“Oh yes.They’re so powerful.We always go home with such a spiritual high.”
“What do you do when the men are busy?”
“It depends.If it’s nice weather, I like to do some sightseeing.I was planning on going into Park City to do some shopping.”She shrugged and gestured at the window.“But the lodge is nice.There’s a place here you can get your nails done, and there are some cute stores.I got this top; Dean would die if he knew how much it cost.”
“And what about last night?”
“Nora and I went to a movie.You know they have their own theater here?”
“What happened to family time?”
“Oh, Dean and I spent some time together.But then he and the other guys were going to do their evening scripture study, and Nora and I were on our own again.”
“What time was the movie?”
“I don’t know.Nine?Nine-thirty?”She paused.“Why?”
“Like I said, you never know what details matter.What’s Stephen’s part in all this?”
She hesitated, a question in her eyes.But then she said, “Stephen is amazing.You met him, so you already know.He literally does everything.And he’s so in tune with the Spirit.One day, Dean was having such a hard time, and nobody knew—not even me.But Stephen picked up on it right away.I’m telling you, that changed Dean’s life.I don’t know what would have happened if Stephen hadn’t been there for him.”
“And he’s Gerald’s personal assistant?”
“I guess that’s his job, if that’s what he told you.But he does so much more than that.”
“What was their relationship like?”
“What?”
Jem gave an easy smile.“No, sorry, that’s not what I meant.Did they get along?Were they friendly?”
“Stephen loved President Fitzpatrick.He was— I don’t even know how to explain it.It was like President Fitzpatrick saved his life.Which he did, I guess.President Fitzpatrick was Stephen’s mission president.And Stephen came out to him.Told him he was going to go home because he couldn’t live a lie.And that’s when President Fitzpatrick started helping people.He helped Stephen deal with his same-sex attraction, and Stephen finished his mission, and they’ve been helping more men ever since.”
Jem had already saidUh huhonce; he decided twice might be pushing it.“And was Stephen at scripture study with the guys?”
“I don’t think so.That wasn’t an official part of the retreat, you know?But nighttime is when temptations get stronger, and some of the guys like to help each other, you know?Get through that hard part of the day?”
“Some of the guys?”
Mckell’s hand suddenly sprang to life again, running over her hair again in quick, rapid strokes.She blinked, and her eyes were wet.“You think something happened to President Fitzpatrick, don’t you?Sister Fitzpatrick said it was an accident, but if it was an accident, you wouldn’t be asking all these questions.”
“Why?”Jem said.“Is there something you want to tell me?”
She glanced over her shoulder.The rest of the group was focused on Tean, who was asking questions and taking notes on his phone.When she turned back at Jem, she was blinking more rapidly than ever.“Quinn and Beckett aren’t here.”
“Who?”
“Quinn and Beckett.They’re part of the group too.But they’re not here.”She swallowed, and it looked like a struggle.The tears finally won out and spilled down her cheeks.“They weren’t in their room, and no one can find them.”
14
“She definitely thinks there’s something wrong,” Jem said, stomping snow from his shoes in the lodge’s lobby.The morning crowd had cleared out.Laughter, voices, and music came from Afterski—the bar would be doing steady business all day, no doubt—but the lobby itself was empty and cold.Even the bellboy seemed to have run out of steam.He glanced up as they came in, but his expression was dull and, once he recognized them, uninterested.“I don’t know if she thinks they killed him, but she was on the edge of freaking out.”
Tean was pulling off his hat, shaking out his wild, dark hair.
“What did the others say?”Jem asked.
“Not much, unless you count Nora and Tafton getting in an argument about the ice cream sundae at Afterski.”Tean blew out a breath.“Their answers lined up with what Mckell told you.Tafton, Dean, Sawyer, and Aiden alibi each other.Their scripture study ran until after midnight.Sawyer and Aiden share a room.Nora’s movie was supposed to be done by twelve-thirty.Dean went back to his room, quote, ‘once it was safe.’”
