“What’s what?” Ariel asked, drawing on the last reserves of her serenity to keep her voice steady. She forced herself to focus on Max, determined to remain calm despite the mounting tension.

Max, however, ignored her feeble attempt at distraction. He simply continued his advance, crossing the room with purposeful strides. Ariel, in a last desperate measure, hopped into Max’s path, clutching her foot and wincing dramatically.

“Ow, my foot!” she persisted, hoping to buy herself some time. But Max never missed a beat. He simply pushed past her, heading directly towards a corner of the room.

“This—” Max began, his voice carrying a note of certainty, “I knew I wasn’t mistaken—” But Ariel had turned her back to him, squeezing her eyes shut as she prepared for the worst, steeling herself to execute some of the finest lying in history.

Max continued, oblivious to her silent struggle. “Brown-san mentioned he had lost it,” he said, his dark eyes peering up from the thermometer he was examining. As if on cue, the thermometer Ariel had been holding clattered to the ground.

“Oh,” Ariel said, glancing down at the fallen device, her heart racing as panic surged. A thermometer, just a thermometer!

“Careful,” Max said, his tone slightly softened, “I believe GPI may owe you damages.” There was a hint of distraction in his voice, as if something else was preoccupying his thoughts.

Ariel could see the wheels turning in Max’s mind. She wasn’t out of the woods yet—not by a long shot. Chicken, chicken, chicken!

“Your foot feeling better?” Max’s voice was laced with a scrutiny that made Ariel feel exposed. His gaze seemed to pierce right through her.

Ariel’s foot twitched involuntarily. “It’s not broken,” she said lightly, trying to sound casual. “...Well, since we’ve got our base reading...”

With a strained smile, Ariel bent to retrieve the thermometer, determined to avoid looking at the wall behind Max. After a moment, the Chinese man gave a nod and motioned towards the door, his head bent over his chart but his eyes never leaving Ariel. She made for the door, feeling as though she was mired in quicksand—the more she struggled, the deeper she seemed to sink.

Chicken, chicken, chicken!

As Ariel stepped out into the hallway, it felt as if an invisible target had been painted on her back. Frowning, she rubbed her shoulder blade, trying to shake off the creeping paranoia. Trapped in the back of the house with Max and no witnesses, she froze suddenly, her eyes widening and then narrowing in fury.

That Jasper! He did this to me! If I make it out of this alive, I swear—

The sound of the door sliding shut snapped Ariel from her vengeful thoughts.

If I make it…

Max turned to her, his gaze purposeful. The hallway before them was eerily empty and silent. Ariel felt herself struggling under the weight of the quiet.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

“Well, I’m sure our partners miss us. I think we’re actually breaking the rules by being apart. Let’s go join them, and I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.”

Ariel’s mouth clamped shut as nervous words tumbled out, betraying her emotions and further incriminating her. “I’m only going to ask this once. What do you know, Ariel?”

Max’s calm demeanor, so reminiscent of Jasper, sparked a flicker of anger in Ariel rather than fear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about—”

Max stepped away from the door, his imposing height making Ariel feel small and vulnerable. With great effort, she squared her shoulders and met his gaze, eye to eye.

That Jasper.

“The time we’ve spent here in Magnolia Midlands has been a tremendous waste,” Max said, his tone dripping with disdain. “I’m inclined to suggest we close this case.”

Ariel, caught off guard by this unexpected confession, struggled to contain her surprise. Her expression betrayed her shock. “Close the case?” she repeated uncertainly.

Max’s gaze was sharp as he studied her. “Yes, unless you have something you want to share?”

The tenuous grip Ariel had on her composure snapped suddenly. Realizing she had walked straight into a trap, she fumbled for words. “I—what could I possibly know?” she stammered.

Max’s tactic had been effective; Ariel was flustered, and he was clearly counting on her inevitable slip.

Chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken...

“I’ve been watching you,” Max said, his voice steady. “Jasper has been watching you. He asked me not to interfere, but if you know something, you will tell me now. I will not spend another moment in this town.”

Ariel considered his words. Clearly, Max’s time in Magnolia Midlands—attending tedious festivals and enduring disastrous meals—had been as unpleasant for him as it had been for her. Ariel pursed her lips, her eyes drifting past Max to the door behind him.

“I have nothing to share,” she said firmly.

Max’s look of suspicion mirrored the one he had given her on the theater steps. It was a look of knowing that made Ariel’s resolve waver.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his tone unyielding.

Ariel stood stiffly, summoning all her strength to face her accuser. Mr. Marlowe, your secret lives to see another day.

“Yes. Positive.”

Max inclined his head slightly, a nod that seemed to acknowledge her answer, though his eyes remained unconvinced. “I’m glad you’re so certain. You’ll have no regrets when I make my request and we withdraw from this pointless ghost hunt.”

Ariel’s throat tightened as she recalled the smoke she had inhaled in the theater, the ghostly presence she had encountered, and the urgency of the situation.

No regrets.

Realizing Max’s intent was to guilt her into confessing, Ariel felt a surge of frustration. She knew Jasper wouldn’t back down from a challenge—he wouldn’t simply walk away.

The two of them stood in the silent hall, the tension between them palpable. Finally, Max took a step past her, breaking the standoff. Ariel released a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding, feeling a wave of lightheadedness. She turned and followed Max away from Mr. Marlowe’s room, its secrets still concealed.

But there was one secret Ariel couldn’t escape—one she carried with her at that very moment in the form of three names as she and Max walked down the hall at a brisk pace. As Ariel’s confused mind churned with the recent events, a small point of heat burned in her stomach.

That Jasper.

Whether Max was acting on his own or not was beside the point. Her infuriating boss had paired her with her interrogator and was unlikely to be entirely innocent of her current predicament.

He was probably hoping for this.

In the next moment, Ariel’s heart skipped a beat as a door swung open, and Jasper emerged, followed by Taylor, Leroy, and Miss Marlowe. The narrow hall was suddenly crowded, but Ariel’s attention was solely on her partner. Her expression was a mix of desperation and defiance, practically shouting chicken!

“Good, we’ve just finished here,” Jasper said without preamble.

Ariel’s stomach twisted as she saw her boss and assistant exchange a brief, knowing look.