Archie looked at Susan, to see if she was listening, but she appeared to be studying her cards.

“That’s right—we,” Karim said, sounding a little agitated. He pointed a finger at Cooper. “Trust me, mate. Jack’s not going to find Gretchen Lowell in the tunnels.”

“You’re right,” Archie said. “I don’t think she’s in the tunnels, either.”

Cooper’s shoulders heaved and he sat back heavily in his chair. “You think she’s off the island by now?” he asked Archie.

“I didn’t say that,” Archie said softly.

Cooper’s eyes moved from Archie to Karim. “What’s he talking about?” he asked Karim.

Karim’s face was impenetrable. “He’s trying to fuck with you,” he said.

Cooper hesitated and then turned to Archie. “Where do you think she is?” he asked.

Susan was still looking at her cards but a small frown line had appeared between her eyebrows.

Archie picked up his glass and turned it slowly in his hand, making them wait. He kept his eyes on Karim. “She has a funny idea that she can catch the man who killed that girl they found on the dock yesterday,” Archie said.

“I thought she killed that girl herself,” Cooper said.

“She says she didn’t,” Archie said. Karim had diverted his attention to the game now, his fingers pinching his cards. He reached a hand up and straightened his tie.

“She says she saw a man in a mask lead the girl from the party into the tunnels and then bring a corpse up a few hours later,” Archie said.

Archie watched as Karim studied the carefully fanned cards in his hand, his eyes roaming from one to the next, as if seeing each one for the first time. The back of the cards had been embossed with gold crests.

“She’s curious who this man might be,” Archie said.

Susan inhaled quickly and laid down a black queen.

“Fuck,” Karim said, flinching at the sight of the card. He swept the pile of cards toward him, as Susan smiled.

“Fancy cards,” Archie said to Cooper.

Cooper smirked. “Gift from the boss last Christmas,” he said. “We all got them. Generous motherfu—”

Archie saw Cooper’s eyes move to the door an instant before Cooper sprang to his feet. He had leapt up so quickly that Archie, startled, had nearly dropped his drink.

Cooper’s body was rigid, muscles tense, gun trained at the door.

The door was closed. No one moved. The only sound was the clock ticking.

“Uhhh,” Susan said. But Cooper lifted a hand and silenced her. Then, weapon raised, Cooper started walking toward the door.

Archie wasn’t sure exactly what Cooper’s job was, but he suspected that he wasn’t given to hysteria. Whatever Cooper had heard, they had to take it seriously. Archie put his drink down, and got up and went after him.