Page 41 of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies

I wish he’d stop doling out tidbits of information like he’s narrating one of the Vacation Mysteries.

It’s so annoying when an author does that, right?

“Care to explain, Connor?” Harper says.

“It has to be someone in Italy. With what happened at the Vatican, and then again today.”

“But I didn’t know the woman who took my purse,” Harper says.

Connor makes an annoyed gesture with his hand. “She’s working with someone else, clearly.”

“Someone on this tour?” I ask. “Who wants you dead?”

“Isn’t that what we’ve been talking about?”

Harper and I share a glance.

It is what we were talking about before he came up behind us, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t hear that part of the conversation.

At least I hope not.

I might be impulsive, but I know better than to drop that information on Connor without any prior warning. I’m going to have to find a way to cushion the blow.

Hmmm. I never realized how many common expressions are related to death and violence until I started thinking about killing Connor.

Does everyone have murder on their mind?

“You think it’s one of the BookFace Ladies?” I ask. “I could see Crazy Cathy doing something like that.”

“I doubt it.”

“Because they all love you.”

“Because how would they have gotten on the tour?” he counters.

“They could’ve entered the contest,” Harper says. “It would be a good cover.”

“But they couldn’t guarantee they’d get in,” I say. “Depending on that would be a risk. Plus, then why try to kill him in California?”

Harper shrugs. “That didn’t work. Plan B, I guess.”

“But that was only a couple of weeks ago. Not enough time to get on this tour unless—”

“Can you two stop talking about me like I’m not here?”

“You interrupted a good point,” I say.

“What?”

“That you’re right.”

“How’s that?”

“If they wanted to kill you in Italy, or if that was their plan B, then they’d have to know in advance that they were going to be on it. When was the tour announced again, Harper?”

“Six months ago.”

“And the BookFace contest?”