The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick

Author:Amanda Quick
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Paranormal, Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Historical, Thrillers, General
ISBN: 9780399159091
Publisher: PUTNAM
Published: 2013-04-23T04:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Five

I was not hallucinating, after all,” Beatrice said. She looked at the seething footprints on the floor. “The man who murdered Roland was, indeed, here last night. He waited there, behind that large statue. When the blackmailer arrived he crossed the room to the altar and murdered him.”

“But first he probably used the incense to incapacitate his victim,” Joshua said. “He used it again when you arrived.”

They were standing near the sarcophagus in the great hall, attempting to piece together a picture of what had transpired during the night. The lamps were illuminated but at Beatrice’s request they were turned down low. Joshua had not argued when she had explained that it was easier to see the wispy traces of energy in the shadows. She knew he did not believe that she could actually make out the paranormal prints of the killer and his victim, but he was willing to let her handle her side of the investigation her way.

She glanced at him and saw that he was examining the alabaster bowl that contained the remains of the incense.

“I have been meaning to ask you two questions,” she said. “First, how is it that you were not affected by the smoke last night?”

“I did the same thing that I did when I escaped from the burning laboratory last year. I covered my nose and mouth with a cloth and tried not to breathe any more than absolutely necessary. It did not take long to find you and remove you from this chamber. A matter of two or three minutes, no more.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“When I entered the room I could smell traces of the stuff. That gave me time to take precautions.”

“It affected all my senses,” Beatrice said. “I got dizzy and I started to hallucinate. It was as if the statues were coming alive.”

“If you ever smell the stuff again, cover your nose and mouth and try to get down low to the floor.”

“Why?”

“The fumes are carried in the form of smoke, which rises.”

“Yes, of course. I should have thought of that.”

“You were caught by surprise,” he said very seriously. “And there was the shock of finding the body. That sort of thing can be disorienting.”

She smiled to herself. “Thank you for your understanding. If you had not found me when you did, I suspect we would not be here chatting today.” She looked at the bloodstains on the altar and shivered. “That brings me to my other question.”

Joshua moved across the space to examine the altar.

“What?” he asked.

“How did you know that I was in danger? No one came or went from this chamber. The blackmailer was killed before I arrived and the assassin was already inside when I entered the room. What alerted you to my situation?”

“Sometimes one gets a feeling that things have gone wrong with a plan.”

“Yes,” she said. “I know the feeling. It’s called intuition.”

“If you are about to inform me that intuition is a psychical talent, you may as well save your breath.

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