The Hotel - 38

Everyone was back in time for dinner. They seemed much more relaxed as the result of their forays away from the hotel. Kirby and Marsh regaled us with stories about the town, with Jenn and Caitlin adding their two cents worth. Phil and Noah talked about the deer they'd seen with huge antlers.

"This big," Noah said, spreading his arms.

Phil grinned. "You look like a kid. 'It was this big, Daddy, honest.'"

"Well, they were!"

Phil gave him a hug, telling us, "He's not exaggerating…much."

After dinner, we got ready for the show. Just like Noah, who was handling makeup as well as playing Renfield, Caitlin was doing double duty, making certain everyone was properly in costume before dressing for her part as Lucy.

The audience was smaller than the previous evening as most of the guests had already seen the show. Not that it mattered. My troupe would willingly perform for an audience of one. It was what they did, and loved.

Afterward, we all gravitated to the cocktail lounge. Ramsey swore he was only going to have one drink and then switch to water. He kept his promise.

Edwin was there, of course, mingling with the hotel guests. We chatted for a few minutes about our day and the weather, which he said was predicted to remain clear for at least the next few days. Then he looked across the room and excused himself. I saw Orville standing in the doorway and wondered what was up. Not that I could ask at that point.

Even though it was relatively early, just after ten, I decided I didn't want to stick around. Apparently most of the troupe felt the same because when I left the only ones still there were Phil and Noah. I had the distinct feeling they were in the process of cementing their relationship from the way they were looking at each other, hands clasped across the table.

When I got to my room, I went to the window, staring out across the lake. For a brief second I saw a wolf standing on the other side, looking my way, and wondered who it was. Then it vanished into the trees.

I found out moments later that it wasn't Edwin. There was a rap on my door and when I opened it Edwin was standing there. He said, "We have to talk," and suggested we do so in his suite.

The first thing he asked after he'd poured us coffee and we settled on the sofa was, "Have you learned anything more today?"

"Yes. Ramsey was interested in Tessa, although he says he never let her know. When he saw her leave that night with Vern he said, okay implied that he gave up on ever trying to tell her how he felt. Of course he is an actor, and a good one, so he could have been lying."

"He never said anything about that to Orville, which is too bad. He would have known if it was the truth. However, he admits all he asked Ramsey, or anyone else, was when the last time was they saw Tessa, without digging deeper as they were preliminary interviews." Edwin stared into his cup. "I could have a talk with Ramsey."

"And Caitlin? She's also a suspect in my book, as much as I hate the idea. There's also Jenn, and maybe Kirby, and damn that's half the troupe."

"That we know of. The only one's I'd write off are Phil and Noah," Edwin said.

"What about Marsh?"

"Probably. He never showed any interest in Tessa?"

"No," I replied, "but neither did Ramsey when it comes down to it. I think he only admitted it to me because I pushed and he was still nursing a hangover so he wasn't thinking, if that makes sense."

"It does."