shook her head. “I didn’t see his face. But he was the wrong build for the man we saw on the mountain.”
“Hate to say it, but sometimes people take advantage of blackouts and decide to rob people,” Jude said.
“I suppose I would be a prime target since I’m not from around here.” She touched her neck, remembering that the man had tried to grab her or maybe he’d just been fumbling in the dark. But she was not able to shake off the fear that had sunk into her bones that the attack was connected to what had happened on that mountain road. “Or the man who came after you has an accomplice.” She couldn’t stop shaking.
Jude touched her shoulder. “Hey, it’s all right now. You’re safe.”
She appreciated his kindness, but her heart was still racing.
Footsteps pounded on the stairs and Ray, the old man from the lobby, appeared in their open doorway holding a camping lantern. He held it close to his cheek, so half his face was in shadow and the other half was lit up. “You two are awake. Heard a ruckus up here.” He looked at Jude. “You the fella that left a note?”
Jude nodded. “Yes.”
“What’s all the noise about?” Ray leaned forward to peer in the room.
“Someone was in Lacey’s room,” said Jude. “Did you see anyone?”
“No,” said Ray. “Only two other people are staying at the hotel.”
Ray stood still, holding the lantern, studying both their faces while his was still half-covered in shadow. Did he think they were making this up?
“All I know is someone attacked Lacey,” said Jude.
Ray took a step back. “Electricity is out all over town. Got a fire started in the ballroom and some snacks,” said Ray. Without waiting for their response, he disappeared down the hallway. The old man either didn’t believe him or didn’t want to deal with another problem right now.
The wind rattled the windows. Lacey got to her feet. “We might as well go downstairs. I’m not going to fall back asleep.”
The signs indicated that the ballroom was in the west end of the hotel. The room was huge with wooden floors. Two chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Lacey could picture the parties, dances and banquets that must have taken place here.
Now it was completely empty except for a table, couch and comfy-looking chairs that surrounded the crackling fire. The air smelled like wood polish. Another lantern had been set up on the table. Store-bought cookies, cold cuts, cheese and crackers had been set out. There was also a camp stove with a teakettle on it. All the fixings for cocoa and tea sat beside the stove.
A moment later, two men entered the ballroom and found a seat. Lacey’s heart fluttered. Both the men were the same build as the man who had attacked her. Come to think of it, so was Ray.
The older man pointed to the younger. “I’m Eddie and this is my son Jonathan. Looks like we are in for a long night.”
Lacey and Jude introduced themselves.
Lacey grabbed a paper plate and some food. When she sat down in a high-back chair, the heat from the fire calmed her. The men made small talk while Lacey stared at the fire.
Ray entered the ballroom. “Things have gotten even worse in the last twenty minutes. It’s whiteout conditions outside. A man could walk only a few feet, get disoriented and freeze to death,” said Ray. “Until this storm subsides, you cannot go outside. You’d be taking your life in your own hands.”
Lacey’s throat constricted. “So if someone was in the hotel, they couldn’t leave, right?”
“Not unless they wanted to risk death,” said Ray. “Nope, the smart thing to do is to stay put until this thing dies down.”
The cookie Lacey was nibbling didn’t taste so sweet anymore. She stared at all the men. The only one who was off the hook for attacking her was Jude. He’d come to the door and spoken while the other man was running away.
It was possible too that the three men were innocent and the attacker was hiding somewhere in the hotel. Both alternatives sent a wave of terror through her.
As he snacked on his cheese and crackers, Jude noticed a shift in mood for Lacey. She stared at the fire and gave one-word answers when anyone tried to include her in the conversation. She rubbed her feet together as though nervous.
He felt a little restless himself. How was eight-year-old Maria doing? Was she safe? Was she alone and hungry? His only comfort was that if he was trapped, maybe the kidnapper was too. Once the storm broke, he might still be able to search the houses that connected with that road. Maybe Maria had even been in the car when Jude had been shot at. The kidnapper could have brought her down here and was hiding her somewhere. There were too many unknowns. All he knew was that the longer he was delayed, the colder this case got and the less of a chance that Maria would be returned alive.
Maybe Lacey was right. Maybe the kidnapper had an accomplice. Lacey could identify him, but Jude was the one who had been on his tail. Jude figured it was only a matter of time before he became a target too.
When there was a lull in the conversation, Lacey bolted up from her chair. “You know, I think I’ll go upstairs. Are you coming, Jude? I need to talk to you about something.”
“Sure.” What was she up to?
Jude nodded his goodbye to the other men and then walked with Lacey across the expansive wood floor.
Once they were out of earshot in the hallway, Lacey turned toward him. Desperation filled her voice. “Help me search the hotel.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Ray said there was no way anyone would go out in this. Whoever attacked me must still be hiding in this hotel. He must have snuck in before the storm got so bad,” she said. “I want to know what he was doing in my room. And I want to know that it won’t happen again because he’s been caught.”
He heard the fear in her voice. “Sure. It’s not like I have a busy social schedule.” He hoped the attack on Lacey wasn’t connected to the kidnapping. It was a thin hope at best. He didn’t like the idea of Lacey being in danger after she had risked her life to save his.
“Okay, come with me so I can get my flashlight out of my room,” she said.
She headed toward the stairs, moving outside of the cone of illumination his flashlight made.
“I don’t want the others to know we’re looking. Just in case it was one of them who was in my room.” She stepped on the first stair and turned, waiting for him to come toward her with the light.
They hurried upstairs. While Lacey got her flashlight, Jude retrieved his gun from the nightstand drawer. He shoved it in his waistband at the back and untucked his flannel shirt so it would be covered.
Had Lacey been chosen at random to be robbed? Had she been chosen because as a woman she was more vulnerable? Or was this connected to what had happened on the mountain?
