Free Endgame by Jeffrey Round Page A

too,” said Spike. “A bit odd for a grand place like this not to have a phone system.”
    Their eyes swept the room, but there was no trace of a landline.
    â€œIt’s probably wireless,” David said. “A lot of modern places are these days. No fussing about with lines and jacks and whatnot.”
    Max came in through the side door and stood looking over the gathering. He seemed to be counting heads.
    â€œAre we all here?” he asked.
    â€œI think so,” Janice said, glancing around. “Why?”
    â€œNothing. I just thought I heard someone crashing around in the bushes outside the cabin just now. I looked, but I couldn’t see anyone.” He shrugged. “No biggie.”
    â€œWe saved you a treat,” Sami Lee told him, holding up the bowl of crème caramel. She ran her hands over the chair beside her. “Sit, honey.”
    Sandra came through to collect the last of the plates.
    â€œSandra, honey,” Max said, glancing up from a spoonful of pudding. The custard plopped onto the table, though he didn’t notice as he put the empty spoon into his mouth. “Do you know if we happen to be alone on the island or are there other cottages somewhere?”
    She looked at him with a startled expression. “As far as I know, we’re the only ones. I came over this morning with the first load of guests. You’d have to ask Edwards about that.”
    When Edwards entered a few minutes later, Max put the same question to him.
    â€œI’m fairly sure we’re alone here,” he said, echoing Sandra. “It’s a small island. If there were anybody else around, I think we’d know about it.”
    Max’s face registered curiosity. “How long have you been here?”
    Edwards smiled reassuringly. “Since yesterday,” he said. “I had a quick look around then, though I haven’t been thoroughly over the entire island.” He turned to the group. “Mr. Keill has a special treat for you,” he announced. “If you’d all like to follow me, Sandra will bring coffee in a moment.”
    The sound of chair legs scraping the floor filled the air as everyone rose and followed Edwards to the drawing room. Noni paused at the threshold. He was feeling seasick again. Or else the Kina Lillet had been more powerful than he remembered. He waited till his stomach settled and then headed in.
    A large screen had been placed in front of the stage, with eleven chairs set up before it. The guests sat and waited while Edwards fiddled with the DVD player.
    â€œSo what’s all this about?” Max shouted to Edwards’s bent figure as he knelt to connect the apparatus.
    Edwards looked up. “Actually, I’m not sure. Mr. Keill instructed me to play this DVD after dinner once you’d got comfortable. He was definitely planning on being here for this, because he clearly asked for eleven chairs to be set out and there are only nine of you.”
    â€œHe sent another text message?”
    Edwards shook his head. “Just a note saying to begin the presentation after dessert. Those were his original instructions from the beginning.”
    He turned to Crispin, who sat in the corner of the room. “I’m sorry you won’t be able to see this, sir,” he said.
    Crispin waved an arm in the air. “Not entirely correct,” he said. “Although I am legally blind, I do have minimal vision in my left eye. I can make out shapes and colours, just not very distinctly, I’m afraid. I may have to interrupt once in a while to ask what’s happening on the screen.”
    Just then the screen flickered to life. The title held briefly: Ladykillers — A Tale of Sordidness and Destruction. Max cheered. The others laughed and murmured. The word “ STARRING ” rolled past as the original band members appeared, one by one, followed by their names. There was a moment of silence when the late Kent