“The imaginary one?” Eddy shook his head.

  “Jo’s right, Eddy. You need to calm down and think this through. No matter what, something strange has happened here, and we’re the only ones that believe it,” Samantha said.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll try my best to keep things straight in my mind. I’ll admit, I’m pretty wound up about this. I don’t like to be treated that way.”

  “No one does, but no one is immune to it either. Why don’t you tell me again, exactly what you saw?” Jo met his eyes.

  “I saw a man on the floor with something sticking out of his chest.”

  “Something?”

  “I can’t say exactly what it was. It was some kind of tool.”

  “But you’re sure it was in his chest?”

  “Yes, of course I am. Then I checked for a pulse. His skin was still warm, but there was no pulse. So he’d just been killed.”

  “Or maybe you just felt in the wrong place?” Samantha sat down on the other side of him.

  “Samantha!”

  “Eddy.” She put her hand on his. “We all make mistakes sometimes. Not every human being is designed the same. Maybe this man has some kind of defect which makes it hard to feel his pulse in his neck. Did you check his wrist?”

  “No, I didn’t.” He frowned. “I didn’t have my phone. I wanted to get help as fast as I could.”

  “That’s totally understandable. Do you think it’s possible he was alive?”

  “No.” Eddy’s lips drew into a straight, thin line. “I saw his chest, I saw the body, I know he was dead.”

  “All right, then we can all agree to that.”

  “You can?”

  “Yes.” Samantha looked at the others. “Can’t we?”

  “Yes, if you say so, Eddy, I believe you.” Jo nodded.

  “Yes, I agree as well. However, I want to also point out, that dead bodies don’t just disappear, so we need to get to the bottom of this,” Walt said.

  “I agree.” Eddy sighed. “If it wasn’t the security staff, then maybe.” He paused.

  “What is it, Eddy?” Samantha prompted him.

  “Maybe I interrupted the murder by arriving when I did. Maybe the killer was hiding somewhere in the dining hall. When I ran to get help, maybe the killer moved the body. It’s the only time that it could have been done.”

  “And if the killer moved the body, it had to be done fast. So that limits the options,” Walt said.

  “But now that we’ve wasted time waiting for the security staff to believe me, there’s a good chance the killer has found another way to hide the body.”

  “Good point. The body might have been hidden temporarily, and then moved again.” Walt cleared his throat.

  “So, not only do we have a body floating around here somewhere, we have a desperate murderer as well, who may consider Eddy the only witness to his crime.” Jo looked across the table at him. “You need to keep that in mind. Your safety could be at risk.”

  As if to punctuate her words, there was a loud knock on the door. Walt jumped. Samantha stood up and walked over to the door. Eddy followed after her. When she answered it, the head of security greeted both of them.

  “I thought you might want an update. Our security team just finished the search, and there is no sign of any body anywhere on the property. Of course the grounds are inaccessible because of the storm. We have yet to reach Howard, the actor we think you saw, but that’s not surprising. He’s a bit of a drunk, and he is probably off somewhere sleeping it off. Listen, he probably got liquored up and decided to pull a prank, I’m sorry that you were the butt of it.”

  “There’s no way it was a prank. You’re really not going to do another search?” Eddy asked.

  “I don’t have anything to look for. Maybe in the morning, we’ll take another look around. But I’m sure by then we’ll have found Howard, and we can put all of this to rest. For tonight, just try to relax, and trust me when I tell you, what you think you saw, wasn’t actually a murder victim.”

  “Sure.” Eddy crossed his arms. “Thanks for your efforts.”

  “If you have any more concerns please don’t hesitate to call the front desk. We have staff available all night.”

  “Great. If I need a cup of warm milk, I’ll be sure to ring.”

  “All right, sir.” He nodded, then turned and walked out of the room.

  “Eddy, you didn’t have to be so brusque, he’s only doing his job.” Samantha closed the door behind him.

  “I know, I know, I’m the bad guy here. But are you forgetting that someone is dead, and no one is trying to figure out why, or who did it?” Eddy shook his head. “That doesn’t seem like something that I should be nice about. If it seems like that to you, then it’s not my attitude that you should be worried about.”

  “You don’t need to attack me,” Samantha said.

  “I’m not attacking you.” He groaned with frustration.

  “Enough. Eddy is right. If there was a murder we can’t just pretend there wasn’t. We have to figure out what happened to the body. The security staff isn’t taking this seriously. I say we do our own search,” Jo said.

  “How are we going to do that? There’s three foot of snow outside,” Walt said.

  “And the snow was already falling when Eddy saw the body.” Samantha snapped her fingers. “Which means that whoever moved the body wouldn’t be able to get it off the property. So, it more than likely has to be hidden here somewhere inside of the resort.”

  “If we do a floor by floor search we might be able to find something. Most of the guests will already be in their rooms for the night so it should be easy to accomplish. If I can look up the floor plans of the resort, then we can split up and each take a section to search.” Walt pulled out his laptop and began to search for the plans.

  “Always prepared.” Samantha smiled.

  “That’s a great idea, Walt. Let’s do it.” Jo paced through the center of the room.

  “There’s four of us, and four floors, but one of the floors has a separate wing with the kitchen, bar and dining hall. It is on the ground floor and it also has some rooms for the staff as well as the lobby, recreation room and café in the main wing.”

  “I should take the separate wing on the ground floor as it is probably locked up for the night,” Jo said.

  “You’re going to break in?” Samantha frowned. “What if we get caught? We might get kicked out.”

  “Do you really think they’re going to throw us out in the snow?” Jo shook her head. “That wouldn’t exactly be good business. Can you picture the headline? Guests found frozen after getting the cold shoulder.”

  “Good point.”

  “So, it’s a plan then?” Eddy glanced between the group.

  “Yes.” Walt nodded. “Eddy, which floor would you like?” Walt showed him the floor plans on his computer. “The first floor has eighteen rooms and four supply closets. The second floor has fifteen rooms and the gym and only two supply closets, and the third floor has fifteen rooms, two supply closets, and the stairs that lead to the roof.”

  “I’ll take the first and third floors. It’s possible that the murderer decided to hide the body in one of the supply closets, or even on the roof,” Eddy said.

  “I think I should take the rest of the ground floor, so Jo can concentrate on the dining wing,” Walt said.

  “Good idea.” Eddy nodded.

  “Okay, that leaves you the second floor, Samantha. Does that sound okay to you?” Walt asked.

  “Yes, that’s fine. I’ll head out now.” She stood up and grabbed her purse.

  “Be cautious.” Eddy met her eyes. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.”

  “I understand, I’ll be careful.” As she headed out the door, she could feel Eddy’s eyes on her. He was always so protective, not just because they were friends, but because she’d confided in him a few times of her adventures as a journalist. She’d pushed the boundaries of safety and sanity on a few occasions. She didn’t regret it, but now that she was in her sixties she was a little more cautious about things.

  6

  Samantha took her time as she walked along the hallway of the second floor. Although the hallway was empty, she still listened closely. Voices would drift through the closed doors, and though she doubted that anyone would be discussing a missing body, she listened just in case. As she continued down the hall, her mind shifted back to Eddy’s words. He said he checked for a pulse. That was the part that bugged her. Even the best actor couldn’t conceal a heartbeat. So, either Eddy was mistaken, which was unlikely to her, or there really was a missing body. She paused outside of the gym and peered inside. There were several types of equipment, televisions, and a vending machine. It was a wide open room, and she didn’t see anywhere that a body could be hidden. Still, she opened the door and stepped inside.

  In the back of the gym there was a door that she assumed led to a closet. She tried the knob, but it wouldn’t turn. She turned it as hard as she could, and it still didn’t budge. With a frown she wished she had Jo’s lock-picking skills. She made a note about the closet being a potential hiding place. However, there was nothing else in the room that appeared to be disturbed. With its glass front walls, she guessed that it would be the last place someone would choose to hide a body. There was too much exposure, and too much of a chance that someone could randomly walk in. As she turned to leave she noticed a camera in the corner of the room near the entrance. That was another reason to doubt that the closet was the hiding place. She left the gym and continued down the hall. She checked the other supply closet that she passed. It was filled with cleaning supplies, and an assortment of extra furniture. There was nothing inside it that held her attention. A couple headed towards her from one of the rooms at the end of the hallway. Both looked a little tipsy as they leaned on each other for support.

  “Hey, hey!” The man waved his hand at her. “Do you know if they opened up the bar again yet?”

  “No sorry, I think it’s closed for the night.”

  “Darn, all because some drunk guy had a breakdown.” He chuckled. “Poor sap was probably using more than alcohol. What fun is a blizzard if you can’t spend it in a bar?”

  “I don’t know really.” Samantha shrugged. “I’ve never been in a blizzard before.”

  “Trust me, you want to be drunk, as drunk as you can be. Just ask my buddy Howard, he’ll tell you.”

  “Oh, is he experienced?”

  “Sure, he and I used to hole up in a bar for every blizzard. We practiced our lines, all of the ladies loved it.”

  “Marty.” The woman beside him rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to hear about that.”

  “Sorry hon, but it’s true. Me and Howard, we had a blast. You haven’t seen him have you?” He rubbed his head for a moment as if he might be confused. “I’ve been calling him, but he isn’t answering.”

  “I’m sorry, no I haven’t.”

  “Oh well. I bet we can get some booze from room service. Let’s go back to your room.” He tugged the woman back towards the room. Samantha did her best not to judge. As a rule she tried to accept people as they were. But she had a difficult time with drunks. She turned her attention back to the other rooms in the hallway. As she passed by one room, she noticed that the door was propped open a few inches. She also heard a rather angry voice.

  “What do you mean you can’t find him? We came all the way here. You promised me that you were the best. You better find him, and fast, or we’re going to have a real problem here.”

  “I’ve been asking everyone. Someone mentioned that he pulled a prank on one of the guests, but hasn’t been seen since.”

  “It’s not your job to ask questions. It’s your job to know the answers. I hired you, for quite a bit of money, and I want results.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I’m sorry, ma’am.”

  “Find him.”

  Samantha ducked out of the way as a tall figure emerged from the room. He didn’t appear to be in any mood for introductions as he brushed past her towards the stairs. He wore a long leather coat and a hat with the brim pulled down. It could have just been to protect him from the winter weather, but it struck her as odd that he was wearing it inside. She lingered for a moment close to the door. Maybe if the woman inside came out she would be able to find out some more information. However, after a few minutes slipped by, the door pushed shut and Samantha heard a lock engage. She frowned and continued down the hallway. It sounded like a private argument, not something that she would usually stick her nose into, but in this situation, she felt it was required. Maybe if she could figure out who the woman was, she could find out more about the meaning of the conversation.

  Eddy checked his watch. Samantha had been gone for a few minutes. He wondered for a moment if he should have gone with her. “I’m headed to the first floor. Let me know if you two come across anything.”

  “We will.” Walt tapped his chin. “I just want to check the plans one more time.”

  “Good idea.” Eddy stepped out the door and closed it behind him.

  “Here Jo, I don’t want you to go in blind. These are the entrances to the areas that you want to search,” Walt said.

  “So, do you think through the bar is the best way to access all areas?” Jo leaned over Walt’s shoulder and looked at the computer screen.

  “I think so. It will give you an entrance to the kitchen, an entrance to the dining hall, and an entrance to that storage room.” He pointed out the room on the screen.

  “Perfect. It shouldn’t be too difficult to get in.”

  Walt reviewed the floor plans again, then looked over at Jo.

  “Are you sure you want to do this alone? I could accompany you.”

  “Thank you for the offer, Walt, but I can handle it.”

  “I know you can.” He sighed. “I guess it’s just in my nature to be protective.”

  “I appreciate that.” She held his eyes for a moment, then tilted her head towards the door. “Let’s go. Now is the best time, the sooner the better.”

  “You’re right.” He led the way through the door and down to the ground floor. As Jo headed towards the separate wing, Walt trailed behind her.

  “Are you going to follow me?” She flashed a smile over her shoulder at him.

  “Maybe?”

  “I’ll be fine, I promise. Just do me a favor, and if you see anyone in the area, keep them occupied.”

  “I can do that.” He nodded. “Just be careful.”

  “Aw Walt, it’s sweet of you to worry about me.” She met his eyes.

  “Statistically, people who pick locks are far more likely to be shot dead than the average person.” He cleared his throat.

  “Oh, thanks for that.” She raised an eyebrow. “I guess I beat the statistics since I’ve been picking locks for a very long time, and I’m still here.”

  “True, you are above average.”

  “Thanks, Walt.” She hugged him, then headed down the hallway towards the wing with the kitchen, dining hall, and bar. Walt paced back and forth through the empty hallways of the ground floor. Most of the ground floor was taken up by the lobby, the recreation room, and a small café and juice bar where breakfast and snacks were sold. The café was closed, the lobby was populated by only one person behind the front desk, and the recreation room was empty. As people sheltered in their rooms for the night, he wondered whether they knew that the murder mystery had already begun. Or was one of them holed up behind a closed door, the killer? His skin crawled at the thought. It was one thing to risk a bedbug infestation, it was quite another to be sharing a roof with a murderer.

  When he heard a strange squeaking sound, he followed it down another hallway towards a small section of rooms which from the plans he knew accommodated the staff. The hallway was empty. So where did the sound come from? He walked along the corridor, and listened. He heard a squeak deep inside one of the rooms. As he paused in front of the door, the squeak drew closer. He took a step back just before the door swung open, and a cart was pushed out into the hallway. One of the wheels squeaked.

  “I can oil that for you.” Walt’s eyes widened with desperation. “You don’t have to put up with that.”

  “Excuse me? With what?” The young woman before him stared back.

  “That horrible squeak. Just a little bit of oil, or maybe some WD-40, will have it rolling smoothly.”

  “Oh, I don’t even notice it, I guess I’m just used to it.”

  “You shouldn’t have to be.” He crouched down and looked at the wheel. “Not to mention what it does to those that have to listen to it as it rolls past. I mean, that kind of grating noise can really wear on the psyche of anyone who is forced to listen to it.”

  “Are you trying to say that the squeaky wheel on my cart is going to make me crazy?” She laughed. “I’ll be sure to tell the boss that. If you don’t mind, I have more rooms to clean.”

  “Oh? What are you using?” He stood back up and eyed the bottles in the top of her cart. “Hmm, not a bad selection, although I would stay away from anything with a pine scent. Research shows that scented cleaning products can cause headaches.”

  “Huh, really? It doesn’t bother me.”

  “You must have an amazing tolerance level.” He studied her for a moment. “Are you a mother?”

  “Of two.” She smiled.

  “That explains it. Mothers are generally too traumatized to be sensitive to small disturbances.”

  “Traumatized?” She laughed again. “I guess that’s one way to put it.”

  “It’s the truth. Your nerves, senses, and stress hormones are so overworked that you become immune to things that used to be intolerable.”

  “Interesting. I guess that’s why I can put up with all of the screaming.”

  “Oh yes.” He cringed. “I give you credit for that. However, you may want to consider therapy.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, I mean no offense, I’m just concerned for your mental state. Not enough people are. Mothers are seen as infallible, and as a result many women who are mothers suffer with feelings of hopelessness that are rarely recognized or treated. Do you ever have feelings of hopelessness?”