Adventures in Vegas: A Crossword Puzzle Cozy Mystery by Louise Foster

Author:Louise Foster [Foster, Louise]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Owl Cafe Press LLC
Published: 2021-08-10T16:00:00+00:00

15

7 Across; 5 Letters;

Clue: A valuable person or quality

Answer: Asset

On Sunday morning I woke to the ambrosia-like smell of brewing coffee. I stumbled through the sunshine, past Rabi, who stared silently out the wall of windows, and aimed straight for the pot. A moment later, a long sip of the scalding liquid gave me sufficient energy to flash Rabi a smile.

Despite knowing my wallet had taken a hit last night, I didn’t regret the room service or being locked away from the world. For a few hours, I’d been surrounded by movies, dinner, and dessert rather than bodies, murders, and mayhem. I sighed, raised my cup, and braced myself for reality.

Over the next hour, the others roused. We feasted on bagels, donuts, and fruit from a nearby grocery.

“The real T.R. woke up,” Marcus groused. “No more room service.”

Kevin smiled. “We knew it wouldn’t last.”

I called Crawford and brought him up to date. Then, since he had connections with the Vegas police, I asked him to find the cause of Winter’s death. When he bellowed something about me handing out assignments, I hung up on him and did a little jig. “That’s the way to start the day.”

Marcus swallowed the last of his orange juice and thumped down the glass. “Time to search for Ivan.”

Frustrated that I couldn’t find a safe alternative for him, I grasped at straws. “Wouldn’t you like to see Lake Mead? I would.”

“Fine.” He agreed with a shrug. “Go sightseeing while the rest of us hunt the seamy side of Vegas in a last, desperate gasp to save Kevin from certain doom.”

Melodrama, no less. I should have known.

“O-kay,” I drug out the word with an exaggerated sigh. “If we have to save Kevin, let’s find our mystery man.”

“Ivan Graham dropped out of sight two days ago.” Rabi’s unexpected announcement ended our banter. “One man been asking about him. Slim, brown hair, crooked nose.”

A predator chasing its prey.

That was my first thought. My second thought was that this bit of news explained Rabi’s absence yesterday afternoon. I had no idea the man had contacts in Vegas, but I knew enough not to doubt his information.

“Fedor.” A heaviness underscored Kevin’s tone. “My cousin. Late thirties. Master of disguises. I passed him in the hall once without recognizing him. He worked with Safina and me in our early training. Winning the game is everything to him. I’d bet he was our visitor yesterday.”

“I guess we won’t have to convince Ivan he’s in danger.” A chill chased away the warmth I’d gained from my coffee. “If they’re still searching, that means he’s alive.”

“Hopefully.” Mrs. C’s fatalistic mutter proved that knitting wasn’t absorbing all her attention.

The glare I aimed her way was wasted. Her ears were open, but her eyes were on her needles.

“Either way, Ivan’s a dead-end.” I winced as I heard the words pop out of my mouth. “I mean a blind alley.”

“Noooo.” Marcus gave voice to a wail of regret. “We can find him.”

“We have no breadcrumbs to follow.” Kevin’s voice held a note of finality.

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