Jason gave her a questioning look. “Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all.” In fact, Olive had been hoping he would offer.
The truth was, not only did she want a moment of quiet before everyone congregated, but she also had ulterior motives.
After everything that had happened recently, she wanted to check out their surroundings for herself. She needed reassurance that everything was safe and secure.
Once she knew more about the area, maybe she truly could relax and enjoy this early Christmas celebration.
Stepping back outside with Jason, Olive paused on the porch, glancing at the mountain scene around her.
It truly did look like a snow globe with the white-tipped trees and rolling mountains.
Then she noticed the tracks on the sidewalk below the front steps.
At first glance, they appeared to be a mess of footprints stamped into the fresh snow—boots going toward the inn, boots heading away from the inn to the parking area.
But as she looked closer, her mind sorted the different tread patterns. One set of prints, partially filled in by falling snow, angled away from the front porch toward the side of the inn. Those prints disappeared around the corner toward the smaller outbuilding she’d seen when they pulled in.
“Olive?” Jason’s voice held a question.
She pointed. “Someone walked away from the inn.”
“It’s a cabin in the mountains. Someone could have gone to get more firewood or to enjoy the scenic hypothermia like we’re doing.” Jason shifted, his studious gaze on her. “You don’t just want to stretch your legs, do you?”
She didn’t answer. It didn’t matter anyway.
Jason already knew the truth.
“I just want to see where these footprints lead,” she said. “Humor me.”
Jason followed as she veered off the beaten path, the snow instantly deeper around their ankles. The wind cut sharper at this angle, slapping curly dark hair across her face.
Olive squinted against the icy breeze and trailed the prints around the side of the inn.
The smaller building came into view—a long, low structure made of wood planks and metal roofing.
A single security light hung above the door, haloing falling snow in yellow.
The footprint trail led straight to that door, then back toward the inn.
But another set branched off, faint and irregular, angling toward the back of the property.
Olive paused, running her flashlight over the prints and studying them.
Jason paused beside her. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m not sure yet.” She followed the second trail with her eyes.
The prints continued toward the tree line, then cut right, skirting along the edge of a sloping yard.
Something dark lay ahead, half-buried near the wooden steps of a second, smaller building tucked at the edge of the trees.
Olive’s heart gave a small, hard thud. “Do you see that?”
Jason narrowed his eyes. “Yeah.”
They sprinted ahead.
