There was something Adrian had to confirm. He exited the library, walked over to the living room and then entered the room where he had woken first woken up. The twelve chairs with metal bars swung open were just as they’d left them. The table with the speaker was still there in the middle of the room.
He walked over to the first chair where the Chinese woman (Hwang Nam was it?) had been. There were small traces of mud where her foot may have been. He walked over to the second chair where the American had been. Mud there too. Then the third with the Norwegian-British. Mud. Then his own chair. Mud. The next one. Mud. Mud, mud, mud, mud, mud, mud and mud.
There was no doubt everyone had been kidnapped from outdoors. So, not only had they received a mysterious call but they had been summoned like he was as well. What tourist would be so idiotic to answer to and follow mysterious calls?
“Well, hello. Didn’t expect there to be anyone here.” It was Richard Finn.
Adrian sighed inwardly. He had taken a dislike to the American. It was an irrational dislike and Adrian knew that but, he could not easily get rid of that first impression he had of the man.
“Likewise,” Adrian answered.
“So, what are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same,” Adrian answered. He could not reveal that he was here to look at the ground for mud. For starters, the excuse would sound extremely stupid. Secondly, he might have to answer why and that would reveal his identity as the detective. If he refused to answer, that might make him seem like the kidnapper and make the man suspicious. Furthermore, he might tell others, spread the suspicion and turn everyone against him. “I came here to see if there was some secret exit,” Adrian lied.
“What made you think there was one here?” he asked.
I’m the detective and I’m supposed to be the one asking questions, Adrian thought. “No harm in looking,” he answered with a shrug. “Why are you here?”
Richard hesitated. “I kind of had the same reason.” Adrian could tell from his face that he was lying. “Anyways, see you around,” Richard said abruptly before turning and walking away.
Absolutely no shortage of suspects, Adrian thought after the man had left the room. Seeing that there was no use staying in the room himself, he walked out after making sure the American was already out in the hall so that he wouldn’t have to run into him again.
Whom he did run into was Eun-Kyung Im in the living room, where she was staring at the animal heads mounted on the walls. She turned around upon hearing Adrian enter and gave a smile and a bow which Adrian returned.
“These heads, they are very real looking,” she said, turning her attention back on the animal heads.
“Yeah, but they are fake,” Adrian said. He walked to and stood beside the Korean woman. “So, did you run into Richard?”
“You mean the American man? Yes. He is a very nice man,” she answered.
Adrian raised his eyebrows in amusement. Right before him was a woman with a perspective about the American in direct contrast to his. The fact lent more credibility to the fact that his own dislike about the man was unfounded.
“About our situation; who do you think will our …” Eun-Kyung paused, thinking about the correct word.
“Host?” Adrian suggested.
“Yes, who do you think will our host murder first?”
“Honestly, I have absolutely no idea.” If he did, it’d be a lot easier catching their kidnapper.
“Do you think it will be according to the English alphabets?” she asked.
“Alphabetical? I sure hope not cause then that’ll mean I will be the first one dead.” Of course, being the detective, he would be the last one dead unless he caught the kidnapper first.
“Unless the host uses our last names. Then, the first victim would be…” She frowned, trying to remember all the names.
“Akiko Akiyama,” Adrian said. “If it’s alphabetical, she’ll be either the first or the second victim.”
Adrian stared at the Korean woman. She had her eyes on the animals but they were not looking at them; they were vacant.
Adrian gave a small cough. “So, I’ll be seeing you,” he said.
Eun-Kyung turned to Adrian and smiled in acknowledgement. He returned a little nod and left the living room. He thought about what he had just talked with Eun-Kyung. Who would die first? Raven had asked the same thing. Adrian knew he was currently helpless. Until the first death, he would have absolutely no way of working out the order in which the victims would die and ultimately catch the kidnapper.
ns 15.158.61.12da2
