Snow Place to Die : A Bed-and-breakfast Mystery

“They stink,” Judith retorted, waving away a cloud of

smoke. “Mother shouldn’t smoke. She’s so forgetful, but

when I try to talk to her about it, she gets ornery. The last

time I caught her putting a lighted cigarette in her housecoat

pocket, she pulled it out and tried to stick it in Sweetums’s

mouth. I swear I saw Sweetums inhale.”

212 / Mary Daheim

“Ghastly,” Renie remarked, puffing away. “Are we doing

breakfast?”

“Not for them,” Judith said, jerking a thumb in the direction

of the corridor. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m tired of waiting

on those spoiled brats.”

“There might be fewer of them this morning,” Renie noted

with an ominous look.

“Don’t say that,” Judith shot back. Suddenly she went back

to the window. “Look,” she called to Renie, “the snow outside

the sill has melted a good four or five inches. Do you think

we might get out of here today?”

“Not if there are avalanche warnings,” Renie replied,

stubbing out her cigarette and heading for the bathroom.

“They’ll close the pass. They always do.”

As soon as Renie disappeared, Judith opened both windows to air out the room. The explosions had stopped. Judith

wondered where the blasts had been set off. Perhaps at the

summit, where the main ski areas and the private chalets

were located. Though loud, the booms hadn’t sounded very

close. Maybe there was no danger around the lodge.

But there was danger inside, Judith reminded herself

grimly. Half an hour later, she and Renie were in the kitchen.

It was a shambles. Coffee had been spilled all over the

counter, egg yolk dripped down the front of the stove, there

was burned toast in the sink, and a broken cereal bowl lay

in several pieces on the floor.

“Pigs!” Judith cried. “Look at this mess!”

“It’s not our mess,” Renie pointed out. “Shall I tell Frank

Killegrew to come in here and clean up?”

“Yes.” Judith folded her arms across her chest. “Yes, I’d

like to see that. I’m sick of these jerks.”

Renie started to shake her head, then straightened her

shoulders and marched out to the dining room. Vaguely astonished, Judith followed.

“Okay,” Renie barked, “we’re padlocking the kitchen

SNOW PLACE TO DIE / 213

unless you lazy swine get off your dead butts. You have five

minutes.”

Judith saw the seven disbelieving faces stare at Renie.

Seven, she thought. They’re all still alive and eating breakfast.

Why am I surprised?

Nadia got to her feet. “Of course we’ll tidy up. I always

tidy up. Ava, Margo, let’s all pitch in.”