Carla Neggers - Cold Pursuit

“I did.”

“Figured,” Grit said. “He leaves her and two grown sons by his first wife. There’s also a college-age stepdaughter.”

“What, have you been searching the Internet on this guy?”

“Not hard to find stuff. Obits are all over the place already. Gives me something to do.”

“You could go to the theater.”

Grit didn’t respond for a half beat. “I could. I like the theater. What’s your interest in Bruni?”

“His stepdaughter dropped out of college and is living in Black Falls.”

“Ah.”

“See what else you can find out about Bruni’s death. Unless you decide to go to the theater after all.”

Grit had hung up.

Elijah started up his truck again, Cameron Mountain looming out across a wide, grassy field. He imagined his father up there in a sudden April snowstorm. Thomas Asher had been in Black Falls then with his daughter.

Now Nora’s stepfather was dead.

And Jo had met Bruni and knew Thomas Asher, the betrayed friend, and she was in town.

Elijah tightened his grip on the wheel, still feeling the softness of her lips. He considered putting the question of Jo Harper to Grit Taylor next. Grit had contacts in Washington. He could ask about Elijah’s Secret Service-agent neighbor.

Not a good idea, he decided, heading down the road toward Black Falls Lodge. He doubted Devin was back at work. If Devin knew Nora was up on the mountain, coping by herself with her stepfather’s sudden, suspicious death, he’d go look for her. It would be a simple equation for him. Nora was upset. He’d want to be there for her.

Elijah figured he’d get up on the mountain and see if he could pick up either teenager’s trail. Alone. Without the Secret Service.

He’d tell A.J. that Jo was on his heels. A.J. was stubborn and closemouthed by nature, and he’d never been one of Jo Harper’s biggest fans.

His brother would stall her and buy Elijah time to handle the situation his way.

When she was twelve, Jo had fantasized that Black Falls Lodge was straight out of The Sound of Music and one day she might meet her own Captain Von Trapp there. Then Elijah told her The Sound of Music gave him dry heaves, which ended that bit of fun.

The Von Trapp family had settled in Stowe, farther to the north, and started a resort that was still one of the most beautiful and popular in Vermont. Black Falls Lodge wasn’t as big an operation, but its location along an open ridge, with stunning views of the endless mountains, was nothing short of breathtaking-enough, Jo thought, to get Elijah’s kiss out of her mind. On the drive up to the lodge, she’d decided it’d been inevitable. Now that it was out of the way, she could concentrate on other things.

Like what was going on with the Camerons.

She parked next to Elijah’s truck and soaked in the scenery as she got out of her car. The air was colder, the breeze stiffer. She crossed the parking lot on the edge of a wide meadow that, in spring and summer, would be afire with wildflowers. Evergreens and rust-colored oak leaves provided color in the otherwise bare, gray landscape.

A corner of the lake was visible down in the hollow below.

Her red-tailed hawk was patrolling the graying sky.

It was the slow season-even the mountain bikers weren’t out. The leaf peepers had gone home, and the cross-country skiers and snowshoers hadn’t arrived yet. Snow was in the forecast, but it was still early for winter recreation.

The lodge would do a good business over Thanksgiving, but it was quiet now. The property consisted of the original rustic-style lodge, a new recreational building with an indoor pool, racquetball court and health club, a half-dozen separate cottages and a shop that sold and rented bicycles, cross-country skis, snowshoes, canoes and kayaks-never mind that the lodge wasn’t on a lake or river frontage.

Jo followed a stone walk to the back of the lodge and stepped up onto a terrace, its tables and chairs unoccupied on the chilly November afternoon. Drew Cameron had pulled together parcels of land to reclaim Cameron Mountain and get Black Falls Lodge started, but what it was today was A.J.’s doing-his hard work, and his dream, now shared by his wife, Lauren, who, according to Beth, had talked A.J. into agreeing to build a top-notch spa on the premises.

A.J. came out onto the terrace from the French doors that led into the lodge’s main dining room. His hair was a shade darker than Elijah’s, and he was a little shorter-but he had the Cameron blue eyes. They all did, including Rose.

“It’s been a long time, Jo,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “How are you?”

She was immediately suspicious. “Did Elijah tell you to stall me?”

He grinned at her. “You two. Nothing ever changes.” He nodded toward the doors. “Come inside.”

Jo didn’t budge. “What’s he up to, A.J.?”

“It’s cold out here, and I’m not wearing a coat. You’re used to Washington temperatures.” He motioned for her to go in ahead of him. “Let’s go inside and talk in front of the fire.”

Definitely he was stalling, but Jo acquiesced and went ahead of him into the dining room. It, too, was unoccupied. A.J. led her down the hall to the lobby, where, indeed, a fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace. The furnishings were sturdy, done in mountain colors-dark green, burgundy, brown. A huge stuffed moose-fake, not real-stood in a corner.

Jo welcomed the warmth of the fire, but she remained on her feet. She hadn’t run into A.J. since learning his father had left her the lakefront property. If he was bitter about his father’s will, he didn’t let it show as he reached for a black-iron poker. “I heard you were in town,” he said.

“I figured you had. That’s Elijah’s truck I’m parked next to, isn’t it?”

“You know it is.”

“He’s here, then.”

It wasn’t a question, but A.J. shrugged. “Looks that way.”

She recognized the flicker of stubbornness in his eyes. When Camerons didn’t want to talk, they didn’t. They were independent, tight-knit and honest, but that didn’t mean they played by the rules.

“Okay. So is he in here somewhere? Is he preparing another wilderness-skills class? Hiking? Teaching your little ones to light fires with their fingernails? What?”

A.J. seemed to realize she was being only half sarcastic. The other half was totally serious. He pulled back the screen on the fire. “You got yourself into a mess in Washington. I hope you’re not here looking for ways to restore your reputation.”

“I’m not worried about my reputation. Where’s Elijah?”

“You were always relentless, Jo. I actually liked that about you-”

“But it’s bugging you right now, isn’t it?”

He gave her a grudging smile. “It’s not helping. Elijah didn’t take to teaching, by the way. One class was enough for him.” The fire made A.J.’s eyes seem darker. “I heard about Alex Bruni. That’s a hard one, Jo. Lauren and I enjoyed having him here. We weren’t friends, but he loved being in Black Falls. I hate the thought that someone could have killed him.”

“I’m sorry, A.J.”

“I haven’t seen Nora Asher, if that’s why you’re here.”

“What about Devin Shay?”

A short pause. “He’s not here.”

“What does he do for you? Sweep floors and that sort of thing, or does he get out on the mountain, work on trails-what?”

“Maintenance.” A.J. obviously didn’t like being asked questions. Jo was undeterred. “As in digging holes and moving big rocks, or something he could turn into a career?”

“That’s between Devin and me.”

None of her business, in other words.

He lifted a burning log with his poker, the fire popping, re-kindled flames rising up. “You should relax, Jo.” He pulled the poker from the fire and set the screen back in place. “Sit here by the fire. Find a good book to read. Have you had lunch? There’s apple pie in the dining room. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. As you can see, we don’t have a crowd.”