The Lodge at Whispering Pines

by Melissa R. L. Simonin

  “Then hurry!” said Doreen, bouncing in her seat.

  “Yes ma’am,” Miles glanced at me and smiled, and I smiled back. “I’ll start driving now.”

  Silly girl, we’re already halfway up the mountain.

  She groaned, flopped over in her seat, and blessed us with silence the rest of the way there.

  Miles parked in front of the Lodge, and we practically hit the ground running. We raced past the check-in counter, raced to the elevator, waited impatiently as it slowly rose to our floor, then raced inside.

  Violet was asleep.

  It was just as well, I had some truth to examine before we talked to her again.

  We adjourned to the family room, and had a seat.

  “So how does this work?” Doreen wanted to know.

  “Sometimes I hear the truth in words. That’s usually what happens. But there are times when I experience the truth. It’s like I’m there seeing it happen. That’s what happened tonight. The truth is locked inside my mind, and I need to go have a look at it.”

  “It’s going to seem like it takes a fraction of a second to us,” said Miles, as he put his arms around me and pulled me close. “It’ll be much longer for Anika. Whatever time this truth encompasses, she’ll be there. She often comes out of these truths exhausted, so…”

  “This one isn’t as long though,” I reassured them both, as I pressed my cheek against Miles’ chest. “I’m ready.”

  Gina watched Spence as he talked to the girl in the Elizabeth Conner costume. She laughed, and he smiled. Gina’s face was filled with envy and hatred for the girl.

  “C’mon Gina, give it up,” said another girl. She left the group she was in to stand next to Gina. “You’re just driving yourself crazy.”

  “Does she not know we’re together?” asked Gina bitterly.

  The other girl looked at the group surrounding Spence and sighed.

  “Look, Gina…” the girl chewed her lip and carefully weighed her words. “Think about it. Are you together?”

  Gina’s eyes lit with fire and she spat, “Yes, we’re together!”

  “Well then why aren’t you together?” the girl persisted. “Why’s he over there?”

  “Because his friends hate me,” Gina scowled.

  “Then if you’re together, why’s he hanging out with them, instead of you?”

  Gina looked frustrated, then triumphant.

  “Because he’s supposed to be working. Dad told him he couldn’t bring a date.”

  The friend raised an eyebrow and gave her a look.

  “Wonder why your dad did that?” she asked a little sarcastically.

  Gina glared at Spence’s back, and wouldn’t make eye contact with the girl.

  “Look Gina, I don’t know what to tell you. But… if a guy is with another girl, it means he doesn’t want to be with you. Okay? I’m sorry to be blunt, but I’m getting really tired of this. You’re living in a fantasy world again, and… it’s bad for everyone.”

  “Fine! Be that way!” Gina lashed out. The girl shook her head, and went back to her friends.

  Gina looked across the room where her father stood talking to other members of the faculty. Her face filled with a mix of resolve and vengeance, and she spun on her heel as the girl in the Elizabeth Conner costume leaned over and whispered to Spence. Gina spun back just in time to see him nod, then the girl turned and glided up the stairs.

  Gina followed.

  Sliding around the top of the stairs and into the dark hall, she watched as the girl vanished into the room at the other end.

  Her eyes narrowed as she watched the doorway of the darkened room. As she took a step that direction, on the stairs behind her she heard footsteps and chattering voices.

  “Hey, where’s the bathroom?” asked one of a group of girls.

  Gina looked annoyed. “It’s down there,” she said, pointing to the hall on the other side of the stairs. “Around that corner.”

  “Thanks,” said the girl, and they went in search of it.

  Gina waited until they were out of sight, then setting her lips in a thin line, walked briskly toward the room which held the guests’ coats. She flipped on the light and searched the room rapidly, even under the bed. With every move she became more agitated, her eyes filling with pent-up rage. There was no one here.

  Flipping off the light, she stepped back out into the hallway. She nearly tripped over the cat as it ran past her, and out the French door at the end of the hall and onto the balcony.

  With an exclamation of annoyance, she started back toward the stairs, then stopped. Realization of some kind filled her eyes, and she turned back to the French door.

  She cautiously looked through the glass panes.

  The night was dark. Clouds filled the sky, infrequently allowing a moonbeam to pass and light the earth below. But there, carefully stepping from the deck to the chair was the figure of a girl, her long white gown and blond hair standing out against the dark forest surrounding the house.

  Gina watched the girl, a puzzled frown momentarily joining the anger which still filled her face.

  The girl spoke softly to the cat, its eyes catching the light cast by a moonbeam as it slipped through the clouds.

  The girl was worried about the cat, determined to reach it and bring it back inside.

  “You’ve gotta come in, it’s Halloween! It’s not safe to be out, and there’s coyotes, you know!”

  Gina shook her head scornfully, her lip curled.

  The girl carefully balanced on the rail and reached for a branch of the tree that was just shy of overhanging the balcony. Holding to it with one hand, she reached toward the cat with her other.

  “C’mon cat, please get back down!”

  Gina laughed in derisive amusement.

  The girl was startled and turning to look over her shoulder, she lost her balance. She instinctively took a step back onto the table she knew was behind her, but her weight caused the table to tip. She pulled herself forward again, her fingers losing their grip on the limb as she did so. She fell sideways with a sharp cry of alarm.

  The sound her body made as she hit the ground below was sickening.

  Gina stood, wide-eyed and pale, staring at the spot where the girl had been just moments before. She slowly moved forward as if drawn. She stared over the rail and down at the motionless figure of the girl. For several minutes she stood there, until her heart and her breathing slowed.

  Then turning, she went back inside.

  “Hi Spence,” said Gina, running across one of the campus’ large grassy areas to catch up with him.

  A flash of irritation filled Spence’s eyes at the sound of her voice, but he continued on without a look in her direction.

  “Spence!” she said again, falling into step beside him. “How’ve you been? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  He suddenly turned on her.

  “I am not in a good place right now Gina, so be smart and leave me alone. You and me, we are not together, so stop telling people that we are! The only girl I want to be with is in a coma, and I blame you for that!”

  The look in Spence’s eyes quailed Gina, and she shrank back. He stared her down several long seconds more, then turned on his heel and walked away.

  Gina’s heart beat hard and fear filled her eyes.

  “I’m scared, you should have seen him today,” Gina cried as the girl listened, a mix of concern and doubt in her eyes. “He was so angry. I don’t know what he might do.”

  The girl sighed in frustration.

  “Look, Gina. Leave the guy alone. Just leave him alone. It’s that simple! I don’t see him tracking you down, so just—leave him alone!”

  “It’s not that simple,” Gina sniffed.

  “Well why not?” demanded the girl, her patience entirely gone.

  “Because I saw him attack Violet O’Neill! Okay? I saw it, and he knows! I’m scared he might hurt me, or claim I did it.”

  Gina cried some more as she watched th
e girl underneath her lashes.

  The girl was stunned, her face filled with horror.

  “After what he said, I’m afraid he’ll come after me next,” said Gina, her voice shaking as much as her hands which held the tissue she tore apart bit by bit as the detective listened silently, his expression inscrutable.

  He finally spoke.

  “Tell me again what you saw.”

  “I heard arguing, and looked out the door. They were on the deck…”

  I was left in darkness. I hated this part, but I knew what to do. I prayed, and with a dazzling display of light that flashed through the stones in my wedding rings, I was back on the couch with Miles.

  I sat up, and faced him. He looked into my eyes searchingly as he cupped my cheeks in his hands. Then he looked satisfied.

  “Not the worst then, I take it?” he asked.

  “No, it wasn’t bad. I’m okay.”

  “Good,” he said, kissing the side of my face as I leaned back, his arm around me.

  Doreen looked confused.

  “So it’s about your bedtime, isn’t it?” I asked Doreen.

  Her jaw dropped open and she gave me an appalled look. She picked up a pillow and started to throw it, but then saw the amusement in Miles’ eyes. Slapping it back down on the couch, she crossed her arms, crossed her legs, twitched her foot, and raised an eyebrow.

  I laughed.

  “You’re not just torturing her,” Miles reminded me.

  “Sorry dear,” I said, repentant. “So you’re both wondering who tried to kill Violet. Well… no one did.”

  “What?” exclaimed Doreen. “Gina didn’t try to kill her?”

  “What about the darkness, then?” Miles asked.

  “Violet started to lose her balance and stepped back with one foot, onto the table behind her. We knew that. What we didn’t know was that it was an oblong pedestal table.”

  “Oh…” said Miles. He got it. Doreen looked confused, so he explained. “The table is supported in the center by a pedestal, not by four legs. So if weight is placed on either end, then…”

  “The table tips on its own,” she finished.

  “Gina saw it happen,” I said. “That’s where the darkness comes in. She laughed, which startled and distracted Violet, and she fell. After standing at the railing and looking down at Violet for a while, Gina walked away and told no one. She just left Violet there. The level of callousness reminds me of Alfred, when he left Second-Miles injured and dying after he took his identification.”

  “That’s terrible,” Miles said, disturbed. “She hated her that much?”

  “Yes, she did. She saw there was a spark between Violet and Spence, and hated them both for it. Out of revenge she was going to tell her father Spence brought a date, and try to get him fired, but then Violet went upstairs. So she followed her, and… now we know what happened.”

  “What a horrible girl!” said Doreen indignantly.

  “Yeah. So then later she tracked Spence down on campus. He told her to leave him alone, he blamed her for what happened to Violet. That scared Gina, she was afraid he knew she laughed, causing Violet to lose her balance and fall, and then didn’t get help. So she told one of her friends he threatened her, and that she saw him attack Violet. Then she went to the police and said the same thing.”

  “Okay. So we know what happened now,” said Doreen. “How do we prove it, though?”

  “Violet needs to remember,” said Miles.

  “She heard Gina laugh, then Violet saw Gina over her shoulder as she fell. She’s been so confused about a lot of things, but since she was moved to Memorial Hospital she hasn’t had anything pulling her away. Her mind may be clearer. Maybe hearing her family and Spence is helping, too. Let’s hope so anyway,” I said, as I stood and pulled Miles up with me.

  “Where are you going?” asked Doreen, standing also.

  “To the sitting room,” I said. “We’re going to wake up Violet. We need to talk.”

  The door to the sitting room swung open, and we joined Violet. She was sound asleep.

  “Violet, wake up,” I said. “We know what happened to you Halloween night at the party.”

  Her eyes slowly opened, then she raised her head and looked at me.

  “You know?”

  “Yes. I know what happened.”

  She blinked as if unable to believe it. Then she sat forward.

  “Well—so who tried to kill me?”

  “You heard laughter behind you.”

  She concentrated, as the memory began to dawn on her.

  “I remember that! There was a girl—it was that professor’s daughter, she was standing by the door!” she said excitedly, but then looked puzzled. “But who grabbed the table and tipped it?”

  “No one. The table didn’t have four legs, it was on a pedestal. So when you put weight on the end of it, the table tipped. Between being distracted by Gina’s laughter, your loss of balance, the table tipping, and losing your grip on the tree limb, you fell.”

  She sat very still for several minutes. We were silent as she thought it through. At last she looked up.

  “I remember that now. But how in the world did you figure that out? How could you know that?”

  “I have my ways,” I said cryptically. “What matters is that it’s the truth, and you remember.”

  “You can wake up now,” Doreen said.

  “But I’m alone right now,” she replied. I suspected that was fear in her eyes.

  “Violet, in ICU you’re never really alone,” said Miles gently. “There are nurses everywhere. You’re hooked up to monitors… I was there myself once, remember?”

  She looked at him and then nodded.

  “I think you’re afraid,” he said.

  She thought about that, then nodded.

  “Your family misses you,” I said. “Spence misses you. I know that you miss them.”

  “You’ve been lying in bed for two months,” said Miles. “When you do wake up, you’ll be in physical therapy for a while until you regain the strength you lost while in the coma. It will only become more difficult the longer you wait. Not easier.”

  “Your body is fully healed from your accident,” I remembered to say. “Doctor Reeves doesn’t know why you’re in a coma at all. It’s time to wake up.”

  Violet was trembling indecisively. She wanted to, but was afraid.

  “Spence needs you to wake up so the police will stop investigating him and interrogating him, and trying to trip him up so they can arrest him for trying to murder you,” said Doreen.

  “What?” asked Violet.

  “Yeah. His life has been horrible ever since you were hurt, and not just because he loves you and misses you,” said Doreen. “He’s being investigated. That professor’s daughter that laughed and then didn’t help you, she told the police he attacked you! You have to wake up and tell them the truth!”

  “Thanks for everything,” Violet said, and she was gone.

  Chapter 24

  Either the sun wasn’t up yet, or it was obscured by clouds. I shivered a little as I adjusted the thermostat, and considered whether I ought to spend a few more minutes with the blow dryer before going with Miles to take the dogs on their morning walk.

  I felt Miles put his arms around me and kiss my cheek.

  “Your hair is awfully damp to be going out in the cold,” he commented.

  “I guess it is,” I agreed, turning around so he could kiss me properly. “Have you been out of the room yet?”

  “I have, and your sister is getting ready now. So as soon as you take care of this,” he said, brushing his fingers through my hair, “we’ll go.”

  “Good,” I said, returning to the bathroom. As I finished my hair, Miles sat on the edge of the jet tub and talked to me over the sound of the blow dryer.

  “I talked to the O’Neills while you were in the shower.”

  “You did?” I asked excitedly. “So tell me!”

  “Violet’s awake,” he smiled.
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  “Oh my goodness, I’m so happy!” I said, beaming.

  “The O’Neills are with her, and Spence too. She’s talking up a storm, Mrs. O’Neill said she’s making up for the two months of silence.”

  “Oh, wow,” I said, ready to cry at the thought of what all of them must be feeling. “I’m so glad we were able to help her, and Spence, and her mom and dad. It’s just—the best feeling.”

  “It is,” Miles agreed.

  “Did you tell Doreen?”

  “I did. She’s out there vibrating like a hummingbird, again.”

  I laughed.

  “I hope she can settle down and focus on her classes today.”

  “She’s a smart girl, maybe she’ll be able to learn without settling down or focusing, because I don’t see her doing either of those things today, tomorrow, maybe the rest of the week.”

  I laughed again, then turned off the blow dryer and felt of my hair.

  “I think it’s dry now, what do you think?”

  Miles stood and brushed his fingers through my hair.

  “I don’t expect you’re in imminent danger of frostbite anymore, anyway,” he said.

  “Not that you couldn’t easily remedy that with a single look,” I said, prompting the melting look he gave me. I kissed him for a minute, then glanced at the clock. “We should go, or the dogs will end up with a short walk.”

  “You’re right,” he said, and we walked back into our bedroom as the double doors swung open for us. “Our case is over, your parents will be back tonight, and so true to our agreement, we have no choice but to either hole up here in our suite for a few days, go back to Stonecastle, or elsewhere, for some rest and relaxation.”

  “Oh, let’s do that,” I said.

  “Do what?”

  “Any of those things! I don’t care which,” I said. “Maybe we should go back to Stonecastle, though. I think the Lodge has mice. I heard them all night.”

  “Mice? But we have cats!” Miles said. “How can we have mice?”

  “I don’t know, but we do. I can’t believe it didn’t keep you awake, too. And as for our cats, they were both asleep on the bed. I pushed at Night with my foot to try and wake him up, but no luck.”