Ice Lake: Gone ColdCold HeatStone Cold

by Daniels, BJ; Daniels, BJ; Daniels, BJ

  He shot her a look. “Yes, Morgan, there is nothing I’d rather talk about than work on our honeymoon.” He sighed and softened his tone. “Everything is fine. You know me, I just worry too much.”

  But she didn’t know that about him. The Tom she’d known until the text message never seemed to worry about anything.

  She was the one who worried. Like now. As she tried to concentrate on the beauty of the winter landscape around her, she couldn’t help noticing how dark the clouds over the peaks had become. It really did look as if a storm was blowing in.

  “I just need to relax for a couple of days with the woman I love,” Tom said, but he glanced in his rearview mirror again.

  This time when Morgan looked back, the road was empty. As she turned around, she heard Tom say, “There’s the lodge.”

  The rambling log lodge appeared out of the pines. It was wonderfully Western, clearly old and so picturesque that she quickly reached for her camera.

  “I knew you’d like it,” Tom said, sounding pleased.

  She put down her side window and snapped a couple photos, the cold mountain air rushing in, then grinned over at her husband. “I love it. Thank you. This is perfect,” she said as he parked in front.

  “You want to come in while I get the key to our cabin?” he asked, but she was already out the door, her camera bag hooked on one shoulder.

  He shook his head, smiling at her as he hurried up the steps and disappeared into the lodge.

  Morgan took a few more photographs before entering the mountain lodge. As she stepped inside, she saw Tom at the front desk. She was about to take a photo when she remembered the call she’d gotten earlier from Luke. Convinced he had found information that would save her honeymoon, she stepped around a large log post, out of sight from Tom, and played Luke’s message.

  “We need to talk. I was waiting to hear back from some of the inquiries I’d made, when I ran into a man at the coffee shop who works at Vi-Tech. I asked him if he knew Tom Cooper. I thought he’d say, `Sure, Tom’s a great guy.’ Instead, he said, `Who?’ Morgan, I called Vi-Tech. The receptionist checked. There is no Tom Cooper employed there.”

  “Obviously there is some mistake,” she said under her breath, and turned to see Tom headed in her direction. She quickly deleted Luke’s message and stuffed the phone back in her coat pocket.

  She’d been disappointed when Tom had taken an instant dislike to Luke. “You’re jealous?” she’d said with a laugh, since she and Luke were just friends.

  “The guy has a crush on you, can’t you see that?” Tom had said.

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  Tom had pulled her into his arms. “Doesn’t matter, because you’re mine and no one is stealing you away from me now that I’ve found you.”

  She’d felt a thrill at the passion she’d heard in his voice, and thought what a lucky woman she was. It wasn’t until later that his jealousy began to bother her.

  “Ready?” Tom asked now as he joined her.

  All she could do was nod. That terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach was back. Of course there had to be an explanation, because otherwise where did Tom go every morning when he said he was headed for work? Not to mention he’d insisted they couldn’t have a longer honeymoon because he couldn’t get the time off work. Had that been a lie, too?

  The drive to the cabin was up an even narrower road, through dense woods. Morgan had expected it to be within sight of the lodge. But when she looked back she could see nothing but the darkness of the pines. She glanced down at the map Tom had handed her when he’d gotten into the SUV.

  The Mountain Badger Cabin was circled. Heart dropping, she saw that it was the farthest from the main lodge. She’d had no idea that where they were staying would be even more isolated.

  “I heard some good news at the lodge,” Tom said without looking over at her as the car snaked up the mountainside. “It’s supposed to snow.”

  She could have told him that. She’d smelled snow in the air and had known it was probably already snowing at the top of the peak where the clouds had settled in.

  “Can’t ask for anything more romantic than snow, right?” he said, smiling as he drove.

  Morgan agreed. There was nothing more beautiful than falling snow, especially large, lacy flakes. She reminded herself that this was her honeymoon. She couldn’t let a wrong number text message and an obvious misunderstanding about his job spoil it.

  But still, her heart ached. She’d been so sure Luke’s message would be good news. Now she fought her disappointment—and worry. First the text message and now this? Tom had said there was a problem at work. Or had he said with work?

  She couldn’t remember. But he’d been anxious and distracted lately. As she watched him drive up the slope through the dense pines, she debated asking him about the job.

  Or should she just wait until the weekend was over? She didn’t want to spoil their honeymoon. Also, how could she ask about what Luke had told her without giving away how she’d found out? She couldn’t even imagine what Tom would do if he knew it had been Luke she’d turned to. But as she looked out at the wintry scene, she felt even more anxious.

  “So I assume you checked your messages while I was getting the key and map,” Tom said, startling her. He smiled over at her as if she should know that he knew her too well for her to fool him. “Anything to worry about?”

  “No, why do you ask?” She hated that she sounded a little breathless and a whole lot guilty. He’d caught her flat-footed. Of course he would have known she would check her messages. He probably even suspected it was Luke calling, given his jealousy.

  “I ask because you’re sitting over there gripping the edge of the seat and frowning.”

  She released her death grip and let out the breath she’d been holding.

  Tom brought the SUV to a stop in the middle of the snowy road and looked at her, his handsome face suddenly serious. “Morgan, I don’t want us to have any secrets,” he said, his gaze locking with hers.

  “I feel the same way,” she said around the lump in her throat. She almost confessed everything right then. “I just want you to know that you can tell me anything.”

  His eyes narrowed for a moment, then he sighed. “I didn’t plan to get into this now, but…I have been keeping something from you. I didn’t know how to tell you, and I’m sorry. I lost my job. It turns out the position I came up here to do was already filled. I’ve been looking for another one and didn’t want to say anything until I found something.”

  Morgan felt such a wave of relief she laughed. “That’s all?”

  “That’s all?” he repeated mockingly. “I take providing for my wife a little more seriously than that.”

  She wanted to throw herself into his arms. They had plenty of money. “We’ll be just fine until you find another job.” She leaned over and kissed him tenderly.

  “I don’t want to let you down, Morgan.”

  “You could never do that.”

  He gave her a weak smile. “I hope not.” Then he got the SUV going again.

  She couldn’t believe how much better she felt. Simple explanation for what Luke had learned about her husband.

  But as the SUV climbed higher up the mountain, she studied the storm clouds over the peaks and felt a little of her earlier apprehension coming back.

  She’d had no idea they’d be staying in a cabin so far from the lodge. What if they got snowed in and couldn’t get out once the weekend was over? Tom might not have a job, but she had photographs that needed to run in next week’s newspaper.

  “How much farther is this cabin?” she asked, unable to keep that growing uneasiness out of her voice. He didn’t know about Montana winters in the mountains. He was probably hoping that they did get snowed in.

  “Just a little farther.” He glanced at her. “Try to relax. Do I have to keep reminding you that it’s our honeymoon?”

  She attempted a smile. A moment later, she was glad when the trees opened a lit
tle and the cabin appeared.

  It was charming. She quickly put down her window to snap a picture, imagining the shot pasted in their first photo album.

  As Tom parked and she climbed out, she heard him say, “This snow is great. You know what we should do? We should make a snowman before the next storm hits. What do you say?”

  She hadn’t built a snowman since she was a kid. She smiled, hearing the enthusiasm in his voice. He acted as if he’d never seen snow before, she thought with amusement. That couldn’t be the case, though, since he’d grown up in Seattle and it snowed there occasionally. Maybe like her, he just never lost his sense of wonder.

  “Come on,” he said. “I’ll unpack the car later.” He was already making a large snowball in his gloved hands. He laid it down in the snow and rolled it toward her, the ball growing in size as the soft snow stuck to it. She loved the huge smile on his face. He was so boyish, so young and happy-looking. She fell in beside him to help.

  Morgan quickly got caught up in the creation of what Tom began to call their “Honeymoon Snowman.” They positioned it right in front of the cabin window so they would be able to see it when they looked out.

  “I’ll get a hat,” she said, and hurried back to the car. She was digging in the back of the SUV when her cell phone rang. She hurriedly pulled it from her coat pocket, realizing belatedly that she’d forgotten to turn the darned thing off after listening to Luke’s message.

  When she checked, she saw it was him calling again. Tom apparently hadn’t heard the phone, since she kept the ringer set to a low volume. Debating whether to let the call go to voice mail or answer it, she clicked it on.

  She needed to tell Luke that Tom had never even started the job at Vi-Tech, so it was no wonder they hadn’t heard of him. Nothing to worry about. She also needed him to stop investigating her husband.

  “Hello?” she said, stepping behind the SUV and keeping her voice down.

  “Morgan!” Tom called, making her jump. “I’m going into the cabin to see what I can find for the snowman’s face.”

  She waved, hiding the phone behind her and waiting until Tom was inside the cabin before she said, “Luke, are you still there?” There was a lot of static on the line and she thought for a minute she’d lost him.

  “Yes. Did you get my earlier message?” he asked, sounding worried.

  “I did, but I talked to Tom—”

  “I’m afraid I have more bad news, Morgan. Tom Cooper never graduated from Puget Sound High School in Seattle, Washington. According to school records, there was no Tom Cooper enrolled in any of the schools in Seattle. I’m checking other schools in the area and waiting to hear back from the University of Southern California, but I’m having a hell of a time finding any information on this guy. I have a bad feeling about this, Morgan.”

  She heard Tom come out of the cabin and call to her that he’d found something they could use, and to hurry up with the hat.

  “There has to be a mistake,” she said, shocked by this news. There would be an explanation, just like with the job.

  “I’m worried about you,” Luke said. “I wish you weren’t up there. But at least you should be all right at Ice Lake Lodge with other people around—just in case.”

  Just in case? What was he saying? That Tom might be dangerous? She thought of her husband busy making their honeymoon snowman. Luke was wrong. She should never have told him about the text message. There was a logical explanation for all of this.

  “I have to go.” She clicked off, stuffed the phone into her pocket and tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she looked at the remote cabin Tom had rented for the weekend.

  “Did you find a hat?” he asked, suddenly appearing next to her, startling her. “Something wrong?”

  “You surprised me, that’s all,” she said, and handed him the old hat she’d found in the back. “Let’s see how our snowman looks.”

  Slamming the back door of the SUV, she walked toward the cabin through the snow, her mind racing as she tried to remember everything Tom had told her about his past. He’d been vague, the details sketchy. That’s why she’d gotten the information wrong. It was the only explanation.

  Tom perched the hat on the snowman’s head and looked at her, his blue eyes shining with excitement that quickly turned to desire. He pulled her close. She buried her face in his warm wool jacket, breathed in his familiar scent and felt the first falling snowflake land on her cheek.

  This moment should have been perfect as he swept her into his arms and carried her up the cabin steps. Snow began to drift down from a big sky thick with the cold breath of winter. The mountains disappeared as the storm moved in.

  Morgan glanced in the direction of the lodge, but knew she wouldn’t be able to see it through the dense trees and snow even if it had been closer. To her surprise, though, she thought she glimpsed the corner of another cabin roof in the distance before Tom opened the cabin door and carried her inside.

  She tried to put Luke’s call out of her mind, telling herself Tom would be able to explain everything—just as he had about the job at Vi-Tech.

  But at that moment, the only thing she was sure of was the distinct chill in the air, before he closed the door behind them.

  CHAPTER TWO

  MORGAN WOKE IN THE large king-size bed. She didn’t open her eyes at first. She could hear Tom breathing softly beside her, his naked body warm and familiar.

  He had been so wonderful when her mother passed away. Since her father had died a few years earlier, when she was in college, she was now an orphan. It seemed so wrong to lose them both so young. But Tom had helped her through the mourning. He’d offered her a shoulder to cry on and encouraged her to talk about her parents, and seemed to enjoy hearing her stories about growing up in Montana.

  Her eyes slowly opened as she tried to remember stories he’d told her about his childhood. When she’d questioned him about his parents, he’d said, “It was a Leave It to Beaver kind of childhood, dull compared to yours.” Then he would get her to talk more about her past.

  Restless with the return of her doubts, she slipped out of bed and padded across the cold pine floor, closing the bedroom door behind her.

  There was kindling beside the fireplace and, growing up in Montana, she was no slouch at building a fire. She got a small blaze going, then added more wood. Sitting on the hearth next to it, she told herself she was being ridiculous. She had to stop being suspicious of everything about Tom.

  “What about your family?” she had asked when he’d insisted they get married right away. “Are they going to be able to make the wedding?”

  “I told them we couldn’t wait, but they promised to come out this summer. I was thinking we could have a big reception. They would like that. I don’t want them to have to travel in the winter. Not on these roads.”

  “I’m anxious to meet them,” she’d said.

  “You will. But when you do, I want to introduce you as my wife.”

  She hadn’t said more, but now realized she and Tom had never gotten a call or a card congratulating them. She could understand her in-laws not sending a present because they would be coming out this summer, but not even a call to talk to their new daughter-in-law?

  Had Tom lied about more than where he’d grown up and gone to school? She thought about that Southern accent she swore she sometimes heard in his voice, and hugged herself feeling a cold chill that not even tossing more wood on the fire helped.

  Morgan shivered, reminded of last night’s lovemaking. Tom had been so tender and yet so passionate. Her heart beat a little faster at the memory of the way he’d looked at her, at the way he’d touched her, as if he still couldn’t believe how lucky he was.

  It had been the perfect honeymoon night, just as he had promised. Outside, huge snowflakes had drifted down from a black velvet sky. Inside, a fire had crackled, filling the cabin with warmth and golden light. Not even Fiji could have been more romantic. Just after midnight, they had stood at the window, Tom
’s arm around her, and admired the snowman they’d built together.

  She smiled now at the memory, and went to the front window to look at it again.

  A cry of shock and disappointment escaped her lips. The snowman was gone! All that remained were footprints in the snow, where someone had trampled it.

  Hurrying to the front door, Morgan flung it open, appalled and outraged that anyone would do such a thing. She stumbled to an abrupt stop as she saw what the vandal had left on the porch.

  The snowman’s hat sat just outside the door. The vandal had filled it with snow and had made a face from the produce Tom had used to make the honeymoon snowman’s smile. This face, though, was anything but smiling. It stared up at her with a grotesque, twisted expression that made her shudder.

  Morgan started at a sound behind her.

  “Hey,” Tom said as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “What…” The rest of his words died on his lips.

  “Someone destroyed our snowman.”

  He cleared his throat as he reached down, picked up the hat and dumped out the horrible face someone had left for them. He turned and pulled her into his arms. “Damn kids.”

  “You think it was kids?”

  “Had to be,” he said. “Come on. It’s freezing out here.”

  She let him draw her back inside. The fire crackled, but she couldn’t shake off the even deeper chill that had settled over her. She remembered thinking she’d seen the roof of another cabin through the trees. Finding the map Tom had handed her yesterday in the car, she checked.

  The Mountain Lion Cabin. It was fifty yards or so through the trees. Was that where the kids had come from? It seemed inconceivable. The snowman had been fine at midnight so when had kids destroyed it? Surely not this morning, since it was still early and it had been snowing hard all night.

  “I’m going to take a hot shower,” Tom announced. “Want to join me?”

  She could tell he was trying to get her mind off the snowman. “In a minute.”