curious look.
They moved on, but the next room they checked was
locked. “Who is it?” Renie asked. “Gene?”
“I think so. I’m trying to remember who came out of where
when we brought the latest gloomy news.”
“Gene would lock up,” Renie said. “He’s a lawyer.”
Judith pointed to the damaged door across the hall. “That’s
Ward’s room. Shall we?”
“Well…” Renie hesitated.
Judith didn’t. She opened the door, but everything seemed
the same as it had been when she’d accompanied the others
in their futile search for OTIOSE’s executive vice president.
“No sign of a struggle,” Judith murmured. “Do you realize
that Ward must have been lying outside those windows while
we looked around for him in here?”
Renie grimaced. “Why didn’t anybody look outside?”
“It never occurred to any of us, I guess. Besides, Ward’s
body must have sunk into the snow before it slid inside the
lobby.” Judith checked the grate, the closet, the bathroom,
then went to the windows. The rain was still pouring down
and the snow had melted another two inches. The dull, gray
morning light cast a pall over the landscape.
“At least we can see something out there,” Renie noted.
“Not that there’s much to see except melting snow.”
Judith, however, wasn’t looking at the gloomy scenery.
She opened one of the windows which, like the others in the
guest rooms, swung inward. “Stand here, coz. I’m going to
try to kill you.”
“Oh, goody,” Renie said, but complied.
Judith approached Renie from behind. “Lean out over the
sill, as if you were looking for something.”
“Okay.” Renie leaned, bracing herself on the window
frame.
Judith contemplated her cousin’s bent-over form. “This
isn’t working. I can’t kill you because you’re too short. Let’s
change places. You sneak up behind me and put a garrote
around my neck.”
“I don’t have a garrote.” Renie gazed around the small
room. “Wasn’t Ward killed with a belt?”
“Yes. His own, presumably.” Judith sighed. “I’m getting
soaked. Use a towel.”
Renie grabbed a bath towel. “Here I come,” she said.
“Ooof!” Her assault on Judith went awry. Renie collapsed
on top of Judith. “I can’t reach your neck,” she complained.
“I may be too short, but you’re too tall.”
Judith backed up, sending Renie into the bureau. “My
point exactly,” she said, closing the window. “I’m five inches
taller than you are. Ward was about six-one. Maybe we can
eliminate Russell and Nadia. She’s not as tall as you are, and
