I stopped five steps away from the door and Peanut continued the grumble he’d started the second I’d stepped outside. The feeling of being watched was so intense it made me a little sick to my stomach, but no one was there. We’re talking empty hallway, not a sound, not a hint of another person, just that feeling. If I hadn’t had Peanut, I really would’ve thought I was nuts.
The Truffula dog’s grumble turned into a growl, so I went back into the room. He returned to the grumble.
“Forgot something?” Andy asked without looking up as I came in.
Peanut chirped happily and I said, “Purse.”
“Have fun.”
I told him I wouldn’t, he grinned, and I left. The feeling was still there the moment I stepped outside. Peanut was fine inside and grumbling outside.
“You’re like a little bad intentions detector,” I said.
Chirp.
I put my purse over my shoulder and patted it, feeling my Mauser’s hard lump inside. Better armed than sorry as my dad always said.
“We’re okay,” I said.
Peanut didn’t agree. His grumble turned to a growl again. I can take a hint, so I jogged down to the stairs bypassing the elevator. I didn’t want to be trapped in one of those. I practically ran down the stairs and made it to the bottom floor panting and sweaty, but the farther we got from the room the better I felt. Peanut’s growl turned back to a grumble and then he was silent. Was that a coincidence? I don’t think so. Dogs, or whatever he was, know. Pickpocket was pretty useful. Even Wallace the pug had come through for me when she wasn’t peeing on my feet.
I stopped at the door to reception and took a few breaths.
“Be cool. We’re all good,” I said.
Chirp.
“Exactly.”
I pushed open the door and found the place a sad imitation of the night before when it was packed with excited guests and abuzz with conversations in multiple languages.
“Mercy!” Heather waved from the sofa by the fireplace. She was wearing a sequined halter dress with heels that gave her an extra five inches. Next to her was a pale and droopy Mike, who was tilted to the side being held up by the arm of the sofa. He wore a suit but no tie and his collar was undone.
I went over and before I could speak, she said, “I know what you’re going to say. He should be in the room. That’s what I said, but here we are.”
“What are you doing here?” I sat on the arm of the sofa opposite them and set Peanut down on the cushion. He spun around three times and curled up with a happy chirp.
“I feel better,” said Mike in a weak voice that reminded me of Chuck’s. “Staying in the room was making it worse.”
“Are you ready to eat?” I asked.
He chuckled. “I asked for crackers and chicken. Chef Madeleine says that’s no problem.”
Stephanie and her kids came in. They had also dressed for the occasion. Stephanie wore a red wrap dress that complemented her generous figure and her curly hair was done up in a messy bun on top of her head, but Johanna’s dress resembled a calico bag. Even the twins looked great, wearing dress pants and sweaters with Germany’s ski team logo on them.
I looked down at my hoodie and jeans. Oh well.
Jane and Elliot came in next, and I was again put to shame. Jane wore a white pantsuit that looked like she was arriving at the Grammys and Elliot had on a sport coat and tie. Was nobody going to have the sense to be a slob?
Nope. Anne-Marie and Henri came in also dressed to the nines. My only hope was David and Lauren, but with the Louis Vuitton luggage, I seriously doubted they’d be in jeans.
Everyone gathered around the fireplace and pelted me with questions. I gave updates without saying much of anything.
“I can’t believe what happened,” said Jane. “When we went back to our room, nothing was going on.”
“I’m fine.” Mike looked at the boys. “Sorry about the mess.”
The twins launched into the tale of the terrible cleanup and showed charm I didn’t think they possessed.
“I’m so sorry,” said Mike. “That was disgusting.”
“It is fine. We still got to climb with David.”
Elliot jerked to attention. “David?”
“Yeah,” said Max. “He was pretty cool.”
“David went climbing with you?” Elliot asked with a stunned expression on his face.
“You think we old guys can’t climb?” Mike asked, trying to buck up and sound strong.
“No, it’s not that. I mean, I didn’t know he was a climber,” said Elliot. “Excuse me. I’m going to get some wine.”
Elliot went to the bar and Jane’s eyes followed him, puzzled. Her boyfriend just stood at the bar. He didn’t make a move for wine. He didn’t move at all.
Chef Madeleine came out of the dining room with a plastered-on smile and said, “Who would like wine?”
It was unanimous. Even the twins and Johanna raised their hands, which got some laughter going and everyone lightened up. The boys started looking for new games to play and Henri was all about getting them into cribbage. Heather and Anne-Marie went to the window to look out at nothing but white and then exclaimed they wanted really big glasses of wine.
“Where are David and Lauren?” I asked.
Chef Madeleine spun around with a glass of wine in hand, and it spilled all down the front of her white coat. “Has anyone seen them?”
Jane went over and took the glass away from her. “I’m sure they’re fine.”
Chef Madeleine looked at me and I said automatically, “They’re fine.” I had no way of knowing that, but the chef was on the edge of panic.
“Someone can check.” Jane looked at Elliot and he took a step back.
“I can do it,” said Mike.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” said Heather. “You can not. I’ll go.”
Chef Bernard came out of the dining room carrying a tray covered with a couple of cloches. “My dear, what happened to you?”
Chef Madeleine brushed at the wine stain. “We don’t know where some people are.”
He looked around. “Who?”
“David and Lauren,” said Jane. “I’ll go check on them.”
“No, no,” said Chef Bernard. “I’ll go. I have to take this to Mr. Lavoisier.”
A zing went through me. Who in the heck was that?
“I can do it.” Chef Madeleine took the tray. “I have to get a clean jacket anyway.”
She left and I dashed after Chef Bernard into the dining room.
“Who is Mr. Lavoisier?” I asked.
He turned around in surprise. “Are you alright?”
“No. Who is Mr. Lavoisier?”
“Oh, um, he’s one of the guests.”
I gritted my teeth and said, “He’s not on the list.”
“What list?”
I pushed him behind the door and out of the sight of the other guests.
“The list of people in this hotel. Andy and I are trying to figure this out and you didn’t tell us about this guy?”
“He’s been here the whole time. Andy knows about him.”
I wanted to scream, and I did. On the inside.
“How come I’ve never seen him?” I asked through my clenched teeth.
Chef Bernard leaned over me and whispered, “He couldn’t possibly have done anything.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s extremely old. He hasn’t left his room. He told Madeleine this hotel was on his bucket list, and he just wants to look at the view and read.”
“There’s no view,” I said.
“We can’t help that.”
I took a breath and said, “I know. But we have to include this guy in our spreadsheet.”
“I’m telling you, you don’t,” said the chef.
“Why not? He’s here, isn’t he?”
“He hasn’t been near the kitchen or bar or anything.”
“When did he get here?”
“Two days ago.”
“When David and Lauren got here?”
He nodded. “That’s right.”
I calmed down slightly. If this old guy arrived with them, the chances of him spiking Chuck’s sandwich was unlikely. That sandwich looked old, but what were the chances that he poisoned it and it took that long to be sold?
“How old is he?” I asked.
“I didn’t ask, but to be honest, I was worried he’d die while he was with us.” The chef straightened his immaculate jacket. “I have to get back to the kitchen.”
“Of course.”
He hurried away and I plotted how many times I was going to hit Andy. What was he thinking? I didn’t care how old that guy was. He had to go on the spreadsheet.
I went back into reception just as Lauren and David arrived. He was wearing a three-piece suit with a pocket watch, no less. She had on her red puffer jacket with matching poofball hat worn over a burgundy velvet dress.
“Are you cold?” Stephanie asked.
“I’m always cold,” said Lauren, “but it’s been worse since the accident. I think about it and start shivering.”
Stephanie took her arm and said, “Let’s go over by the fire. It’s very warm.”
David kissed Lauren’s cheek and went to the bar where Jane was pouring glasses of wine from the bottle that Chef Madeleine had opened. I wasn’t thrilled to have someone else handling the bottle, but she was right out in the open with people watching. I got a glass and went to the sofas to sit by Lauren. The twins found the stereo system and started blasting hip-hop to the distress of everyone’s ears. Well, almost everyone. Mike was asleep.
“Nice luggage,” I said to Lauren.
“What?” She cupped a hand behind her ear.
“I heard about your luggage. Louis Vuitton. I’d love to have that.”
“Oh,” she said with a shy smile. “That’s David’s. He just let me use a couple of pieces.”
“I didn’t know lawyers in England make that much. Pretty fancy stuff.”
She was taken aback by my statement and bit her lip. My impatience and frustration had gotten the best of me.
Breathe. Be calm.
“Sorry. It’s been a long day. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“You weren’t rude,” she said generously.
“I was. My mother taught me better than that.”
She leaned over to me and whispered, “You’re not wrong.”
“About lawyers?”
“It’s not a normal thing in our practice or in general,” she said. “He has family money.”
“Ah, I see.”
Lauren went on to tell me about the Harris family. They had owned some kind of company that had long since been sold, but she made them sound a little like the Bled’s. Old money. Old old money. And David had inherited, but he was down to earth and wanted to earn a living. I thought about those bags. Not so down to earth. Those were statement bags. You got it so you flaunt it bags. And why were they new if his money was old?
Stephanie brought Lauren a glass of wine and said it would warm her up. Chef Madeleine came back in immaculate whites to open more wine. Chef Bernard came out to start telling everyone what the menu was. Everyone gathered around him, and Lauren started to get up, but I put a hand on her arm.
“You wanted to ask me about St. Louis?”
She smiled. “Don’t worry about that. It’s nothing.”
“I’m happy to answer.”
She stood up and so did I.
“I’m a little embarrassed for bothering Chuck with it.”
“It’s no bother.”
She got closer to me, and I smelled her expensive perfume; probably a gift from David. “It’s silly, but do you know anyone at the universities?”
“SLU and Wash U?”
“Yes.”
“My godmothers do. They’re on the committees for practically everything. Are you interested in admissions?”
“Sort of,” she said.
Chef Madeleine waved at us. “Come, ladies. We’re almost ready to be seated.”
Lauren beamed. “This is going to be delicious. Last night was amazing.”
“About the admissions,” I said.
She patted my arm. “Don’t worry about it. There’s no hurry.”
Lauren joined David with the others, and everyone headed in except for me and Elliot who stood at the bar grasping a full glass of wine, looking at me. I doubt he’d taken a sip. His face. His expression was a riot of emotions ready to burst out. I went for the door, and he met me right before I reached it.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly.
“For what?” Up close Elliot was pale and clammy looking. His hand with the wine glass shook slightly.
“I just…how is your boyfriend?”
“Better. Thanks for asking.” I started to go to the edge of the door, but he said, “Was Lauren asking you about St. Louis?”
“Yes. Well, sort of. She was asking about a couple of universities. Why do you ask?”
“Which ones?” He stared down at me, intense, but I wasn’t afraid of him, more afraid for him, if that makes any sense.
“Are you alright?” I asked. “You’ve been taking your meds?”
“Yes, of course. I have to,” he said. “What universities?”
“Saint Louis University and Washington University. Why?”
He hesitated as if gathering his thoughts. “I’ve been offered a fellowship and I’m curious about the area, but I’d have to leave Jane. I don’t know if any fellowship is worth that.”
David stuck his head around the edge of the door and said, “Everyone’s waiting.”
“Sorry,” I said. “Just chatting.”
I went in and found David talking to Anne-Marie and Jane.
“Mercy, we’re going to try the climbing wall tomorrow,” said Anne-Marie.
“I’m going to help them with the system. It has a bit of a learning curve,” said David. “Happy to give you a lesson as well.”
I looked back and saw Elliot walk in as if it were painful to be alive. I nearly went to him, but the ever-watchful Jane beat me to it.
“The spa is more my bag,” I said.
“Did someone say spa?” Heather came over, giraffe-like on her heels.
“There’s nothing wrong with your ears,” said Anne-Marie.
“I’m always alert when there’s pampering involved.”
David smiled at Lauren, who was by one of the tables. “Excuse me. Oh, and if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
“We’re not going anywhere,” said Heather with a laugh. “Christmas on a mountaintop with world-class chefs. I can think of worse things.”
“Christmas is days away,” said Anne-Marie. “It can’t last that long.”
“Says who?”
The ladies started discussing the longest storms they’d seen, and I stepped back and turned my head to casually eavesdrop on Elliot and Jane. They hadn’t moved beyond the door and the snippets I’d caught so far weren’t great. Jane had heard about St. Louis.
“I was going to tell you,” said Elliot. “It’s just preliminary for now.”
Jane’s voice was throaty and she sounded as emotional as Elliot looked. “Maybe it’s a good idea,” she said.
“To leave you?”
“Not that part,” she said. “I think maybe you’ll be happier in another place.”
“I won’t. The place doesn’t matter,” he said.
“You haven’t tried it. It would be a fresh start.”
“There’s only one way for that.”
“I love you and I don’t want to say this, but it might never happen,” said Jane, her voice now strong and sure. “Maybe you should stop trying.”
“It’s going to happen,” Elliot said sharply.
“Elliot,” she pleaded.
“Let’s just have dinner and try to be happy.”
“That’s what you’ve been doing, and it’s not worked.”
Heather touched my arm. “What’s your favorite spa treatment?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I said, glancing back at Jane and Elliot hugging.
Elliot looked at me and then quickly glanced away. He wanted to disappear and be nothing for a while. I’d felt that way after my boyfriend David disappeared. Putting myself on pause seemed like such a pleasant idea, but life kept happening and I had to keep going. Elliot had kept going, but his struggle was infinitely harder than mine.
“Peaches and cream,” said Anne-Marie. “Her skin is too delicate for a scrub.”
“Activated charcoal feels amazing and I don’t think it’s that harsh,” said Heather. “It depends on the hands applying it and I have a delicate touch.” She held out a hand that was beyond delicate in its thinness.
“Well, I’m not so delicate,” said Anne-Marie. “I need a good going over and we don’t know what supplies are in the spa.”
I smiled. “I bet Heather does.”
“How?”
Heather leaned over us. “I got the key from Sivert, the other guard. The spa is completely stocked.”
Chef Madeleine came over to us and asked, “Do you have a preference for seating? Usually, this is done earlier, but we brought you all in and realized our maître d’ isn’t here to do the seating arrangements. We’re playing catch up with everything.”
We said we didn’t mind where we sat and she put Anne-Marie and Henri with David, Lauren, and the twins. Heather and I were with Elliot, Jane, Stephanie, and the increasingly glum Johanna.
The chefs stood by the two tables with two drink carts and smiled.
“This has been a difficult day for everyone and in consultation with our resident nurse, Miss Watts, we have decided to only serve food and drink that have been completely sealed just in case some kind of contaminate caused the illnesses,” said Chef Bernard.
There was a murmur of approval.
“All the bottles on this cart are unopened. We’d love to be able to make you all drinks, but we can’t do that and dinner. Each table will have its own cart and we encourage you to make your own drinks. Of course there is plenty of wine and bottled water, too. We will break from our normal way of doing things in light of the circumstances and all food will be served family style from the same dishes.”
Chef Madeleine smiled and said, “We are doing comfort foods tonight and it’s an eclectic menu, using what we had that hadn’t been opened. I hope you will enjoy our efforts.”
We all clapped, and they wheeled a cart to each table. Stephanie took charge and started moving requested bottles to the tables. Jane wanted a gin and tonic because her grandfather always liked those. Elliot wanted scotch neat. I stuck with wine and Heather wanted a Long Island Iced Tea. Stephanie made Johanna a from scratch Radler and then the whole table wanted one, getting the attention of the other table who demanded the recipe for what was essentially sparkling lemonade and beer. I liked Radlers alright before, but I have to admit Stephanie’s were amazing. Freshly squeezing the lemons at the table changed everything.
Once we were all drinking, it got quieter and Heather said, “Do you hear something?”
Crap on a cracker.
The chefs walked in with trays piled high with steaming fried potatoes, onions, chicken, and, to make it impossible to resist, bacon. The smell made me gain a pound, not that I was put off in the slightest.
Chef Madeleine put her tray in the center of the table and frowned.
You don’t hear it. You don’t. That’s nothing. The storm.
“Peanut!” cried out the chef.
I cannot catch a break.
She hustled over to the door. “My boy! All alone out here.”
Heather jumped up. “And Mike? Is he okay?”
“Oh, sorry. Yes, yes. He’s asleep.”
She dashed out and returned with Peanut. Somehow that thing managed to look grumpy which is saying something when he was ridiculous.
Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.
“I know. There she is. Your favorite.”
Jane? Heather? Anybody but me.
It was me. I was the favorite. How does this keep happening? Chef Madeleine brought Peanut over and I was forced to be pleased.
Jane wiggled in her chair with happiness. “He should sit with you.”
“That’s okay,” I said. “I’m good.”
“He’s such a lover,” said the chef. “And he has excellent taste in humans. You must be special.”
Especially screwed.
“Well, it’s dinner,” I said. “I don’t know how everyone feels about a dog…”
Predictably, everyone felt fine about having Peanut at the table. They couldn’t still smell the pee.
“We’ll spoil him rotten,” said Jane.
“Mission already accomplished,” I said.
Chef went to get a chair for Peanut and Stephanie began serving what she called Bauerngröstl. Chef came back with a chair and a tufted red cushion for Peanut, and he got to sit between me and Jane, thrilling Jane to no end. It turns out Peanut had a nose. I know because he was wiping it on my leg.
“He’ll eat anything,” said Chef Madeleine. “Feed him whatever you want.”
I leaned over to Peanut and poked the gold braid on his cushion. “I’m seeing cause and effect here.”
Chirp.
The chef went on to explain the dish. She’d elevated the home cooking of her grandmother with leeks, Tyrolean speck, and fried quail eggs on top instead of the usual chicken eggs. She also made one that was vegetarian and vegan, which somehow smelled just as good.
“I was hoping for some more help tonight,” said Chef Madeleine, “but—”
“I’m here.”
I turned to see a face I recognized and a zing went down my arms.
“Sivert,” said Chef Bernard from the other table. “Where have you been?”
“Mr. Lavoisier asked me to help him move some things,” said Sivert.
“Oh, well, that’s fine. Can you bring everyone a bottle of water and anything else they’d like?”
“Sure.” The security guard behind the bar on our side of the room was the ski patrol guy that worked on Lauren and supposedly cleared the off-piste trail. No one had said his name, so I hadn’t put it together. It might’ve been my imagination, but Sivert was looking worse than he had barely a day after the accident.
Guy had thought the rock that nearly took out Lauren was odd. He didn’t say that exactly. It could’ve rolled down, but he was surprised that it did. Maybe it didn’t roll down. Maybe it was put there at a strategic spot for maximum damage. It was a miracle that Lauren survived. Could Sivert have put it there on purpose? The ski patrol carried large backpacks. The rock was big, but it could fit in those packs. Just barely but it could.
Sivert was at the hotel and had easy access to the base station. I had to check that footage again. But why would he? Divorce was stressful and the guy looked like death warmed over, but to randomly kill people? That seemed like a stretch but still…
I ate my Bauerngröstl, both kinds, and chatted with everyone while feeding Peanut his favorite thing, quail eggs.
My dad and Grandad had spent my whole life talking about crimes, criminals, and motives. It was their favorite thing. I knew people who committed crimes didn’t have to make sense. Random shooters went around killing people on highways for a thrill. A sense of power when feeling powerless could be the motivation, like that nut in Colorado that armored a bulldozer to destroy the town that wouldn’t let him have his way.
I watched Sivert drag his feet around the room and wondered if this was my guy. He didn’t look like a would-be murderer, but then again, almost none of them did. I’d have guessed he was seriously depressed by the dull look in his eyes and the way he hunched over, fiddling with the headphones slung around his neck. The greasy hair sticking out from under his cap and the wrinkled uniform weren’t helping matters. I’d have felt sorry for him if I wasn’t trying to find out what was going on.
Heather raised her glass. “We should have a toast.”
Jane raised hers too. “To a unique experience.”
We all toasted. Elliot could barely manage to mutter the words. I knew he was depressed from his meds and then there was Audrey. A lot of sadness at Hotel Hell. I just hoped it didn’t get any sadder.
After the Bauerngröstl, we had two kinds of paella: vegetarian and chicken. Peanut ate my portion of shrimp, but I’m told he preferred lobster, naturally, I mean, why not feed that hairy pug lobster?
Mike stumbled in after the paella, yawning and bleary-eyed. He collapsed into the empty chair next to Heather and said, “I can’t believe I slept again.”
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“Just tired and still nauseated. When’s this going away?”
If only I knew.
“Should be better tomorrow,” I said, emphasis on should.
Sivert brought him a water and a can of ginger ale before dragging himself back over to the small bar where he disappeared. I think he was putting his head down to sleep or possibly laying on the floor. The chefs noticed, but they tactfully didn’t say anything.
Chef Madeleine came out and announced the next course was grilled romaine salad. “We just discovered an unopened package of romaine so this is a late addition.”
That got a cheer, and the salad was amazing. Poor Mike mainly had crackers and a banana. Chef Bernard made him some plain white rice and chicken. He did manage to eat a little of that, but Heather wasn’t happy and kept trying to force feed him.
At the end of the night, the chefs came in together and announced that they had made lemon bavarois. Happily, there was a lot of lemons in a sealed crate. Everyone was pretty happy about the bavarois, except Johanna, who barely ate anything under the watchful eye of Stephanie. She, also, stuck to her diet and only sampled everything.
Chef Bernard came to our table with the bavarois and said to Mike, “I did make your special cheesecake. You are unable to eat it tonight?”
“I wish I could, but the thought of cheesecake…I just can’t,” said Mike. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“Of course.”
We all had our desserts and then coffee. The chat kept going for a while, but I was checking the time and keeping an eye on everyone. Mike had been hit pretty quick that morning and I was looking for signs that dinner had gone south, but there was nothing but smiles. Except for Elliot, that is. He responded well to inquiries and tried to talk, but like Sivert, he was holding on by his fingernails.
The chefs came out and suggested we all go out to the fireplace since Mike looked about ready to fall out of his chair. Jane took over Peanut and received many happy chirps. I hung back in an effort to talk to Sivert, but he was ordered to roll the drink carts out in case anyone wanted after-dinner drinks.
I followed him out and then joined the group at the sofas in front of the fire. David was trying to get it roaring again and Elliot was watching him glumly. Anne-Marie and Henri suggested we formulate a plan for getting help as soon as the storm broke and that got everyone excited. The twins wanted to ski down, citing their ski racing abilities, but Stephanie wouldn’t hear of it. Anne-Marie and Henri had skied down to the base station before and had experience, so they were automatically on the team. David volunteered to go with them and so did Heather. The group decided to move all their equipment over to the second gondola to be ready the minute the storm eased. Everyone was eager to help Chuck and Audrey as soon as they could.
The four skiers went out to move their equipment and when they came back the talk shifted to happy critiques of dinner, I wandered over to the bar where Sivert was drinking a bottle of water and eating some chips from a small bag.
“No dinner?” I asked.
“Later after the guests go to bed,” he said in excellent English with a Norwegian accent.
“That’s a long time to wait.”
“Not really. The guards usually get something before dinner to tide us over.”
He took a drink of water and seemed to sag down, losing inches off his height.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
“Just tired.”
“Are you looking forward to Christmas, assuming the storm passes and you’re off.”
Sivert looked away and blinked hard. “I was.”
“You’re not going to be off for Christmas? Stuck with us no matter what?” I asked.
“No, I’m off. I was supposed to have my kids, but their mother changed her mind. They will be with her family in Norway.”
Inciting event. Crap on a cracker.
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “Can she just do that?”
“She’s done it.” His face betrayed a hopelessness and I felt it in my gut. I didn’t get anything else off him; malice or even anger. “They’ll have more fun with them anyway.”
That’s worse.
“I doubt that’s true,” I said.
Sivert gave me a hangdog look that made me ashamed for saying it. He knew his kids. I didn’t.
Change subject.
“I wanted to thank you for your help on the mountain yesterday,” I said.
He perked up slightly and said, “My pleasure.” Then he frowned. “I don’t understand how that rock got there.”
Interesting.
“No?”
“I’m sure it wasn’t there when I skied that section,” he said.
“You all thought it could’ve rolled down off the mountain,” I reminded him.
He nodded. “I was thinking that, but the slope up from there is long and not particularly steep. It would have to roll a long way to get to the spot you described and have some force behind it.”
My stomach got queasy, and I paused to think while Lauren came up to thank Sivert. Then she gave me a little hug and asked if I was doing the spa with Heather. I said I was, and she went back to a game of charades that Anne-Marie had started.
I was about to ask more questions, but Johanna asked for a water and David came for a bottle of red. Then Jane came for a water for Elliot and a bottle of white. We couldn’t get a moment.
“But it could happen?” I asked quickly before another interruption.
Sivert met my eyes and I saw him consider something before saying, “It’s possible, but if the weather clears don’t go that way again.”
“What do you suspect?”
“I don’t want to speculate.”
“But you have a theory?”
He shrugged and yawned.
“Will you get to rest tonight?” I asked. “You need it.”
“Andy and I need to get those cameras working,” said Sivert, sinking back into his former glum state.
“How are you going to do that?”
Sivert explained the plan in a way that I could understand it. Andy had to get a new loop connected and once that was all good, they’d have to get all the MAC addresses. I knew that term vaguely. Uncle Morty had said it at some point, probably a lot of points actually.
“That’s the…” I trailed off.
“It’s the physical address of each camera.”
“They’re all unique?”
“They are and my job will to be to go around and get them all.”
I hadn’t checked every single camera, sticking to the main access points. There were three views of the main gondola alone.
“How many are there?” I asked.
“I have no idea. A lot.”
“How long before the cameras are up and working?”
Henri came over and put a gentle hand on my back. “I’m saying goodnight.”
I told him goodnight and Henri went over to David and Lauren who were cheering on Max, who was miming a monkey, and shook their hands.
“So when do you think?” I asked again.
Sivert yawned and said, “Probably morning.”
“An all-nighter then?”
“I’m afraid so,” he said with another yawn.
“You need a raise.”
He gave me a warm smile. “Tell the chefs, please.”
“I will do that.” I yawned. “Now you’ve got me yawning.”
“From what I’ve heard you had a difficult night,” said Sivert.
I looked for a hint of something in his eyes but saw only concern. “I did, but everyone appears to be better.”
“Even the French lady? That sounded very bad.”
“I think she’s better, but it’s still rough.”
“Poor woman,” he said sadly. “And on vacation too. If it weren’t for this storm, she would be in a hospital.”
“The chefs said most guests canceled when it was coming this way,” I said.
“They did,” he said. “We’re usually packed at Christmas. That’s how they got rooms.”
Wait what?
“That’s how who got rooms?”
“The French ladies and them.” Sivert pointed at Elliot and Jane.
Jane had said something about the trip being a surprise. I hadn’t realized it was last minute.
“They weren’t supposed to be here?” I asked.
Sivert chugged some water and then said, “They wouldn’t have been if we hadn’t had all those cancellations because of the storm.”
“The storm that was coming and then didn’t, but then did,” I said to myself more than to Sivert.
“What?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but there’s something in that.”
He frowned and perked up again. “There’s something in what?”
“Them being here last minute.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” said Sivert.
I shook my head. “I don’t either, but I’ve got a feeling about it.”
“A feeling that it’s…important?”
“It’s important,” I said, “but I don’t know why.”
“To do with the virus?”
I turned and watched all the other guests playing their game. “Yes. Somehow.”
Chef Madeleine came out of the dining room and went over to find Peanut. I hoped she wouldn’t come for me next, but she did.
“I don’t like to ask a guest, but could you take Peanut to Andy? He needs to go to…”
I took a chirping Peanut under my arm. “Of course. I’m ready for bed anyway. Where does he go?”
“We have pads in the boiler room for when it’s too cold.”
So spoiled.
I said goodnight to everyone, and Stephanie got up from the sofa, dragging Johanna with her. “I think we will go to bed too.”
“I don’t want to go to bed,” whined Johanna.
“We both need our baths,” said Stephanie.
“I can take a bath tomorrow. There’s nothing else to do.”
“You will do it tonight.”
Johanna crossed her arms. “You think I will eat.”
“I don’t.”
“Then why can’t I stay?” She pointed at her brothers. “You let them stay.”
“They’re playing. You’re not.” Stephanie took Johanna’s arm and pulled her away. The girl looked at me for help, but I couldn’t do anything. When a mom decides, it’s a done deal.
“Can I hold Peanut?” Johanna asked.
“Please do.”
The girl took Peanut and marched ahead of us to the elevator. I still didn’t want to get on there, but I didn’t know how to explain it to Stephanie and Johanna.
“What floor?” Johanna asked.
“Third,” I said.
“That’s our floor.”
“I thought we were alone.”
Stephanie laughed. “We did too. This place is so empty. It feels like there’s no one here at all.”
“I know. It’s a little creepy.”
Johanna scratched Peanut’s head and said, “I think it’s cool, just us up here snowed in.”
“You’re just glad you don’t have to ski,” said her mother.
“I like skiing. I don’t like skiing with them.”
They started bickering about whether skiing with the twins was a bad thing. I was inclined to think most things with the boys ended up being a trial for their sister. Stephanie thought they were special angels that meant no harm. Johanna rolled her eyes as the elevator stopped.
“You think they’re babies when they’re really mean.”
Stephanie glanced at me and blushed. “They’re not.”
Johanna stalked off the elevator.
“Wait. We don’t know which room is Mercy’s,” said Stephanie.
I pointed straight down the hall. “Halfway down.”
“We’re at the end.”
Stephanie and I followed the rigid back of the self-righteous Johanna to my door. She handed Peanut over and headed for their room.
“Say goodnight!” called out her embarrassed mother.
“Goodnight!”
Stephanie apologized and ran after her.
They disappeared into their room and the feeling came over me again. It wasn’t there and then it was. Maybe I was paranoid.
Grumble.
I squeezed Peanut and got out my keycard.
“Thanks for the support, but don’t get any ideas. You’re not staying.”
Chirp.
He had ideas. The dog definitely had ideas.