Chapter Eighteen #3
brIAN HAD SPENT plenty of early mornings at the ski resort, arriving before sunrise and in the midst of heavy snowstorms to mitigate avalanche-prone ridges and slopes.
But he had never been to this part of the resort so early in the day.
The six-story office building was set amid high-end condos, most of the windows still dark.
As he and Chloe, along with Connor, walked to their meeting with Stevie, he had to fight the urge to constantly look over his shoulder.
Their footsteps echoed on the stone floor of the darkened lobby, their shadows suddenly leaping up as they passed through pools of light cast by strategically placed lamps.
No one spoke, the silence adding to the eeriness of the moment.
A tall blonde woman with an elfin face met them at the elevator on the fourth floor.
“I’m tucked away in the back where no one can see us,” she said, and led the way past rows of vacant desks with darkened monitors.
Brian had to stop and untangle himself from a massive ivy that spilled from the top of a bookcase.
“I’ve been searching for the name you gave me, but not coming up with anything,” Stevie said as she sat and rolled her chair close to a monitor. “No Allertons at all, actually. If she booked with a private owner, though, we’re out of luck. I checked ski passes, too, and she’s not there, either.”
“She never mentioned skiing,” Chloe said. “What about Theresa Douglas?”
Brian frowned. “You said she was for certain at home when Sharee was murdered and when you met Bunny.”
“I know, but it doesn’t hurt to double-check.”
“No one under that name, either,” Stevie said after a few keystrokes. “There is a Douglas, but it’s a couple with an address in Toronto. Anyone else I can try?”
“She said she and her sister would do anything for each other,” Chloe said. “But I don’t know the sister’s name.”
“My sister and I are close, but I’m not killing someone for her,” Stevie said. She returned her attention to her keyboard. “I’m trying a few variations of the names you gave me, but I’m not finding anything.”
“Thank you for trying,” Chloe said. She opened her purse and took out an envelope. “This is a gift certificate for Moon Glow Spa and Salon. You can call and schedule whenever you want.”
Stevie hugged the envelope to her chest. “Thank you. I’m really going to enjoy this. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
No one spoke until they exited the building. “Sorry we didn’t find anything,” Connor said.
“Thanks for trying,” Brian said. “I really appreciate it.”
“See you in a few,” Connor said, and headed across the plaza.
Brian turned to Chloe. “Now what?”
“I’ve been thinking,” she said. “I want to visit the places Sharee hung out at night. Places others saw her. Maybe I’ll spot something or run into someone who can tell me more.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” he said. “When do you want to do that?”
“Might as well do it tonight.” Her eyes met his. “If the grand jury is convening next week, we can’t afford to waste any time.”
“All right. I can meet you after I get off work and you close your shop.”
She stopped walking, and turned to face him. “Not you,” she said. “I need to do this by myself.”
He blinked, sure he hadn’t heard her right. “You mean, you want to go to those places alone?”
“Yes. At night. The same time Sharee was there.”
“That’s not safe. Whoever attacked Sharee might still be out there.”
She lifted her chin. “I hope they are. At least then we’d know who we’re dealing with.”
“I’m not going to let you risk yourself that way.”
“I appreciate the chivalry, but you can’t stop me.” She put a hand on his arm. “She was my sister. I could have done more to protect her. At least I can do this.”
“And if you’re killed, too?” He hated the way his voice shook, when she remained so calm. “How does that help anyone?”
She was silent for a long moment and he held his breath. “You can come with me, but you can’t be right there with me,” she said finally. “You have to stay hidden. I don’t want anyone lurking about to see you.”
Knowing she wouldn’t be completely alone calmed him, but not much. “How am I going to stay hidden?”
“You can hang out in one of the restaurants or bars. I’ll text you every thirty minutes to let you know I’m okay.”
“Every fifteen minutes,” he said.
“Fine. Every fifteen minutes. I’ll have my phone ready and if I run into trouble I’ll send a message and you can summon help.”
“A lot could happen before I could even get to you.”
“No one else has been attacked since Sharee died,” she said. “So I doubt we’re dealing with someone who’s targeting random women. For whatever reason, they wanted her, so they might not even be interested in me.”
“Except your apartment and business were broken into.”
“We don’t know those incidents are connected.”
“Except they probably are.”
They faced each other, at a standstill. Finally, she said, “I know I’m taking a risk. But all I want to do is talk to people. There must be other people out at night who noticed her. I’ll be careful, I promise.”
“I still think it’s a terrible idea.” He looked away, then back at her, his expression pained. “But it’s a better idea than anything I’ve come up with.”