Rock Around the Corpse

by Lizbeth Lipperman

  “My husband knows what to do in an emergency, Maddy,” Lainey assured her. “And I taped the spa’s number to the refrigerator. Besides, Abby will be having so much fun playing with her cousin Gracie all weekend, she won’t even miss you.”

  “Nice of you to put it that way, Lainey.” Maddy made a face at her sister before continuing, “But you’re right. And it’s definitely a perk that my baby-sitting, brother-in-law is the sheriff of Vineyard. Of course, he’ll know what to do if Abby…” She paused and shook her head. “No more thinking about stuff like that. This weekend is for overeating, over-imbibing, and letting perfect strangers put their hands all over us. It will be worth giving up my electronics for.”

  Kate raised her glass. “Here’s to perfect strangers with soothing hands.”

  After clinking glasses they fell quiet, each in their own thoughts as the limo turned down a dirt road. Twenty minutes later, they approached Tranquility Rock Spa. At first glance, it didn’t appear to be very large, but as they got closer, they could see that the main lodge was surrounded by ten or more smaller rooms forming a circle behind it.

  Kate reached across to squeeze Deena’s hand. “I’m proud of you, Sis.”

  “Look at that huge rock in front with the arrow through it. Does that mean anything, or is it just for looks?” Maddy asked.

  “You might be sorry you asked,” Deena said. “Like I told you before we left, this was an old hunting lodge up until a few years ago. Men would come from all over the United States to hunt everything under the sun. There’d been several credible reports of mountain lion sightings and even one mauling death was believed to be the work of a hungry bear.” She pointed to the rock. “This used to be Cherokee land before the original owners bought them out and turned it into a hunting lodge. Apparently, the rock with the arrow was already here, so they decided it added ambiance and left it in front.”

  “Oh my God! There’s red paint where the arrow penetrated the rock. Is that supposed to be blood?” Kate pressed her face against the window for a better look.

  Deena nodded. “According to Cherokee folklore, that symbolizes a monster named Nûñ'yunu'wï, which means dressed in stone or stone clad.”

  “Now that’s a mouthful. So what did this rock guy do that got him speared like that?” Lainey asked.

  “Apparently, the dude was a cannibal who roamed the woods looking for hunters to kill and eat.”

  “Holy crap! Why would they put him in front of a lodge filled with hunters?” Maddy moved closer to her sister. “Isn’t that like putting a statue of a fox in front of a henhouse?”

  “Never thought of it like that. According to legend, the monster carried a stick that guided him, and no one could kill him because his entire body was protected by stone.” Deena paused to take a final drink of her champagne before setting the glass in the holder.

  “Dammit, Deena, finish the story. I have to know someone killed the SOB before I step foot out of this limo,” Kate said.

  Deena smiled at her younger sister. “You always got the most freaked out of all of us when you heard stories like this, yet you were the first one to beg for them when we’d babysit you.”

  “I know. I know. So don’t keep me in suspense. Did they kill him?”

  “Of course they did, and Katie, you’re gonna love how they did it, given your chosen career path with women and fertility. Apparently, the stone monster was weakened in the presence of a menstruating woman—kind of like the way Superman was with kryptonite. So the men brought out all the women who were having their periods.”

  “You’re kidding me, right?” Kate wrinkled her brow. “Tell me you’re pulling my leg.”

  “Nope.” Deena laughed out loud. “With the monster in a weakened state, the men speared him with their arrows, pinned him to the ground, and lit a fire underneath him. When there was nothing left of him, they found a large lump of red paint and a magic stone in the ashes.”

  “Is that why in the old West movies the Indians wore red paint on their faces when they went into battle?” Kate asked, excited now.

  “Probably. And also when they went hunting,” Deena added.

  “Wow! So the owner left the rock in front because it symbolizes good hunting?” Lainey slapped her forehead. “That’s freakin’ brilliant but kinda weird now that it’s no longer a hunting lodge.”

  “Like I said, Haley left it for the ambiance, plus the fact that her last name is Rockford. Since she was already planning on calling it Tranquility Rock, it seemed appropriate,” Deena quipped. “We only found out about the stone monster a few weeks ago when one of the contractors noticed it and commented. Haley even had me design a picture with the story. It’s hanging over the mantel with a black, stuffed bear head that was a leftover from the hunting lodge days.”

  “Cool,” Kate said. “For a minute I thought you really were making this up like you used to do when I pleaded for scary stories.”

  “Wish I was. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since the guy told us the story.” Deena frowned as she got out of the limo. “I hope we didn’t stir up the monster by turning this place into a spa…Hey look, there’s Haley.”

  Everyone turned to get their first glimpse of the owner of Tranquility Rock. Haley Rockford was in her late thirties and still had the figure of a much younger woman. With her blonde curls stylishly falling to her shoulders and wearing a navy suit that definitely flattered her five-eightish frame, she could have easily been mistaken for a big time celebrity. Deena had warmed to her instantly during that first meeting, and after spending the better part of six months with the woman renovating the place, her opinion hadn’t changed.

  After hugging the owner, Deena introduced her to her sisters before they moved inside to fill out the necessary registration papers. The entire lobby was dotted with ornate wall lights that projected a soft glow over the light blue walls. Matching blue leather sofas and chairs were strategically placed around the room to welcome clients. Surrounded by rock and white stone that nearly covered the entire back wall, an elaborate fireplace roared with a warming fire, a welcoming retreat from the chilly October air outside. Spread in front of it was a huge white bearskin rug, head and teeth included, a reminder of past hunting days, although anyone who ever studied geography knew that polar bears hadn’t inhabited the back woods of Oklahoma.

  “Holy cow!” Lainey exclaimed. “This place is gorgeous.” She hugged her older sister. “Did you know that baby blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, and softness?”

  “Duh! What do you think your sister did in all those decorating classes, goofball?” Maddy punched Lainey’s shoulder playfully.

  “Don’t mind her, kiddo.” Deena smiled at her younger sister and frowned at her older one. Then she pointed to the fireplace. “There’s the bear head and the picture explaining the meaning of the rock.”

  Kate was the first to react and sprinted in that direction. “Geez! This bear looks real. I’m almost afraid to get too close.”

  “He was stuffed by the best taxidermist in the area, or so I’ve been told,” Haley said, stepping up behind them. “People who knew him said that hunters would come from as far away as Montana just to have their kills preserved. After my sister bought this place and closed the lodge three years ago, his business went downhill. Rumor has it he holed up in his cabin about six miles east of here until he died. According to the local cops, he turned on the gas one day and went up in flames.”

  “Somebody ought to be writing all this down. These are the kinds of stories people love hearing about,” Lainey said. “Maybe you and I can get together for a few minutes this weekend so I can interview you about all of it.”

  “Interview me?”

  “Lainey’s the weekend anchor at WKDL. She’s right about this making a great story,” Maddy offered.

  “So, why’d your sister buy a hunting lodge and then close it down? Did the two of you have plans to turn it into a spa together?” Lainey asked.

  Haley shoo
k her head. “Truthfully, my sister and I hadn’t spoken in about ten years. She was always a wild child and focused on getting rich quickly. I sometimes didn’t like the way she used people. When I became one of her victims, I cut ties with her and lost all contact.”

  “Sounds like someone we know and love, right?” Kate said, referring to their dead sister. Tessa had made it big as the owner of the largest vineyard in their area, but like Haley’s sister, had left a trail of enemies in the process.

  “I was more surprised than anyone when I was contacted by the probate lawyer who informed me that as her only living heir, I had inherited everything she owned, which wasn’t much more besides this place. I was living in Alabama at the time, trying to figure out what my next move would be after the company where I’d worked for the past fifteen years was bought out by a large corporation that brought in all their own people. I was given a nice severance package and booted, but it wasn’t like the end of the world for me. The timing on this was rather serendipitous. Running a spa has always been my lifelong dream, but I just never had the time or the money to do it. This was a godsend.”

  “How did your sister die?” Kate asked.

  “She was murdered four months before the lawyer was able to locate me. Although she only had a couple hundred dollars in her bank account, somehow she’d managed to buy this place shortly before her death. I never could figure out why a hunting lodge in the middle of Nowhere, Oklahoma, interested her. She was always a card-carrying, city girl.”

  “Did Deena ever mention that our sister Tessa owned a winery and also stepped on a lot of toes getting to the top?” Kate inched closer to the fire to warm her hands. “Another weird coincidence is that she was also murdered. One of the pitfalls of leaving a trail of enemies in your wake.”

  Before Haley could respond, Deena interrupted. “We’ve got plenty of time to talk about all this later. We need to sign in and then freshen up in our rooms. There’s a huge dinner party tonight. The spa’s gourmet chef is another of Haley’s great finds.” She grabbed Maddy’s arm and gently nudged her toward the desk. “You and I will be in one room, and Lainey and Kate will be next door.”

  “Let the fun begin,” Lainey said, following in line behind her two older sisters with Kate hustling to catch up.

  Checking in took a little over ten minutes. Just as they finished, Deena twisted around and almost collided with the man behind her. “Excuse me,” she said before she looked up into the most gorgeous green eyes she’d ever seen.

  “Entirely my fault,” the man replied. “My apologies. I was standing way too close.” His suggestive smile was wide enough to show off a perfect set of white teeth and a tiny dimple in the cleft of his chin. “But I can’t lie. I’m really not all that sorry. I was anticipating a boring weekend holed up in my room while everyone else checked this place out. I have to admit, this weekend just got a little more interesting.”

  Her cheeks flushed warm under his intense gaze that seemed to chain her to the spot. The man with his sandy blonde hair, accenting those dreamy eyes was definitely flirting with her. She remembered her pep talk to herself in the car about jumping on the dating bandwagon and took a deep breath before smiling back at him. “You must have read my mind because that’s exactly what I was just thinking.”

  Chapter Two

  Deena heard Maddy gasp behind her and almost turned and bolted. What in the world was the matter with her? She had no clue how to flirt, yet she’d just blatantly attempted to do exactly that. She touched her right hand to her cheek and felt the beginning of heat spreading up her face.

  “I’m Brent Kershaw,” the gorgeous creature said as he extended his hand.

  Standing a little over six feet tall, the man wore khaki-colored slacks that accentuated his slim waist and a navy blue and green golf shirt that only made his brilliant green eyes pop even more. Guesstimating him to be in his late thirties or early forties, she allowed her eyes to dart to his left hand. It took every ounce of will power to hold back the sigh of relief—no ring and no telltale tan line on the ring finger where a wedding band might have been.

  Good Lord! She was acting like a teenager with her first look at the new boy in town.

  She was about to introduce herself when one of her sisters nudged her in the back, propelling her forward, directly toward his chest. She was able to recover her equilibrium in time to avoid the mortification of plowing into him. More than a little uneasy now, she grabbed his extended hand and smiled up at him.

  “Deena Rodriguez,” she muttered, amazed that she’d been able to find her voice. “And these are my sisters Lainey, Kate, and Maddy.” She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip held firm.

  “Ah, the designer,” he said, finally releasing her hand. “Haley has nothing but high praise for you.” He glanced around the lobby. “And I have to say I agree with her. You did a great job with this place.”

  “There you are, Brent.” Haley walked up and positioned herself between Deena and the man. “I see you’ve met the Garcia sisters.”

  His eyes twinkled with amusement. “Indeed I have. And I can only imagine how breath-taking their mother must be. It should be illegal to have all this beauty in one family.”

  Bullshit alert! Tessa appeared out of nowhere and was now standing behind Brent. This guy’s obviously had a lot of experience with blowing smoke. Hang on to your skirt, Deena. He seems to have zeroed in on you.

  Deena couldn’t help it and grinned. Could Tessa be right? Could this man standing in front of her—now undressing her with his eyes—really be interested in her after seeing her siblings?

  Growing up with four very outgoing sisters had never prepared her for this kind of male attention. They were the ones who were usually singled out by both men and women. Maddy’s appeal was her strong, independent personality. Although Lainey scared off some members of the opposite sex with her good looks coupled with a broad intellect, she’d always been a challenge to most men, more interested in books than boys. And Kate—she looked like an angel but had no idea how she affected men. Poor Danny Landers hadn’t stood a chance when she’d set her sights on him last year in Vineyard. Even though he was a cop and trained to be tough, he’d melted under her gaze like butter in a frying pan.

  Say something, Deena, or close your mouth, the ghost said. He’ll think this is the first time a man like him has ever paid attention to you.

  “It is,” she blurted, before she remembered she was the only one who knew Tessa had reappeared.

  “What is?” Haley asked, turning to her with a questioning look.

  “She said, she is,” Lainey said, stepping forward to rescue her. “Mr. Kershaw made a comment about our mother being easy on the eyes, and Deena was agreeing. My sisters and I would thank our lucky stars if we were fortunate enough to inherit even a fraction of her beauty.” She made eye contact with Deena, wrinkled her brow in question, and then mouthed Tessa when no one else was looking.

  Deena nodded before turning back to Haley and Brent. “We really should be going to our rooms to freshen up before we meet everyone tonight.”

  Good one, Deena. Make him think you’re not interested, the ghost said. That will have him falling all over you, wondering why you’re not trying to jump his bones like every other female who lays eyes on him.

  “I’m looking forward to tonight as well,” Brent said. “But not because of the food.” His eyes sent a direct message Deena’s way, and when he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, she heard Kate giggle behind her.

  “May I call you Deena?” When she nodded, he turned to the owner. “Haley, thank you for inviting me this weekend.” He pulled her aside but not far enough away for the conservation to be private. “I’ll need to find some time with you tonight to work out a few problems before it’s too late.”

  After an awkward silence Deena cleared her throat. “Well, we need to get going. I’m looking forward to talking with you again at dinner, Mr. Kershaw.”

  “Please, call
me Brent. I have a feeling we’re going to be more than friends.” Then he turned and walked away.

  Deena’s eyes followed him all the way to the door before she questioned Haley. “Who is that man?”

  For a second, Haley’s eyes flashed anger as they watched Kershaw from behind. Then she shrugged. “He’s from Dallas. A judge. His brother is the head of Guarantee National Bank in Oklahoma City. He was instrumental in my getting a loan for the renovations here.”

  Something about the way he’d fired those last words at the owner—spoken with a look that was meant to be a smile yet appeared menacing—set off red flags in Deena’s brain. And why was Haley’s initial reaction one of anger?

  “What did he mean about working out the problems before it’s too late? Everything’s okay, right?” Deena asked, unable to hide her concern. Was there a problem with the financing? Mentally, she scolded herself for agreeing to wait until after the weekend for the final check for her services.

  Haley nodded. “Everything’s fine. We just need to go over some of the details about the loan. Nothing to worry about.” She tried to smile but couldn’t hide the anxiety that settled across her face.

  “Is he married?” Kate asked.

  “Divorced,” Haley responded. “And he’s got a reputation as a womanizer, so be careful.” She spoke to Kate, but her eyes stayed on Deena. “Now, go settle in. We’re going to have a lot of fun tonight. Dinner will be served at seven. Come a little early to meet everyone and have a cocktail.” She whirled around and waved to a young couple who had just walked in. “I’ll see you all tonight.”

  Did I detect a little jealousy right then? Tessa watched the owner greet the new arrivals with a hug, and continued. Looks like your friend might have already tasted the forbidden judge fruit and is now trying to make sure you don’t.

  “No way,” Deena said. “She was only warning us all that the man is a player.”