Mistletoe’s Kiss

10. Chapter 10

10

Chapter 10

“Any coincidence is always worth noticing…”

Nemesis b y Agatha Christie

M addy and Sara made sure Michaels was as comfortable as possible, moving his steaming cup of tea within reach and draping a coat they found by the back door over his legs. He didn’t respond, just stared ahead blankly.

“Don’t worry Mr Michaels,” Maddy said softly. “We’ll be back soon. We just need to find the other guests.”

As they stepped out of the kitchen Sara turned to Maddy, a frown creasing her forehead. “I feel really bad leaving him like that. But you’re right, we need to let everyone else know what’s happened. We haven’t heard any screams from down the hall so I’m guessing they haven’t found Dan yet.”

“Trust me, we’d know about it if anyone had come across that body. It was horrific!” Maddy grimaced as they walked back down the hall towards the entryway.

They were just passing the dining room when Sara suddenly halted, darting inside and pointing at a pair of French doors that led to an outdoor seating area. The curtains weren’t drawn and a light was switched on, giving a clear view of the picturesque garden. Maddy peered through the glass and her breath caught. The garden was blanketed in thick snow. In fact, it looked like a full-blown blizzard out there. It hadn’t been that long since she’d been watching the gentle snowfall from the kitchen but it had turned violent so quickly.

“Fuck! I haven’t checked my phone” Sara muttered fumbling in her bag. After a moment, she pulled it out, her expression shifting to panic.

“Shit! Our driver texted. He’s stuck about five miles from here. Remember that village we passed? They don’t have any machinery to clear the roads and no one wants to leave their homes on Christmas Eve to dig with shovels. It must be fucking freezing!”

Maddy’s heart sank.

Sarah huffed, “Apparently he spoke with Michaels earlier and they decided it would be best for the guests to stay overnight. They have plenty of spare rooms. I guess Michaels just didn’t get a chance to tell anyone.”

“Yeah, normally I wouldn’t mind, it’s a lovely old house but let’s face it, the weather has effectively trapped us in here, possibly until the morning,” Maddy replied.

“Fucking hell!” Sara paced, her voice rising in distress. “What are we going to do, Maddy? How will the police get here now?” Her voice cracked, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m scared, and I really don’t want to have a sleepover with a knife-wielding murderer! I-I made plans with Mark, you know Mark? He works at Bookman’s. We were going to meet first thing in the morning for a walk along the river before I headed to my parent’s place. I like him and we haven’t even kissed yet! I don’t want to die!”

Maddy reigned her own hysteria back in and gently patted Sara’s back. “It’ll be okay. The police will do everything they can to get here. They’ll have equipment to clear the roads, it might just take a little longer, that’s all. And as for Mark, he’ll understand. After everything that’s happened, no one will blame us for not making it to wherever we’d planned to be tomorrow.” She squeezed Sara’s shoulder. “You are not going to die! I’m right here with you, there’s safety in numbers and if that doesn’t work you know the saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer? If one of the guests is the killer they won’t be able to do anything if we all stay in the same room and keep an eye on each other. The police will come. I promise!”

“Thanks, Maddy,” Sara said, taking a shaky breath and wiping her eyes. “You’re right. I just needed to panic for a moment. This is not how I imagined tonight going and I can’t get the image of that study from my mind.” She squared her shoulders, determined. “Let’s call the others and then head back to Michaels.”

As they passed the parlour where they’d had drinks earlier, Maddy thought she heard someone speaking at the top of the stairs. Just as she opened her mouth to call out, a loud bang echoed from the front door. She jumped, and spun around, her heart racing with fear.

“What should we do?” Sara whispered, wide-eyed. “There shouldn’t be anyone here. The roads are blocked so it can’t be the police or an ambulance! I know I said I like creepy shit, but this is too much! What if it’s a man in a mask…with an axe? Or a ghost! What if it’s a fucking ghost, Maddy!”

Maddy took a step closer to the door, whispering back, “Well, there’s only one way to find out. We have to see who it is. What if the police managed to clear the roads, or if it’s one of the staff from earlier?.”

“It can’t be the staff. Our driver said in his messages that Michaels sent them home straight after dinner before the snow storm worsened.” Sara explained, her voice trembling slightly.

“I’m going to open it,” Maddy said, reaching for the heavy wooden door handle. “Just be ready to run if it’s someone with a weapon…or a ghost. We’ll head back to the kitchen and lock ourselves in.”

A rush of cold air and falling snow hit Maddy as she wrenched the door open. She leaped back, brushing windswept hair from her face, her heart pounding as she tried to see who had been banging on the door.

As the man stepped inside, shaking off the snow, Maddy took a cautious step back until she was beside Sara. He wore a woollen coat, a suit, and dress shoes, definitely not appropriate attire for a blizzard. He stamped his feet on the tiles and finally looked up at them, his expression serious.

“Hi,” he said, his gaze locking onto Maddy’s. “I’m Nolan Moore, I heard you have a situation here.”

“Oh, thank fuck!” Sara rushed forward, relief washing over her. You’re a detective? We thought no one could get through!”

Moore tilted his head and blinked slowly. “That’s right, I’m a Detective. Detective Moore. Now, how about you fill me in on what’s been happening tonight?”