“It’s going to be okay,” Dru told her. “The snow will let up, then they’ll clear the roads and get the cell tower up again.”
“If this were a horror movie, I’d be the next one killed,” Hailey said. “First the fat guy, then the hot Black girl.”
“No one would dare kill you,” Dru told her. “Look at your amazing outfit. You look like an executive monster hunter.”
Hailey glanced down at her outfit and couldn’t contain a small smile.
“We just have to be patient, that’s all,” Dru said.
“No,” Hailey said. “We don’t have to be patient. Our regular cell tower is down, but the one over in Lady of the Lake might not be.”
“But we can’t get down the mountain right now,” Dru reminded her.
“We don’t have to get down,” Hailey said. “It’s on the other side of the mountain, but if we hiked to the top, there would be nothing in the way of the signal from the valley.”
“In the middle of a blizzard?” Dru asked.
“Sure,” Hailey said. “Unless you’d prefer to stay warm and dry and murdered.”
Hailey had a point.
“Let’s go,” Dru said, making up her mind on the spot.
Hailey was right. It was better to do something, anything, than to just sit around and wait for the next bad thing to happen.
“Really?” Hailey asked.
“Really?” Viktor echoed, moving closer.
“Of course,” Dru told them. “But we’re sticking together. Agreed?”
“Of course,” Hailey nodded.
“I don’t know about this,” Viktor said, touching Dru’s arm.
“Do you have a better plan?” she asked.
“No, but this one seems dangerous,” he said quietly.
“Not getting help when you’re trapped with a murderer is pretty dangerous,” Hailey said.
“Point taken,” he replied. “I’m in.”
“Dru,” someone called from the hall.
They headed toward the door and found Channing poking his head into the solarium.
“There you are,” he said. “I need my recording officer.”
“I have another idea,” Dru said. “Well, we have another idea.”
“Go on,” Channing said.
“Hailey and Viktor and I are going to hike up to the peak,” Dru said. “We want to see if we can get a signal from the tower down in Lady of the Lake, on the other side of the mountain.”
“That’s not a bad plan,” Channing said after a moment of consideration. “No splitting up though.”
“No splitting up,” Viktor agreed. “And if we’re not back in four hours, send help.”
“Agreed,” Channing said. “God speed.”
“I’ve got to get my coat,” Hailey said. “I’ll grab yours too, Dru.”
“Uh, me too,” Viktor chimed in.
“Perfect,” Channing said. “I’d like to chat with Dru for a few minutes, anyway.”
“Do it in the dining room,” Viktor said pointedly.
Dru headed out in Hailey’s wake before Channing could protest.
Did Viktor really think Channing was a danger?
It could be an elaborate cover for his own guilt.
“Are you really comfortable with this plan, dear girl?” Channing asked her gently. “I’m happy to pull you off the mission for necessary work here.”
“I’m fine,” Dru said, wondering if she was telling the truth. “I’m an experienced hiker, and it’s really not that far.”
“Good, good,” he said. “When you return, we’ll search the victim’s room.”
“You can do it now,” she suggested.
“No, ma’am I cannot,” he retorted. “Not without my recording officer. Anyone could be the guilty party. We want a proper record of everything that happens here, with more than one reliable witness.”
“Hopefully, we’ll be back soon,” she said.
The others returned and Hailey handed over her coat.
“Thanks,” Dru said, slipping it on. “See you later, Hugh.”
Hugh Channing gave a funny little bow and stepped back into the corridor.
Dru led the way to the solarium’s exit door that led to the patio.
The snow was still coming down hard and fast outside. She ducked her head down and walked into the wind before she had a chance to talk herself out of it.
7
Dru’s thighs were burning and she was sweating and freezing all at once by the time they reached the peak that overlooked Hemlock House.
She was grateful that Hailey seemed to know her way around the trails. Dru had taken a hike or two since arriving, but everything looked different now under a heavy blanket of snow.
The wind and cold had prevented them from really communicating, other than to wave each other on during the long trek.
But now that they had reached their destination, it was time to make a plan.
Dru pulled her phone out, allowing herself just the tiniest bit of hope.
No bars.
And she was at less than 5% battery life.
“Let’s all move around a little,” she yelled through the wind. “We’ll stay in each other’s sight, but we can cover more territory if we spread out.”
Viktor frowned, but Hailey nodded.
“Viktor, you go left,” Dru told him.
He gave her an icy look, but moved slowly in the direction she had indicated.
“I’ll go right, and Hailey you stay here but try going up and down the hillside a little,” Dru said.
Hailey nodded.
Dru hiked to the right, raising her phone and checking her signal every few feet.
One bar flashed up very slightly, but disappeared just as fast.
She glanced back at Hailey and Viktor.
Neither of them seemed to be having any luck. It was really going to suck if they had braved the snow and come all this way for nothing.
She kept moving, trying not to look down into the snowy valley. In the deepening snow, it would be all too easy to lose her footing, so concentration was key.
A high-pitched sound emanated from Hailey’s direction.
Dru turned and could make out that her friend was speaking with someone, screaming into the wind to be heard.
At the same moment, Dru’s phone buzzed in her hand.
She looked down to see it was showing new messages from her chat group, which meant that she had service now, too.
Every instinct told her to head back to Hailey.
But she couldn’t resist asking her friends to weigh in on Viktor. If she was quick about it, maybe she could get answers before Hailey was off the phone. She opened the site and took off her gloves, holding them in her teeth so she could type quickly.
Gh0stwr1ter:
Only have a minute - power out, battery dying. Suspect mystery guest may be a vampire after all. Evidence:
- Sent heavy trunks ahead, arrived after dark
- Keeps all mirrors and windows covered
- Never eats or drinks in anyone’s presence
- Never leaves his room until sundown
- Always disappears before dawn
- A man was murdered in the hotel and his crucifix is missing from around his neck