Hunter Hunted by Arthur Keri

Author:Arthur, Keri
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-648-32460-7
Publisher: KA Publishing PTY LTD
Published: 2018-08-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“Oh my God,” the short man whispered. “Is he—?”

“I don’t know,” Ashworth said, even though Chester very obviously was. “You’d better call an ambulance, though.”

“Of course, of course.”

As the short man hurried away, I said, “Is it not a rather odd coincidence that first our heretic is shot, and now his hunter has been?”

Ashworth snorted. “I’m thinking coincidence has nothing to do with it. In fact, I bet when the rangers run their tests, they’ll find both bullets were fired out of the same gun.”

“If that’s the case, then maybe we’re dealing with nothing more than someone out to kill witches.”

“I doubt whatever is happening here is that simple.”

A statement I agreed with, if only because none of the killings in the reservation of late could be described as simple. “How could he have been shot without anyone here knowing about it, though? You’d think someone would have heard something.”

“Not if a silencer was used.” He knelt beside Chester and felt his neck.

“But silencers don’t suppress all sound, do they?”

“No, but they reduce it down to what you might hear if you were wearing ear protection. In this case, that was obviously enough.”

“Obviously, but it’s still rather odd, given the place is so damn quiet.”

“The owner might be the only other person here, and he did take a while to get to the door.” He looked up at me. “There’s no pulse.”

“Which is no surprise given where he was shot.” I scanned the room, looking not at the mess but for something far more ethereal. “I’ve no sense of a soul or ghost in the room.”

“No. This is obviously another death that was meant to be.” He pushed to his feet with a grunt of effort. “You’d better call in the rangers.”

I did so. To say Aiden was less than impressed with the news we had another body would be something of an understatement. I tossed my phone back into my handbag and then said, “They’ll be here soon.”

Footsteps once again echoed out in the hall. The short man stopped beside me, his expression anxious. “The ambulance is on their way.”

“Thank you, Mr.—”

“Joseph. Joseph Hardcourt.” His gaze went to Chester. “Is he okay?”

“I’m afraid not, Mr. Hardcourt,” Ashworth said. “Tell me, did Chester have any other visitors this evening?”

“Not that I’m aware of, but I can check the security cameras if you’d like.”

“The front desk isn’t manned at night?” I asked, surprised.

He looked up at me. “Until seven, yes. After that, guests use their own key to get in. Late arrivals must buzz, as you did.”

“Is there a separate guest entrance, or is the front door the only one?” Ashworth asked.

“There legally has to be at least a separate fire exit—it’s around the side of the hotel—and there’s also a rear entrance for guests using the parking area.”

Meaning our killer more than likely had come and gone through one of them—and done so without setting off alarms or alerting Hardcourt.

“I’m afraid we’ve had to call in the rangers,” Ashworth said, “so if you could go out front and wait for them, that would be appreciated.

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