Mystery at the Ice Hotel

by Sara Grant

  I placed the black tip of the EpiPen against Alexia’s leg, rammed the injector against her thigh and removed it again.

  Alexia’s body convulsed. In that second I felt as if my heart stopped beating. My body flushed cold with fear.

  “What have you done?” Shauna screamed and broke free from Mackenzie. She knocked me away with the full force of her body. I tumbled backwards but kept my eyes glued to Alexia.

  Then Alexia gasped.

  Shauna burst into tears. She must have been as relieved as I was.

  Alexia was still struggling to breathe. I crawled over to her. “You are going to be OK,” I told Alexia. “I used your EpiPen.”

  Her breath steadied into shallow gasps. Her skin was pale. All the fire and fight from earlier had drained away.

  “Just breathe,” I told her. I noticed a huge bump on her head from where she’d bashed it as she fell. She had been nothing but horrible from the millisecond she arrived, but I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I hoped she’d be OK. I prayed I’d done the right thing.

  Suddenly Grandma was at my side. “How is she?” she asked.

  “She’s breathing.” I explained about Alexia’s allergies and what I’d done. Mackenzie and Shauna joined us and formed a protective circle around Alexia.

  Shauna had stopped crying, but her face was still red and blotchy. “Your quick response may have saved Alexia’s life. I don’t know how this could have happened,” she muttered.

  “We’ll worry about that later,” Grandma told her. “The important thing is that she’ll recover.”

  How did it happen? I’d heard Shauna instruct the chef myself last week. I’d seen Alexia’s lunch ticket. Two accidents in two days. Not small oops! moments but accidents that could have been deadly. Maybe they weren’t accidents.

  Grandma and Shauna would take it from here. Mackenzie must have been thinking the same thing. We retreated and found a quiet place at the back of the room. “Now do you believe me?” I whispered to Mackenzie. “Something weird is definitely going on here.”

  Mackenzie nodded. “Look,” she said and gestured to Katrina, who was whispering something to Blake. “Katrina seems to know everyone.”

  “In crises, sometimes…” I started but then Katrina hugged Blake. He kissed her forehead. Those weren’t the actions of complete strangers.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention?” Shauna was completely calm and in control again. She asked everyone to follow her into the lobby.

  “Let’s go,” I said to Mackenzie and headed in the opposite direction to Shauna.

  “Where are you going?” Mackenzie asked and picked up a jumbo chocolate cookie from the buffet table as we passed. She took a huge bite.

  “I think Alexia was intentionally poisoned,” I said.

  Mackenzie spat the cookie into her hand. “What?” She studied the cookie as if the hunks of chocolate were arsenic. “That’s a bit dramatic.” She placed what remained of the cookie on a discarded plate.

  We kept moving. “The girl had to have enemies.” I punched open the swinging doors that lead to the kitchen. “We were on the sled that was meant for Alexia and her grandma yesterday. It could have been sabotaged. Today Alexia collapses. That can’t be an accident.”

  The chef and his dozen or so kitchen staff were huddled together. They already knew about Alexia. The platters that had been so artfully arranged with cheeses, meats and breads were scattered on the long stainless steel prep tables. Something was smoking on the stovetop. The tart smell of burning food sizzled in the room.

  “What are we doing in here?” Mackenzie asked. “How can you think of food at a time like this?”

  The room hushed as the faint sound of a siren swelled in the distance. The ambulance was coming for Alexia. The kitchen staff seemed to wake and stir again. The chef barked orders and everyone scattered. I thought they looked like actors in my high school play; not the lead characters, but the ones in the chorus who tried to look like they knew what they were doing. The kitchen workers didn’t know how to act when one of their guests laid on the dining room floor probably as the result of their cooking.

  “I’m not hungry,” I said to Mackenzie, but I did have food on my mind.

  “Then what are we doing in here?” she asked.

  “Looking for the murder weapon.”

  “You shouldn’t be in here.”

  I flinched at the sharpness of his voice. The white chef’s hat looked out of place on his head, like a cherry on top of a watermelon.

  Mackenzie was already inching back towards the dining room door. “Maybe we should go.”

  “Um, Frank…” I started.

  “It’s Frans,” Mackenzie corrected. Foreign names never seemed to stick in my brain.

  “Hi, Frans, could I ask you a few questions?”

  He glared at us.

  “I’m Chase and this is Berkeley.” I gave him my friendliest smile but my lips wouldn’t cooperate. He was making me feel so uncomfortable. “We are Ariadne Sinclair’s granddaughters.”

  “Ah, Ariadne.” He softened. “Lovely lady.”

  How could I ask if he accidentally poisoned someone? “I loved the meatballs you served today.”

  “They are my speciality,” he said. Was that almost a smile?

  “I guess you heard what happened in there.” I nodded to the dining room.

  “Ja.” He was stony-faced and glaring again.

  “Just checking…” This was the tricky part. “There wasn’t any seafood on the buffet.”

  He slammed his hand on the stainless steel table in front of him, setting the kitchen’s metal pots, pans and utensils clattering. “Are they blaming this on me?” he roared. “No shellfish at all. I carefully reviewed the dietary restrictions of our guests.”

  “It could have been an accident?” I tried. “Maybe one of the kitchen staff—”

  “My kitchen is clean. My staff are professionals. We know how serious food allergies can be.”

  “You can’t be one hundred per cent sure,” Mackenzie added. “Maybe—”

  I cringed as Frans interrupted. “Are you calling me a liar?” he shouted and everyone in the kitchen froze. “Get out! Now! This is not my fault!” His eyes were practically bulging out of his head.

  “Way to go,” I mumbled to Mackenzie as we headed for the back door.

  “What?” she said. Sometimes she understood facts and figures better than people. “I was trying to help.”

  “Here!” I removed two parkas from the pegs near the back door of the kitchen. I handed one to Mackenzie and took the other one for myself. I winced as I zipped it up. The coats were for the kitchen staff, and they smelled like the grossest soup on the planet: raw meat and onions and body odour.

  Mackenzie held the dirty coat at arm’s length between pinched fingers. “No, thanks,” she paused, maybe realizing that the resort’s dumpsters were lined up outside that door. “Why are we going outside anyway?”

  “Looking for clues,” I told her. I’d watched enough murder mysteries with my dad to know you had to search for clues fast.

  “You’re not Sherlock, and I’m no Watson.” She tried to hang up the coat, but I blocked her.

  I didn’t have time to argue. “Are you coming or not?” I marched outside. The cold hit me with a hard slap. I pulled up the hood on the parka and found gloves in the pockets, but the bottom half of my body was stinging from the freezing wind.

  Mackenzie stomped up behind me. She huffed with every step. Her parka was zipped so only her eyes were visible. She’d tied another parka around her waist and put gloves on her hands and feet.

  “Start looking,” I said.

  “For what?”

  “I don’t know. Fish something.” I didn’t have a plan really.

  “You think someone put shellfish something in Alexia’s food.”

  I nodded.

  “You think whoever it was would want to dispose of the evidence as quickly as possible and then return to the dining room bef
ore anyone noticed they were missing.”

  No, I hadn’t thought it through like that, but I replied, “Yes, exactly.”

  “Then it stands to reason that they’d throw it in the dumpster nearest the door…” Her voice trailed off. “Oh, no.” She shook her head so fiercely that her hood flew off. “I am not searching that dumpster. Can’t you smell it from here?”

  “You’re imagining things,” I said, and flipped open the lid to the first dumpster. “Everything would freeze quickly out here so it won’t be so bad.” I laced my gloved fingers together. “I’ll boost you up. Just look inside.”

  “I’ll boost you up.”

  “You’re taller, and I’m stronger.”

  “You owe me,” she said as she stepped her gloved foot in my hand. I wished I’d thought of that. My toes were already numb in my red ballet shoes. I hoisted her higher. She shrieked and clutched the side of the dumpster.

  “See anything?” I tried to stand still but the cold and her weight were making me wobbly.

  “Lots of … yuck!”

  “What is it?”

  “You don’t want to know.” She lifted herself up.

  “Get on my shoulders,” I told her and she shifted so she was sitting on my shoulders. I held on to the handle on the dumpster to steady us.

  “Wait, I see something.” She lunged forward, taking me with her.

  My body banged against the dumpster. “Hey, watch it!”

  That’s when I heard it. Laughter. TnT.

  “Argh!” I jerked around, forgetting that Mackenzie was balanced on my shoulders.

  “AAAHHH!” she echoed as she slid down my back, and we tumbled to the ground. I heard something clank on the frozen ground and clatter as it rolled away.

  “Looks like they’ve thrown away two perfectly good girls,” one T said to the other.

  “What use are girls anyway?” the other said, and they burst out laughing.

  Mackenzie clutched at my coat as she tried to stand, but her gloved feet and my stupid shoes slid on the ice, and we crashed to the ground again. At least the heat of my embarrassment was warming me.

  “Let us help,” TnT said, and each extended us a hand.

  I batted it away, but Mackenzie accepted the help. I flipped to all fours and clawed my way up the dumpster.

  “Looking for this?” one of the boys said as he picked up a small plastic vial and handed it to Mackenzie, who gave it to me.

  I read the label and my gut clenched in worry. “You guys didn’t sprinkle that on the buffet to prank us.”

  “What?” one said. “No!” the other exclaimed. “Berkeley threw it at us.”

  “You found that in the dumpster?” I asked Mackenzie. She nodded. It was a vial of dried fish flakes. Someone could have easily sprinkled this over the buffet or Alexia’s plate. She said the food had tasted bad. “Are there fish tanks in the resort?” I asked TnT.

  “This is not exactly the right environment for fish,” Left Twin said.

  “Yeah, they don’t serve sushi popsicles,” Right Twin added, and they busted out laughing again.

  “It’s not funny,” I said, remembering Alexia curled on the floor, struggling to breathe.

  They stopped laughing. “Wait, does this have something to do with what happened to that girl?” Right Twin asked.

  “She was allergic to shellfish and look at the ingredients.” I held out the vial so they could read the list of ingredients, which included shellfish.

  “There’s no other logical reason someone would have this here, is there?” Mackenzie asked.

  “Come on,” Left Twin said. “You think someone intentionally poisoned her?” The boys started to laugh but stopped mid-smirk when they saw we were serious.

  The kitchen door slammed open. TnT bolted. It made me want to run too, but my feet were so cold I wasn’t sure I could walk. I don’t know why, but I instinctively stuffed the vial of fish food in the pocket of the parka.

  Mr Ashworth peered outside. “There you are,” he said to us but watched the boys skirt around the building and disappear. “Ariadne wants everyone in the lobby for an announcement.” He held open the door for us, and we followed him inside.

  We replaced the parkas. Before I removed my gloves, I found a plastic bag and wrapped the vial inside – like those crime scene investigators did on TV. I slipped the vial into the pocket of my jumpsuit and returned the gloves.

  When Mackenzie noticed what I was doing, she whispered, “Good thinking. There might be fingerprints.”

  We made our way with the other guests to the lobby. I jumped when I heard sirens. They quickly faded into the distance, taking Alexia away. I didn’t like the feel of the vial in my pocket. It was evidence, and it made me feel guilty.

  “That’s everyone,” Mr Ashworth called to Grandma who was standing on a chair in the middle of the lobby.

  “Thank you for your patience and cooperation,” she said. “Alexia has been taken to the local hospital where we believe she will make a full recovery.” She scanned the room as she spoke. “It was a terrible accident. They are trying to contact her grandmother. I’m sure this has been upsetting. Please see Shauna for keys to your rooms in the lodge if you’d like to rest.”

  Shauna helped Grandma down and then took her place. “If you’d like a diversion, the ice maze is open. Sven will be giving an ice sculpture demonstration in the lobby of the ice hotel in approximately thirty minutes. I hope you won’t let this … unfortunate incident … spoil your time with us.”

  Mackenzie and I looked at each other. It wasn’t just me then. She thought that was a strange thing to say too. Alexia had almost died. OK, she wasn’t very nice. Everyone in the dining room had heard her bratty outbursts, but how could anyone see what happened to Alexia and not feel bad?

  One hand shot up near the front of the crowd.

  “I’d like to leave,” a male voice said.

  “That’s Blake,” Mackenzie whispered to me. Today had sucked, but why was he so anxious to leave?

  Shauna stuttered and stammered.

  “I’m very sorry for the upsetting day, but there’s no reason to leave,” Grandma said. She was so calm, so in control. I admired that. “The paramedics told me that a blizzard is on its way. The airport and train stations are being closed. He urged us to remain here for the time being…”

  Grandma continued to answer questions and reassure everyone that everything was hunky-dory. I wanted to believe her, but I shivered with an imagined chill. We were stranded here with someone who had deliberately hurt Alexia.

  “You’ve got to tell her,” Mackenzie said, scooting me towards the crowd surrounding my grandma. Some of the older guests had left for their rooms. Most of the younger guests were heading to the ice maze. Blake and Katrina left out the front door together.

  “I’ll tell Grandma later in private,” I said, digging my heels in.

  “Tell Ariadne what?” Shauna appeared next to us, clipboard in hand.

  “Nothing,” I said. I wasn’t ready to tell anyone about my suspicions yet. All I really had was a vial of fish food and a gut feeling. I didn’t want to upset Grandma and Shauna unless I was abso-freaking-lutely sure.

  “I need your help,” Shauna said. “This Alexia thing has wreaked havoc with my schedule. Change into your snowsuits and set up Sven’s demonstration in the ice hotel lobby.” She handed us a sheet from her clipboard. “This details everything you need to do. I’ve ask reception to call Sven. He should be there soon.”

  “Will do,” I said, happy for the distraction.

  “What about…” Mackenzie started.

  “We’ve got work to do,” I interrupted and led the way to our room. “I promise I’ll tell Grandma later,” I said to Mackenzie once we were safely in our room. “We need more proof before we make such a wild and crazy accusation.” We quickly changed into our snow gear. I tucked the vial of fish food in the pocket of my snowsuit.

  The atmosphere had changed. I could feel it as we trudged to th
e ice hotel. The snow was falling heavily. We could barely see a few feet in front of us. We huddled together to battle the wind, but it was more than the weather. Everyone and everything felt on edge. Mackenzie twitched at every sound. I wondered what or who might be lurking nearby. Was someone plotting another “accident”?

  The ice hotel lobby was empty, which made the space seem colder. Mackenzie called out the to-dos from Shauna’s list and soon the lobby was ready for Sven. A huge block of ice, taller than Mackenzie and as wide as the two of us side by side, had been placed in the centre of the lobby. Sven would transform the big ice cube into something amazing right before our eyes. I’d seen him do it before.

  “Where’s Sven?” Mackenzie asked with a worried look on her face. People were arriving.

  “Maybe I should go look for him?”

  Mackenzie grabbed my arm. “Don’t leave me.”

  Just then we heard the clink and clack of Sven’s tools as he jogged through the main corridor. Mackenzie and I met him at the table we’d set up for his demonstration. Sweat dotted his forehead. “C-can you help me get organized?” he asked as he lobbed a big tool case on the table. His hands were shaking.

  “Are you OK?” I asked.

  “Ja, ja,” he said but didn’t look at us. He concentrated on laying out his equipment.

  Was he upset about Alexia? I doubted it. He probably hadn’t met her. Did he know what happened?

  Sven prepared his chainsaw while Mackenzie and I positioned the chisels and other sharp blades that he used to shave the ice. More and more people arrived.

  “Do you want some water or a cup of tea?” Mackenzie asked Sven when everything was in place.

  He shook his head. “I am ready.”

  I clapped my hands. “Can I have your attention please?” The room was packed with snow-suited figures. I introduced Sven and he got right to work. His chainsaw roared to life. He cut away large chunks of ice.

  “What’s he making?” I whispered to Mackenzie.

  Mackenzie consulted her checklist. “Says here he’s supposed to be carving Cupid.”

  I cringed at the lameness.