Page 155 of Say Yes to the Death

“I want you to decorate for a trap that will help us catch a ring of serial killers,” Claire clarified.

“Let’s do this!” Kyle shouted, picking up three boxes at once and sprinting headlong toward the exit.

“Don’t let Kyle hold anything breakable,” she whispered to Luke. He nodded.

“Sawyer, were you able to borrow those nanny cams from your inventory?”

Sawyer nodded. “I have six. I’ll do front and back entrance, event room, and anywhere else that looks like it might be a point of entry. They’re a little spotty with outdoor service, but I think they’ll work.”

“Perfect. Thank you. The police might be able to ignore our theories, but they can’t ignore a 911 call from an event with multiple witnesses and video evidence. I couldn’t do this without you guys.”

“You sure we shouldn’t be telling the police what we’re up to?” Luke raised an eyebrow.

“I have barricaded the woman who’s suing me in my company bathroom. I think we’re gonna skip giving them a heads up this time.”

“You should at least let Jack know.”

Claire groaned. “Fine. Give me a minute.” She stomped back along the row of shelving to the far end of the warehouse. Rosie followed her and sat on her foot.

Her heart rate kicked up a notch as the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Jack. Listen, I can’t explain how I know this, but that frat I was telling you about? Turns out they are definitely Barney’s homicidal besties and they’re going to try to kidnap someone today. There’s an event at the Walker house this evening. The intended victim is the keynote speaker. I know you think this frat isn’t related to Barney and the missing women with the mark, but you’re wrong. Anyway, just thought you should know.” She hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.

Her phone immediately rang, but she silenced it. She had work to do. She walked back up the aisle, straightening a box full of extension cords on her way.

“Boys are gone?” she asked when she emerged at the conference table.

“Yes,” Mindy said. Her previously unkempt hair was swept into a bun, and she was wearing lipstick. She totally had the hots for Sawyer. He was a way better choice than Gavin the non-participator.

Claire took a deep breath. “So, there’s one other part to the plan that I didn’t mention.”

Nicole groaned from the office. “What now?”

“I’m going to impersonate Wendy at the event.”

Mindy slammed her pen down. “Absolutely not. You’ve already been abducted this summer. Let someone else take a turn.”

Claire shook her head. “You guys have risked enough for me. This is my plan, and I have to see it through. I’m not putting either of you in any more danger than I already have. Besides, you’re both too tall. They’re going to notice when ‘Wendy’ grew five inches overnight. That’s final,” she said when Mindy opened her mouth to undoubtedly argue.

“You and Wendy don’t look super similar,” Nicole said slowly.

“I’ll wear a short dress and a wig and sunglasses. Maybe splash on a little eau de tequila. No one will notice the difference.”

“How dare you!” Wendy screamed from inside the bathroom. The door handle rattled. “No one in their right mind would mistake you for me.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Claire called back. She rolled her eyes.

“I don’t like this,” Mindy said.

“Me neither. But it has to be done. If ‘Wendy’ isn’t physically there, they’ll get suspicious. They have to be stopped.”

“Done!” Nicole walked out of the office. “I did some quick graphic design and sent over some images for them. The event should be looking legit in just a few minutes.”

“Nice job, Coli.” Claire collapsed into a chair and dropped her head to the table. This was shaping up to be one of the longest days of her life. Would things ever go back to normal?

“What are you going to do with yourself when you can just focus on planning proposals instead of preventing murders and taking down cults?” Nicole asked, apparently reading her mind.

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