“Nah, can’t say as I’ve ever heard that. Far as I know, the Wilkinsons actually own quite a bit of land up here. They wanted to keep the view unobstructed and what not.”
“I see.”
“If there was a place to live,” he continued, as if not hearing her reply, “my guess is it would be toward the lake. I’ve heard rumor of a cabin out there, something only the Wilkinsons know about, but you’d have to be an experienced rider to get out there.”
“Really? Why?” She was intrigued by his rumor.
“The terrain. I suppose you could walk it, but it would be a lot easier by horseback. You’d just need to be careful because there wouldn’t be an exact trail, you know? Trails are either made by man or by beast, but they have to be made.”
“So, you’re saying someone would have to ride out to the cabin to reach it.”
“Exactly. There are no roads that I know of and it wouldn’t be a pleasant walk. No, Spirit here’d take you, but it’d be slow going. And that’s assuming there even is a cabin. I wouldn't put money on it, seeing as how the Wilkinsons stick pretty close to the lodge these days. Used to be a time where—”
He was cut off by the sound of a scream. Then, up ahead, they saw Jenny’s horse rear back. She held on tight, her face red with the effort, until the horse came back down, prancing back and forth until Jenny could calm it. Kyle called out that everything was all right.
“Wonder what happened?” Margot mused.
“Snake most likely,” Bubb said. “That’s Prancer, for obvious reasons. He’s a feisty one, but Jenny knows how to handle him.”
Margot blinked. “You know Jenny?”
“I wouldn’t say know her, but I’ve seen her before, yes. She’s a good rider, that one.”
Margot merely smiled, her mind whirring with questions as Bubb jumped into a story of horseback riding up in the mountains when he was a boy. Margot only half listened as she tried to figure out a reason that Jenny would have lied about knowing how to ride.
Chapter 6
Thankfully, dinner was uneventful and when they got back to CeCe’s cabin, it had been undisturbed.
“Why don’t you stay with me again tonight?” Margot suggested. “You should sleep better knowing I'm there. Or I can stay here on your couch.”
“Margot, you are not sleeping on my couch during your vacation. I won’t hear of it. Let me just grab a few things and I’ll come back with you. Okay?”
Margot nodded and waited for her friend to put together a small bag of items she’d need. As she waited, she walked to the large windows overlooking the woods. During the day, it was verdant and beautiful, but at night, it was almost spooky. She wouldn’t say as much to CeCe, but the reality of the trail she’d found and the fact that things were not adding up here at the resort made matters that much more serious. She only had two more days to figure out what was going on. A thought that made her all the more sure that someone was playing a trick on CeCe. A very cruel trick, but a trick indeed.
For some reason, though it went against logical sense, she didn’t think that Rick was behind all of this.
CeCe came back out into the main room with a tote slung over her shoulder and a pair of fluffy pink slippers in her hand. “This should do it.”
“I’m glad to see you got the essentials,” Margot said with a grin, indicating the slippers.
“A woman needs to be pampered.”
Margot laughed and led the way out the front door and to her cabin. The door lock popped open with a soft click and she stepped into the dark room. Flicking on the light, she froze. CeCe bumped into her with a soft oomph.
“Margot,” she said with impatience.
“CeCe,” Margot said in a strained whisper. “Get back.”
“Margot, what is it?” Her friend’s voice was stern, no longer playful.
“Th-there’s s snake in the middle of the room.”
With strength Margot didn’t know she possessed, CeCe yanked Margot back and slammed the door shut. Her hand trembled on Margot’s shoulder. “What did it look like?”
“Uh…” Margot blinked rapidly, the only thought in her mind was the length of brown and tan on the floor coming toward her. All right, so maybe it hadn’t been moving but it felt like it. “B-brown. And tan.”
“Oh my,” CeCe said as they both backed away from the door.
“What? Is that a poisonous snake?”
“Sounds like a copperhead. I don’t think they are aggressive, but still, we have to get it out of there!”
“I know,” Margot said, wondering if it was too late to simply go back to Cece’s place to stay.
“How did it get in there in the first place?” CeCe asked, almost to herself.
Margot’s mind snapped to the incident earlier that day. Hadn’t Bubb said Jenny’s horse had been startled by a snake? And now this. Either the resort was crawling with snakes or…was it possible someone had put it in her cabin?
“I'm calling Chuck,” CeCe said, reaching for her phone.
“Why, is he a snake whisperer?”
CeCe rolled her eyes. “No, but he’s a man and he grew up in these mountains. Maybe he’ll know what to do.”
When Chuck arrived with one of the stable-hands, they bravely went into her cabin and, several minutes later, came out with a canvas bag and triumphant smiles.
“Good thing Mike here knows how to deal with snakes. I’m no good, but you ladies should be fine tonight. We checked the rest of the cabin as well—just the one.”
Margot felt better and yet, even after their reassurances, she felt uneasy stepping into the cabin, looking around every corner.
“This is ridiculous,” CeCe said, shaking her head. “I hate snakes.”
“I’m not fond of them in the places where I’m going to sleep,” Margot said with a smile. But her mind was far from their conversation. Was it possible that someone had placed the snake in the cabin? Had they wanted them to go back to CeCe’s cabin to stay for the night? Possibly for the sake of ease? Or was someone trying to scare her? Or was it possible a snake had just found its way into the cabin?
“Has this happened before?” she asked CeCe as the woman pulled her feet up on the couch, still looking around uneasily.
“No. At least not that I’ve heard of. These cabins are relatively new, and the older ones have been redone recently. I assume they close up holes that snakes could get in, but I suppose there’s always a way, right?”
“I suppose,” Margot said, though she wasn’t convinced.
Setting her mind against worry and fear, she took a deep breath and looked at CeCe. “Let’s put it behind us. We’ll have tea, chat like the old friends that we are, and go to bed without a worry because they have removed the only snake in here.”
CeCe grinned at Margot’s show of bravado and nodded definitively. “Yes. I agree.”
So, for a little while longer, they drank tea and talked about life since they had last seen one another, and then they went to bed, though Margot was sure that they both checked the sheets before crawling in.
CeCe was just leaving the cabin when Margot came out of her room the next morning. She hadn’t slept well, dreams of snakes filling her mind and making her toss and turn. Hoping that CeCe had better sleep, she waved to her friend as she closed the door and made her way to the coffee maker. She would still drink a cup of coffee in the dining hall, but there was something about beautiful mornings with a cup of coffee in hand.
Half an hour later when her phone buzzed on the table next to her, she was surprised to see that CeCe had texted. Had she forgotten something in the cabin?
Big meeting. Hurry!
The words didn’t quite make sense. Was there a meeting for the staff? If so, why would she attend? Either way, she could make her way to the dining room since it was close to breakfast.
Dressing quickly in shorts and a light t-shirt with a striped cardigan for the morning chill, she made her way down the wooded path, her eyes scouring it for snakes now
. She arrived at the lodge quickly.
Chuck sat behind the front desk looking harried. Odd, seeing as how it was still early morning and there didn’t seem to be many guests in the area. She flashed a smile at him and walked toward the dining hall.
“Oh! Missus Durand, don’t—” he said but too late. Margot had already opened the door to see resort staff circled around Detective Sal Rexton, his face a shade of crimson that didn’t look healthy.
“I told them to keep the door shut until I was ready.”
Margot blinked. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“You,” he said, his eyes narrowing. He strode toward her and the circle of people parted like the Red Sea before Moses. “You found the body with that other woman.”
The way he said it made her feel somehow as if she were to blame for the poor man’s death. “Yes.” She didn’t back down. “You took our statements,” she said, though she wanted to add that he had also overlooked obvious evidence, but she knew now wasn’t the time to point that out.
“I’ll need to talk to you again.”
She blinked, looking around the circle until she saw CeCe’s face, her eyes wide in shock.
He tossed a hand in her direction then charged back to the circle as if he’d dealt with Margot all he needed to. Then he was back to barking orders at the staff and saying how he and his men would be questioning everyone, leaving no stone unturned, and not leaving until he had what he wanted. She felt as if he’d used every cliché in the book but she merely pressed her lips together and waited.
Eventually, he let the staff go and guests began to trickle in. CeCe rushed toward Margot, her eyes as wide as saucers. “I can’t believe it, can you?”
“Believe that it’s a good thing Detective Rexton didn’t become a doctor?”
CeCe frowned. “What?”
“Because he has no bedside manner.”
CeCe rolled her eyes. “No. Margot, Darren Stevens was murdered.”
“I know.”
“What?” CeCe looked shocked.
“I had a feeling,” Margot said. “There were a few things that didn’t line up with the crime scene and—”
“Margot, he thinks someone here did it.”
“Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he?”
“But, Margot,” CeCe said, gripping her arm, “that means someone here is a murderer.”
Margot nodded solemnly. “I know.”
One of the wait staff came up at that moment and CeCe was pulled away, but soon the room was filled with guests and Detective Rexton was taking the podium, his pudgy finger tapping loudly on the microphone.
“Is this thing even on?” he said, his voice bellowing out of the speakers. Many in the room responded with angry yeses. Margot noted their coffee cups were empty and had a feeling that was partly responsible for the mood.
“Now listen,” Rexton began, his mood matching that of the grouchy morning guests. “We’ve got a situation here, folks.” Murmurs broke out around the room. “There was a man found dead here just the other night.”
The audible gasps in the room drew Margot’s attention around. She noted that most people hadn’t heard about the death since it had happened at night and they’d done a quick job of clearing the scene, likely too quickly in Margot’s opinion, but now there was no reason to keep it quiet.
“Upon first look, we assumed accidental death, all of the facts lined up to that, but then as we processed evidence, we found some inconsistencies.”
“What does this mean?” a woman on the verge of hysterics said.
“Settle down now,” he said, holding up a steadying hand. “Because of this, we will be completing a more thorough investigation. Stan and Lela have graciously offered us the access we need, but what I need from you is your cooperation.” He sent his focused stare around the room, as if he could look into the souls of everyone. “We’ll do our best not to interrupt your schedule, but we will need statements from you all, to check alibis and the like.”
More murmuring broke out. Margot distinctly heard guests frustrated about the interruption of their vacation and she felt sorry for them. But wasn’t the investigation of a man’s death more important than one’s vacation?
“Now, enjoy your breakfast and please pay attention to the deputy that will come around to your table to tell you when and where your statement will be taken.”
Margot watched as Rexton stepped down, his stare hard as if he expected opposition. She felt bad for him, knowing he had a difficult job to deal with all of the people who would be unhappy and those who would be frantic and worried for their safety. Despite their first meeting, she wanted to think the best of the detective and hoped everyone would make his job easy.
He passed her without a sideways glance and then she was immersed in the conversation of the table, Fran and Edgar talking in animated tones about how this was the most excitement they’d ever had on a vacation. Margot wasn’t sure she’d call this excitement. Murder was never exciting. Though they did have something right--this vacation would be different than any they had ever taken.
Chapter 7
Margot’s morning passed without consequence, her meeting with one of the detectives set up for later that afternoon. Then an idea struck her and she made her way toward the kitchen.
“Hello, Missus Durand,” Alice said, her dark hair slipping out from the cap around her face. “Can I help you with something?”
Margot smiled, looking guilty. “I was actually wondering if I could possibly get my hands into some dough.”
Alice frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”
“I’m a baker,” Margot laughed. “I thought CeCe had warned the kitchen staff. She’d told me I could make a little creation for Stan and Lela.”
“Oh, how wonderful,” Alice said, clasping her hands in front of her. “She didn’t mention it, but I’m sure it would be fine.”
“Perfect,” Margot said. She felt slightly guilty, thinking that this was the best way for her to get to know the kitchen staff and ask them a few questions about CeCe. It was true, she wanted to bake, but she’d rather know if any of the staff had a desire for CeCe’s job more.
“Why don’t I show you around?”
“That’d be great. Are you sure I won’t be in the way?”
“I’ll ask sous chef Alexander, but I don’t think so.”
Margot followed the girl through the kitchen, first meeting the sous chef, who graciously welcomed her, and then the rest of the staff. They were all exceptionally nice, helpful, and all seemed to love CeCe. When they found out that they went back as friends, the questions seemed endless.
Alice finally showed her to a small workstation and pointed her in the direction of the ingredients she would need.
“This is perfect. Thank you, Alice. You’re sure this isn’t an inconvenience?”
She laughed. “I’m positive. Besides, Betty does her work early in the morning and then she’s off for the rest of the day. She lives down the hill—as those of us who live up here call it. She won’t be back until tomorrow anyway.”
“Then I’ll get to work.”
And work she did. Unsure of what the Wilkinsons would like, she decided to do her famous vanilla bean macaroons, a batch of religieuse, and éclairs with her famous chocolate adornments to complete the platter she would take to Stan and Lela.
The feeling of flour on her fingers was refreshing and she took longer on her presentation than she normally would have. Just as she was putting on the finishing touches to her religieuse, a woman stopped behind her, obviously admiring her work.
“Beautiful,” she said, awe lacing her words.
“Thank you.” Margot stood up, looking at her work. There were a few imperfections that wouldn’t have been an issue had she been in her own kitchen, but she was happy overall with how they had turned out.
“I'm Shelly,” the woman said, holding out her hand but, seeing the icing bag in Margot’s one hand and the sticky mess on the other, she gri
nned and dropped it.
“Sorry.” Margot shrugged. “I’m Margot. Nice to meet you.”
“You too. What are you up to here?” She again observed Margot’s work with an appreciative eye.
“I thought the Wilkinsons might like these. I’d promised to bake for them.”
“That’s nice of you.” She turned her gaze up to look at Margot. “Better watch out, they might hire you.”
“Oh, I think Mister Wilkinson already tried that, and he hadn’t even tried my pastries.”
“Sounds just like him. Seems to give anyone a job around here.” The bitterness in the woman’s voice surprised her. Was this it? Was the woman a possibility for someone who wanted to take CeCe’s job? It seemed unlikely that she would be involved in that, her mannerisms speaking more to a tired mother than a woman on the look out to take someone’s job, but Margot knew better than to assume.
“What do you mean?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant and keeping her attention on the pastries.
“I just think that Stan should watch out who he hires. That’s all. Not you,” she said with a laugh, “you look like you know how to do your job.”
Yes, there was definitely bitterness in the woman’s tone.
“Sounds like you know of someone he’s hired that is maybe lacking talent?” Margot looked up at the woman, who merely shrugged.
“Far be it for me to tell him how to do his job, but a kitchen is a difficult place to work. Hard enough without someone coming in who doesn’t know what she’s doing.”
Now Margot’s attention was held completely by the woman. “Oh?” she said, hoping it would merely encourage the woman.
She looked around, careful to make sure no one was nearby. “I don’t mean to speak out of turn, but it’s just not right. She doesn't have experience for a kitchen like this and he practically dotes on her.”
Margot Durand Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 4 - 6 Page 14
