Page 38 of Dead Girl Running

It was Priscilla’s killer.

12

Kellen had a checklist of tasks left. Sheri Jean held the number one slot. But when Kellen walked into the lobby lounge, she found Sheri Jean leading the predinner wine tasting.

The newlyweds were nowhere in sight. Naturally.

The Shivering Sherlocks were there en masse, dressed in costumes: one wore a man’s suit, tie and fedora; the twins had on flapper costumes complete with fringe and feathers; Rita had tied her red hair in a kerchief for an admirable imitation ofI Love Lucy’s Lucille Ball; Tammy had painted on high-arched eyebrows and pretend-smoked a cigarette; and Patty had pasted on a jaunty mustache and rocked as a stout Hercule Poirot.

Carson Lennex sat in their midst. He looked every inch of his urbane self, not at all the kind of man who lurked in hotel hallways, abducting rolls of toilet paper. He seemed to be enjoying the ladies’ conversation. Since they were all about the same age, Kellen supposed they related on a shared experience level.

Nils Brooks sat off to the side, and when he saw Kellen, he pushed his black-rimmed glasses up his nose and observed her with interest.

Kellen walked into the lounge and smiled. “Are we enjoying ourselves?” She sounded like a manic nurse in charge of recovering patients.

The guests cheerfully returned her greeting.

One of the Shivering Sherlocks twins waved her over. “Dear, is there a problem? I’m trying to call my husband and I can’t get cell reception.”

The gray-haired twin whipped around and snapped, “For God’s sake, Candy, Randy will survive for one night without you checking on him.”

“Debbie, when the poor man retired, he didn’t know how to turn on the oven!”

“Whose fault is that?”

“It’s mine,” Candy said softly. “He worked so many hours and I didn’t want him to have to come home and cook.”

“You worked, too!”

“I was only a teacher. He worked the pipeline.”

“I’d rather weld something than care for thirty pimply-faced, angst-ridden adolescents every day.” In an aside to Kellen, Debbie said, “I’m not totally heartless. I gave Randy a cookbook when he retired. The man can read.”

For the first time, Candy looked ruffled. “Well, he can’t follow instructions!”

“Show me a man who can,” Debbie said with some humor. To Kellen, she said, “Any word on the communications outage?”

Kellen hadn’t realized there was a communications outage, but a quick check on her phone proved Candy was right. “The storm probably knocked out our cell tower. Let me find out if our landline phones are working and I’ll get you through to your husband.”

Sheri Jean scooted over. “Is there a problem?”

“Cell tower must be down. I’m going to get Candy a phone.”

Sheri Jean looked sternly at Candy. “I could have done that.”

“You were busy! This young lady was just wandering around. You must be the resort’s jack-of-all-trades.” Candy smiled kindly at Kellen.

“Pretty much. Let me find you that phone.” Kellen walked over to Frances at the concierge desk. “The cell tower has stopped transmitting. Do we have any communications at all?”

Frances looked up from her keyboard and monitor and glared evilly. “All communications are down. No cable, so no TV.”

“Landline?”

“Thatwe’ve got.” Frances handed over a cordless phone. “And the CB radio in Annie’s office in case of real emergency. That thing always works. The storm’s playing havoc with anything satellite related. I’m supposed to be making reservations for a whale-watching tour, weather permitting, for the newlyweds.” She gestured broadly. “What am I supposed to do now?”

“Tell them weather is not permitting.” Kellen glanced around. “It’s not like they’re hanging around looking for something to do. If you know what I mean.”

“Her great-aunt gave them a whale-watching tour as a gift, and by God, she’s determined they should watch whales.”