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Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
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clients. I have no intention of participating in your fraudulent investigation."
Nellie Grant's name definitely meant something to her. The link between the Leabrook's former employee and Adam Daventry had been worrying Cyrus. But a small piece of the puzzle had just clicked into place. He had never been a big believer in coincidence. Now he was more certain than ever that Eugenia's involvement in this situation was anything but coincidental.
He wondered if she had known Adam Daventry far more intimately than she had implied. She claimed that she had never been on the island, but she might have lied. When he had launched his initial inquiries, one of the first things he had discovered about Daventry was that the man had had a long string of lovers. All of them had been either artists or women who were closely connected to the art world.
The possibility that Eugenia might have been one of those lovers could not be overlooked. He had a strong suspicion that a mutual fascination with old glass would have been a powerful lure for her. When she chose a lover, he thought, she would seek out a man who shared her interests. The arty, highbrowed, sophisticated type.
Daventry definitely had fit the profile.
Cyrus wondered if Eugenia and Nellie Grant had been rivals for Daventry's affections. Nothing beat a lovers' triangle for complicating a situation. Throw in an extremely valuable object such as the Hades cup, and you had a real sorcerer's brew.
Be a hell of a twist, he thought, if it turned out that Daventry actually had been murdered. But he'd already run that possibility through his brain and examined it from every angle. It didn't work.
When you got right down to it, shoving a man down a flight of stairs was simply not a reliable way to kill him. There was a high probability that the victim would only break an arm or a leg, instead of his neck. As murder went, it was sloppy and unprofessional.
If there was one thing Cyrus thought he could be nearly one-hundred percent sure about it was that anyone clever enough and resourceful enough to attempt the theft of the Hades cup would be a real pro.
No, Daventry's death had to have been an accident. It was the only thing that made sense. That meant that the odds were high that the Hades cup had not been stolen the night Daventry died. It might still be hidden here in Glass House.
He felt the adrenaline sleet a little more quickly through his blood. After three long years, he was closing in at last. He knew it with that certainty he always felt when a case was coming together.
He punched in the code and opened the door. Hoisting the duffel bag and the two red suitcases, he stepped aside to allow Eugenia into the hall. When he made to follow, he nearly collided with her. She had come to an abrupt halt on the other side of the threshold.
"Good heavens," she whispered, awed. "Daventry really did like glass."
Cyrus removed his sunglasses and examined the gleaming, three-story atrium hall. A monumental chandelier was suspended from the ceiling. It was a many-tiered waterfall of peridot green glass. The walls of the hall were mirrored from floor to ceiling. The mirrors reflected an elegant, curved staircase fashioned of glass bricks and stainless steel. There was an elaborate, decorative pattern traced in glass mosaic tiles beneath Cyrus's feet.
There was also a small, engraved sign just inside the hall.
Visitors are asked to kindly
remove their shoes.
A small stack of paper slippers sat next to the little sign.
"Yeah, I guess he did," Cyrus said.
"This is incredible." Eugenia put down her bags and stepped out of her shoes. She gazed around in amazement.
Cyrus was amused by her wonderstruck expression. "Looks like a very expensive carnival fun house, if you ask me."
"It's spectacular," she breathed. "It will make a fantastic inn."
"Each to his own, I guess."
He trailed after her as she walked slowly down the hall. When she reached the kitchen entrance, she halted once
Nellie Grant's name definitely meant something to her. The link between the Leabrook's former employee and Adam Daventry had been worrying Cyrus. But a small piece of the puzzle had just clicked into place. He had never been a big believer in coincidence. Now he was more certain than ever that Eugenia's involvement in this situation was anything but coincidental.
He wondered if she had known Adam Daventry far more intimately than she had implied. She claimed that she had never been on the island, but she might have lied. When he had launched his initial inquiries, one of the first things he had discovered about Daventry was that the man had had a long string of lovers. All of them had been either artists or women who were closely connected to the art world.
The possibility that Eugenia might have been one of those lovers could not be overlooked. He had a strong suspicion that a mutual fascination with old glass would have been a powerful lure for her. When she chose a lover, he thought, she would seek out a man who shared her interests. The arty, highbrowed, sophisticated type.
Daventry definitely had fit the profile.
Cyrus wondered if Eugenia and Nellie Grant had been rivals for Daventry's affections. Nothing beat a lovers' triangle for complicating a situation. Throw in an extremely valuable object such as the Hades cup, and you had a real sorcerer's brew.
Be a hell of a twist, he thought, if it turned out that Daventry actually had been murdered. But he'd already run that possibility through his brain and examined it from every angle. It didn't work.
When you got right down to it, shoving a man down a flight of stairs was simply not a reliable way to kill him. There was a high probability that the victim would only break an arm or a leg, instead of his neck. As murder went, it was sloppy and unprofessional.
If there was one thing Cyrus thought he could be nearly one-hundred percent sure about it was that anyone clever enough and resourceful enough to attempt the theft of the Hades cup would be a real pro.
No, Daventry's death had to have been an accident. It was the only thing that made sense. That meant that the odds were high that the Hades cup had not been stolen the night Daventry died. It might still be hidden here in Glass House.
He felt the adrenaline sleet a little more quickly through his blood. After three long years, he was closing in at last. He knew it with that certainty he always felt when a case was coming together.
He punched in the code and opened the door. Hoisting the duffel bag and the two red suitcases, he stepped aside to allow Eugenia into the hall. When he made to follow, he nearly collided with her. She had come to an abrupt halt on the other side of the threshold.
"Good heavens," she whispered, awed. "Daventry really did like glass."
Cyrus removed his sunglasses and examined the gleaming, three-story atrium hall. A monumental chandelier was suspended from the ceiling. It was a many-tiered waterfall of peridot green glass. The walls of the hall were mirrored from floor to ceiling. The mirrors reflected an elegant, curved staircase fashioned of glass bricks and stainless steel. There was an elaborate, decorative pattern traced in glass mosaic tiles beneath Cyrus's feet.
There was also a small, engraved sign just inside the hall.
Visitors are asked to kindly
remove their shoes.
A small stack of paper slippers sat next to the little sign.
"Yeah, I guess he did," Cyrus said.
"This is incredible." Eugenia put down her bags and stepped out of her shoes. She gazed around in amazement.
Cyrus was amused by her wonderstruck expression. "Looks like a very expensive carnival fun house, if you ask me."
"It's spectacular," she breathed. "It will make a fantastic inn."
"Each to his own, I guess."
He trailed after her as she walked slowly down the hall. When she reached the kitchen entrance, she halted once
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