Page 20 (1/2)

"Garrett, the circu to like sorunted "How is that different than every other day of my life?"

"It is true?" Imelda asked

I looked around the parlor Alex sat on the steps with his head in his hands Ty had crashed on the couch with an ice pack on his head I couldn’t tell if he was conscious or not I was hoping not Chase and Markie leaned against the pool table behind him, each with a pool cue in his hands Benja the exit Garrett, Lane and Maia shared the other couch Nobody looked happy to be here

"Chris Stowall is dead," I said "That’s true"

Imelda crossed herself and ht," Chase said "This Calavera guy is gonna kill us all"

"He hasn’t yet," I reminded him

"Dude," Markie said, "he can’t let anybody raise the alaret off the island"

"It won’t help us to panic"

Garrett snorted "A body in the cellar and one in the freezer, and we shouldn’t panic Thanks for the advice, little bro"

Always nice to know your brother is on your side

"Whoever the killer is," I said, "I don’t think we’re looking for a stranger Chris brought Longoria to the island because he knew Calavera would be here this weekend Calavera is probably in this rooed wary looks Imelda’s hands clenched on her apron

"So why hasn’t he killed the rest of us?" Garrett asked "If this guy’s such a cold-blooded murderer, it would be easy to do"

"I don’t think he wants to," I said "I don’t think he enjoys killing"

"Yo, little bro Tell that to Chris Stowall"

"Calavera was cornered," I said "First by Longoria, then Chris Stowall But I don’t think he relishes the idea ofeveryone in this room"

"If he has to," Lindy said, "he will"

"We don’t know that"

"I’m sorry, son I do If you have any idea who the killer is, you need to tell us now"

Alex stood suddenly, as if Benjamin Lindy had just slipped ice down his back "And ill you do about it, oldthe suspects?"

"Alex," I said "You want to say so?"

He looked around at all of us, like our presence horrified him Then he took a shaky breath "Garrett?"

"Yeah, e hotel stationery, like the one that had been slipped under onna happen, e of that, okay? Don’t read it unless…"

"Whoa, man I told you--"

But Alex raised his hands to block Garrett’s words and stormed out of the room

I stood in uncomfortable silence, everyone’s eyes on lish class at UTSA I’d just assigned an unpopular essay on Chaucer’s use of dirty jokes and the class was about to rebel The only difference was that in most of my classes the students weren’t arht," I suggested "Safety in nuht," Lane said

Garrett looked unhappy I had a feeling he’d had other plans about where to spend the night, and they did not involve anyone but Lane

"What about Mr Huff?" Lindy asked

I looked at the doorway I wasn’t sure how to explain Alex’s sudden exit

"I’ll talk to him" I turned to Imelda "¿Y dónde está Jose?"

It was the first ti a quicke around me in español

"Upstairs, señor The news about Señor Stowall--"

"I’ll find him, too Garrett, you and Mr Lindy try to keep everybody else together"

"I don’t have a gun," Garrett coun"

I handed hiun"

ItTwo pistols in the room made me feel easier than just one I turned and headed out the way Alex had gone

At the end of the third-floor hallway, light leaked through an open doorway I peeked inside and found Jose sitting on a bed It was raining inside the rooed It looked more like a washcloth than sheet rock

The rooolds and limes In one corner was a little altar covered with a turquoise shawl It held a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe and a few fraraphs, probably Jose and Imelda’s dead relatives A row of candles sputtered and flickered

The bedspread was soaked Everything was soaked But Jose just sat there, holding his flashlight, watching the candles die one after the other

"Jose"

It took him a second to focus on one"

"Do you knohere Alex is?"

His eye twitched "No, señor"