting?”
“I would say so.”
“The hired guys were ordered to take any pictures of men going in and out of your house and find out information on them.”
“That was an easy job for them.”
“It was. They only saw Horace going once. No other men visited.”
“Then, most likely no guy was creeping around my property?”
“Exactly.”
I hugged myself. “I hate this.”
“We will find the person, Maya.”
“I know.” I cleared my throat. “What’s next? Let’s get back to the fact that the person wanted me to die at the party.”
“Perhaps, because they wanted me to see you die.”
What sort of sick individual is this?
I hugged myself tighter. “If that’s true, then they wanted you to pay for your obsession?”
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t want to be the reason why someone is trying to kill you.”
“We could be wrong.” I lowered my arms. “However, it does seem like the person wants me dead around you. The first time was poison to my champagne. I assume they brought it to the house. Lots of planning.”
“Perhaps, the person also brought a gun just in case.”
Even more terrified, I came closer to him. “They somehow knew about the waiters’ costumes and grabbed one.”
“Maybe, they don’t even wait for the day of the party to bring the items. Perhaps, they already had the stuff hidden somewhere in the house to change into.”
“They wait for the cameras to go off, then grab the costume, and rush to find me.” I glanced back at the men hurrying around the room. “The cameras have been off for a while. They would have enough time.”
“I don’t how like how fucking smart this killer is.”
“Me either.”
Ethan frowned. “My hired men confirmed that Horace is your literary agent. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think he is hiding from you?”
“Whatever it is. . .it deals with money. That’s all Horace truly cares about.”
When the hell did Claire and him start having sex?
Ethan’s face turned to rage. “When this is over, I am going to ruin Horace.”
“What if. . .he’s the one trying to kill me?”
Christopher called over his shoulder. “Sir, we are close to getting everything back online.”
“Good.” Ethan didn’t turn away from me.
Tension gathered in my shoulders. “Whoever it is. . .they’ve changed into the mask and cloak by now. And. . .they’re probably searching for me.”
The screens came back on.
I put my gaze on Christopher’s screen that displayed the bathroom. Of course Horace and Claire had left by now.
Christopher sat back down and rapidly typed. “I will find them.”
Fuck.
Anxiety laced Ethan’s voice. “Hurry.”
The security room’s door creaked open.
What?
Ethan and I turned around.
Two waiters strolled in. One carried a tray of hors d’oeuvres. The other had a tray of champagne flutes.
Same long, hooded capes. Same glittering gold masks covering their faces.
Ethan and I exchanged glances.
Hell to the no.
Fast, Ethan charged for them.
I quickly followed.
Not today, Satan!
One of the waiters screamed.
Ethan got to the first one and smacked the tray of hors d’oeuvres out of his hands. Crostinis, shrimp, and caviar flew in the air.