by Skylar Finn
“Just herbal tea for me.”
“Well, I certainly can’t drink alone,” Nick said with a wistful sigh. “I suppose it’s coffee for me too.”
I poured him a cup.
“Thank you. So—” He cleared his throat as he added cream to his cup. “Madame Lucia, is it?’
I jostled the carafe, accidentally spilling coffee across the white linen tablecloth. “Oh, no. How did you hear about that?”
Nick chuckled into his mug. “White Oak has many young employees and guests obsessed with YouTube. I believe your latest video circulated through the slopes and the break rooms at least a hundred times.”
I groaned and hid my reddening face behind my hands. I wasn’t used to meeting so many people who knew about the Parlour, but everyone in the Crimson Basin seemed adamantly attached to it. If Nick Porter—king of White Oak—knew about me, Madame Lucia was officially an Internet sensation. Why couldn’t I take that as a compliment?
Jazmin rubbed soothing circles into my sweater. “Lucia’s a little shy about the exposure she’s been getting lately.”
“Why?” Nick said. “You should be proud! It was your best episode yet.”
“Oh, yeah. It’s every psychic’s dream to have her secrets doused all over the web,” I said.
He warmed his long fingers around his mug. “Well, it’s not like anyone ever believed it was real. Fishing wire occasionally catches the light. It’s funnier when everyone thinks you’re in on the gag, especially with the cynical sense of humor brewing in the younger generations. You’re a hit, Madame Lucia. When can we expect your next upload?”
“Never,” I muttered into the tablecloth.
“Actually, she’s editing one on King and Queens right now,” Jazmin announced. “That’s why we’re here.”
“Visiting haunted places now?” Nick asked. “What an excellent way to kick off a new segment of your web series. I imagine you’ve done all you can in that little apartment of yours, exhausted all the stories. And this place is perfect for a feature.”
“Back up,” I said. “Did you just say that King and Queens is haunted?”
Nick casually stole Daniel’s spoon and collected the remaining cheesecake crumbs. “In the sense that this resort has quite a dark history. In a place where so many have perished, a feeling lingers. Perhaps not ghosts or spirits, but an energy.”
Daniel, who had been rubbing his bloated stomach, straightened up in his chair. “What kind of dark history are we talking about here?”
“The fire, of course.”
Daniel and I exchanged a glance. The infamous King and Queens fire of 1988 that killed forty-nine people. What did Nick Porter know about it? He looked around at all of us. Jazmin seemed mildly interested, but Daniel and I were perched on the table, leaning in toward the hotel owner as if he had candy to share.
“What about the fire?” I asked.
“Well, it was the beginning of the end for King and Queens,” Nick said. “Once they rebuilt, people were afraid to stay here. Business never picked up as well as it should have, but I suppose that’s what happens when so many people burned to death in an establishment.”
“If King and Queens is so doomed, why would you want to buy it from Oliver?” I said. “Wouldn’t you be taking on that burden yourself?”
“I have intentions to renovate and rebrand,” he replied. “This building is long overdue for an upgrade. For God’s sake, look at this lounge. It’s garish.”
“I think it has character,” Jazmin said, patting the red leather backing of her chair. “You don’t see places around like this anymore.”
“That’s because they’re outdated,” Nick said. “And if you do see them, it’s because they’ve been successfully themed to look that way. It should be an experience to visit a place like King and Queens, and I intend to make it one.”
I rattled my spoon against my coffee cup. “Can we get back to the resort’s supposed dark history? What do we know about the people who died here?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know much,” Nick said. “If you’re interested in the resort’s history for the purpose of your web series, I suggest you interview Oliver. After all, he was there.”
I dropped the spoon. “What do you mean he was there?”
“He was the only member of the Watson family to make it out of the fire,” Nick replied. “His father, mother, and sister all perished. It’s a terrible story. I believe Oliver was raised by a distant relative. King and Queens was managed by a board of trustees until he was old enough to take it under his wing.”
“Poor Oliver,” Jazmin said. “No wonder he’s so frazzled all the time. It must be stressful to keep up the family legacy when you’re the last one left.”
Nick’s left hand spasmed without warning, and he knocked his cane, which had been leaning against his chair, off balance. The ornate handle connected with Jazmin’s mug and shattered it, spraying hot tea across the table. Jazmin wrenched herself out of the way, hissing as a few scalding drops landed on her skin.
“I’m so sorry!” Nick said, blotting the mess with a cloth napkin. He offered Jazmin a fresh one. “It’s this damn condition I have. My muscles don’t always do what I want them to. Please forgive me?”
Jazmin wiped off her arms. Angry red spots appeared where the tea had landed. “It was an accident, Nick. Don’t worry about it.”
Daniel folded the tablecloth to trap the rest of the tea. “Why don’t you three switch tables? I’ll take care of the mess.”
Jazmin, Nick, and I moved to a booth right below the mezzanine as Daniel carried the tea-soaked tablecloth to the kitchen. Together, he and Karli cleared the cheesecake plates and broken glass then brought us a fresh carafe of coffee and new mugs.
“Can I get you all anything else?” Karli asked, drying her hands on her black apron.
“I think we’re good,” I said. “Thanks, Karli.”
Nick patted Karli’s arm. “It’s late, young lady. Isn’t there a bartender who should relieve you for the late shift?”
“I work all the shifts,” Karli said. “I need the money. Besides, there’s no point in trying to go home in this storm. I’ll freeze to death before I make it to the car.”
“You have a place to stay here?” I asked.
“Yeah, me and a few other employees split the cost of a room every year,” she said. “Most of us work here seasonally, so we need someplace to stay when we do.”
“Doesn’t Mr. Watson provide room and board?” Nick said.
Karli scoffed. “Ha. Yeah, right. If you’re all set, I’m going to close up the bar and turn in for the night. Don’t worry about the dishes. I’ll get them in the morning.”
It was the latest I’d stayed up at King and Queens, barring the night with Riley on the mountain. I poured myself some of Jazmin’s herbal tea instead of another coffee. Karli switched off the lights behind the bar so the lamps on each table glowed like travelers’ lanterns on a mysterious night. The shadows of falling snow made the lounge a kaleidoscope. I wanted to sleep in this very booth with my three living companions, but all I could do was put off the inevitable moment of returning to the suite upstairs.
“What about Thelma?” I asked Nick. I dropped a cube of sugar into my tea then added another to hear the satisfying plop again. It was too sweet. “You mentioned her by name earlier. Did the two of you know each other?”
“We were casually acquainted,” Nick said. “I too enjoy morning ski runs, and we occasionally bumped into each other on the mountain.”
“Did you ever ski together?” Daniel asked.
Nick patted his bad leg. “No, this sucker keeps me from most of the intermediate and advanced runs, and Thelma was a professional. Why do you ask?”
“I was wondering if you ever rode the King and Queens lift,” Daniel said. “If you ever noticed anything wrong with it.”
“I’ve never ridden it, but it’s quite loud compared to ours,” Nick commented. “One might think such noisy machinery req
uires maintenance before allowing anyone to board it. I, for one, would never let a soul onto my chair lift if it made that kind of ruckus. It’s shocking how long Oliver left it considering how often his wife and daughter use it.”
Jazmin nudged me. “Where is Riley anyway? She disappeared when I got here. Should we be worried?”
“It’s pretty normal for her,” I said. “She likes being alone.”
“Did Thelma ever share anything with you?” Daniel asked Nick. “Did she mention problems at home or with her husband?”
Nick made no effort to hide a sly smile. “Are you sleuthing, Detective Hawkins?”
“No, no,” Daniel said, offering up his palms to claim innocence. “I was just curious. You’re not obligated to answer any of my questions if you don’t want to.”
Nick crossed his one leg over the other, winced, and switched them around. “It’s fine. I respect your dedication to the job. Thelma was quite cryptic though. I often had to read between the lines with her.”
“And what did you discover?” I said. “Because Daniel might be too polite to ask, but I definitely want to know.”
“She was unhappy,” Nick said, shrugging. “Oliver and Thelma were never a good match. They were practically forced to get married.”
“Why?” Jazmine asked.
“Because Oliver got Thelma pregnant,” Nick said. “At the time, Oliver was eighteen. He’d just legally inherited the Watson fortune. He was a reckless, rich playboy and the face of King and Queens. Had he not married Thelma, the gossip would have ruined him and his business. They had no choice.”
“No wonder Oliver has such a poor relationship with Tyler,” I said.
“No wonder Tyler’s such an asshat,” Daniel added. “Can you imagine growing up in that kind of environment? His parents blamed him for their own mistakes.”
“Actually, Thelma and Tyler had an understanding with each other,” Nick said. “I believe she was the only thing keeping him from spinning entirely out of control. What’s he been like without his mother around?”
“Atrocious,” I said. “He’s said and done more than a few disgusting things to me.”
Jazmin squeezed my knee under the table. “What about Riley?” she asked. “If Oliver and Thelma were so unhappy, why did they have another child?”
Nick cuffed the sleeves of his King and Queens sweatshirt. His left hand—the one that had spasmed a few minutes earlier—was dark and discolored near the wrist. When he caught me looking, he shook his sleeve back into place.
“They did what any unhappy couple think about doing,” Daniel answered instead. “They had another kid in the hopes of saving their marriage. My wife and I considered the same thing. Thankfully, we didn’t go through with it. There’s no point in bringing another kid into the mix. They grow up learning that dysfunctional families are normal.”
“Quite right,” Nick said. “I’ve heard nothing but trouble regarding the Watson children, and it will only get worse unless Oliver—”
A piercing scream echoed right overhead, and the four of us looked up to see Tyler Watson heft his little sister up and over the railing of the mezzanine right above our table. As we shot to our feet—Nick stumbling a little as he reached for his cane—Tyler dangled Riley by her ankles, laughing as she cried and begged. It was a solid twenty-foot drop to the floor below. If Tyler let go, Riley would almost certainly land on her head.
“What do you think about the Watson children now, Mr. Porter?” Tyler demanded. A maniacal grin distorted his face, twisting his handsome features into devilish details.
“Young man, this is not the way you go about a sibling rivalry,” Nick called up to him. “I suggest you pull her up right away.”
Tyler hitched Riley up and let go of her ankles for a split second so that she was weightless. She shrieked, and Tyler laughed again as he caught her. “What’s wrong, little sister? Don’t you like hanging out with your big brother?”
Daniel sprinted out of the Eagle’s View and down the stairs. The steps to the mezzanine were in the lobby. If he wanted to reach Tyler in time, he’d have to move faster than the cheesecake in his stomach allowed.
“Oh, the detective’s on the run,” Tyler said, unconcerned. He swung Riley to and fro above our booth. Jazmin and I moved with her, arms outstretched. “Not sure why. We’re just having some good, old-fashioned fun.”
“Tyler!” Riley’s voice broke. “Please, I didn’t do anything to you. Put me down.”
He lifted her higher. “You were born, Riley. That was enough.”
“Tyler, put her down,” I warned. “I swear—”
“Are you going to slap me again, Madame Lucia?” he asked. “Because to be honest, I kinda liked it. You’re sexy when you’re angry.”
“Young man,” Nick said.
Jazmin tried her hand. “Tyler, really. What is this going to accomplish? Just set your sister down, and I’m sure we can get down to what’s really bothering you.”
He leaned over the railing to get a better look at Jazmin, causing Riley to drop lower. “Who the hell are you, and why are you at King and Queens when you clearly belong on a strip pole somewhere? We can make it happen. I know a place.”
“Christ, you weren’t kidding,” Jazmin muttered in my ear.
“Told you,” I replied.
Footsteps pounded as Daniel emerged at the top of the mezzanine steps and hurtled toward Tyler. “It’s over, Tyler. Let her go.”
Tyler’s grin widened. “Let her go? Okay.”
He dropped Riley.
Several things happened at once. Riley plummeted headfirst. Daniel lunged for Tyler as the younger man tried to make his escape. Jazmin and I positioned ourselves beneath Riley to catch her, but it was Nick who tossed aside his cane and dove beneath the lip of mezzanine. Riley fell perfectly into his arms with a light thump, his knees bent to absorb the impact. Her arms alighted naturally around his neck, and she cried with relief into his shoulder, shaken but no worse for wear.
“There you go, little one,” Nick said as he set Riley on her feet. “Everything’s okay.”
“Riley—” I said.
But she pushed Nick away and dashed off, flying down the stairs and vanishing in the lobby below. I tried to go after her, but Nick held me back.
“If she wanted someone to comfort her, she would have stayed with us,” he said.
“But—”
“What on earth is going on out here?” Oliver had finally arrived, no doubt awoken by Riley’s screams. “Why aren’t you all in your rooms? Porter, I swear, if you—”
Jazmin stepped in between Oliver and Nick, defusing the argument before it could start. “It was your son,” she announced. “He dropped your daughter over the mezzanine.”
Oliver’s jaw went slack. He stared wildly around in search of his children. “No.”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “She’s all right. Nick caught her, so you have him to thank for no hospital bills. And Daniel—”
Daniel heaved Tyler up the steps into the Eagle’s View. The teenager was handcuffed, and this time, Daniel wasn’t making an effort to keep him comfortable.
“Mr. Watson,” Daniel said as he spotted Oliver. “Excellent. I’d like to book your smallest, most uncomfortable room. In fact, we don’t even need a room. Could you point me to the nearest broom closet? I’m sure the Mr. Watson Junior won’t mind the smell of chemicals.”
“What are you talking about?” Oliver said. He seemed to be in shock, sporting a wide-eyed, vacant expression. “What do you need a room for?”
“Tyler here is under arrest,” Daniel announced. “For real this time. Since I can’t take him to the station because of the snow, we’re going to have to make do with house arrest. A room, please.”
Oliver tossed Daniel a set of keys. “Those unlock the drawer to the front desk where the card keys are. Pick whatever room you like.”
“Dad, are you serious?” Tyler demanded.
Oliver grabbed his son’s face. The action wa
s so quick and violent that Daniel tugged Tyler out of his father’s reach.
“Don’t you dare address me,” Oliver hissed at his son. Tyler turned whiter than the snow outside. “What have you done to your sister? Where’s she gone?”
For once in his life, Tyler didn’t have a comeback. Oliver’s reaction seemed to have thrown off his entire smartass routine.
“She ran down the stairs and into the lobby,” I said. “You didn’t pass her on your way up?”
“No,” Oliver said. “Detective, take him away, please. And don’t let him out.”
“My pleasure.”
Daniel dragged Tyler down the stairs. Once they were out of sight, Oliver offered Nick his hand. Nick stared at it, as if he’d forgotten what response the gesture required.
“Thank you,” Oliver said, taking Nick’s hand on his own. “You likely saved Riley from more than one broken bone. She would’ve been heartbroken if she couldn’t go skiing for the rest of the season.”
Nick recovered from his shock. “Of course. It was no trouble.”
Oliver turned to include me and Jazmin as well. “I’d like to find her to make sure she’s all right. Riley’s been fragile ever since her mother’s death. I don’t want her roaming the halls all night. She needs to sleep.”
“Riley knows this hotel better than anyone else,” I said. “If she doesn’t want to be found, we won’t find her for hours.”
“I know,” Oliver said. “That’s why I think we should split up. If each of us searches a section of the resort, we can at least narrow down the places where she isn’t hiding. Please? I know it’s a lot to ask of my guests, but she’s too important to me. I have to know she’s okay.”
“You know I’m in,” I said. “I’ll do anything for Riley.”
“Count me in too,” Jazmin added. “I might not know Riley as well as Lucia does, but I do know she must be terrified right now. She needs a hot bath and a clean bed.”
Nick lifted his cane in solidarity. “I’m in as well, though I’m a bit slow to get around. I’d like to see the young lady is all right myself.”
Oliver nodded his thanks. “Let’s go then.”
We split up, assigning floors and hallways to each other to search. Oliver gave us all a master key so that we could look in every empty guest room. I started in the kitchen, checking all of Riley’s usual nooks and crannies, before moving on to the lobby, gift shop, and indoor pool. Without any luck, I headed toward the first corridor of guest rooms, but just as I went to swipe the key card, something flickered out of the corner of my eye. I spun around. It was a white curtain covering the window at the end of the corridor. An invisible wind fluttered it about, a draft from the heating system perhaps.
