“He’s a wildlife veterinarian.”Larsen shot a look at Jem.“You’re not police.”
“Definitely not.”
“I’ve conducted forensic investigations into animal attacks,” Tean said.“And we’ve assisted the medical examiner’s office with adjacent investigations.”
Jem had no idea how far Tean could stretch the phraseadjacent investigations, but he knew Tean had just come as close to lying as the doc ever got.“Besides, you don’t have anybody else.”
Larsen’s mouth tightened.
“You were a cop,” Jem said.
“That’s right: was.Retired here for the peace and quiet.”
Tean peeled off the gloves as he got to his feet.He wobbled once, and his breath no longer steamed in the cold air.“How many murders did you handle?”
“None.But I know how to run an investigation.It was a small town, but we did things right.”
The head of security sounded like he expected pushback, but Tean only nodded and said, “Let’s start with where he was found.”
With a snort, Larsen shook his head.“Not like that.You got a coat?Gloves?”
“We were in a hurry,” Jem said.
“Let’s go back to the lodge.You get geared up, and we’ll meet in the lobby.”
They made their way back through the howling wind and spinning snow.Twice, Tean slipped in the thickening drifts, and after the second time, Jem got hold of his arm and held on.
A wall of warm air, the smell of frying bacon, the clink of silverware on plates, laughter, conversation—stepping into the lobby was like stepping into another world.Tean bent at the waist to shake snow out of his hair.Larsen ran a hand over his head like he was a duck, sluicing away the snowmelt.Jem just shook himself all over—a trick he’d picked up from Scipio—and figured that would do.
A group of twentysomethings lounged on one of the seating clusters, drinking mimosas, showing each other videos on their phones, laughing.The bellboy was talking to an older woman, nodding at whatever she was saying.At the front desk, the staff looked as crisp and fresh as ever.But not all the lights were on, and as Jem’s body adjusted to the temperature, he realized the lobby was cooler than it had been the night before, with most of the heat coming from the fireplace.
How many people had noticed?Surely some of them.
They’d definitely notice once the bacon and mimosas ran out.Or when they couldn’t charge their phones.
Larsen waved Tean and Jem off and headed for the front desk, and Jem followed Tean to the elevator.They rode up to their floor.A middle-aged couple rode with them.The woman kept adjusting her necklace in the mirror.The man was staring at the slowly growing puddle forming under Jem’s and Tean’s shoes.
“We murdered Frosty,” Jem told him.“It was a bloodbath.I mean, a snow bath.”
The man’s eyes widened.Then he yanked his gaze forward, and the rest of the ride he pretended they weren’t there.After about two minutes, the woman—still working on the necklace—asked, “What did he say about snow?”
When they got out of the elevator, Tean was giving Jem a look.
“He was being rude,” Jem said.
“H-he started it?”Tean was still shivering.“T-that’s your defense?”
“Well, and it was funny.Hey, are you okay?”
“F-fine.”
“Babe, you’re like ice.Shit.Shit, shit, shit.You shouldn’t have been out there that long.”
“I’m—” But Tean ruined it because he shivered so hard that for a moment, he couldn’t speak.“—f-fine.”
Jem steered him down the hall.“It’s because you have zero body fat.”
“J-Jem.”
