by Lilly York
Felix opened the door and smiled. “I brought you a cup of coffee.”
She glanced at her long empty cup gratefully. “Thank you. I have no idea when I ran out.” She stood up. “Have a seat.”
The two of them worked over the menu, using Enrique’s plans as a starting point. Some of the dishes Felix knew well with only a couple being specialties of the other chef. Even so, he was able to put all the ingredients to good use. Nik was thankful. Felix was thrilled with the raise she offered him. It wasn’t as much as Enrique was given, but it was still significant. She also asked him to start interviewing sous chefs as soon as possible. He wrote up an ad and she called it in to their local paper, as well to the Denver paper. Hopefully he would get some good applicants. Denver was a cesspool of wanna be chefs.
As soon as Felix left she hurried to the restroom. The coffee went straight through her and she didn’t have time to make it to the normal employee restroom, so she popped into the larger guest facilities. She nearly finished when she heard someone enter then Mildred ask if anyone was in the room. When she received no response, she began talking freely to the person with her. To Nik, it sounded as if she was speaking with Judy, the head of hospitality.
Mildred started the conversation. “I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. She’s going to run this lodge into the ground with her grandiose ideas.”
“You don’t know that. I think we need to give her a chance.”
“The way Will gave her a chance?”
“You don’t mean…she had nothing to do with that. She’s nothing but a slip of a little thing. There’s no way could she have gotten him up on that roof.”
“He probably wouldn’t be dead if she’d not bought this place. I should have it, not her.”
“You couldn’t afford it. And I can’t believe you would accuse her of running the place into the ground. Your family are the ones who let it go to pot. She’s right. The place does need a major overhaul. It was starting to look like a museum, and not a good one.”
Mildred harrumphed. “You mark my words. Her taking over this place isn’t going to go well. She’ll get what’s coming to her. I’ll make sure of it. Just like Will Winters did. With Felix here, things are about to happen. Trust me.”
“Don’t you go sabotaging her work. I won’t stand for it.”
“I won’t have to. She’ll do it to herself.”
The door opened, and the restroom grew quiet. Nik exited the stall and washed her hands, wondering what role Mildred had played in the death of Will Winters and what exactly did she mean when she said she’d get what was coming to her. Not only that, but how did Mildred know Felix? The conversation left her shaken but resolved. She’d have to figure out what was going on with her lodge. Why had it been up for sale? Who wanted it besides herself? So many questions and so little answers. She needed to figure out who killed Will Winters before someone else got hurt. Besides, she had a strong feeling she could be next.
Chapter 9
Nik pulled all her employees’ records and the paperwork from the sale then settled in front her computer. She’d received a rather chilly reception from some of the town folk, although most had been friendly. She wanted to know who Mildred was and exactly how she was connected to the woman who Nik bought the lodge from.
She found multiple articles online about the lodge and the family who built it, ending with the older woman who had sold it to her. She wondered why there were no local buyers. Perhaps people were warned off? Maybe someone, namely Mildred, was wanting the business for herself. She was not a nice person. Were people afraid of her for a reason?
To Nik’s knowledge, there wasn’t anything Mildred was afraid of doing—even climbing a roof to deposit a body to make a business look bad. Who would stay at a lodge where Santa was murdered? She’d already lost her chef because of the murder. She was certain she’d lost other business because of it too.
She studied the family picture she’d found online from the lodge, the one taken before times got tough. The picture was old and a bit grainy, even on the computer screen. She looked at each face, looking for anyone vaguely familiar. “Ah ha, there she is.” In the back row, third from the right, was a younger Mildred. She was wearing a maid’s uniform even then. No wonder she had some animosity. She’d been cleaning rooms for the past twenty years. Probably longer.
Another face caught her eye. One she wasn’t so sure about it. She squinted. “That’s Felix. I’m almost sure of it.” He was a young teenager and had the same facial features. She scanned the list of names under the picture. She found Mildred Conway first. She read the rest of the names looking for Felix. She said out loud to herself, “There has to be some connection. Mildred talked like she knows him.” No one named Felix was in the listing even though the one young man looked nearly identical to him.
She needed some help from someone who had a history in the town. The only person she could think to call was Rudy. He may not welcome her help but she didn’t know who else to turn to.
She made the call and waited.
Nik met Officer Blitz at the door. “I’m glad you could make it. Come on in. I’ll give you the run down on what I’ve found out.”
Rudy followed Nik to her office then settled in to listen. When she finished, he asked, “And you’re certain they didn’t know you were in the bathroom?”
“Absolutely positive. It’s my rule that all employees, myself included, use the employee restroom. It was a fluke I was even in there. Besides, she never would have talked the way she did if she knew I could hear her. There’s no way. She will barely say a word to me, civil or otherwise. She wouldn’t openly complain or threaten me to my face.”
He nodded. “I suppose not. What do you plan on doing?”
She had given that very question quite a lot of thought. She considered firing her. But, she firmly believed in the saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer. “I think I might pretend I didn’t hear anything. I’ll pay close attention without letting on I’m doing so. Who knows, perhaps she’ll give herself away without realizing she’s doing so.”
Rudy pondered her idea. “It could work. The thing is, someone has already been murdered. Who’s to say they won’t murder again. You’ve got to be careful. And don’t go out of your way to snoop. Just take what you’re given and report it back to me.”
“Okay, I’ll be careful. I promise.”
“One of the questions I keep asking myself, regarding who killed Will, is, how did they get the body onto the roof? It’s cold out. Snowy. The roof is slippery. And, Will isn’t…” He paused and corrected himself. “…wasn’t a small man. Whoever killed him must have the upper body strength to lift a body up a ladder and onto a roof.” He took a few seconds to think. “Either that or, they had help. I hate to think this is a conspiracy and we’re looking for more than one murderer.”
“True. Did Will ever ask anyone around town to help him out? If the work was too much for one guy to do alone?”
“Once in a while Brutus, from the gas station helped him out. If a particular job required a lot of…” He stopped mid-sentence. “I’ve known Brutus since he was a kid. Surely he didn’t…” He clamped his mouth shut for a few seconds then said, “Hold on. Why would the killer have to go up a ladder? There are windows that open up to different areas of the roof.”
Realization dawned on her. “I was in my apartment. No one could have gone through my window. I would have woken up.”
“I’m not saying your window. There are a few more windows up there than your apartment. Where did you get all your spare Christmas decorations from?”
“Oh, right. The attic storage room holds most of that. And sure, Will would have been in there going through the lights and looking for replacement bulbs. It opens up directly onto the roof—just a short distance from the chimney, which is where Will was planted.” She palmed her forehead. Why didn’t I think of that? She placed her hand over her mouth. “This is getting worse for Mildred. She could
pull someone out a window.”
“Oh, just so you know, he didn’t freeze to death. The coroners report came in. He was strangled—some kind of nylon rope. He was dressed in the Santa suit and deposited on the roof. Someone wanted to make an example out of him. Otherwise, why would they put him on display for all to see?”
A knock on the door interrupted them. Nik called out, “Come in.”
Judy, her hospitality manager, opened the door. “Oh, sorry to interrupt. Nik, can I have a word with you?”
Nik gave Officer Blitz a knowing glance then said, “Sure. I’ll be done here in just a minute.”
Judy nodded then shut the door.
“Well, I wonder what she wants.”
“Only one way to find out. I’m going to pop up to the store room first and have a look around. I’ll see myself out after. Let me know if Judy has anything relative to the case.”
“Will do.” Nik stood up. “Oh, I believe it’s my turn to provide dinner. Tomorrow night Felix is doing a practice run in the kitchen. Want to be my date?”
Rudy smiled. “I’d love to.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a call and let you know what happens with Judy.”
Nik walked him to the door then turned toward the kitchen. “Hey, there you are. What’s up?”
Judy looked around, looking a bit nervous and said in a quiet voice, “I just wanted to warn you. There are some people around here who aren’t too happy you’re here.”
“What people? And why?”
“Look, I can’t say much more. But, I’d just watch my back if I were you. I like you. I think you’re doing a great job here. There are people who don’t feel the same way I do. I just wanted to tell you to be careful.”
“I appreciate the advice. But, I wish I knew what I should be watching out for.”
Judy shook her head. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m probably just over reacting. Just, forget I said anything.” She went through the kitchen door, leaving Nik standing in front of the kitchen counter.
Nik debated whether to call Officer Blitz and let him know about her brief chat with Judy. Considering there wasn’t much to tell, she decided against it. Instead, she paid Felix a visit.
She left the main building and was rounding the corner toward the cabins when the familiar Aston Martin turned in her drive. She waited for the car to come to a stop before approaching. Dash was on the phone, so he didn’t exit the vehicle immediately. She could hear him shouting at someone. When he realized she was within listening distance, he got quiet then hung up and exited the car.
“Hey.”
She nodded. “Hey back.”
He stepped in front of her and stood for a few seconds, appearing to consider his choice of words. “Look, I’m sorry about the other night. I…I don’t have any excuses.” He pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and handed it to her. “This should cover what I owe you.” He walked briskly to his car and drove off as quickly as he’d come. She was glad she had no interest in him because there was no way she’d ever figure him out. He was a complete mystery.
Nik looked around for Rudy’s car. He was already gone. “He probably didn’t find anything worth finding in the storage room,” she muttered.
Chapter 10
Nik knocked on Felix’s door. When he answered she smiled and said, “I’d like to talk to you for a minute, if that’s okay?”
He opened the door wide and motioned for her to come in. “What can I help you with?”
“I’d like to know, what is your history with this place?”
His eyes widened just a bit. “Is it that obvious I do?”
“No. It’s just, I came across some pictures of the original owner with her family—a newspaper clipping really—and one of the young men in the picture could be your twin. Well, he’d be older now.”
Felix smiled. “Yes, he would be. That would be my father. He married into the family.”
Nik just nodded, waiting for him to continue.
“You want some hot cocoa? I just made a batch.” He turned toward his small kitchen and she followed. She wasn’t turning something hot to drink down in this snowy wonderland. “He poured two cups then added whipped cream and a few sprinkles of crunched peppermint candy canes. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she didn’t like chocolate and mint combined. She sipped the concoction and she had to admit, even with the mint, it was really good hot chocolate.
When they’d settled into a couple of comfortable kitchen chairs, he continued his story. “My dad met my mom when he moved north from Mexico. He was just a kid, but he was good at fixing stuff. He always had been. He worked as a jack of all trades of sorts for the whole town. He especially loved when the owner of the lodge called on him because he was in love with her daughter. He worked extra hard when at the lodge, so she could see how hard of a worker he was, and how good of a provider he would be. Not that he didn’t work hard everyone where else, he did. But, he had to show off a little for my mama, you know?” He hadn’t counted on her returning his feelings. Before he knew it, they were in love and wanting to get married. Her whole family was against it. She didn’t care. She loved my papa and she snuck off with him and they got married. By the time anyone figured out what they’d done, it was too late to stop them. She was pregnant with me and there was nothing anyone could do. They got a place in town and fixed it up. It wasn’t what she was used to, but it was theirs and they were in love. What could anyone do? She was old enough to do what she wanted, and she was strong willed, so she did exactly what she wanted when she wanted to do it.” He took a long drink of his cooling hot chocolate.
“Life was a happy time for me then. A childhood dreams are made of. We always had plenty to eat. We had a roof over our heads. We had it so much better than my papa did in Mexico. He always told me how blessed I was to grow up like I did.” Felix grew quiet.
“And yes, life was everything a child could hope for. Until it wasn’t. My mama got sick—breast cancer. By the time they found out she was sick, she didn’t have much of a chance. She died less than a year later. Life changed then. My grandmother had never really accepted me as her grandchild. She was civil—almost kind—but I was still an outsider. My dad took me away, back to Mexico. It wasn’t until much later that I heard from my grandmother. She’d had a change of heart—or a guilty conscience. I never did figure out which one. She wanted me to take the lodge. To inherit it. Only by then, I wanted nothing to do with her. I guess she refused to sell it to anyone else in the family and she wanted to know it was gone before she died. That’s where you come into the picture. You bought it before I came to my senses. When Enrique told me he was offered a job here in Christmas Tyme, I couldn’t believe it. When he told me the job was for the Mistletoe Lodge, I nearly collapsed.”
“Did you come out a day early to…refamiliarize yourself with the town?”
“In a way, yes. Mainly, to refamiliarize myself with my house.”
“Your house?”
“Yes, Papa and Mama bought the house we lived in. Grandmother set up a trust to pay the taxes on it. I wanted to see if it was ready for me to live in. I had hired Will Winters to do some work for me. A few things need doing before it was ready to live in. I’ll be moving out there and giving you your cabin back.”
“So, why didn’t your grandmother let the others buy the lodge from her?”
“She was so full of guilt, she couldn’t. She said I was meant to have it or no one in the family could.” He shrugged his shoulders. “So, you have it.”
Nik sat down. No wonder Mildred hated her. “You mean Mildred is your aunt?”
He nodded. “There is no love lost there though. She thought the lodge should go to her since she was the eldest. My grandmother thinks otherwise.”
Nik could only shake her head. On one hand, the lodge rightfully belonged to Felix. On the other hand, she bought it with her hard-earned money. She wasn’t going to give it up easily if that was what he was thinking.
As if he
was reading her mind, he said, “I am over wanting the lodge. It isn’t for me. I love cooking. I love feeding people. When we were in Mexico we lived quite well, thanks to my papa’s strong work ethic and his ability to save. My grandparents helped him open a restaurant and I worked with them, learning from a young age.”
“Did you know Will Winters before hiring him to some work?”
“No. I put an ad in the local paper and he called. I wondered when that question would be asked. I’m no longer a local. People don’t know what to think of me. It’s only natural they would speculate. But to answer your question, no. I did not know him before he answered my ad.”
“So, that’s that? You’re content to just live here and work at the lodge? You aren’t going to try and take it away from me?”
“No. First, it wouldn’t work. My grandmother is still living, and she sold it of her free will. Before coming here, she and I spent a week talking every day by telephone. We talked about many things, including the lodge. She thinks it worked out for the best. As do I. I cannot imagine how angry Mildred would be if I had inherited the Mistletoe.”
“She seems pretty angry most of the time. I’ve never been able to figure out why. I’m beginning to understand. Her entire inheritance disappeared.”
“Well, it was never hers to begin with. She needs to realize we all make our own way in this world and nothing is owed us, not even our families owe us anything.”
“You’ve explained a lot. Thank you. And thank you for the hot cocoa. It was delicious. I normally don’t care for peppermint in my cocoa, but I didn’t mind this.” She stood to leave then turned. “Oh, and do you mind keeping this conversation between us? I don’t want Mildred realizing I know who she is.”
“You’ve got it. She’s already tried to recruit me for her side, but I told her I don’t want anything to do with her agenda. I’m an employee here. I work for you. I’m thankful for the job and I’m thankful I’m back home.”
She slipped outside his front door and quickly walked to the kitchen door. She didn’t see the face peering at her through an upstairs lodge bedroom window. A face contorted in anger. A face which wanted revenge.