Page 129 of Seven Deadly Sins

“We have three. Two restaurants and a buffet. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find the right one first.” She darted out the way they’d come.

They found the next clue at their second stop with ten minutes to spare. Thankfully, they didn’t have to break into the building. Spray painted on the side wall was the words, “The ditch on sixth street is full of trash. You have fifteen minutes to get there and fill a black lawn and leaf bag. It must be full.”

“What the heck?” Liam shook his head. “None of this is making any sense!”

Harper agreed. “We don’t have a choice.” She rushed back to the jeep. “I’d like to know how Robert knows whether we’re making our time or not. Neither of us…he’s tracking us.” Her mouth dropped open. “Do you think?”

“That would explain the time, but not whether we fill an entire black bag with garbage. Do you have one in the back?”

“Yes.” She bit her bottom lip. How would Robert know she kept a box in the back just in case? “He’s been watching me, maybe both of us, before he started this whole Seven Sins thing. He needed to know everything he could before he got started.” An icy fist wrapped around her heart and squeezed.

“We’re going to be okay.” Liam shot her a glance. “I promise.”

That was a promise he might not be able to keep.

~

Robert laughed as he watched the little blue dot on his phone flit from here to there. He had no reason for sending them all over town except for the fact he was bored. Boredom was not something he was used to.

As a successful plastic surgeon, he’d had more work than he could do and often turned patients away. Add to that his quest to make the world a better place, and he’d had little spare time. How long had it been since he’d had a vacation?

Some might consider this idyllic compound a prime vacation spot. He might have to once if there were masseuses, a bar, relaxing and enjoyable things to do. But there wasn’t. He couldn’t even get new followers without social media. which he didn’t…

Why not use an alias? Set up a new account? Anyone who read his online article could catch the clues he’d leave. The tricky part would be getting them to the compound. But he’d find a way. As soon as the agent and the detective found what was waiting for them at the end of the trail of clues.

~

Liam’s hand sank into a pile of rotting lettuce and tomato. An animal had eaten the burger and bun and left the vegetables. Disgusted, he wiped the garbage off on the inside of the bag and glanced at the time on his phone. Five minutes left and the bag was only two-thirds full. “We’ve got to pick up the pace. Grab the biggest pieces.”

Harper scooped up an armful of dried leaves. “I doubt he has a camera on us. This should fill the bag.”

“Brilliant.” He flashed her a grin and reached out to wipe some dirt from her cheek.

She recoiled. “Oh, no, you don’t. You’ve got…stuff on your hand.”

“Sorry.” He wiped the rest off on his pants. “Have you found the next clue?”

“No.”

The bag now full, Liam studied the area. They had two minutes to find the next clue.

“There.” Harper pointed to a sheet of paper that had blown under a culvert. “Please don’t let there be any snakes.” She ducked inside. A second later, she screamed.

Liam slid down the side of the ditch. “You hurt?”

“No, I thought I saw a snake, but it was only a stick.” She handed him the paper.

“You must be hungry by now. Head to the fifties-style diner and have lunch with someone named Jordan.” Jordan? “You have one hour to find Jordan and to complete your lunch.” His stomach growled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten breakfast. “Nice of Thompson to think of our hunger.”

“I don’t know anyone by that name.” Harper held out a hand for him to help her out of the ditch. “But I do know where that diner is. It’s in Langley which doesn’t give us much time.”

They made it to the diner in twenty minutes. Liam burst through the door. “Is there a Jordan here?”

A young black man held up his hand. “I’m Jordan.”

Liam let Harper in first, then slid into the booth opposite the young man. “We’re supposed to have lunch with you.”

“I know. This dude came up to me outside, handed me fifty bucks, and said to give you this note.” He pulled an index card from his pocket.