by Sarah Fox
“That’s another thing I wasn’t expecting on this trip,” Brett said, a grin slowly taking shape on his face. “We saw a ghost.”
“Maybe.” I hesitated. “Do you really believe it?”
Brett shrugged, still grinning. “It was probably just an eccentric woman running through the woods, but it makes for a good story.”
I tended to agree with him, although this was a small community. If there was an eccentric woman living in the area who liked to run through the snowy woods in a long dress, wouldn’t the locals know about it? Harvey had said he didn’t know of any redheads who lived nearby.
“Cindy said she’d see us this evening,” I whispered as we got up from the table. “Will we really still be here then?”
“Do you want to go home?” Brett asked.
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. Although I wanted to know more about Henrietta Franklin, I figured I could always look up information about her online, from the comfort and safety of our own home. “I don’t see how we can enjoy ourselves now. What do you think?”
Brett took my hand as we left the dining room, our coats tucked under our arms. “I’d rather go home too. We’ll need to check out.”
“Maybe Cindy can help us with that,” I said, hoping that was the case. The more time that passed, the less I wanted to spend another night at the lodge.
Out in the lobby, Wilson was finishing up a conversation with Deputy Reynolds. Wilson said something I couldn’t hear and then strode away from Reynolds, nodding at me and Brett as he passed us by on his way to the dining room.
Deputy Reynolds also nodded at us, but then turned away and spoke quietly into his radio.
I tried to hear what he was saying, hoping for some news about Kevin’s death, but all I heard was the indistinct murmur of the deputy’s voice.
Upstairs, a wave of relief washed over me when Brett shut the door to our room. I hung up my coat, kicked off my shoes, and sank down onto the edge of the bed.
“Not exactly the vacation we hoped for, is it?” Brett asked, sitting down next to me.
“Not nearly. I feel terrible for Rita. And I can’t help but look at the staff and other guests and wonder if one of them could be the killer.”
Brett put an arm around me and gave me a squeeze. “I know. How about we get packed so we’re ready to go? Then I’ll ask Cindy if she can help with the checkout process. It should be easy since we already provided our credit card number. We’ll have to check with the sheriff to make sure we’re allowed to leave, though.”
My heart dropped like a heavy stone. “Do you really think they’d make us stay here?”
“I doubt it. They’ve got our statements and our contact information. We should make sure, though.”
I nodded as I leaned into him. “I hope we aren’t suspects. We didn’t have a motive to kill Kevin.”
“I’m sure his family members and the lodge staff are of much more interest to the sheriff.”
“Especially Harvey, since he was outside in the middle of the night. And he’d likely have access to the skis and other equipment, even if the shed was locked.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Brett said. “Although, as Kevin’s wife, I’m sure Rita will get scrutinized too.”
“That’s true.”
We got up from the bed and started packing. It didn’t take long to get all our belongings together. Brett was zipping the suitcase closed when a sharp knock on the door made me jump.
Brett and I shared a glance as he crossed the room to open the door. Maybe it was silly, but my heart was pounding. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it was Deputy Reynolds who’d knocked on the door.
“Sorry to disturb you,” he said, “but I’d like to ask you both a few more questions.”
I couldn’t mask my surprise. “Okay. I don’t know what else we can tell you, though.”
Brett stepped back to make space for the deputy to enter our room.
“I’d like to talk about how things have been here at the lodge since you arrived,” Reynolds said as he stepped inside.
“Because you know more about Kevin’s death now?” Brett closed the door. “Was it definitely murder?”
“Most likely, I’m afraid.”
That didn’t come as a surprise. Somehow, though, having the deputy confirm it set my nerves on edge even more than before.
We invited Deputy Reynolds into the sitting area. He took the armchair while Brett and I settled on the loveseat. Reynolds took out a notebook and pen and asked us to recount everything we’d seen and heard since our arrival. Brett told him about the conversation between Wilson and Kevin that we’d overheard while in the hot tub, and I shared what little I’d heard of Kevin and Rita’s argument. Since we hadn’t been at the lodge for long, we didn’t have much else of interest to tell him. We told him everything we could remember, though, even if it didn’t seem relevant.
“You said Evie is a neighbor?” Reynolds asked after I told him about Evie’s arrival with the eggs that morning.
“That’s what Harvey said,” I confirmed. “And she seems to be a friend of Rita’s.” I explained how I’d seen the two women talking and hugging with the familiarity of friends.
“Do you know Evie’s last name?” Reynolds asked.
“No. Sorry,” I said.
Even though we couldn’t help him with that, I knew the deputy would be able to find out the information easily enough.
Deputy Reynolds made a note in his book, and we continued to recount what we’d done before and after finding Kevin’s body. By the time he snapped his notebook shut, much of the daylight had faded from the sky. The change surprised me when I glanced out the window. We’d had such a late lunch that it didn’t feel like it should be dark yet. At the same time, it seemed like the day had stretched on forever.
“Is it all right if we head home?” Brett asked the deputy. “We were supposed to stay until Tuesday, but given the circumstances…”
“I understand.” Reynolds stood up. “But you might want to consider waiting until morning.”
I didn’t like the sound of that idea.
“The temperature has dropped over the past couple of hours,” Reynolds explained. “And with the melting that happened earlier in the day, the roads are like skating rinks.”
“But we’re allowed to leave?” Brett checked.
“Yes. We know how to get in touch if we need to speak with you further.” Reynolds rested a hand on the doorknob. “But I strongly recommend staying put until morning.”
Brett got up from the loveseat. “We’ll keep that in mind.”
He saw the deputy out the door before turning to face me.
“What do you think?” he asked.
I stood up and rubbed my arms. A tug-of-war was going on inside of me. I wanted to get away from the lodge, to go home right away, but the thought of navigating the icy mountain roads in the dark terrified me as much as the idea of spending another night at Holly Lodge, possibly in close proximity to a murderer.
“I don’t like either option,” I said.
Brett wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back. He knew why I was scared to take a chance on the road. I’d lost my stepfather and stepsiblings in a mountain road accident.
“We’ll be okay here tonight,” he said. “As soon as the roads are safe, we’ll head home.”
I hugged him back. “If Kevin’s murder was targeted, we’re probably not in danger here.”
I hoped that by saying those words out loud, I’d believe them. It didn’t quite work, mostly because of the big if. We really didn’t know if the murder was targeted or completely random.
Brett kissed me, and that helped to settle my nerves more than my words had.
I reluctantly pulled back from him and got out my phone. “I’d better text my mom and let her and Grant know we’ll be home
tomorrow instead of Tuesday.”
“Should we go downstairs?” Brett asked after I’d sent the text message.
“I don’t know.” I wasn’t keen on hanging out with the other guests, not knowing if one of them was a killer.
“I saw some board games in the lounge. Playing one or two could help to pass the time.”
He had a good point. Despite the encroaching darkness, it was still just late in the afternoon. Even if it had been later, I didn’t expect to sleep well that night. Having something to focus on other than Kevin’s murder would probably be a good thing.
“Let’s go see what games they’ve got,” I said.
We set off downstairs, heading for the lounge. As we crossed the lobby, the door to the Mannings’ private quarters opened and Zahra appeared.
She smiled at us, although the expression didn’t make the hint of sadness in her eyes disappear. “I’m sorry your vacation has taken such a terrible turn.”
“Please don’t apologize,” I said. “Our vacation doesn’t matter, not in the circumstances.”
“We’re so sorry about what happened,” Brett added.
Zahra’s smile was even sadder this time. “Thank you. I still can’t believe it’s real. I don’t know why anyone would have wanted to hurt my stepfather.”
“How’s your mom doing?” I asked.
“She’s hanging in there. She’s a strong woman.”
“I’m sure it’s a comfort to her to have you here,” I said. “Do you live here?”
“No, I live in Seattle, but I come to visit regularly. I decided to drive up this morning, and now I’m glad I did. I wouldn’t want my mom to be on her own right now.”
The phone on the reception desk rang.
Zahra eyed it. “I’d better get that. If there’s anything you need during the rest of your stay, just let me know.”
We thanked her and left her to answer the phone.
I was relieved to find that the lounge was empty, but we didn’t have the room to ourselves for long. We decided to try a game called Cathedral, since it was meant for two players, and we were in the process of taking the pieces out of the box when Ambrose, Lily, and Wilson all arrived. Lily had a cotton tote bag with her and Ambrose had a notebook in his hand.
“You’re still here too,” Wilson observed when he saw us seated at a small table. “I thought you might have left.”
“We’re waiting until the roads are safer,” Brett said.
“Same idea as the rest of us.” Wilson wandered over to a set of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and began perusing the titles.
“It’s creepy to think of spending the night here,” Lily said quietly as she sat down in an armchair and pulled a knitting project out of her bag. “But at the same time, I’m getting all kinds of ideas for my next book. I just spent an hour jotting them down before I could forget them.”
I detected an excited energy coming from her. I wasn’t too sure what to think about the fact that she was, at least in some way, enjoying this experience. I tried not to judge her too harshly, though. Maybe it was her next book that had her excited. She might still feel badly about Kevin beneath the surface. Unless she’d killed him.
Suppressing a shudder, I picked up the game’s instructions and quickly scanned them before handing them to Brett. The game wasn’t complicated, so I figured we could pretty much jump right in.
“Ambrose has a treat for us,” Lily said as she untangled some yarn that had wound around her knitting needles. “He’s going to read us one of his poems.”
Ambrose cleared his throat and shifted on the couch where he’d taken a seat. “Only if everyone wants me to.”
A fire burned in the fireplace and the lenses of his glasses glinted with the reflection of the flames.
“Of course we want you to.” Lily gave the rest of us a pointed look. “Right?”
“Sure,” Brett said. “That would be great.”
I nodded in agreement, glad for almost any distraction.
Wilson grabbed a book off the shelf. “Sure, sure,” he said, as he read the description on the back cover.
I didn’t know if he was even aware of what he was agreeing to.
Ambrose cleared his throat again and stood up. “All right.” He positioned himself by the fireplace and opened the slim notebook he’d brought with him. “This one’s called Garden.” He pushed his glasses farther up his nose before starting to read.
“Where once only weeds took root
A thing of beauty sprouted
Magical with a burst of color
A smell so sweet, my heart filled and shouted
Flower of my heart
Every petal that makes you unique
Every sigh, every touch of yours
Helps me forget all that is bleak.”
Ambrose kept his eyes on the page as he recited the poem, but when I glanced over Lily’s way, I noticed that she was blushing furiously as she tried to contain a pleased smile.
Ambrose continued on, reading the final verse.
“No more weeds in this garden
That grows with love for you
Forever will I cherish and nurture
Always I will be true.”
It was subtle, but as Ambrose read the last line of his poem, I was sure I detected a slight dreamy look in his eyes. He closed the notebook and looked up, first at Lily, and then at the rest of us, an uncertain smile on his face
Lily dropped her knitting and applauded enthusiastically. Ambrose’s smile grew in size and confidence. I suspected that the poem was Ambrose’s way of expressing his love for Lily—the flower of his heart, as he’d put it—and she was clearly charmed by it. The rest of us joined her in applauding.
“That was great, Ambrose,” I said. “Thank you for sharing it with us.”
“My pleasure.” With flushed cheeks, he set his notebook on the coffee table and turned toward the bookshelves, scanning the titles.
“How about reading one more?” Lily suggested.
“Perhaps another time.” Ambrose chose a book off the shelf and wasted no time settling on the couch and opening the novel.
For a moment it seemed like Lily was going to press the issue, but with Ambrose’s attention already elsewhere, she stayed quiet and refocused on her knitting.
In the cozy room with the fire crackling and popping, it was almost possible to forget that someone had died violently just outside the back door. Almost.
Even as I focused on the game, a sense of unease never quite left me.
Brett and I played three rounds of Cathedral, with him winning two, and then we said good night to the other guests. As we headed upstairs to our room, I wondered if we’d get any sleep at all that night.
Chapter Seven
I slept better than I’d expected, although I did wake up a few times listening for the sound of someone creeping about in the hallway. Each time, the lodge remained still and silent. Maybe it was partly the stress of the day that helped me sleep, but I knew I would have stayed awake for hours without Brett next to me. He spent much of the night with an arm around me. Together with the locked door, that allowed me to feel relatively safe.
Daylight had yet to make an appearance when we got up, so we knew we’d have to wait a while yet before the ice would melt from the roads. We weren’t exactly eager to spend too much time downstairs with the others before we could leave, so we whiled away the first part of the morning drinking tea and coffee while snuggled up on the loveseat in front of the gas fireplace in our room.
When we did venture downstairs, the sky had lightened and the rising sun was tingeing the few clouds with pink. If not for the murder, I would have been looking forward to another beautiful day spent in the mountains.
On our way downstairs, voices floated up toward us. I recognized Zahra’s right away, but it
took me a moment to realize that the other woman speaking was the Mannings’ neighbor, Evie. I paused part of the way down the stairs and Brett stopped at my side. I wasn’t sure if we should interrupt the conversation happening below us.
“Things weren’t right between them,” Zahra was saying. “And I know mom talked about separating, but they did love each other.”
“I know they did, honey,” Evie said.
“But the police don’t know that. And now my mom is the sole owner of the lodge. She inherits everything from Kevin. What if the cops think she killed him?”
“Even if they think that, nothing will come of it, because they won’t find any evidence. They need more than just an apparent motive to arrest someone.”
“I hope you’re right,” Zahra said. She sounded weary and worried.
My heart went out to her. I hoped Rita hadn’t killed Kevin. It was bad enough that Zahra had already lost her stepfather to a violent crime.
As Zahra’s and Evie’s voices faded away, I glanced at Brett and we continued down the stairs. By the time we reached the lobby, the two women had disappeared. I could still hear voices in the distance, but different ones this time.
When we entered the dining room, I was surprised to see Rita there. She sat at a table with Wilson, both of them with a cup of coffee in front of them.
“I think we can come up with an agreement we’ll both be happy with,” Wilson was saying.
“We can sort out the details once things settle down around here.” Rita glanced up and spotted me and Brett. She pushed back her chair and stood up. “Good morning.” She tried to smile at us, but didn’t manage to banish the sadness and fatigue from her face.
Brett and I returned her greeting.
“We’re so sorry for your loss,” I said.
“Thank you.” She blinked away tears. “And I’m sorry your vacation has been spoiled.”
“Please don’t worry about that,” I said.
“Nevertheless, anyone who wants to leave early will receive a refund for the rest of the time they planned to stay.”
“That’s not necessary,” Brett said.
She tried to smile again. “I insist.” She picked up two menus from a nearby table. “Would you like some breakfast?”