steps toward the cabin. She was ready to dive for cover again should Felicia suddenly appear, but instead, after a few moments, she heard voices inside.
Voices? Who else was in there with her?
Curious, Candy took a few steps closer.
She could hear the voices raised in anger now. Candy listened, trying to make out the words, but they were too indistinct. Still, the second voice sounded familiar. Candy was sure she’d heard it before.
Then it dawned on her.
The more she listened, the more she was certain of it.
The argument inside had fallen into softer tones, but Candy still sensed an air of strain and desperation from the two people inside.
Again, she debated what to do. But even as she considered her options, she knew she had to take an aggressive approach. There would never be another chance. It had to be now.
With her stomach tightening in apprehension, and her throat suddenly dry in the cold, still air, she took the final few steps forward, stopped in front of the cabin door, slipped off her right-hand glove, and knocked decisively several times.
Instantly the voices inside fell into a hush, and the lights went out. Abruptly, they were all cloaked again in darkness.
Candy heard a quick toot of a horn behind her. She turned.
Maggie had been watching and was wondering if everything was okay. Candy could see her waving inside the car. Candy waved back, then turned and knocked again. “Hello, is anyone in there?” she called out. “It’s Candy Holliday.”
After a few moments she heard low whispers from inside. It took a while, but a latch flicked. The knob turned and the door opened a few inches. A face hovered in the shadows.
“What do you want?” a female voice asked from inside.
“I want to talk to Gina.”
The face disappeared. The door closed.
Candy knocked again. “I have a friend nearby. She has the police on speed dial. You have ten seconds or I’m going to tell her to call them.”
She had learned a little bit about bluffing from Doc, who played poker just about every Friday night with his buddies. She had fudged the truth, but it worked.
The door opened again.
Felicia had one hand hidden behind her cloak. She looked very unhappy. “Since you insist, you might as well come in.”
Candy took a deep breath, nodded, and stepped inside after kicking the snow off her boots.
It was a neat one-bedroom cabin, decorated in rose, sea green, and cream colors. The front room had a small sitting area with a TV and sofa, and a dining area and kitchen on the other side. Doors from the main room led into what Candy guessed were a bathroom and bedroom. The bedroom door was closed.
There was no sign of Gina.
“How did you find this place?” Felicia asked, standing nervously near the kitchen counter. But a moment later she answered her own question. “It was Preston Smith, wasn’t it? I knew he was up to something sneaky. He tipped you off, right?”
Candy ignored the question as she scanned the room. “Where is she?”
Felicia forced a smile. “Where is who?”
“Gina. I heard her voice. I know she’s here.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“There are two of you in here.”
“I’m here by myself. And you’re not welcome here. Now get out.”
Candy hesitated. She’d checked the place out. She’d done all she could. Now it was time to leave.
She was turning toward the door when she heard a thump from the bedroom. Her gaze shifted. “Someone’s in there. It’s Gina, isn’t it?”
Felicia threw up her arms and gave Candy an exasperated look. “Oh, for heaven’s sake.” She let out an exaggerated breath as she crossed to the bedroom door and swung it wide open. “You might as well come on out,” she said to the person inside. “She knows you’re here.”
Inside, Gina Templeton was seated on the bed, hands folded in her lap. When she saw Candy, she nodded, rose, and walked out of the bedroom into the living room. Her hair was uncombed, her clothes were rumpled, and she had bags under her eyes. She looked like she had just woken up. She still wore her scarf tightly around her neck.
“Gina, what are you doing here? What’s going on?” Candy asked, shooting a glance at Felicia. “Is everything okay?”
“No, everything is
“Why? What’s happening?
“I’ll tell you whatever you want to know,” Gina said with tired eyes and a drawn face, “but you have to promise me one thing.”
“And what’s that?” Candy asked.
Gina rubbed her nose and sniffled. “No police.”
Forty-One
“Gina, I can’t promise you that,” Candy said honestly, “but I promise I’ll hear you out.”
Felicia took a few steps toward her. In a tense voice, she said, “We don’t have to tell you anything.” To Gina, she added, “Just remember that.”
Gina Templeton folded her hands and nodded. She looked tired, frail. Her eyes had taken on a haunted look. “It’s okay,” she said to Felicia. “We have to talk to someone. We have to let them know what happened before. …”
Her voice trailed off as her gaze shifted. Candy turned to look as well. Sitting beside the door were several bags of luggage.
It took Candy a few moments to fully grasp what it meant. “You’re leaving?”
“I can’t stay,” Gina said fretfully. “Too much has happened. I have to leave. I have to figure out what to do.”
“Have you talked to the police?” Candy asked.
“Yes, but…” She paused, again glancing toward Felicia. “I can’t go back there. I have nothing else to say to them.”
“Gina, you have to talk to the police about Victor, especially if you know how he died.”
At that, Gina seemed to shrink away. With all the energy she had left, she lowered herself into an upholstered armchair next to a small maple desk. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she said weakly, putting a hand to her forehead.
Candy was silent for a moment. She looked from Gina to Felicia and back again. “Gina,” Candy said as gently as she could, “someone murdered your husband. You have to go back to the police and tell them everything you know—whatever it might be.”
“I can’t,” Gina said, trying to hold back her emotions.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s complicated,” Gina said, “and it involves our friends.”
“Yes, but…” Candy stopped and thought about it. Maybe it was time to take a different approach. “The hatchet belonged to Duncan, didn’t it?” When again she received no reply, she explained, “I found Solomon Hatch in the woods today. He had taken all Victor’s belongings, plus the hatchet, off Victor’s body before he moved it out to
