by Dani Pettrey
Of course she’d be staring. All the ornaments were woodland animals, including miniature stuffed moose wearing tiny snowflake-print scarves.
He slumped down beside her on the brown leather sofa. “No luck?”
“I found him.”
Landon straightened. Then why did she look so disappointed? “And Tess?”
She shook her head. “But I got a message to her, I think. I told Zack that Megan sent me and that we were after Karli Davis’s killer.”
“You think it will help?”
“I pray so.” Piper gingerly rubbed her temple.
“You okay?”
She shrugged. “Just slipped.”
“Are you hurt?” It seemed a stupid question with her bumps and bruises, but he meant any new injuries.
“Just sore.”
“What’d you hit?”
“Pretty much my entire backside. At least it gave folks a good laugh.” She smiled. “Not too often do you see a person’s feet go flying above their head.”
Concern welled inside him. “Let me check you out.”
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” He took her hand and led her back to her room—directly across the hall from his. He’d been waiting for her to say something about finding Becky at his house that night, but she hadn’t. Not a word on the flight. Not even on the hour-long drive to the lodge. Nothing. They’d checked in last night, he’d seen her safely to her room, and today had been filled with searching. He needed to say something, needed her to know he hadn’t slept with Becky, but the timing didn’t feel right. Things were going well. They were talking, laughing even. He had her all to himself, at least for a couple days, and he didn’t want to ruin it by bringing up Becky. There’d be time to talk on their return trip to Yancey. For now, he just wanted to enjoy her company. Enjoy having her to himself, even if she’d never be his.
“I’m telling you, I’m fine,” she protested as they stepped into her room and closed the door behind them.
“Humor me.”
“Fine.” She sank onto the green-and-burgundy tweed sofa.
He started with testing her for a concussion and then did a thorough assessment of her bumps and bruises. “Well, other than the goose egg forming on your noggin”—he touched it gently and she winced—“I think you’ll be okay.”
“Like I said, nothing a long soak in the tub can’t cure.” She pulled off her boots and stood, stretching.
There was nothing overtly sensual about her actions, but the notion of Piper in the tub was . . . His mouth went dry.
“I . . . um . . . should go.” He scrambled to his feet, knocking over the first-aid kit in the process. He dropped to his knees to retrieve it. Piper did the same, her face mere inches from his. He quickly grabbed every item he could, tossing them back into the plastic container without any thought or regard. His hand landed on the roll of gauze the same time hers did. Her delicate fingers hovered over his. He yanked his hand back as heat rushed over his limbs.
Standing, he tucked the kit under his arm. “I’ll go so you can . . . you know.”
“Okay.” She wrinkled her nose in that adorable way that caused her dimples to form. She stepped in the bathroom, and the water ran.
“Just call me when you’re done . . . dressed . . . ready,” he mumbled, sounding like a complete idiot.
She stepped back out of the bathroom, still fully dressed. “Are you okay?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” He loosened his collar. What did she have the heat set at in here?
“You are acting all fumbly.”
He wasn’t even going to ask what fumbly meant. He opened the door and tapped the lock. “Bolt this after me.”
A sweet, seductive scent emanated from the bathroom as steam filled the air.
His throat tightened. “Bubble bath?”
“Yeah. What a great lodge, huh?”
“Yeah, great.” Now she’d smell even more incredible the next time he saw her. “I should . . .” He turned and yanked the door shut behind him. He waited for the lock to click in place before heading for a shower of his own—a very long, extremely cold one.
23
Piper shook her head as she stepped to her duffel to grab a fresh set of clothes. At least Landon appeared to be as distracted as she was, though she doubted it was for the same reason. Landon didn’t think about her the way she’d been thinking about him.
She grabbed her toiletry bag and headed for the bath. Setting it on the sink, she rummaged until she found a clip. She pulled her hair up and inspected the scrapes on her face. She trailed her finger over the scab on her cheekbone, remembering the tenderness of Landon’s touch, the warmth of his skin against . . .
Thinking she’d heard a faint sound, she shut the water off and listened.
A soft rap on the door.
“Coming.” She opened it expecting to see Landon. “What did you forget?”
Not Landon. Rather it was a woman similar in age to her but with Megan Whitaker’s striking blue eyes.
“Tess?”
“Can I come in?” She was the same height and build as Megan but with short dark hair.
“Of course.”
Tess glanced up and down the hall before entering.
“I’m so glad you came. You’re a hard person to find.”
“The junior suite,” Tess said, glancing around. “Nice. I’ve never been in one. The employees get cabins in the woods.”
“That sounds nice.”
“They’re okay.” Tess shrugged. “But I wouldn’t mind a touch of the finer things.” She trailed a finger along the outer corner of Piper’s fluffy white duvet.
“What happened to your face? Boarding crash?”
“Actually, car crash.”
Tess scrunched her face. “Ouch.”
“It looks worse than it is. Would you like to sit?” She gestured to the small sitting area that consisted of a sofa, two upholstered chairs, and a rustic wooden coffee table.
Tess plopped onto the burgundy chair. “Zack said Megan sent you.”
“Yeah. She thought you might be able to help us learn more about Karli.”
“Karli’s dead,” Tess said without batting an eye, but there was clearly sadness brimming inside.
“I’m very sorry.”
“Megan said they’ve got Reef in jail for it.”
“You know Reef?”
“Everyone on the circuit knows each other.”
“You’re on the circuit too?”
“Was. Had to take this season off for injury.”
Piper looked her over, seeing no sign of injury.
Tess lifted her right leg. “Broke my ankle and shattered my calf bone. Cast came off months ago, but I’m still not ready for competition.”
“I’m sorry.” No wonder she was hurting. A serious injury and the death of a friend so close together.
“It’s healing well. I’m back on the slopes, just in no condition to compete. Guess we can’t all be like Karli.”
Piper frowned. “Meaning what?”
“That came out wrong.” Tess shook her head. “I still can’t believe Karli’s gone.”
“When did you learn?”
“Megan left me a message. Told me about Karli. Said Reef’s sister was trying to prove his innocence.”
Thank you, Megan.
“That was the first message.”
“First?”
“Yeah. Couple days later, she left me another message. She sounded really freaked out. Said she was taking some time off and for me to be careful.”
“She say why?”
“No. That’s why I wasn’t too keen on strangers asking about me, especially when you didn’t come alone.”
Landon. “He’s my friend. He’s helping me.”
Tess pulled out a cigarette and lighter. “You mind?”
Piper shook her head. Actually she did, but she wasn’t going to say anything that might send Tess away, not after finally
locating her.
“I know it’s a bad habit.” Tess took a drag, her bright pink lipstick leaving a ring on the butt.
“Just don’t see many athletes that smoke.”
“I hadn’t in years. Not since college, but the injury kind of knocked me back. Not Karli, though.”
“What kind of injury did Karli have?”
“Torn ACL.”
“Ouch.” Piper had seen it sideline lots of athletes. “How’d it happen?”
“She took a bad fall the last competition of the season. It was her first run, the slopes were icy, Karli was pushing it harder than she should have and ended up in the local hospital having ACL surgery.”
“This was the end of last season?”
“Yeah—April.”
“That’s a fast recovery.”
“No one could believe she was back so quick.”
“And I get the impression not everyone was happy about it?”
Tess released a puff of smoke. “Not the gal she bumped.”
“Bumped?” Piper restrained her urge to bat the smoke away. She couldn’t afford to do anything that Tess might perceive as an insult. Tess’s information could very well mean the difference between her brother’s freedom and a life behind bars.
“There are only so many spots on the circuit, and the competition to get in is fierce. When Karli returned, lowest on the team got bumped.”
“And who was that?”
“Gal by the name of Samantha Mann.”
“How’d Samantha take the news?”
“How do you think? Doubt she’d trade places with Karli now, though.” Tess snorted before taking another puff.
“It really is amazing Karli could compete so soon after her accident.”
“Karli had her faults—a whole laundry list of them—but she was a stellar athlete.”
“What else can you tell me about her?”
“What do you want to know?”
Piper stifled the urge to cough. “Was this the last place Karli worked before she returned to competition?”
“Nah-uh. In March we moved to Vailmont Village, but after Karli’s injury she went to Glacier Peak for physical therapy. And after my injury I went there too.”
Piper committed the names to memory, knowing Tess was way too squirrelly for her to be writing anything down. “So if Karli left anything personal behind, it would be at Glacier Peak?”
“Yeah, probably in the staff storage lockers.”
Having the locations down, Piper shifted to the heart of the matter. “Megan said Karli seemed scared, like she was always looking over her shoulder. What was that about?”
“Don’t know. Tried asking her once, but Karli had this way. If you ever tried to get personal, she’d switch subjects or simply ignore the question.”
“You ever get past that wall?”
“A couple times.” Tess nibbled her thumbnail. “During PT.”
The phone rang.
Tess’s gaze shifted to it.
“It can wait,” Piper said, trying to keep the flow going. “You were saying . . .”
Tess started back in after the ringing stopped. “Therapy for an athlete is intense. All your hopes are resting on the fact it’ll work, that you’ll make it work, because if it doesn’t, you’re done.”
Piper knew how hard it’d been on her brother. “My oldest brother, Cole, suffered an injury that ended his skiing career.”
“That stinks. Did he survive it?”
Piper knew she wasn’t talking physical life or death but rather his way of life. Many athletes sidelined by injury never fully recovered. “He found a new calling, a passion he loves even more—diving.”
“That’s cool.” Tess flicked her ashes into the glass Piper set in front of her. “Don’t know if I could have hacked it. I’m already dying, having to take this season off. I can’t imagine what it’d be like if I knew I’d never make it back.”
“And Karli?”
“Wouldn’t have made it. She lived for competition. It’s why she fought so hard to recover so fast, not that the other competitors were thrilled.”
“Why do you say that?” She’d already heard it from others, but she wanted Tess’s opinion.
“No one liked Karli much.”
“That’s what I’ve been hearing. What’s your take on the reason?”
The phone rang again, and Tess’s gaze shifted back to it.
“Whoever it is can call back,” Piper said. She wouldn’t risk losing Tess to a phone call. “So why didn’t people like Karli?”
“Because she didn’t play by the rules.”
“How so?”
“She drank a lot, partied a lot, sometimes right before a competition—and half the time she’d still kill the other competitors. She slept with whomever she wanted to, regardless of their relationship status. She could be crass, and it seemed she loved nothing better than getting a rise out of someone.”
“But Megan and you seemed to view her differently, or at least looked past all of that.”
Tess stabbed her cigarette out, much to Piper’s relief, and then sat back, linking her arms. “There was more to Karli. She made it difficult to see, but if you looked closely and spent more than a few hours around her, it was there.”
“Like what?”
“Determination, dedication, a surprising vulnerability.”
“Vulnerable how?”
“We got along well enough to bunk together. Most of the other girls wanted nothing to do with her. But it wasn’t until we went through PT together that I got a glimpse beneath Karli’s tough exterior.”
Piper inched forward. “And?”
“I think underneath it all she was scared.”
“Of what?”
“Of who she was.”
A knock rattled the door. “It’s me,” Landon called.
“It’s just my friend. Do you mind if he comes in?”
“You’re sure he’s okay?”
“Positive.”
“All right, then.” Tess shrugged, her tense shoulders contrasting sharply with the carefree gesture.
“Piper.” Landon banged. “Open up.”
“Settle down. I’m coming.” She unlocked the bolt, turned the knob, and Landon rushed in.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“Because I have company.”
Landon looked past her. “Tess?”
“Yes,” Piper said. “Tess has been kind enough to answer some questions about Karli.”
“Landon Grainger,” he said, stepping forward and extending his hand. “Thanks for your help. Sorry about barging in like that.”
“It’s cool.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“No.” Tess smiled for the first time since arriving. “Have a seat.” She patted the one beside her.
“Before you came barging in, Tess was telling me about how she sensed Karli was afraid.”
“I barged in because you didn’t answer your phone.”
“I had company. Besides, what if I’d been in the bath?”
“That’s why I gave you a warning call.”
“Warning call?”
“Yeah. I let it ring a couple times, hang up, give you time to jump out of the tub, and then call back.”
“Why would you assume I’d jump out of the tub?”
“Because we’re on a case, and it was me calling.”
“So you assume I’d jump for you?”
Tess’s gaze darted between them. “Are you two an item?”
“Us?” Heat skipped to Piper’s cheeks.
“We’re friends,” Landon said, as he had so many times before, but this time it left Piper feeling empty.
She sank back on the couch, wondering what was wrong with her and when this uncomfortable stage would pass.
“Oh.” Tess smiled again. “Well, I was telling your friend here that Karli was a really private person, but pain can be a great motivator. In Karli’s case, her accident and subsequent PT
chipped away some of her armor. After a really powerful PT session, she let it slip that she wasn’t using her real name.”
“Karli or Davis?” he asked.
“The whole thing.”
Piper scooted forward. Now they were getting somewhere. “What was her real name?”
“I don’t know. She never said.”
“Did she say why she changed her name?”
“She claims she didn’t, said it was changed for her.”
“By whom?”
“No clue. You guys got anything to drink?”
“No, but I could run to the vending machine and grab a soda,” Piper offered.
“Mountain Dew.”
“You got it.” Piper opened the door and glanced back at Landon. “Be right back.”
He nodded.
The door swung shut, and Tess leaned forward, resting her arms on her legs. “Look, your friend is super sweet and all, but I think you’re the one who should hear this.”
“I’m all ears.” He tried to ignore Tess’s proximity, not wanting to do anything she might see as a put-off.
“I think Karli was running from her past.”
“What kind of past?”
“I don’t know. The way she was always looking over her shoulder, never wanting to stay in one place too long, never getting close to anyone.” Tess nibbled her thumbnail. “My guess . . . she was running from an abusive husband.”
“Karli ever give any hint she’d been married?”
Tess slumped back. “No, but like I said, she wasn’t a sharer.”
He’d offended her. He needed to remedy that fast. “It’s a great possibility.”
She brightened. “You think?”
“Absolutely.” It was definitely a possibility, and even if the abusive husband idea didn’t prove to be true, the information Tess had provided was golden.
“I think he rode a motorcycle.”
“Who? The husband?”
“Yeah.”
“How come?”
“Karli was terrified of the sound of motorcycles. Whenever one was around she got all tense and irritable.”
“Interesting.”
Tess smiled.
The door opened, and Piper walked in, three cans of soda and a handful of snacks in her arms. She handed Tess the Mountain Dew. “I thought you might be hungry too. The vending machine didn’t have the best selection.” She dumped the snacks on the coffee table.
