The KenKen Killings by Parnell Hall

Author:Parnell Hall
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2011-01-25T07:00:00+00:00

“Yeah. It’s a 6-by-6 KenKen,” Cora said. “Every line will have the numbers 1 through 6. That’s what, ten, fifteen, twenty-one per row. Times six is a hundred twenty-six. Every single KenKen will be exactly the same.”

“That’s pretty stupid,” Bambi said.

Cora looked at Sherry. “Notice my restraint.”

“It only adds up to that because you solved it,” Bambi said. “It wouldn’t add up to that if you didn’t solve it.”

“No. It would add up to zero. Because a KenKen’s not like a sudoku. A sudoku starts with some of the numbers filled in. A KenKen doesn’t start with any numbers.”

“Yes, it does.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“It does so. It’s full of little numbers.”

“What? Oh, those aren’t the numbers in the squares. Those are the numbers telling what the numbers in the squares should add up to.”

“So?”

“So what?”

“Add ’em up.”

“Why?”

“You got a better idea?”

“I’ve got no idea at all. Of course, nobody gave me this puzzle.”

“I did.”

“You brought it to me. No one sent it to me. It was not intended for me. It was intended for you and he whose name one dare not speak.”

“You talk funny.”

“Right back at you, kid. The point is if this has any meaning for you, you can’t expect me to know what it is.”

“Except you were married to Melvin,” Sherry said cheerfully. “You have a single point of reference.”

“Thank you,” Cora said dryly. “That’s a big help. Anyway, if I add this up, I get … ninety-three. What does the number ninety-three mean?”

“The year she was born?” Sherry suggested.

“You’re not helping,” Cora said.

“The difference in your ages?”

“I’ll throw you out of here.”

Sherry shook her head. “We’re not leaving the two of you alone together. If Bambi were found torn limb from limb, you wouldn’t be able to prove you didn’t do it.”

“Whereas if you were found torn limb from limb—”

“Come on,” Aaron said. “Solve this thing.”

“There’s nothing to solve.”

“I don’t buy that. You’re just saying that because it’s her. If anyone else had brought you the puzzle, you’d have solved it by now.”

“Why, Aaron Grant. Sherry, looks like your hubby just grew a pair.”

“He’s just showing off for Bambi,” Sherry said.

Aaron threw up his hands. “I’ve done it. Now they’re ganging up on me. How about it, girls? Let’s make some sense out of all this. I need the story.”

“Oh, well, when you put it that way,” Cora said. “I wasn’t trying before, but if you need a story … Okay. Say the number’s gotta mean something. What’s ninety-three?”

Bambi, who had been laboriously adding up the numbers in the puzzle, said, “It’s not ninety-three. It’s a hundred and six.”

“Oh, for God’s sake! It’s ninety-three. I added it up.”

“You added it wrong.”

Cora couldn’t believe the girl was arguing with her. “Oh, look here—”

“It is a hundred and six,” Sherry said.

“What!” Cora said.

“Believe it or not. I just did it myself.”

Cora glowered at her niece. “Fine. So it’s a hundred and six. Big deal. What’s a hundred and six?”

“One more than a hundred and five,” Bambi said.

“Gee, thanks,” Cora said.

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