during the blizzard. From what Judith could tell, the afternoon was overcast, but there was neither snow nor rain
falling on the mountainside. Perhaps their prospects were
looking up.
“Where the hell is Ward?” Max demanded as he exited
from the elevator.
Everyone turned to stare at the marketing vice president
who was bundled up in a red and black hooded lumber
jacket.
“He went upstairs with you,” Ava said. “Isn’t he in his
room?”
“If he is, he’s in the can,” Max retorted, then pushed back
a heavy glove to look at his watch. “It’s almost two-thirty.
We went up to change just before two. What’s taking him
so long?”
Killegrew and Margo were coming from the conference
room area. “Now, now,” said Killegrew, “what’s going on?
I thought you and Ward were going to start digging.” He
gave Max an accusing look.
The vice president of marketing’s slightly simian features
always looked pugnacious, but now they turned obstinate.
“I’m not starting alone. I’ll wait for Ward if it takes all afternoon. What’s he doing in his room? Taking a nap?” Suddenly Max’s big, burly body sagged. “What is he doing?” he
mumbled.
“What are you talking about?” Killegrew demanded, taking
a step forward and looking as if he wanted to shake Max.
“Didn’t you two stay together?”
Max paled. “We couldn’t. Not the whole time. We had to
get our gear from our separate rooms. It seemed pointless
to change clothes together. Hell, we locked our doors. I
mean, I did, and Ward’s was locked when I tried it just now.
Otherwise, I’d have gone in to see if he was in the can.”
“Oh, dear!” Nadia’s exclamation was very faint.
“Ward!” Ava clutched at the rolled-up collar of her blue
sweater.
Frank Killegrew seemed to be at war with himself. The
muscles in his face worked, his strapping body twitched, his
eyes darted around the lobby. “We’d better all go,” he finally
said in a thick, uncertain voice.
Nadia pressed both of her small hands against his chest.
“Not you, Frank! You’ve already had one terrible shock
today. Please, stay here. I’ll wait with you.”
“So will I,” Russell chimed in. “I’m squeam…ooof!”
Margo had belted Russell in the stomach. “Don’t you dare
say that again, you chicken! Go ahead, stay down here and
cower in the corner. I’m going.” She lifted her chin at Ava.
“How about you?”
Ava shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
In the end, it was Max, Margo, and Gene who got into
