Stroke of Luck

by B. J Daniels

  “Why don’t you just call the sheriff?” Dean demanded.

  “The landline is down,” Will said. “It happens in storms like this.”

  “That’s insane,” Allison said, her voice breaking.

  “Insane?” Channing echoed. “We’re in the mountains in the middle of a storm. I’d say it was pretty typical.”

  “Channing’s right,” Will said. “It isn’t all that unusual for this time of the year in Montana to have these problems. All we can do is wait it out.” He’d warned Big Jack of this, but the man had been determined to have his retreat in March in Montana at the ranch.

  “We can’t stay here now, not with...” Allison began to cry.

  “There must be a way to leave,” Dean said. “You have four-wheel-drive SUVs parked out there.”

  “He’s right,” Kirk agreed, even surprising Dean. “I saw a couple of trucks with plows on the front. You can open the road.”

  “In the first place, the plow trucks couldn’t get through the drifts at this point even if we could see the road. In this type of storm with so much snow coming down, and add the wind, visibility is the problem,” Will explained patiently. “With roads in the valley closed as well as in the mountains, no one is going to be getting anywhere until the storm lets up.”

  “What I want to know is if you’re going to try to keep us all here in the lodge,” Channing said with a flip of her blond hair. “Because staying here with a killer, not to mention hysterical people, would drive me, for one, insane.” She shot a glance at Allison to make her point.

  He shook his head. “I don’t see how I can do that. There isn’t room for all of you, and even though I’m sure the sheriff would detain you if he were here, I don’t have the authority. But I would like you all to do me a favor.” He went into his office off the back of the lounge and came back with pens and Sterling ranch notepaper.

  Turning to the group, he said, “Please write down where you were when you heard the screams and what you did after that. If you saw anything suspicious. Anything that might help the sheriff find out who did this, and sign your names.” He began to pass out the paper and pens.

  “You really don’t expect the killer to confess,” Ruby said with a laugh.

  “I don’t think we’ll get that lucky,” Will agreed. “But this is something that might help the sheriff when he gets here.” As he handed out the Sterling Montana Guest Ranch notepads, he said, “It’s important to get it down now when your memory is the freshest. Also if you heard anything, saw anything suspicious. Be sure to put your name on the paper, the date and time.” He could see that no one wanted to do this, but a few began, hiding what they were writing from the person next to them.

  He grabbed a large Native American basket from one of the tables that had been part of the lodge’s decor from as far back as he could remember, and set it in the middle of the large square coffee table. “Just drop them in here.”

  Ruby still looked amused but complied, as did the others. Will stepped back. He could feel the suspicion in the room. They didn’t trust each other. He didn’t blame them because since no one had come to the ranch last night without him knowing it, one of the people in this room had to be the killer.

  Kirk scribbled something on his paper, folded it and tossed it into the basket. “So you can’t keep us here, right? Like you said, you don’t have the authority to do that.”

  “No, I can’t,” Will hated to admit. Short of tying them all up, he did not. And he couldn’t keep them locked in their cabins for what could be a couple of days. Nor could he keep an eye on them all the time.

  “So we can leave,” Kirk said, getting to his feet.

  “You can go to your cabins. Slim will be watching the barn. You all need to stay away from there—”

  “I mean, we can get off this mountain if we want to,” Kirk interrupted.

  “If you’re thinking about walking out—”

  “I saw a pair of old skis.”

  Will shook his head. “I certainly wouldn’t advise that. There is more than a good chance that you would get lost in the storm, if not injured, and die of hypothermia. It is nice and warm here. We have plenty of food. There’s no reason to leave the ranch until the storm breaks and the sheriff arrives.”

  “As you said, you can’t keep us here,” Kirk said and started for the door, but his way was quickly blocked.

  “Why in such a hurry to get out of here?” Lamar demanded as he stepped in front of him to keep him from leaving.

  “Are you kidding? There’s a killer on the loose,” Kirk said as he turned to look back at the others. “I’m not staying here with a murderer.”

  “Or maybe you don’t want to wait for the sheriff for another reason,” Lamar said. “Where were you last night?”

  Will knew he had to step in. If everyone started accusing each other... “Lamar—”

  “You can’t keep me here,” Kirk said and took a threatening step closer to Lamar. The men were about the same size and weight, but Will could tell that Kirk had fear on his side.

  Will stepped between them. “This is exactly what we can’t have. Kirk, you want to leave, I’m not going to stop you, but it’s a suicide mission if you try to get off this mountain in this storm. It’s miles to the nearest main road, which will be closed to traffic. You’d be lucky to make it to a farmhouse in the valley in this kind of weather because unlike Huck, who I sent off this mountain, you don’t know your way. It is easy to get turned around in a storm like this. You could end up going in circles and not even realize it.”

  “Let him go,” Channing spoke up.

  “If he’s worried about waiting for the sheriff,” Dean said, “then he’s probably the killer, so I agree with Channing—let him go.”

  Kirk turned back to the group to glare at Dean. Will thought he might have to break up a fight before this was over, but Kirk spun around and gave Lamar a shove. “All of you had better watch who you accuse of murder. I had nothing to do with Big Jack’s death. I was in my cabin all night. If you don’t believe me, ask Allison.”

  A hush fell over the large room. Lexi looked up as if just now taking an interest in the conversation. Everyone stared at Allison, who had looked down, shaking her head but not denying it. Her mascara was smeared from crying. She’d been writing on her notepad and, now finished, folded her paper and tossed it and the pen into the basket. She didn’t look up at anyone as she got to her feet and moved to stand with her back to the room in front of the fire.

  “So we can go back to our rooms?” Dean asked, cutting through the tension that felt thick as dense fog. He pushed up his glasses and rose to leave.

  “I’ll ring the bell when breakfast is ready,” Will said. “I’d ask that you all come back then so I know everyone is all right. Also I recommend staying close to the row of cabins when you leave here. I don’t want anyone getting lost in the storm. I guess I don’t have to tell you to lock your doors.”

  Those not already standing began to push to their feet and head for the door.

  As Mick started to leave, his brother intercepted him. “We need to talk,” Will heard him say as the two stepped out into the whirling snow.

  “You’re just going to let them go?” asked a small female voice.

  He turned to see Lexi hadn’t moved from where she’d been sitting on one end of the long rock hearth—the farthest from the people who’d been in the room. He hadn’t even realized she hadn’t risen to leave with the others.

  “I can’t keep them here,” Will said as he moved to her. She’d already told him how she’d found Big Jack, but he suspected there was a lot more to the story.

  He saw that she hadn’t touched her paper or pen. “I was hoping to ask you a few more questions.” But as he neared her, she leaped to her feet.

  “I think I’m going to throw up,” she said and rushed to the front door an
d out into the blizzard.

  * * *

  LAMAR WAS STILL in shock as he and his brother walked the short distance to the cabin they shared. As he made his way through the falling snow, head ducked down inside the collar of his coat, he realized that Will was right. Trying to go anywhere in this weather was suicide. He could barely make out the cabin next to his and Mick’s.

  There were tracks in the snow where some of the others had broken a trail as they headed for their cabins, but the tracks were filling in fast, their existence to be quickly erased.

  He pushed open the door of their cabin and his brother followed reluctantly. Mick had been in a sour mood off and on since their father had announced this retreat. Mick had argued that he would stay behind and make sure everything was fine at the company.

  But their father had thanked him and said no. Mick, like the others Big Jack had chosen, were going. No exceptions. No argument.

  Mick’s mood had seemed to pick up a little when he’d heard that Allison would be going. The two had either been flirting or arguing the whole trip. Now that they’d heard the news about Allison spending the night with Kirk...and the death of their father... Lamar couldn’t imagine a worse time to confront his brother.

  When he turned to look at Mick, he saw that he looked close to tears. His brother plopped down on the end of his bed and raked a hand through his hair. “Can you believe he’s gone?” His voice was muffled with his head down.

  “No. I’m still in shock, too. I don’t think it’s really set in yet.” He sat down next to his brother.

  Mick lifted his head, tears in his eyes. “Who do you think did it?”

  Lamar shook his head.

  “You didn’t see anyone last night?” his brother asked, giving him a start.

  “Why would I have seen—”

  Mick shook his head. “I thought I heard you go out last night.”

  He saw the way his brother didn’t quite meet his gaze. Had Mick heard him sneak out last night before midnight to meet Allison? What if Mick had followed him? Overheard the conversation? Or worse, just saw them together and thought there was something going on between them?

  He wanted to tell his brother what Allison had told him, but couldn’t break his promise. With Big Jack murdered, Lamar feared he might be jeopardizing her life, as well. He had a feeling she’d spent the night with Kirk to cover her sneaking out at midnight to meet in the barn. She’d given herself an alibi.

  But what if last night she hadn’t gone back to her cabin, but doubled back to meet Big Jack?

  “I couldn’t sleep. I went for a walk. I wasn’t gone long. This place was dead quiet. I didn’t see Dad. I didn’t see anyone on my walk.” That at least was true. “What about you?” Lamar asked. “You have any idea who might have done it?”

  Mick shook his head. “I know you two had an argument over the company.”

  Lamar jerked back in surprise. “You can’t think that I—”

  “Dad said you were trying to take On the Fly away from him.”

  He swore and got to his feet to look down at his brother. “I don’t want to get into this with you, but you know how he kept taking money out of the company. He was putting us in a position where we could lose everything.”

  “That sounds like a motive for murder,” Mick said, finally looking up to glare at him.

  Lamar tried to be patient. He could see how upset his brother was. But at the same time, he couldn’t believe he was being accused of murdering their father. “Dad and I had our problems, but he knew that I was only trying to save the company. Come on, Mick, you knew how he was. Even Dad would admit how he was. It was why he was going to step aside and let me take control. He said he was leaving the company and taking Ruby with him.”

  “Ruby?” Mick repeated like a curse.

  “Yeah, Ruby.”

  Mick stared at his feet for a few moments. “Don’t you wonder where Ruby was last night? What if Dad went down to the barn because he was looking for her?”

  “Why would she be in the barn?” Lamar had to ask.

  His brother shrugged. “I saw her headed in that direction. After I heard you go out, I left my bedroom, went into the living room to look out our cabin window. It hadn’t started snowing yet. I saw Ruby walk in front of our cabin and head toward the barn.”

  Lamar felt his heart lodge in his throat. “What time was this?”

  Mick shrugged again. “I don’t know. It was dark out and I was half-asleep.”

  He stared at him. “You’re sure it was Ruby?” With them all wearing the same coats and hats and the women all being about the same size and height... Mick could have seen Allison.

  “It was her because a few moments later I saw Dad slip into the barn like he was spying on her.” Lamar felt sick. Wasn’t it more likely that Mick had seen Allison when Lamar had been in the barn waiting for her? If Mick had seen their father enter the barn after Allison... Then Big Jack was in the barn last night while Lamar was talking to Allison. He might have heard every word.

  He tried to remain calm. “Did you write this down on the notepad Will gave you?” He saw at once that Mick hadn’t. “Why not?”

  His brother shot to his feet. “Because I don’t have to tell Will Sterling anything.”

  “You can’t keep this from the sheriff when he gets here. Mick—”

  “Don’t lecture me. I know what I need to do.”

  Lamar shook his head, telling himself that he’d been so sure that when he’d sneaked out, his brother had been asleep in the second bedroom. So it was possible that what Mick had seen was Allison. Because why would Ruby go to the barn? Why would his father unless he’d followed not just Allison but his own son?

  Lamar groaned inwardly. His father had made it clear that he’d suspected him of whatever was going on at On the Fly. He tried to remember everything that was said between Allison and him, wondering what his father’s last thoughts were before he died. But who caught him alone in the barn after that?

  From what he could gather, no one knew what time Big Jack had been killed. Definitely after midnight. After Lamar and Allison had left the barn. Was his father inside there all that time? But Lexi said she’d seen him go by her window before daylight. If she was telling the truth...

  His head ached. He was regretting more and more meeting Allison in the barn last night. He didn’t want to keep secrets from anyone, especially his brother. Maybe Mick was right and it had been Ruby looking for Big Jack. She could have been in the barn when Lexi said she saw Big Jack go down there. The two might have planned a lovers’ tryst—but in a cold barn?

  None of it made any sense. All he knew was that his father was dead and something had been going on at On the Fly that he’d missed. Now one of his employees was a murderer and they were all trapped here with the killer.

  “Maybe the sheriff can sort it all out,” Lamar said, feeling shaken. Would they ever know the truth? Will was right. By the time the sheriff got there, invaluable evidence could be lost. The killer would have covered his tracks. Or her tracks, he thought. In that case, whoever had murdered their father might never be caught.

  Lamar had little faith that anyone had told the truth on the notes they’d written and put into the basket. He certainly hadn’t and neither had Mick.

  “Are you going to be all right?” he asked his brother.

  Mick nodded. “I can’t help feeling guilty, though, you know? He could be such a bastard. There were times I hated him. And now that he’s dead...”

  He put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I do know. He was our dad and now he’s gone. And we have no idea who he pissed off enough to kill him.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  POPPY FINISHED MAKING breakfast and sent Dorothea to tell Will that it was ready. A few minutes later, she heard him ringing the dinner bell. Glancing outside, she saw that the storm hadn’t l
et up. On the contrary, it looked worse than it had earlier. She hugged herself, growing more concerned.

  She knew Will was hoping that Huck made it to town and reached the sheriff. But she couldn’t imagine how. Even if he did, would the sheriff be able to make it up here or Huck be able to return? She tried not to worry about it as she heard the guests begin to file in. Dorothea returned looking wary. She patted her apron pocket and gave Poppy a knowing look.

  “I just hope you don’t accidentally stab yourself,” she said to the woman as she shoved a plate filled with individual omelets at her. “I’ll take the rest.” She followed Dorothea out to the dining room where only a few guests had come in out of the cold and were now seated around the fireplace. Their coats hung by the door, the snow melting onto the floor. They all looked as if they wanted to be anywhere but here. Will had been out shoveling to keep a path from the cabins to the lodge.

  Poppy couldn’t blame them. She thought they all felt that way right now. She put a smile on and said, “This morning we have sourdough pancakes with wild huckleberry syrup, along with a slab of honey-grilled ham, fried potatoes with onions, and individual Brie and herb omelets with roasted tomatoes.” She put down the platters of food, but she could tell there was little interest. “I also made a nice fruit salad.”

  “Everyone sit down,” Will ordered as he came in. He took his place and looked around the table as the guests slowly began to take their seats. Poppy sat down, but Dorothea said she forgot the orange juice and hurried back into the kitchen.

  “Where’s Kirk?” Will asked as he glanced around the table.

  Poppy realized that the place where the snowboarder always sat was vacant. She felt her heart drop. He wasn’t fool enough to try to get out of here on his own, was he?

  There was no answer for a moment. Then Allison spoke up. “He left.”

  “Left?” Will echoed. “How?”

  “He took the skis he found and planned to ski down the road. At least, that’s what he said.”