THE CAMBODIAN CURSE AND OTHER STORIES by Gigi Pandian

Author:Gigi Pandian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: short stories;cozy mysteries
Publisher: Henery Press
Published: 2018-07-23T17:24:11+00:00

Ten minutes later, the group of seven gathered around the dining table. Once everyone realized shouting at the twins wouldn’t do them any good, they agreed to go inside to figure out next steps. Vik grabbed two bottles of wine before sitting down. They certainly needed it.

“If it wasn’t for Elena’s name scrawled on the floor,” Sanjay said, “I’d swear there was an invisible madman loose on the island.”

Priya gasped and gripped her brother’s arm. “A madman? Vik, why did you have to plan your birthday on this stupid, cursed island!?”

“It’s not a madman,” Sanjay said. “Even if he could have secretly escaped from the room somehow, Elena’s name spelled out with his dripping blood proves that it was one of us. Only…that’s impossible.”

“Could you be a little less graphic, Sanj?” Vik said, downing half his glass of wine.

Elena glared at Sanjay. “What do you mean, it’s impossible?”

“The seven of us,” Sanjay said, “were together eating dinner here in the main room while Broderick was killed. He went up to his room to do some work before dinner—a room only accessible by the door since the windows in this castle are sealed—then he told us he was going to keep working. The rest of us were together at the dining table the whole time. Nobody got up until Priya went to get her sweater and found Broderick dead.”

Elena looked between Sanjay and her brother. “That can’t be right.”

“Do any of you remember someone leaving?” Sanjay looked around the table, starting with Vik, Geneva, Priya, Kevin, and finally the twins. Each of them shook their head. Elena’s face was deathly pale.

“We were all here,” Vik said. “But if that’s your line of reasoning, you’re not as clever as Elena gave you credit for. It’s clear there was a device rigged in the room to kill Broderick.”

Sanjay shook his head emphatically. “Before this morning, nobody knew which room Broderick would be in.”

“No offense,” Kevin said, which undoubtedly meant he was about to be offensive. “I think we’d all better take a look to make sure you’re right.” He stood up, as did Vik.

“Knock yourselves out,” Sanjay said.

Priya’s fingers braided and unbraided her long black hair. “I’m not going back into that room.”

“You don’t have to,” Sanjay said. “You can stay down here with me.”

Kevin paused at the foot of the stairs. “We can’t split up.”

“Why not?” Sanjay pointed upstairs. “The room is right there. As long as nobody goes off by themselves, I don’t see why you and Vik can’t check out the room for hidden murderous devices.”

“Um, isn’t that dangerous?” Geneva asked.

“Nobody can kill anybody else without us all knowing who did it,” Sanjay said. “So nobody is going to try anything.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Geneva said. “I mean if there’s a hidden device that killed Broderick, I don’t want Vik messing around with it.”

“Don’t go, Vik,” Priya sniffled. “I just lost my husband. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

“There’s no device!” Sanjay shouted. “I’m not wrong about this.” He hoped he was right.

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