Page 48 of Seven Deadly Sins

“No.” Her heart jumped at the thought of traveling with him. Her attention was diverted by the return of the unfriendly little man.

He handed her a jump drive. “I copied names, just the names, on here. You’re capable of finding their addresses yourself. I don’t want the members any more upset with me than they will be.”

“They won’t find out unless you tell them. Thank you.” She pocketed the drive. “We’re going to stroll the grounds for a few minutes. We’ll let you know when we leave.”

He sighed. “Very well.”

Harper didn’t know what she hoped to find. From the suspicious looks of those enjoying a meal on the patio, they’d be lucky to get anyone to speak to them. Since the murders started recently, she hoped the killer was a new member.

“The kitchen staff might not be as unfriendly.” Liam opened a small door on the patio.

It was worth a try, anyway. She kept a smile in place and entered the kitchen. She identified them both. “Who has been working here the longest?”

“I am.” A man in a chef’s hand approached them, wiping his hands on a white towel. “Can I help you?”

“Is there somewhere we can speak privately? Somewhere with a computer? This won’t take long.”

He nodded, then ordered the staff to continue without him. “Follow me.” He led them out of the kitchen, across the common area, and into a small conference type room. A laptop sat in the middle of the oval table. He sat in one of the chairs. “There’s a laptop in every conference room in case someone forgets theirs. What do you need to know?”

Harper sat next to him and opened the laptop, then inserted the drive. “We have a list of all the members. Can you write down the names of those who joined in the last three months?”

He shot her a quick look. “May I ask why?”

“It’s part of a police investigation.”

~

Carl found it hard to concentrate during his meeting. He stood at the front of the room as he usually did and asked the ten people in front of him, all club members, whether they had recently run across someone committing the sin of covetousness. He tried to listen without wondering why the agent and detective were there.

“I know someone deep into the sin of greed.”

“My neighbor blew up at his wife in a fit of anger.”

“I drove past a hoarder’s house the other day.”

The naming of sins bombarded him. Didn’t the men in front of him realize they were most likely the guiltiest of them all? From the smug looks as they pointed out the sin in others let him know they didn’t.

Carl didn’t blame them. He had his own sins. What the men in this room had that others didn’t was the desire to be better, to make the world a better place.

“You know what to do. Write down the information and mail it to my office.” He had plenty to target on the countdown to getting to the agent and detective.

His eyes almost bugged out of his head as he spotted those very two walking past with the chef. The detective glanced his way and nodded. He didn’t think it possible, but his eyes widened even farther when Lucy entered.

The frumpy assassin stuck out like an oil stain on wet pants. She stood and cased the room. When she saw him through the glass, she waved, before ignoring Arnie who ran the front desk, and heading for the outdoor restaurant.

Less than a minute later, Arnie entered the conference room. “There’s a…” his nose curled, “Lady who says she knows you and has come for supper. Her name is Lucy.”

Fire crept up his neck. “Yes, she works for me. Let her know I’ll be right out.” His fingers curled around the edge of the table. He ended the meeting with the promise of the entire group meeting soon. The rich weren’t his only followers.

Blood still boiling, he joined Lucy outside and glared at the housedress she wore that was too sizes too large. “What are you doing here?”

“Eating. I’ve already ordered shrimp and steak for us.” She took a deep breath as she glanced around the patio. “Very nice place. Get me a membership. You know I make enough money.” She laughed.

“You don’t fit in.”

“Sure, I do, from one killer to another.” Her laugh grew louder, then stopped abruptly. She leaned closer to him. “Get. Me. A membership. I want to look respectable.”

“Then start dressing better.”