Killer Christmas Cozies Read online

  “I put about twenty bucks on each,” Ophelia said. “So we should be able to cut our food bill in half when we go.”

  I swallowed past the knot in my throat. I really thought I’d miss the ex this morning and want to do nothing but wallow in self-pity. But the truth is, until that very moment he hadn’t even crossed my mind. And that was because I had a best friend who knew me better than anyone, who looked out for my best interests, and who never wanted anything from me in return but my happiness. I wiped a tear from my eye and looked at her. “You’re the best. I really mean that. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I’m so glad we met our first year.”

  “Stop! You’re gonna make me cry,” Ophelia said. “This is Christmas, a happy occasion! I say we drink a little more coffee, eat some more cookies, and then get down to business.”

  “What kind of business?”

  Ophelia turned serious. “We need to start looking at suspects and motives. I don’t like how it was left last night with Sheriff Morgan. It was so late when we got back that we all just went to bed, but I want to know what he said to you and what he asked you. Because if it was the same thing he said to me, it doesn’t sound good for any of us.”

  I sighed. “Agreed. I’ll run down and get paper and pen. You fill up the mugs with more of your delicious boozy coffee, and we’ll get to work.”

  Ophelia grinned. “Deal.”

  A few minutes later I returned with my journaling notebook I always carry and a pen. Things were about to get serious. I snagged another sugar cookie—this one shaped like a Christmas tree with lots of colorful sprinkles on top—and waited for Ophelia to begin.

  “I’m assuming Sheriff Morgan asked you the same thing he asked me,” Ophelia said. “Questions like how did I know Andrew? And where was I between noon and four? Those types of questions?”

  “Yes.”

  “I know our answer for how we both met Andrew. I told him I was skiing from noon to about three-thirty. At least, I think by the time I got back to the condo and woke you up it was like three-thirty.”

  I nodded and looked out the window. Snow was falling gently from the sky. “I remember that because you ribbed me about sleeping the afternoon away and I needed to get up. I told him I skied with Andrew until about noon, then I skied the bunny slope alone for about an hour. I grabbed a sandwich from the snack bar, then came back to the condo to take a nap. I don’t really remember sleeping heavy, just drifting in and out.”

  Ophelia blew on her coffee then took a small sip. “So on the far left side of the paper, write each of our names, skipping lines. Then divide the paper in half and on one side put how each person knows Andrew, and on the other side put where each person was from noon to four.”

  I did what she requested and then spent some time filling in my information and then Ophelia’s. “Do we know for sure any other answers?”

  “I’m not sure,” Ophelia said as she grabbed a cookie and began to nibble. “I think we know bits and pieces. We know Margot and Chloe knew Andrew ahead of time and that they were jealous of anyone who seemed interested in him. I mean, they practically threatened your life and his life after he flirted with you a little.”

  I shuddered. “That was a little weird.” I snatched another cookie, dunked it in my coffee, and took a huge bite. “Do you know how Andrew died? I couldn’t get Sheriff Morgan to tell me.”

  “Didn’t you see him when they pulled him out?”

  I shuddered. “Sort of, but not really. I think maybe I was throwing up, or I just blocked it out or something.”

  Ophelia closed her eyes then took a big gulp of her coffee. “It was bad, Holly. I’m not exactly sure what was down the chimney, but when that guy pulled Andrew’s upper half out of the chimney, his face wasn’t even there. I don’t know what the cause of death would be, but I’m assuming he bled to death or his heart gave out from shock. Something like that.”

  Tears fell from my eyes, and I rubbed the center of my chest. The thought of what Andrew must have gone through during those last moments had my heart aching for him. “Who would want to do something like that to him? Surely you don’t think Margot or Chloe could be capable of that?”

  “I honestly don’t know,” Ophelia said. “I’m hoping Sheriff Morgan will be able to tell us more when he gets here today.”

  I closed my eyes and pushed out a breath. “We know Margot and Chloe knew Andrew, but the rest of us didn’t. Helen and Bitsie are from Colorado Springs and had never heard of him or met him before. So why would they have a reason to kill him?” I let out a gasp. “I just remembered! Last night before we went on to do our act, I saw Margot and Clive fighting. Do you think that’s important?”

  Ophelia shrugged. “It might be. You definitely need to tell the sheriff when he gets here today what you saw.”

  “Doesn’t this freak you out knowing someone here might be capable of murder?” I hissed. “I told you this would happen! We would be the unlucky ones that actually bunked with axe murderers!”

  Ophelia chuckled. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. What about alibis?”

  “Well, I came back to the condo around one-thirty or so, and I didn’t see or hear anyone until you came into our bedroom around three-thirty.”

  “But I told you that Helen had said she’d been back since around one-thirty or two and was upstairs in the condo while you were home.”

  I frowned. “I know. Is that weird that I never heard her? I mean, we must have just missed each other if I got home around one-thirty and so did she.”

  Ophelia shrugged. “I don’t know. She just looked sad curled up on the sofa. I bet she didn’t move much from there, just stared out the window. That wouldn’t require much noise.”

  “I guess. What about Bitsie?”

  “She was shopping all afternoon from what I understand. Helen said Bitsie was going back into Winterdale after she dropped Helen off.”

  “And we believe her?”

  “Well,” Ophelia said, “we don’t have a reason not to.”

  I thought about that for a minute. We also didn’t have a reason to believe anything Helen told us, either.

  “And then we have Margot and Chloe,” I said. “I have no idea what they did.”

  Ophelia frowned in concentration. “I can only account for two times when I saw them. I have no idea the exact time on a clock, but I know I did see them a couple times on the slopes.”

  “Were they always together?”

  Ophelia gasped. “You know, I saw Chloe once and Margot wasn’t around! I remember because Chloe and I finished the end of the ski together, and I waved to her. She didn’t see me…or at least she didn’t wave back. She looked angry, now that I think about it. She headed toward the direction of the chateau.”

  I looked down at my paper and frowned. “We have a lot of blanks and a lot of questions unanswered.”

  “But it’s a start,” Ophelia said as she put the lid on the cookies. “I didn’t like the implications Sheriff Morgan was making, so I think we need to be in on this. Do you know he suggested I not go anywhere unless I have another person with me? For an alibi he said!”

  I bit my lip. “He told me the same thing. I’m really worried.”

  “We’ll figure this out. I promise.”

  I looked at the clock on the wall and did some calculations in my head. “If it’s a little after nine, it’s a little after five in Hawaii. That might be a little too early to call Mom and Dad and wish them Merry Christmas. Maybe I’ll jump in the shower and then call them.”

  “I called mine this morning and talked for a while. When they asked how things were going, I told them we were having a great time. I didn’t think it would be in my best interest to tell them about Andrew.”

  I sauntered into the kitchen and poured another cup of coffee with all the fixings. “I don’t think I’ll tell my parents what happened, either. I don’t want them to worry any more than they already are. When I told them what we were planning on do
ing here, they had the same axe murderer thought as I did. No sense telling them they may be right.”

  Chapter 8

  Around noon, Ophelia, Helen, Bitsie, and I had just sat down at the table to eat a sandwich and chips when the doorbell rang.

  No one moved. We all just stared at each other.

  Helen glanced at the clock. “He’s early. He said around one o’clock, didn’t he?”

  “Maybe it’s not him,” Bitsie said.

  I pushed back my chair. “I’ll go see.”

  I strode to the front door and tried to ignore the summersaults in my stomach. Unfortunately, in my nervousness, I yanked the door open so hard the jingle bell wreath on the condo’s front door could probably be heard all the way into town.

  “Merry Christmas, Sheriff Morgan. Won’t you come in?”

  I winced at the forced cheerfulness I could hear in my voice. I needed to calm down before he took my nervousness as guilt.

  Which only made me more nervous.

  “Thank you, Holly. I know I’m early, but I’m anxious to get this murder solved and give Andrew’s family some peace.”

  “Of course.” I blinked back tears at the thought of my own family waking up Christmas morning to this kind of tragedy. “I hope you can give his family comfort soon.”

  We walked into the kitchen, with everyone sitting where I’d left them.

  “Would you like something to eat, Sheriff Morgan?” Ophelia asked.

  Sheriff Morgan took off his hat and set it on the counter. “No thank you, ma’am. This isn’t a social call. I’m here to ask further questions. Where are the other girls?”

  Helen jumped up from the table. “I’ll go get them.”

  As Helen scrambled down the stairs, Sheriff Morgan looked around the room. His gaze stopped at the empty bottle of champagne and opened bottle of Kahlua, Irish cream, and Rye still sitting on the counter.

  “We had a glass of champagne last night before the talent show,” I quickly explained. “We just forgot to throw the bottle out.”

  Sheriff Morgan lifted a brow. “I wasn’t assuming you were celebrating this morning, Holly.”

  Ophelia yanked me down in my chair and gave me the teacher look synonymous with ‘keep your mouth shut.’ I nervously picked up a chip and nibbled until Helen finally came back upstairs.

  “They’ll be up in a few minutes,” Helen said.

  An awkward silence ensued. By the time Margot and Chloe made their way upstairs, I was ready to jump out of my skin.

  “Sheriff Morgan, thank you for coming on this horrific day,” Margot stoically said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

  Chloe daintily blew her nose into a tissue. “We’re so saddened by Andrew’s death. We still can’t believe our friend is gone.”

  Sheriff Morgan said nothing, his face stoic. “I’d like to split you girls up into pairs. Sometimes it’s easier to talk with a friend beside you.”

  That’s so nice of him.

  It was decided that Margot and Chloe would go first since they could shed background on Andrew. Then Bitsie and Helen would be called up, with Ophelia and I bringing up the rear.

  The four of us silently walked down the stairs and into our bedrooms.

  “Okay, what’s the motive behind him splitting us up?” Ophelia asked as we sat down on our beds.

  “What do you mean? He said he knew it would be easier for us.”

  Ophelia snorted. “That man has an agenda. He isn’t doing anything for us. He’s after something.”

  I worried my lip and tried once again to calm my nerves. I was terrified about what the other girls would say to Sheriff Morgan. Especially about how I was probably the last person to spend time with Andrew before he died.

  “Stop doing that to your lip,” Ophelia chided softly. “I brought cards. Let’s play a game to get our minds off this.”

  While I appreciated her effort at distraction, there was nothing that was going to take my mind off the fact four people I didn’t know could be pointing out evidence that might show why I’d make a good suspect in Andrew’s murder.

  Half an hour later, a swollen-eyed Bitsie knocked on the door and informed Ophelia that Sheriff Morgan was ready for us. As Ophelia gathered the cards together, I wiped my palms on my yoga pants and took a few deep breaths. From the way Bitsie looked and sounded, the next few minutes were going to be pure torture.

  Sheriff Morgan was sitting at the table, a water bottle and notebook in front of him, when Ophelia and I joined him. He motioned for us to sit. Without a word, he picked up his notebook and began reading silently. I tried not to squirm.

  Now I knew how my first graders feel when they’re in the hot seat.

  “Let me start with this question,” Sheriff Morgan said. “Do you both ski?”

  I swallowed so hard, everyone at the table heard me.

  “Yes,” Ophelia answered. “I actually ski very well. Holly is more of a novice.”

  The sheriff nodded and wrote in his notebook.

  “Were one of you girls dating Andrew?” the sheriff asked.

  “No!” we both replied at the same time.

  “We didn’t even know him,” I said.

  “Hmm.” Sheriff Morgan flipped back through his notes. “I have someone stating that you, Holly, was taking private lessons from Andrew, and that you’d been seen flirting outrageously with him in hopes of him asking you out.”

  Ophelia huffed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t believe a word that snake Margot says. Did she tell you that after Andrew left us yesterday afternoon to get ready for his ski lesson with Holly that she pretty much told us that if she couldn’t have him then no one would?”

  Sheriff Morgan frowned. “No, she did not.” He scribbled in his book.

  “Yeah,” Ophelia continued, “Margot and Chloe were the ones that were all over Andrew and flirting with him. Not us.”

  “That reminds me,” I said. “I forgot to tell you this last night when you questioned me, but right before we were to perform in the talent show, I saw Margot and Clive, the chateau manager, arguing.”

  “Interesting.” He picked up his notebook and wrote. He then paused as if thinking of his next question. I got the feeling Sheriff Morgan was playing slow more than he actually was slow. Like he was trying to trick us. “Since you both ski—and I’m aware you, Holly, are a novice—perhaps you’d be able to recognize the murder weapon if I showed it to you.”

  I sucked in a breath. “I really don’t know if I want to see what killed Andrew.”

  Sheriff Morgan reached over and patted my hand sympathetically. “I understand this may be difficult, but I really need you to look. I’ve found out from Bitsie and Helen that they really don’t ski, so they never recalled seeing the weapon or even what it’s used for.”

  I looked questioningly at Ophelia. “I thought Bitsie said she skis? It was just that yesterday she and Helen wanted to go into town to do some shopping instead of skiing.”

  Ophelia looked up at the ceiling as if recalling Bitsie’s words. “I think you’re right.”

  “I’ll make note of it,” Sheriff Morgan said as he shuffled around in a stack of pictures.

  Had I just implicated Bitsie in the crime? Margot and Chloe were one thing…they’d actually threated Andrew in front of us. But I don’t want to be responsible for Bitsie being a suspect!

  “I’m not saying Bitsie lied,” I said.

  Sheriff Morgan smiled. “Duly noted. Now, this might be difficult, but please take a look and tell me if you know what these are and if you’ve ever seen them before.” He placed the picture on the table and I felt myself gag. Clamping a hand over my mouth, I closed my eyes and looked away.

  “It’s okay.” I felt Ophelia touch my shoulder. “I can’t believe those are the murder weapons. I mean, of course I know what they are and what they’re used for. I don’t know if Holly would because she doesn’t really ski much.”

  I shook my head.

  “Can you tell me, Ophelia, what they are a
nd if you’ve ever seen them before?”

  I opened my eyes and looked at Ophelia. She picked up the photo, grimaced, and placed it back on the table. “Those are ice axes. A skier would use it on a mountain if he or she has fallen and needs to self-arrest. But I’ve never seen those particular ones before.”

  “Neither of you girls own ice axes?” the sheriff asked.

  I shook my head.

  “I do,” Ophelia said. “But they’re at my apartment in Kansas City. I really didn’t think I’d need them here. I didn’t plan on skiing down anything too difficult—like a double black diamond—because of Holly. I brought some of my own equipment, but I didn’t bring ice axes.”

  “And I don’t really own equipment,” I said softly. “I rented mine from the chateau.”

  Again Sheriff Morgan remained silent as he wrote in his notebook.

  “Let me ask you, Ophelia, as an avid skier, would this be a piece of equipment someone who skies often might use? If you knew this mountain and the dangers it imposed, would you maybe carry it then?”

  Ophelia shrugged. “I guess so. I hadn’t planned on skiing alone very much. I was going to let Holly get her lesson in and then I planned on doing the smaller slopes with her. But if I skied here a lot and knew there were places that…”

  Ophelia trailed off and looked sharply at Sheriff Morgan. He said nothing but motioned for her to continue.

  What had I missed?

  “If I were a ski instructor, or maybe I lived around here and knew the mountain well enough, I’d probably carry a pair of ice axes if I felt I needed them.”

  I frowned. “Do you think those are Andrew’s ice axes?”

  Ophelia sighed. “Yes. Or they might belong to others who ski this mountain regularly.” Ophelia looked pointedly at me then cocked her head.

  “Oh! Omigosh!” I leaned forward in my seat. “You mean like Margot or Chloe?”

  Sheriff Morgan held up his hand. “I didn’t say that. I merely asked if a person who knew the mountain well and knew it had dangerous places, if they’d carry the ice axes.”