Dead and Dusted by Lily Webb (most recommended books .TXT) 📗

Mr. Marth fired Ms. Chamberlain abruptly when he suspected she was stealing his secrets. Shortly after, she started her own company — in direct competition with Starforce’s new initiative in emerging sources of energy. That’s exactly why we’re here this weekend.”

My jaw almost hit the floor. Zadie struck me as a no-nonsense, ruthless businesswoman, but I never would’ve guessed she’d stick a knife in Leland’s back like that — who would dare double cross someone so powerful? It certainly explained the fireworks between the two of them at the table. “How did Mr. Marth find out what she was up to?”

“He hired someone to pose as an interested investor and she played right into the trap. Told him everything.”

“So, she had a vendetta.”

“Possibly, but I don’t know what she has to be so angry about. Her business has been wildly successful. The woman’s a genius presenter; I don’t think she’s met an investor or potential business partner who’s been able to say no to her.”

“Except for Mayor Nash, apparently.”

Brady nodded. “Which is probably why she took the first opportunity she could to get him alone,” he said, and I thought back to how quickly she left the room with Mayor Nash during Evie’s meltdown. I’d underestimated just how cunning Zadie was. Where were the two of them now, and what were they talking about? Now that Leland was dead, did that mean Mayor Nash and the property he held were hers for the taking, assuming she could convince him to let it go?

“What do we do now?” I asked Brady because I was at a loss. Leland was dead on the property, and though we had no proof that any of the other guests had anything to do with his death, we couldn’t let them leave. If we did, any of them could tell someone what happened, and as much as things had already gotten out of control, that would make the situation infinitely worse. Then again, we couldn’t expect everyone to stay at the inn forever — nor could we afford to keep them that long.

“I’ve made a few phone calls, including a contact I have over at the FBI who I trust,” Brady said, and I did a double take. I didn’t realize the FBI operated in both the magical and non-magical realms. But really, I knew next to nothing about the organization anyway, so maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise that they knew about the existence of magic and kept it a secret from everyone who didn’t.

“Wait a second, I thought you said you didn’t want the cops involved?” I asked, confused.

“You’re right, I don’t. That’s where the fairies come in.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

Brady looked at me like I was the silliest person he’d ever met, but little did he know how new I was to the magical world. “Don’t act so surprised; the word is in their name: the Fairy Bureau of Investigation,” he said, and it took everything I had to nod like I had a shred of a clue what he was talking about. “Anyway, if anyone could track where a batch of fairy dust came from, it would be a fairy — and the only one I fully trust is Agent Gemwood. She and I go way back to my time in Moon Grove.”

“O-okay… So, an FBI agent is coming here?”

“She’ll be here first thing in the morning. That’s why I asked Blair for more time.”

Things just kept getting better. I couldn’t tell Brady to call off his cavalry, but I didn’t see how inviting an FBI agent would help anything, especially once Blair got word of it. The weekend had already blown up in her face, so I could only imagine what she’d say when a fairy investigator turned up in her foyer to poke around.

And then there was poor Thorn, who’d already convinced himself that all this was his fault and taken it upon himself to fix it. I didn’t know how I’d tell him that come the next morning, the story would officially be out of everyone’s control, but I’d have to do it somehow — because I doubted we’d be able to keep news of the FBI’s involvement a secret, no matter how hard we tried.

Even if I hadn’t been having nightmares, something told me I wouldn’t be sleeping well for the foreseeable future.

Chapter 6

I left the reception room in a daze. I’d always known that the weekend was going to be a wild ride, but I never could’ve expected it to be this wild. The sight of the restroom just across the hall surrounded by Leland’s warlock security didn’t make me feel any better because it reminded me what was on the other side of the door.

I didn’t understand how this could’ve happened. As far as I’d seen, Leland didn’t go anywhere without at least a few guards — except for the bathroom. Then it hit me: Whoever was behind his death must’ve known that the only times he was alone were in his private quarters and in the restroom, which meant that the culprit must’ve been pretty familiar with Leland’s routine and security detail.

That didn’t exactly narrow things down, though. Aside from maybe Kade and the rest of the Kindred Spirits staff, any of other guests would’ve known that or probably could’ve figured it out. Zadie used to work with Leland, so she definitely would’ve known, and Mayor Nash no doubt talked to and worked with Leland all the time, so he probably knew too. Of course, as the head of the security team, Brady was intimately familiar with all the details, and as his personal assistant, Evie had to have an inkling.

Frustrated, I shook my head and continued down the hall toward the foyer, but froze when I heard raised voices coming from inside the office behind the front desk. Intrigued, I stepped around the front desk and paused just outside the door to get a better idea of who was inside.