Stranger's Game

by Colleen Coble

  She nodded and went to retrieve her purse in her living room. After digging out her phone, she first called 911. Maybe she was wrong, and Bella was still alive. After giving the dispatcher the information, she found the entry for Craig.

  He answered on the first ring. “Officer Craig Hall.”

  “C-Craig, I think there’s been a murder in my room at the hotel. This is Torie Berg. I just got here and found Bella Hansen’s body. I think she’s dead, though the paramedics aren’t here yet.”

  “Room number?”

  She gave him the details on how to find her room.

  “Be right there.”

  Her dad let in security, and they stood back as two guards swept her suite as well as her dad’s. It wasn’t until one of them gave her a sidelong glance that she realized how it probably looked. Like she and the older man beside her were having an affair or something. They had no idea he was her father. But she clamped her mouth shut and let him speculate.

  “All clear,” the oldest one said.

  The faint wail of a siren approached. “The ambulance is here.”

  Her dad gave a curt nod. “It’s too late.”

  “I know. I-I was hopeful at first.” She went to let in the paramedics.

  After a quick examination, the female paramedic shook her head. “I’m sorry. Do you know the woman’s name?”

  “Bella Hansen. She worked as a desk clerk here,” Torie said.

  “We’ll wait for the police,” a security guard said. “You called them, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “They’ll need the room cleared so they can sweep it for evidence.”

  Her father took her arm. “Let’s go to my suite.”

  She let him guide her through the door and into his living room. She sank into the armchair and tried to control the way her insides trembled. She had to squash a deep longing to call Joe. His quiet strength would bolster her courage. But they were probably in the middle of baths and bedtime routine by now.

  The door to her suite stood open as various people thronged the space. Craig entered as the paramedics finished. He was out of uniform, and he went straight to the body where he began to take pictures.

  Torie rose and stood in the connecting doorway. “I’m in here when you need to talk to me.”

  “Forensics will be here in about an hour.” He turned away from the body and came toward her. “You discovered Ms. Hansen?”

  Torie hugged herself. “I did.” She described her movements when she first came in and how she’d noticed the odor before seeing Bella’s foot. “I touched her neck to check for a pulse.”

  “Weren’t you afraid the intruder was still in your room?”

  “I-I was only concerned about Bella. I hoped she might still be alive.”

  “What time did you get here?”

  “Joe dropped me off a little after eight. By the time I got the key to the room and arrived here, it was probably close to eight thirty.”

  “And you found her within five minutes or so?”

  She nodded. “About that.”

  “What did you do next?”

  “I called for help from Mr. Bergstrom. He’s in the suite next door.”

  Craig’s gaze went to the connecting door before he turned to talk to her dad. “What did you do when she summoned you?”

  “I checked for a pulse too. Then I called security while Torie phoned 911 and you. I wanted to make sure the killer wasn’t still around.”

  Craig nodded. “They found nothing?”

  “Both rooms were clear. I suspect the killer hit her with the lamp. I noticed blood on it.”

  Torie hadn’t been able to look anywhere except at the body. She shuddered at the mental picture of someone taking Bella’s life in such a violent way.

  Joe. She longed to see him and hear his deep, steady voice. “Am I free to go now?”

  Craig put away his pen and pad. “Yeah. Clearly you won’t be sleeping here tonight.”

  And she couldn’t cause more gossip by staying with her dad. She slung her purse over her shoulder and bolted for the door. If nothing else, she could stay at her cottage. It would be as safe as here.

  Chapter 16

  What was Torie doing right now?

  Lucy’s aggrieved meow brought Joe out of his thoughts. He needed to get over this obsession with Torie. It was ridiculous for a grown man to be mooning over a woman he barely knew.

  He filled Lucy’s dish with food and refreshed her water bowl, then turned on the ten o’clock news. It was the usual political news until a special broadcast cut in.

  An animated female reporter stood in front of the Club Resort. “We’ve received a tip about a death here a few hours ago. The police are not yet releasing the name of the victim, pending notification of next of kin, but sources inside tell us the young woman who was on staff at the hotel was brutally bludgeoned to death. Stay tuned for more on this breaking story.”

  Nausea roiled in his belly. It couldn’t be Torie, could it? Surely not. Craig would have called him. He snatched his phone and started to call Craig, but the doorbell sounded. Still carrying his phone, he raced to the door and threw it open.

  Torie.

  The relief of seeing her face nearly buckled his knees. He didn’t stop to think about his actions or how she would view them, but he took a step forward and folded her in his arms. “Torie, you’re all right.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. “Bella’s dead, Joe. I found her in my suite.”

  He held her close. “Your suite?” His gaze swept the darkness behind her, and he steered her off the porch and into the house. Even once he locked the door, he didn’t feel they were safe so he moved her away from the window.

  She settled on the sofa with him and shifted a foot away. Strands of dark-brown hair had escaped her braided updo, and her brown eyes held a sheen.

  Her body trembled as she recounted the events.

  He kept his arm around her. “Did Craig think you might be the target?”

  “He didn’t mention it. And we don’t really look alike. She has—had blonde hair.”

  “But it makes sense after what’s happened so far. The killer would have expected you to be in that room, not Bella. The lights were probably off. What was she doing there?”

  “I thought she might have sneaked in so she could talk to me about Lisbeth. Maybe she rushed off when I asked her about the antidepressants because she didn’t want to be overheard.” She pressed her fingers to her temple. “It’s so hard to think. D–Anton came right over.”

  “He didn’t hear a struggle or a crash when she fell?”

  She stilled. “He didn’t mention it.”

  Odd. “Did he say how long he’d been in his suite?”

  “He was watching TV in his pajamas so he’d been there awhile.”

  “The television could have drowned out any noise.”

  She nodded. “It was kind of loud and there were gunshots. He likes thrillers.”

  She sure knew a lot about the older man. Joe wasn’t the suspicious sort, but he had to wonder about their relationship. “Have you checked the cameras on the floor?”

  She shook her head. “I should have, but I was so shook up. All I wanted was to get to you. I know that sounds weird, but I knew everything would be all right once I got here.”

  A jolt of warmth spread to his chest. “I’m glad you came.” He gestured to the TV. “The news had a clip about her death, and my first thought was that you were the victim. I’d grabbed my phone to call when I heard the doorbell.”

  “I can’t stay in my suite, and you should have seen the way people looked at Anton and me. Like they thought we were having an affair or something because the connecting door was open between the rooms by the time they arrived. I knew he was in the next room because he mentioned it was empty and he’d assigned it to me. So I went to him when I found Bella.”

  He exhaled at the welcome revelation. “The rumors will die down.�
��

  She pulled away and hugged herself. “It’s really late. I’d better go. I’m going to stay at my cottage. Clearly the hotel isn’t any safer than my place.”

  He took her hand. “No, you’re not. You can have my room, and I’ll sleep on the sofa. For all you know, the killer suspects you’ll go back to the cottage and is waiting there. It’s not safe.”

  She chewed on her lip, then nodded. “You’re right. I so hate to be a burden.”

  “You’re never a burden. Hailey will be thrilled when she wakes up. And I’ll even fix bacon and eggs again.” Her smile was lopsided and didn’t reach her eyes, but it was a start, so he gave her hand a quick squeeze. “You look exhausted. Let me show you the room. Did you bring your things?”

  She shook her head. “Everything in there was evidence for now. I can sleep in my clothes.”

  “I’ve got some pajama bottoms with a drawstring and a T-shirt. They’d be more comfortable than sleeping in your jeans.”

  “Okay.”

  He rose and pulled her up with him. “My room is down that hall. I’ll grab the clothes and let you change.”

  He squeezed her hand again, then went to his bedroom where he pulled out plaid pajama bottoms and a red Tiger Woods T-shirt. He handed them to her and shut the door behind him. At least the sheets were clean. He’d changed them this morning. Before making up the sofa with a sheet and pillow, he checked on Hailey, who was sound asleep.

  He had a feeling he would find rest hard to come by again tonight, even though he hadn’t slept last night either. The danger was far from past.

  * * *

  Torie shut the door behind Joe and got ready for bed. His pj’s held the faint whiff of his cologne, as if he’d folded them after applying it. The scent comforted her almost as much as his embrace.

  Her so-called fiancé, Matthew Cunningham, had never brought her a sense of security when she was with him. She’d been aware, as he had, that their engagement was what their parents wanted. He never looked at her like Joe did. When Joe’s green eyes focused on her, she saw a deep thirst for something more, something only she could provide. She wasn’t yet sure what that something was, but she wasn’t ready to find out either. The comfort Joe brought was probably because he was in security.

  She climbed into the soft cotton sheets smelling of fabric softener, but sleep eluded her. She lay there with her eyes open, listening to the clicking of the alarm clock on the bedside table as each minute flipped by. At midnight, she sat up and turned on the light, then slipped her legs out from under the sheet and sighed. Maybe she could find a book to read.

  The small bookcase on the other side of the room held hardbacks, and nearly all were by Lisa Gardner. She selected The Perfect Husband and turned back toward the bed, but a picture on top of the bookcase caught her attention. She picked it up and studied it. A beautiful redhead in a green sundress stood on a beach beside a guy with windblown light-brown hair dressed in shorts and a tropical shirt.

  Joe and Julie. Maybe on their honeymoon since the backdrop appeared to be Hawaii.

  Torie stared at the woman’s face. Julie gazed up at Joe with clear adoration, and Joe’s smile held total joy. Torie drank in their expressions. This was what love looked like.

  She whirled at a tap on the door. “Come in.”

  Joe poked his head in, and his gaze swept over her. “That outfit looks a lot better on you than on me.” He grinned and leaned against the doorjamb. “The light was shining under the door. Are you okay? I hoped you’d be able to sleep.” His smile faltered when he saw the picture in her hand.

  She settled the frame back where she’d found it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. Julie was very beautiful.”

  “She was. Hailey looks a lot like her.” He opened the door wider and stepped inside the room. “That was on our honeymoon on Kauai.”

  “On Shipwreck Beach. Did you jump off the sea cliff there? I wasn’t brave enough.”

  “We did.” He smiled at the memory. “Julie was a daredevil.”

  “I wish I’d known her. About the only daredevil thing I do is scuba.”

  “You would have liked her. Other people flocked around her, and she had a ton of friends. I never thought I’d get over losing her.” His gaze locked with hers.

  Her breath hitched. Was he trying to tell her something? She gave a slight shake of her head. Fatigue was doing a number on her emotions.

  “Did your dive gear get here?”

  “It did.”

  “Want to go diving on Saturday?”

  “Sure.”

  He was close enough to touch now. “Weren’t you engaged once?”

  She nodded. “It was what our parents expected. I don’t think either of us held any feelings beyond fondness. I certainly didn’t. And then I found him in bed with one of my friends. The betrayal made me wary of ever trusting a man again.”

  “Not every man is like that. There are plenty of us one-woman men around.”

  “Maybe.” She looked away.

  His hands came down on her shoulders, and she looked up at him as he stared deep into her eyes, almost like he was searching into her soul. Like he could read her thoughts, dreams, and hopes. No subterfuge, no pretense. He accepted her, warts and all.

  She took a step back, and his hands dropped away. Did she want to lower her defenses? Did she have the courage?

  She gave a shaky laugh. “We’re probably moving a little too fast.”

  His green eyes darkened. “Not for me.”

  “Maybe for me. I don’t know what to think.”

  “I can be patient.”

  But could he be patient when it was time for her to leave? Would any of these unfamiliar feelings last when distance intervened? She was lost at sea with no landmarks on the horizon. All she could do was take one day at a time and see what happened. This might all be a mirage that vanished as quickly as a building storm that blew itself out. What was infatuation and what was budding love? How did someone tell the difference?

  It was way too soon to even be thinking of the L-word. She had to be sensible and slam on the brakes. Obsessing over Joe could get in the way of why she was here. Justice for Lisbeth was her goal, and nothing could be allowed to get in the way of that.

  Chapter 17

  Joe had probably shot himself in the foot. In fact, the way Torie had left this morning while he was showering was a sure indication he’d been a little too bold.

  The boat barely moved on the glassy water just offshore the base. Joe stared out at the sea, mirror-smooth this morning as it reflected back the perfect blue of a cloudless sky. The wind blew in his face and carried the salty air with it. Nothing was as relaxing as smelling the ocean and listening to its calming waves. And he needed to ditch this agitation.

  She’d come here for justice for her friend, and she had no plans of staying. He knew that, and it had made him try to press too fast.

  She liked him, and that should be enough for now. But it wasn’t. He had nightmares of waking up one morning and finding a text from her telling him good-bye. That was the whole crux of the matter. He didn’t think he would have enough time to show her what could develop between them.

  Tyrone’s gravelly voice interrupted Joe’s thoughts. “Here comes Simon.”

  The sea lion’s dark form zipped through the clear water, and his head broke the waves. He swam back and forth on the starboard side, and Joe frowned. “He’s agitated.”

  “I see that.” Danielle tossed a fish into the water, and the sea lion ignored it.

  She and Joe exchanged a perplexed glance. “He never turns down fish,” Joe said.

  “Maybe he got hurt.” Tyrone patted the side of the boat to call Simon over.

  Simon swam near, then darted away. “Something’s wrong,” Joe said. “I’m going in.”

  He shrugged on his tank and donned a mask, then dropped into the water. The ocean enveloped him in a warm embrace, and he dove down to follow Simon, but the sea lion swam in circles near the
top of the water and all around the boat.

  What could be wrong? His eyesight adjusted to the lower light levels, and he searched around the anchorage. Nothing appeared out of place. Just fish, coral, and sand. He dove a little deeper and examined a bit of artificial reef made from tires. Nothing.

  He gave up and swam back to the boat, where he climbed the ladder and dropped into a chair. He yanked out his mouthpiece. “I don’t know why he’s upset. I didn’t find anything down there.”

  “I’ve been watching him,” Tyrone said. “He keeps touching the starboard side of the boat. Did you look on the hull to see if anything’s there?”

  “No.” Joe leaned over the side of the boat and ran his hand down as far as he could, but it wasn’t far enough. “I’ll go back down.” He fitted his mouthpiece back into place and adjusted his mask, then dropped back into the water.

  Under the boat it was darker, so he pulled out his flashlight and turned it on to make a careful examination of the boat’s hull. For good measure he ran his hand along the surface too. His fingers touched something stuck to the hull, and he focused the beam for a closer look.

  A small bomb had been strapped to the starboard side near the stern.

  Without waiting to see if there was a timer, he shot to the surface. “Get off the boat now! Bomb!”

  Tyrone’s eyes went wide, and he dove overboard. Danielle dove off the other side, and all three of them swam away from the boat.

  He felt the explosion before he heard it. A wave lifted him and a second later, the boom blasted. Debris rained down on his head, and he ducked under the water. Something struck the back of his head, his vision started to go black, and he sank deeper into the water.

  He felt a hard nudge at his cheek and reached out blindly. His fingers found Simon’s sleek, muscular body, and he grabbed hold while the sea lion towed him to the surface, where he drank in the sweetest air on earth.

  He gasped and floated in the water for a moment until he found the strength to call out for his team. “Tyrone, Danielle!” He saw no other heads bobbing amid the scattered debris of the boat, but he yelled again.