A snowplow scraped its way up the mountain road, the rumble of its engine echoing up from the valley. Standing on the lodge’s snow-covered deck, Jane looked down over the railing to catch a view of the road below. She watched the plow’s steady progress as it wound its way toward them, scraping a path through fresh-fallen powder. Inhaling a breath of cold and cleansing air, she lifted her face to the sun, trying to clear the last wisps of fog from her brain. Once the road was clear, a whole host of official vehicles would be arriving on the mountain: the state police, the medical examiner, the crime-scene unit. She had to be fully alert and ready for their questions.
Even though she didn’t have all the answers.
She stomped the snow off her boots, slid open the glass door, and stepped back into the lodge.
The other survivors were seated around the kitchen table. Although it was warmer in the great room where the fire was burning, none of them wanted to move from the kitchen. None of them wanted to be in the same room with the corpses.
Maura finished rebandaging Lily’s arm. “There’s damage to your flexor tendons. I think you’re going to need surgery. At the very least, antibiotics.” She looked at Jane. “When the road’s clear, the first thing we need to do is get her to a hospital.”
“It won’t be too much longer,” said Jane. “The plow’s halfway up the mountain.” She sat down and looked at Lily. “You realize the police will have questions for you. A lot of them.”
Maura said, “It can wait until after she gets medical attention.”
“Yes, of course. But Lily, you know you’re going to get asked about what happened here last night.”
“Can’t you back up everything she says?” said Maura.
“I didn’t see it all,” said Jane. “I slept through half of it.”
“Thank God you didn’t finish your wine. Or we’d all be ashes today.”
“I blame myself,” said Sansone. “I shouldn’t have fallen asleep at all. That was my mistake, letting Edwina pour me a glass.”
Jane frowned at Sansone. “You were planning to stay up all night?”
“I thought someone should be awake. Just in case.”
“Then you already suspected Edwina?”
“No, I’m embarrassed to admit. You have to understand how careful we are when we bring in a new member. They come to us only through referrals, from people we know. And then we make inquiries, background checks. Edwina wasn’t the one I had doubts about.” He looked at Lily. “You were the one I didn’t trust.”
“Why Lily?” asked Jane.
“That night, when my garden window was forced open, you remember I told you that we always keep it locked?”
“Yes.”
“Which means that someone unlatched it from the inside, someone who was in my house that night. I assumed it was Lily.”
“I still don’t understand,” said Maura. “If you’re that careful about who joins the foundation, how could you be so wrong about Edwina?”
“That’s what Gottfried and I have to find out. How she infiltrated. How it was planned and executed. She didn’t just show up one day on our doorstep; she had assistance, from someone within Mephisto, someone who scrubbed away anything suspicious in her background check.”
“It’s the last thing Dominic told us,” said Lily. “We’re not the only ones.”
“I’m sure there are more.” Sansone looked at Jane. “Whether you realize it or not, Detective, we’re engaged in a war. It’s been going on for centuries, and last night was just one of the battles. The worst is coming.”
Jane gave a shake of the head, a tired laugh. “I see we’re talking about those demons again.”
“I believe in them,” Lily declared, her jaw squared in certainty. “I know they’re real.”
They heard the scrape of the snowplow over pavement, the approaching rumble of a truck engine. At last the road was clear and they could leave this mountain; they could return to their lives. Maura, back to the arms of Daniel Brophy, who could bring her either heartbreak or hope. Jane, back to the job of peacemaker between her battling mother and father.
And I’m going home to Gabriel. He’s waiting for me.
Jane rose and crossed to the window. Outside, sunshine sparkled on perfect snow. The skies were cloudless, and by now the road home would be plowed and sanded. It was a beautiful day to drive home. To hug her husband and kiss her baby. I can’t wait to see you both.
“You still don’t believe me, do you, Detective?” said Sansone. “You don’t believe there’s a war going on.”
Jane looked up at the sky and she smiled. “Today,” she said, “I choose not to.”