Murder in Aruba: An Anna Winters Cozy Mystery (Murder in Paradise Book 5) by Penelope Sotheby
Authors: Penelope Sotheby
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figure laughed and flung the man's corpse to the ground. "Hello, Anna. Why you couldn't have just died in the stairwell like I wanted you to." His voice was a growl.
Grabbing her by the shoulders, the man threw Anna into the side of the elevator. Anna let out a gasp and fell to her knees.
"Let me go," Anna pleaded. "I have nothing on you. You can escape and I will never know who you were. You'll have a chance to get away with the murders."
"I'm going to kill the famous Anna Winters." The man laughed. "You weren't my original target. But knowing how infamous I can become with your death is too good to pass up. To kill the woman who outsmarted numerous killers in the past. It would make me legendary."
"You can spare my life," Anna pleaded. "I'll go into hiding. You can claim my death and I will never show my face again."
The man stood over her, looking down at her. She could feel her heart pounding and knew she needed an anxiety pill. But reaching into her pocket right now would be a foolish move that would mean certain death for her. Anna could feel the tears streaming down her face. She wished there was something she could do to stop this.
As the elevator came to a halt, the doors opened and she could see the blue tropical sky. The man reached down and grabbed her by the collar. Yanking her to her feet first, he pushed her onto the roof. The salty ocean air was refreshing, but she found her focus directly on the man in front of her.
"Please," Anna pleaded with him. "Spare me. I will do anything you want."
"Oh," The man laughed. "You'll do whatever I want and I won't have to spare you."
Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a gun. Raising it, he aimed the weapon at the center of Anna's forehead.
"It makes sense," Anna sighed. "I always assumed I would die from a gunshot wound to the head. The law of averages pretty much guaranteed that."
"You could still die another way," the man replied. "You could fall to your death. Some random 'accident' could still happen. Nothing is set in stone. Well, except for the fact you are dying today. It's just a matter of how. Get on the ledge," the man demanded.
Anna looked at building's ledge. It was a 22-story drop onto pavement that would kill her on impact. Anna didn't need to look down to see the drop. Her stomach churned and she felt dizzy.
"Tell me who you are," Anna demanded. "If I die without knowing you are, you're nothing more than a coward. Why hide behind the mask?"
"I'm no fool, Anna." The voice growled. "We both know there are cameras up here. There are cameras all over the hotel. I will not risk everything I have worked to accomplish to expose myself now. I will kill you. We both know this doesn't end until you die."
"Why?" Anna asked. "Why doesn't it end until I die? I can let it go."
The man ripped the mask from his face and confirmed what she had suspected.
"Why Mr. Puccio?"
"Think back to who would have the most to benefit from the murders taking place," he began. "Who would have wanted everyone to die?"
"I could see Christos," Anna began. "He would have been fine with Adonis' death. But not the others. But why Ithica?"
"Because it upped the stakes," the man replied. "It caused people to talk. The newspapers picked up the story. It snowballs from there."
"But Cassandra," Anna whispered. "How does she fit into all of this? She was the one who supplied the poison and committed the murders."
"You've put way too much faith in her," the man laughed. "She served a purpose this entire time. "She was my pawn. I was able to control her with ease. "I knew that no matter what I asked her to do, she'd do it. She craved your position."
"But Mr. Puccio," Anna whispered. "Why did you drag me along the entire time? You pushed me to find the killer."
"No, I pushed to find Cassandra," Mr. Puccio laughed. "Once you managed to take her out, I'd be home free. I know she wouldn't go out easily. My plan is to have her shoot you under my command and I will then kill
Grabbing her by the shoulders, the man threw Anna into the side of the elevator. Anna let out a gasp and fell to her knees.
"Let me go," Anna pleaded. "I have nothing on you. You can escape and I will never know who you were. You'll have a chance to get away with the murders."
"I'm going to kill the famous Anna Winters." The man laughed. "You weren't my original target. But knowing how infamous I can become with your death is too good to pass up. To kill the woman who outsmarted numerous killers in the past. It would make me legendary."
"You can spare my life," Anna pleaded. "I'll go into hiding. You can claim my death and I will never show my face again."
The man stood over her, looking down at her. She could feel her heart pounding and knew she needed an anxiety pill. But reaching into her pocket right now would be a foolish move that would mean certain death for her. Anna could feel the tears streaming down her face. She wished there was something she could do to stop this.
As the elevator came to a halt, the doors opened and she could see the blue tropical sky. The man reached down and grabbed her by the collar. Yanking her to her feet first, he pushed her onto the roof. The salty ocean air was refreshing, but she found her focus directly on the man in front of her.
"Please," Anna pleaded with him. "Spare me. I will do anything you want."
"Oh," The man laughed. "You'll do whatever I want and I won't have to spare you."
Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a gun. Raising it, he aimed the weapon at the center of Anna's forehead.
"It makes sense," Anna sighed. "I always assumed I would die from a gunshot wound to the head. The law of averages pretty much guaranteed that."
"You could still die another way," the man replied. "You could fall to your death. Some random 'accident' could still happen. Nothing is set in stone. Well, except for the fact you are dying today. It's just a matter of how. Get on the ledge," the man demanded.
Anna looked at building's ledge. It was a 22-story drop onto pavement that would kill her on impact. Anna didn't need to look down to see the drop. Her stomach churned and she felt dizzy.
"Tell me who you are," Anna demanded. "If I die without knowing you are, you're nothing more than a coward. Why hide behind the mask?"
"I'm no fool, Anna." The voice growled. "We both know there are cameras up here. There are cameras all over the hotel. I will not risk everything I have worked to accomplish to expose myself now. I will kill you. We both know this doesn't end until you die."
"Why?" Anna asked. "Why doesn't it end until I die? I can let it go."
The man ripped the mask from his face and confirmed what she had suspected.
"Why Mr. Puccio?"
"Think back to who would have the most to benefit from the murders taking place," he began. "Who would have wanted everyone to die?"
"I could see Christos," Anna began. "He would have been fine with Adonis' death. But not the others. But why Ithica?"
"Because it upped the stakes," the man replied. "It caused people to talk. The newspapers picked up the story. It snowballs from there."
"But Cassandra," Anna whispered. "How does she fit into all of this? She was the one who supplied the poison and committed the murders."
"You've put way too much faith in her," the man laughed. "She served a purpose this entire time. "She was my pawn. I was able to control her with ease. "I knew that no matter what I asked her to do, she'd do it. She craved your position."
"But Mr. Puccio," Anna whispered. "Why did you drag me along the entire time? You pushed me to find the killer."
"No, I pushed to find Cassandra," Mr. Puccio laughed. "Once you managed to take her out, I'd be home free. I know she wouldn't go out easily. My plan is to have her shoot you under my command and I will then kill
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