The Hotel – 24

I hit up the bathroom then got dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved turtleneck. I debated going downstairs to wait for everyone to arrive for breakfast then decided to wake them. At least some of them had made it clear they planned on sleeping-in which would prolong the agony, so to speak. I went door to door, telling them I wanted them in the dining room as soon as possible. When they asked why, I fended off their questions, saying I wanted to tell everyone at the same time. Of course, being smart people, most of them figured out it had something to do with Tessa but they didn't push it.

I faced a very worried troupe when they were all assembled at the communal dining table half an hour later.

"If you haven't figured it out already," I said, "They found Tessa."

"Alive?" Caitlin asked, though her expression said she knew that wasn't the case.

"No. She…her body was hidden under a pile of fallen trees from what I've been told."

"Hidden?" Ramsey said. "As in purposely put there?"

"Apparently," I replied.

Noah frowned. "How do they know she didn't crawl under the trees to get away from the rain, or the snow? It rained before she left. We know that from the footprints. If she was, I don't know, pissed at whoever was with her and took off and then got caught in the snow…"

"I have no idea, Noah," I replied. "All I know is what Edwin told me. Someone put her body where Henry found it."

"I want out of here," Jenn said, jumping to her feet. "I won't stay where someone could kill me, too."

Kirby grabbed her hand to stop her. "The police won't let you leave."

"The sheriff," I said, "although it's the same thing right now. You're right, Kirby. He won't let any of us leave, at least not until he talked to all of us."

Knowing Ramsey, I half expected him to suggest we eat while we waited, but he didn't. For almost the first time since I've known him, he wandered over to the credenza where breakfast was laid out, shook his head, and came back with a cup of coffee and nothing more. The others seemed equally as reluctant to eat, although Noah and Marsh got sweet rolls and juice.

We were all tense and nervous so I decided to see if I could find Edwin and Henry. If nothing else, I might learn if they'd discovered anything at all that might tell us who killed her. Marsh offered to come with me. I declined, asking his to try to keep anyone from having a meltdown since he was the most stable of the group.

"Me?"

"Yep, you. You're the only one without an ounce of drama in your blood," I replied. "If any of them act like they're going to lose it, take them aside and talk them down."

He looked doubtful, but agreed.