“Right, this is the start of the resort,” Charlie says as we drive along a road with picturesque traditional wooden buildings on either side. “Amelia’s chalet is through the town and up another mountain road.”
The buildings are the usual mix of bars, shops, cafes and restaurants. The town is bustling with people, some in brightly coloured ski suits and woolly hats, others looking strangely dressed up in what I hope are fake fur jackets and boots. Montagne Verte is apparently one of those trendy posh resorts where people go as much to be seen as to actually strap on some skis and venture onto the slopes.
“They’re still skiing? In May?”
“Glacier skiing,” Charlie replies. “Get the ski lift to the top of the mountain and there’s an area with specially prepared and groomed pistes so people can ski almost all year round if they want to.”
Ten minutes later we crawl up the drive to Amelia’s chalet.
“Well, this is the place,” Charlie says as we pull into a parking area off to one side, which looks as though it is packed with an A to Z of the most expensive cars on the planet. “Pretty impressive, huh?”
I stare up at the huge wooden chalet. Impressive? It’s far more than impressive. It’s built in the local traditional style with overhanging eaves but in a grand way. It’s four storeys high and each level has its own balcony.
Charlie is out of the car and pulling our luggage from the boot. I clamber out and breathe in the fresh mountain air.
Mmm. Great. It’s even more bracing here than it was at the airport.
As we make our way across to the entrance the door of the chalet is flung open and a man in jeans and a jumper comes running across to us. “Mr Huxton and Miss Reed?”
“That’s right,” I reply as Charlie gives up trying to haul my misbehaving case on wheels across the driveway and just picks it up instead.
“I’m sorry but you have to go!” the man pretty much shouts at us, waving a hand back in the direction of the road we’ve just driven up.
Charlie puts my case down. “Why do we have to go exactly?”
“Hospital.” The man pauses for breath. “Amelia said to tell you to go straight there.”
I glance at Charlie, instantly on alert. “Has something happened?” I say to the man.
He nods. “Yes. Mr Dawson, Ty…”
“You mean Amelia’s boyfriend?” Charlie cuts in.
“Yes. Mr Dawson, that’s right,” he nods, looking distraught. “He’s been rushed to the hospital. Ms Kingston, she just got the call and raced over there.”
“Why has Mr Dawson been rushed to the hospital?” I ask as Charlie throws our luggage back in the boot of the hire car.
“Because he’s been shot!” the man replies, his eyes wide with shock.
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Amber Reed Mystery books by Zanna Mackenzie:
In The Stars – The Case Of The Celebrity Murder
On Trial – The Case Of The Vanishing Bride
Precious – The Case Of The Murdered Pop Star
Forever Mine –The Case Of The Movie Star Stalker
Past Perfect – The Case Of The Soap Opera Murders
Celebrity Mystery books by Zanna Mackenzie
Murder On The Menu
Holiday Heist
Murder At The Bake Off
About the author:
Zanna Mackenzie lives on the Derbyshire / Leicestershire border with her husband, 3 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.
Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!
Find out more about Zanna on her website or over on Twitter or connect with her on Facebook
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Amber Reed Mysteries Volume One: Romantic Comedy Mystery Series Box Set (Amber Reed Celebrity Crimes Investigation Agency Mystery Box Set Book 1) Page 51