Descent (A Stone Mountain Mystery Book 1)

by Kristina Stanley

  He decided they would have chosen a fresh path and hoped the tracks belonged to Lisa and Kalin. He kept his flashlight beam on the trail, picking up the tracks. The falling snow hadn’t covered them yet. The trail branched off in several places, and as long as the snow didn’t come down harder, he should be able to find them.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  “Are you saying Steve deserved to die?” Kalin asked.

  The light flakes transitioned into heavy snow, and the wind picked up. Kalin and Lisa were midway through the loop. No point in turning around if the weather got worse. Sudden weather changes were as common as they were unpredictable on the mountain, making it easy for people to get caught in a storm. “Did you hear me? I asked if you think Steve deserved to die.”

  “Yes,” Lisa said with commitment.

  “You don’t mean that.”

  “When I lost Rachel, I didn’t think I’d ever get over it.”

  “I know what it’s like to lose someone you love.”

  “I miss her every day. Nora said she told you about Rachel. I wish I could have done something for her. I didn’t see it coming.”

  “Maybe she hid her troubles from you. Sometimes people are good at pretending.”

  They stomped forward a few steps, and Kalin surveyed the path ahead. They were close to the precipice that ran along the resort’s property line. Between her fading headlamp and wind whipping snow sideways, she could barely make out the fence that bordered the edge. The temperature drop that came with the wind froze her cheeks. The weather made her nervous, but she didn’t want to say anything to Lisa. She kept her moving in the same direction instead of turning back toward the trailhead.

  “I’d been focused on Donny, and I didn’t notice Rachel declining into a depression. The changes were subtle, and we were all struggling. Steve didn’t even try to contact her after the accident. At the time, I thought it was a good thing. That she could put him behind her. Now I don’t know. I second guess everything I did.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “It was Steve’s. Rachel died, Donny can’t walk and Nora is about to be a single mom, all because of Steve. I’m glad he’s dead.”

  “Lisa, this is making me uncomfortable. If you have something to say, please just say it.” Kalin guessed Lisa was trying to convince her Steve’s death was acceptable. Nora must have told her what Kalin said about Donny. Kalin stood at the edge of the ridge, deciding how to handle Lisa. She had to tell her why she thought Donny killed Steve. She wanted her to understand. Lisa may not forgive her, but she had to do what was right. “Nora told you what I think.”

  “Donny didn’t kill Steve.”

  Kalin wasn’t sure if Lisa had raised her voice to be heard over the wind or because she was angry. “I know it’s hard to believe, but all the evidence points to him. I think it’s better if he tells Constable Miller himself. Miller’s a good man. He’ll help Donny if he can.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Donny’s not spiteful. He’s not mean. Suggesting he could kill someone is outrageous.”

  “After Nora and I talked, I think she believes it too.”

  “Only because you’re good with words and confused her.”

  “Nora loves him like a brother. She can’t see a way out of this either and wants to help him.”

  “I can’t let you do this.”

  “I wish things were different, but I have to do what’s right.”

  “Donny doesn’t deserve this. I didn’t mean for him to be blamed.”

  “Please stop being so hard on yourself. Donny’s an adult and made his own decisions.”

  Lisa buried her face in her mitts and sobbed. When she got herself under control, she lifted her face and said, “I killed Steve.”

  Kalin’s headlamp dimmed and faded to nothing. “I don’t believe you and neither will the RCMP. You can’t protect him that way.”

  Lisa turned away from Kalin, and her headlamp illuminated a two-foot gap in the fence, a gate to nowhere. “You don’t get it. Why couldn’t you just stay out of this? Steve McKenzie ruined my family. Look what he did to Donny and then to my beautiful Rachel. He destroyed her. Nora was already in love with him by the time I found out they were dating. When I thought he’d gotten Nora pregnant and dumped her, I couldn’t take anymore. He’d done enough to us, and he had to be stopped.”

  Kalin’s heart thumped. She remembered Nora saying she’d called Lisa the night Steve left her. Kalin backed a couple of steps away from Lisa. The second half of the trail was downhill, and she could run the whole way. She snuck her hand in her pocket and remembered she no longer had a phone or her bear spray. Jeff had seen to that.

  Before she had time to react, Lisa launched at her. Caught off balance, Kalin stumbled sideways. Lisa pushed her toward the edge, toward the opening in the fence. Kalin grabbed her sleeve and hung on.

  “Stop! Think about what you’re doing.” Kalin wrenched Lisa’s arm but didn’t slow her movement. She jammed the claw on the bottom of her snowshoe into Lisa’s calf.

  Lisa cried out in pain, but the pain made her more ferocious. She swung her arm into Kalin’s face and knocked her sideways.

  Kalin’s elbow buried in the snow, hitting ice beneath the surface and jarring her neck. Her temple hit the ground. She rolled onto her stomach and pushed hard to get up.

  Lisa jammed her knee into Kalin’s back, shoving her face into the snow. “I can’t let anything happen to Donny.”

  Kalin twisted and shoved Lisa sideways. The women lay side-by-side facing each other. Lisa’s headlamp had fallen off and lit her face, and Kalin recognized craziness in her eyes.

  Kalin was the first to get up. Lisa, seconds behind her, grabbed Kalin’s jacket. She used her entire body to push Kalin toward the cliff’s edge.

  Kalin grasped Lisa’s hands, trying to rip them from her jacket. “Stop!”

  Lisa was beyond hearing and shoved Kalin again.

  Kalin jammed her snowshoe claw in Lisa’s leg a second time, aiming for the spot she’d already hit. Lisa’s hands slackened, and Kalin used all her strength and shoved her shoulder into Lisa’s chest. Lisa stumbled backward, letting go of Kalin’s arms, and stopped inches from the edge.

  Kalin stepped away from her.

  Lisa stepped closer to the cliff, her intent clear.

  “Don’t jump. We can work this out.”

  Jeff arrived and tripped as he got close. He scrambled forward on his hands and knees, reaching for his dropped flashlight. He lit the anguish in Lisa’s face. He rose and ran forward. “Aunt Lisa, wait.”

  “Go away,” Lisa said. “This isn’t your problem.”

  “Aunt Lisa, please. I can help you.”

  “I had to kill him. He deserved to die. Tell Nora I love her. I love you too.”

  “I know. It’s okay.” Jeff reached for his aunt’s hand, but she shook her head.

  “It will never be okay.” Lisa took one more step. Backward.

  Jeff lunged, throwing his arms toward Lisa, but came up empty. He grabbed a fence post, stopping himself inches before he went over. He screamed and screamed Lisa’s name.

  Kalin crept toward the cliff, aware of the icy slope near the edge. She searched the void for any sign of Lisa. She hadn’t been able to save Tom Bennett, and now she’d failed Lisa.

  The wind blew upward over the precipice, shooting sharp snow into her face. She closed her eyes to everything—to the snow; to Lisa stepping over the edge and into death; to Jeff repeating Lisa’s name in an endless chant. She wanted to keep her eyes closed and pretend the nightmare never happened.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Kalin returned from Lisa’s funeral and took refuge in her office. The afternoon closed in on five o’clock, but she couldn’t face going home until Ben collected her.

  The week since Lisa’s death had been hectic.

  Ben had been with the search and rescue team when the avalanche dogs found Lisa’s crumpled body. They’d used a helicopter to
remove her remains from the steep terrain and carry her to Holden.

  Lisa was buried beside her daughter in a small cemetery overlooking the lake. Donny and Nora welcomed Kalin and Ben. Jeff, although distant, was polite when Kalin thanked him for trying to help her and for talking to the RCMP on her behalf.

  Miller interviewed her and Jeff separately, and they both told the same story. The RCMP declared Lisa’s death a suicide. Miller had been generous and let Kalin in on some details of the investigation. He’d been much busier investigating than she’d been aware. Kalin told him about Lisa’s confession. Miller disclosed that a hair had been found on the inside of the binding, and with DNA testing, the lab results confirmed the strand belonged to Lisa. She had access to Donny’s keys, and she had motive. Donny’s name was cleared.

  Nora and her baby were a concern. With Lisa gone, Kalin promised Nora she’d be there for her. They’d know soon enough who the father was. Nora had been distant since Lisa died, and Kalin suspected the loss was too much but that Nora would come out of the mess okay.

  Kalin studied the painting on her office wall. She decided to leave the canvas hanging in a prominent position as a tribute to Lisa. She understood Lisa’s motive. Lisa loved the children in her extended family, and Steve McKenzie had done too much to them.

  Ben poked his head around her door. “I have somewhere I want to take you.”

  “Where?”

  “It’s a surprise. Get geared up.”

  Kalin shrugged into her ski jacket and grabbed her toque and mitts.

  “You’ll need ski pants.”

  She locked her office and followed Ben to the snowmobile waiting for them outside the administration building. Kalin hopped on and snuggled into him, wrapping her arms around his chest, straddling him and pressing her legs against his. Ben traversed along the snowshoe trail and crossed onto the Alpine Tracks run. The snowmobile angled sharply once the skis hit the steep ascent of the ski run, and Kalin tightened her grip.

  Ben drove to the top of the Alpine Tracks run and stopped at the deck overlooking the resort. Two Muskoka chairs were cleared of snow and positioned for the best view. Between the chairs, a table was set with champagne and glasses. Flashlights planted face up in a ring around the chairs lit the area.

  “Are we celebrating?” Kalin asked.

  “I hope so.”

  Ben popped the cork and poured two glasses. He handed one to Kalin and clinked his glass against hers. “To you. To us. To our future.”

  They sipped champagne and watched stars glitter above them across the moonless night.

  Ben broke the silence. “I bought you a present.” He handed her a box.

  She slipped off the red bow and removed the red paper, careful not to rip it. Inside, she found a pair of gloves. With the romantic atmosphere, the ordinary gift puzzled her. Why all this effort for a pair of gloves?

  “Try them on.”

  She removed her mitts and slid her left hand into the matching glove. “There’s something in the finger.”

  Ben had a goofy smile on his face. “See what it is.”

  Kalin shook the glove.

  “Careful,” Ben said.

  Kalin poked her finger into the glove’s ring finger. Her fingernail snagged something, and she dragged out a diamond ring, letting the jewelry slide onto her palm.

  “I want my life to be with you. Not just living together, but committed.” Ben lowered himself to one knee, held Kalin’s hand and said, “I love you. Marry me?”

  ~ * ~

  If you enjoyed this book, please consider writing a short review and posting it on your favorite review site. Reviews are very helpful to other readers and are greatly appreciated by authors, especially me. When you post a review, drop me an email and let me know and I may feature part of it on my blog/site. Thank you.

  Kristina

  KMStanleyWriter@gmail.com

  Message from the Author

  Dear Reader,

  Life as the director of security at a ski resort is exciting. Oddly enough, most mishaps occur at night. Each day I arose and read my email, assuming I hadn’t already been awoken in the dark hours to deal with an emergency, and checked whether there was fall out from the previous night’s adventures on the resort. A road collapsing, an ice storm that shut off access to the resort, a full out brawl in the bar, medical emergencies, and a flooded building were all events I’ve been called to work for.

  The Stone Mountain Series exists because I moved away from my home in the mountains of British Columbia, and I missed her terribly. I left for an adventure on the seas, and my past life of living in a ski resort became my muse.

  Stone Mountain and Holden do not exist on the British Columbian map. I made them up. For those of you from the area, you may see a resemblance to Panorama and Invermere. I love the area and wanted to write about it, but didn’t want to be restricted by an actual place. My imagination needed more freedom to get the story out. The positions at the resort exist in some form, but the characters are fictitious.

  If you’d like to connect, send me tweet @StanleyKMS telling me you’ve read DESCENT, and I’ll follow you back. I can also be found at http:\www.KristinaStanley.com.

  Soon to be published, BLAZE will take you on a Stone Mountain journey of arson and betrayal. How far can you be pushed before you want revenge?

  With all my heart, I thank you for reading DESCENT.

  Kristina Stanley

  Novels by Kristina Stanley

  Descent

  Blaze

  (Coming this summer)

  About the Author

  Kristina Stanley is the author of the Stone Mountain Mystery Series. Her books have garnered the attention of prestigious crime writing organizations in Canada and England. Crime Writers of Canada nominated her first novel for the Unhanged Arthur award. The Crime Writers’ Association nominated her second novel for the Debut Dagger. She is published in the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

  Before writing her series, Kristina was the director of security, human resources and guest services at a resort in the depths of the British Columbian mountains. The job and lifestyle captured her heart, and she decided to write mysteries about life in an isolated resort. While writing the first four novels, she spent five years living aboard a sailboat in the US and the Bahamas.

  Find out more about her at www.KristinaStanley.com.

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