Unless the person knew her and wanted to set her up. Serena sobered up in an instant.


    After taking the warm towel from the maid, she asked, "Other than the vis, is there anywhere else on the ind someone could hide?"


    "There''s a storage street behind the vis, and a row of cottages along the coast," the maid replied, gesturing in that direction.


    "There''s not much of a view at night, but a few guests are staying there. All the rooms are registered."


    Serena narrowed her eyes. The creep might have been one of the guests.


    But as the host, Hugh couldn''t just barge into upied rooms. That would only offend people.


    She wasn''t about to put him in that position either. So she turned back to the maid. "Do you have the guest list?"


    "Yes, right away." The maid rushed off to get the name list.


    If she couldn''t search the cottages directly, she''d at least see if anyone with a grudge against her was on that list.


    Most of the names meant nothing to her-until one near the bottom: Cole. There was a note scribbled next to it.


    "Summoned''? What does that mean?"


    "It means they invited a guest to visit. The staff usually keep watch and make a note of who goes where."


    "Check it." Serena nced at the timestamp. It was almost exactly when that scream had echoed through the night.


    But the maids hesitated and exchanged nervous nces.


    Serena was puzzled. "Do you need Hugh''s permission to investigate?"


    "N-No!" they said quickly, shaking their heads. But none of them moved.


    Then, Hugh''s voice rang out from behind her. "You don''t need my permission to look into anything.


    "But your birthday is almost over,


    and the final firework show is setup behind those cottages-it''s supposed to be a surprise. They were just worried that you''d see it too early."


    She turned around-and the sudden chill of a sparkling water bottle pressed to


    her cheek jolted away thest traces of alcohol.


    She took it with a smile. "Well, now that you''ve told me, the surprise is kind of ruined too, right?"


    "Is it?" Hugh said, unbothered.


    Serena was just about to go track down the creep herself-whoever was, whatever his problem with


    her when the dark sky burstinto light.


    Fireworks bloomed, loud and bright, turning night into day.


    Serena froze.


    ?


    Hugh nced down at his watch. "You should really keep an eye on the time."


    It was midnight. The party was over, marked by a sky full of glittering fire.


    She hadn''t even realized the hour because of the alcohol. As she


    watched the fireworks explode


    above them, her heart gave a hard, unexpected thump.  fo


    Her cheeks felt warm. She muttered, "We haven''t even found the creep yet, and you''re lighting fireworks..."


    "I''m not letting my wife''s birthday end on a dull note." Hugh slipped a lush bouquet of roses into the vase beside her.


    The light from the fireworks cast soft glows over their faces. Serena looked up, but still couldn''t read the look in Hugh''s eyes.


    She couldn''t tell whether these gestures were just part of his polished manners or because Hugh was doing it as a friend.


    She stared at the rose. "Why..."


    "Ah!"