Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

A ndi had more questions for Juniper.

“Do you know anything about the guest who was injured while ice fishing?”

Juniper gave the reindeer one last pat before turning toward Andi. “What do you want to know?”

“Her name? Occupation? Did she ever give you a hard time?”

“Barb is her name. Caleb said the woman was insistent they ice fish at a certain spot, and he tried to tell her it wasn’t a good idea. He said Barb swore she was an expert and that it would be fine. I told him even if that is what happened, the guests should never have the final say when it comes to something that’s a matter of safety. We’re the ones liable for accidents like this.”

“Is Barb a first-time guest?” Andi asked.

“She is. From what I understand, she’s a nature photographer. She and her family came here from Kansas.”

“Has she given you any problems?” Andi continued.

“Not really.” She shrugged.

“She was acting suspiciously when I saw her in the dining hall yesterday,” Andi said.

“I know she kept going on walks in the woods alone.” Juniper shrugged. “I thought it was a little strange, but she said she felt one with nature.”

Andi stored that information away.

When she glanced across the camp, she spotted Duke and Ranger walking toward them. Had they found something?

The men reached them a few minutes later and joined them in the reindeer pen.

“You’re coming from Peppermint’s place.” Tension stretched through Juniper’s voice. “Did you find anything?”

“Not much,” Duke said. “But we do have a question for you.”

“What do you need?”

“Was Pepper dating anyone?”

“Dating?” A crease formed between Juniper’s eyes. “No. Why would you ask that?”

Duke and Ranger exchanged a glance. “We found two pair of slippers, and based on their size, we wondered if one belonged to a man.”

“I’m sure Pepper would have told me if she was dating someone.”

“We just thought we’d ask,” Duke told her. “We didn’t find anything else of note, unfortunately.”

“That’s too bad. I can’t sleep at night thinking about what happened to her. It still seems like a nightmare I should wake up from. Then again, I should be used to this after what happened to my parents . . .” Her voice cracked as a sob lodged in her throat.

Simmy pulled the young woman into her arms, and Juniper nearly collapsed against her.

They gave her a few minutes to compose herself.

Then Duke asked, “Juniper, do you know where Caleb is now?”

“I haven’t seen him in a while. I assume he’s blowing off some steam.”

“I was hoping to ask him a few more questions about the ice fishing.”

“You could go to his cabin and see if he’s there.” Juniper sniffled again, still leaning into Simmy as she gave them directions.

While Simmy and Ranger stayed with Juniper, Duke and Andi headed toward Caleb’s cabin to talk with him.

The man’s smug face flashed in his mind as he walked. “Caleb is hiding something.”

“I agree.” Andi pulled the collar of her coat up higher around her neck as the breeze swept over them. “But what? He might not be a great guy or who he portrays himself to be, but that doesn’t make him a killer.”

“You’re right.” Duke’s jaw tightened. “Maybe he’ll give us some solid answers this time.”

“I hope so.”

They headed past the guest cabins until they reached some smaller, plainer cabins the workers utilized. From what Duke understood after talking to Juniper, four employees usually shared a small cabin with two sets of bunkbeds.

Which made the fact that Pepper had her own cabin even stranger, especially since she wasn’t an employee. Apparently, Juniper had given her friend special privileges.

Did anyone here at the camp resent the women for that?

As they reached the cabin—which was more of rectangular metal pod—Duke climbed up some icy steps onto a narrow landing and pounded at the door.

Silence answered.

He knocked again.

Again, it was silent.

“Caleb, we know you’re in there,” Duke called. “Open up. We have questions for you.”

There was no response. Did this guy think he could hide inside, pretend to be asleep, and that they’d go away? If so, Caleb had totally underestimated them.

Duke rattled the door handle—and it twisted.

The cabin was unlocked.

He and Andi exchanged a glance. He hadn’t expected that.

“Caleb, I’m coming in.” Duke slowly opened the door.

The last thing he wanted was for Caleb or one of his roommates to act out of fear and do something foolish—like try to attack them. For that reason, Duke remained on guard.

But instead of someone jumping out, an empty cabin greeted them. Two bunk beds. Clothes strewn across every surface. A TV in the corner with a jumble of chords spewing from it and the gaming system below. The stench of unwashed laundry wafted in the air.

It looked—and smelled—like a typical bachelor pad.

But there was no Caleb inside. So where had he gone?

“Since we’re already here . . .” Andi raised her eyebrows and stepped in farther.

Duke gave her a look. “You’re going to snoop, aren’t you?”

“I’m just going to browse .” She kept her voice casual. “It sounds much more innocent that way.”

“Much more.” He flashed a smile. “You should make it quick, just to be safe.”

Duke watched as Andi wandered the perimeter of the room, looking for anything that might catch her eye.

Suddenly, she stilled.

Duke followed her gaze to a piece of paper sticking out from beneath one of the mattresses.

As Andi gently pulled it out, Duke stepped closer and peered over shoulder for a better look at the handwritten words.

I’ve got to hand it to you, you’ve made a real mess of things. You’ve got one chance to make it right. Don’t make me tear you apart.

Duke sucked in a breath. “Now that sounds suspicious.”

Andi stared at the paper and shook her head. “You can say that again. What exactly is Caleb involved in? And is the use of the word hand a coincidence? And tear you apart ?”

“I’m going to guess no.”

Using her phone, Andi took a picture of the note before placing it in her pocket. “I’ll hand this over to Gibson.” She moaned after the statement left her lips. “Bad word choice.”

Duke gave her a wry look.

A pair of shoes beneath the bed caught her eye, and she pulled them out. as she reached inside the boot, her fingers felt something. she pulled it out and held a clear bag toward the light.

Something red was inside. Something that looked an awful lot like blood.

Like fake blood.

Like the type that had been left on the fake hand outside their door.

Had Caleb been the one who’d left that?

Duke rubbed his jaw before shaking his head. “Let’s get back to Juniper and see if she can radio Caleb. Caleb is somehow involved in all of this, and I need the truth.”

Andi’s gaze locked on his. “I couldn’t agree more.”