19
Kellen gasped, came awake, opened her eyes wide.
Philadelphia.
New York’s Grand Central Terminal south to Philly’s 30th Street Station. Mugged and lost everything except her cousin’s papers—driver’s license, diplomas, which she had strapped under her clothes.
No money. No credit cards. Afraid to speak to the police, to make claims on Kellen’s accounts. Months on the streets, cold, desolate, her best friend a sharp pair of scissors. Then…then there was the child, the sobbing little girl and the man who was hurting her…
Cecilia got so angry!
Kellen didn’t remember anything else. She dug the heels of her palms into her eyes. She did not remember anything else…until she woke in the hospital.
What had she forgotten? More than a year gone from her life. What had she done?
The phone on Annie’s desk rang. Kellen stared at it, then leaped to answer.
“Kellen. Kellen, dear, I’m so much better.” Annie’s voice sounded excessively chipper.
Kellen collapsed onto the desk chair. “Thank God. Leo said you were very ill. We kept you in our prayers.”
“Those prayers helped, because I’m fine now. How are things going at the resort? I trust everything is well!” Okay. Annie’s voice was definitely too chipper.
“Nothing we can’t handle.” Although Lloyd Magnuson hadn’t yet called. “Are you still in the hospital?”
“The people at the hospital are so nice to me. The family is visiting a lot and Leo is such a lovey-dovey. Aren’t you, Leo?” Annie made some kissing noises.
Suddenly Leo was on the line. “Sorry about that demonstration of affection. She is better, much better, so I left to grab a little to eat, her morphine has kicked in and how she managed to dial the phone in her condition…” He lowered his voice. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to be so—”
“Not to worry. I completely understand.”
“Whose, um…” Leo’s voice regained volume. “I’m out in the corridor. She can’t hear me. Last night you said you found a corpse at the resort?”
“Priscilla Carter.”
“She didn’t ditch us, she’s dead? Of natural causes?”
Kellen swiveled around and looked out at the night that had so swiftly fallen. “Murder.”
“Who…? Where…? How…?” Leo couldn’t proceed beyond shocked stammering.
“Lloyd Magnuson took the remains to the coroner in Virtue Falls, but I haven’t heard back from him and his phone is going to voice mail.” Kellen let her frustration be known. “It’s dark and it’s cold and everyone’s looking at each other and wondering who did it. We’ve lost guests and employees over the news. I had hoped getting the facts from Mike Sun might help ease the tension.” Although nothing would ease her tension. Nils Brooks had taken care of that. “Do you think if I called Mr. Sun…?”
“He can’t release the information to you. I’ll take care of it. He knows me from way back, and they found Priscilla on Di Luca property. I’ll let you know when he fills me in. I’m sorry, Kellen. You know Annie and I would never have left if we had imagined something like this would happen.”
“Would it be possible to summon Mr. Gilfilen back from vacation? I’m ill equipped to lead the security team at any time, much less while I’m managing the resort.”
A pause. “Mr. Gilfilen can’t return. It’s not possible.”
She voiced her vague suspicion. “Look, if he’s somewhere close, could I contact him?”
“No! God, no.”
So he was somewhere close. “Leo, really. This is an emergency.”
Leo said, “Perhaps… Well, let me think. Other security personnel work for the Di Lucas. Let me see if I can find someone to send.” Another short pause. “Annie’s calling me. We’ll get in touch with you tomorrow.” He hung up.
Kellen looked at the phone, then placed it in its cradle. If she looked, she could probably find Mr. Gilfilen. He might be somewhere on the grounds, or maybe enjoying the great Washington coast…although that seemed out of character. But what good would tracking him down do? She knew Mr. Gilfilen well enough to know he would do what he would do, and nothing could alter his course.
Hell, maybe he was the Librarian.
The events of the previous day and night had acquired a stained veneer of disbelief and distrust. She looked at everyone—employees, guests, workmen—and wondered who they were beneath their everyday masks.
Her watch alarm vibrated on her wrist. She looked at her scheduler.
Time to pick up the appetizers for the Shivering Sherlocks event and do a little sleuthing of her own.
* * *
Max Di Luca walked down the hospital corridor toward Annie’s room. Today the news was good; she had survived the night and rallied. At breakfast, the whole Di Luca family had at last begun their late Christmas celebration with scrambled eggs and cheese, crisp bacon, fruit salad—and Aunt Sarah’s chocolate chip cookies. Now Max had been sent to remove Leo from his post at Annie’s side. Of course. Max was aggressive, decisive and a former football running back, hence when a possible challenge loomed, he was sent to take care of it. The family called him the Di Luca enforcer. They were joking. Mostly.
But as he approached Annie’s room, he saw Leo sitting in a plastic chair, elbows on his knees, hands over his face.
Max’s heart squeezed in fear. He rushed to Leo and knelt beside him. “Leo? What’s wrong? Is Annie…?”
Leo lifted his head. He looked worn to the bone and hopeless. “Annie’s better. She really is.”
Max sat back on his heels. “Then what’s wrong?”
“As soon as we left the resort, everything there went to hell in a handbasket.”
Max stood up, pulled a chair close and asked sympathetically, “Another incompetent assistant manager?”
“No, she’s great. Efficient, intelligent, wants nothing more than to work all the time. She’s taken a huge load off Annie’s shoulders and mine.”
“So what’s the problem?”
Leo looked grimly at Max. “Yesterday they found the first assistant manager.”
Max leaped to the inevitable conclusion. “Dead?”
“Murdered. Kel… The assistant manager called and told me last night, but last night I didn’t care. Today I care. Priscilla, that poor, stupid girl, dead. At our resort. Who would do such a thing?”
Max asked the next logical question. “What does Mr. Gilfilen say?”
“He’s sort of on vacation.”
“Sort of? While you’re gone?” Had Leo and Annie gone senile?
“We’re having security problems at the resort.”
Nope, obviously not senile. “Murder and…?”
“Smuggling.” Leo filled Max in on the details of what Mr. Gilfilen suspected.
“Probably connected, then.” Max straightened his shoulders. “So while you’re here, you—or rather, your new assistant manager—needs someone with security experience on-site. In this situation, you have to have someone who you trust, and you know I’ve got the experience that you need.” He stood. “I’ll go.”
Leo straightened his shoulders right back. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s the Di Luca Christmas. You have other responsibilities.”
“Rae will understand.” Max lifted his hand to stop any further objections. “We already had our private Christmas on December twenty-fifth, and when she’s here in the midst of the family, I hardly see her. I’ll explain it to her, and you know her—she has a generous spirit. She will understand.”
Leo stood and faced off with Max. “You don’t understand. It’s not that easy.”
“Of course it is.” Max was used to being right, and to getting his way. “I’ll leave today.”
“First come and see Annie. She has things to say to you about the new assistant manager.”
“So there is something wrong with her.”
“Max! Stop jumping to conclusions! It’s not her. It’s you.”
Max took a step back. Leo was always loud—he was slightly deaf—but never so emphatic. “Leo, what’s wrong?”
Leo opened the door to Annie’s room.
Annie’s happy voice floated out, “Max, dear! So good to see you!”
Leo stepped in. “Max wants to go to handle security at the resort.”
“That’s a good idea! Except…” Annie’s voice lost its euphoria. “Oh, dear.”
Max could not imagine what was wrong with Leo and Annie. Of course, he didn’t have much of an imagination. “I don’t understand.”
“There’s no way you could.” Leo gestured him in. “Go, sit down with Annie and listen.”