I awoke to another day of bright sunshine coming through the opening between the curtains. I pulled one aside and was dazzled by the brilliance of the sun on the snow that blanketed the entire valley. The outdoor thermometer was hovering at five below, even with the sun striking it.
Andrea came in, snapping her cell phone shut, just as I was heading for the bathroom. “What’s happening?” I asked.
“I was just talking to Ward. He has a request for you.”
“What’s the request?”
“Stefan and Maggie have something special planned for tomorrow night. It’s usually done during the holidays, but since we’re here, they want to do it again this weekend. Also, there’ll be all the weekend guests from the hotel who might want to come.”
“What is it they’re planning?”
“When the ski area closes, just after nine o’clock, all the instructors and some members of the Ski Patrol will come down the mountain carrying torches. Apparently it’s quite a sight. They’re going to ask David to ski with them. They think he’s learned enough to be able to ski without poles.”
“So what’s the sheriff’s request?”
“I’m going to be skiing today, and while you’re in the Bear Paw, he wants you to talk with the mysterious stranger we keep seeing there, and tell him about the special event. Tell him Stefan will be the last to come down, to make sure everyone else makes it safely.”
“You’re talking about the man we saw talking to Maria, the one who saw me digging for his cup in the trash?”
“That’s the one. Just keep it casual, as if you’re making conversation. Stefan’s going to print a flyer about the event and put a copy in all the rooms. They’ll post it in the Bear Paw, too.”
“I guess the sheriff’s hoping to flush out the murderer, if it’s someone who’s trying to kill Stefan.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Is this safe for Stefan?”
Andrea sat down on the edge of the bed. “It probably isn’t, but the whole thing was his idea. He’s determined to go ahead with it, even though Ward tried to talk him out of it. Part of this is that he wants us to see this spectacle while we’re here.”
“I’d hate to think he’s putting his life in danger to put on a show for us.”
“I think a larger part is that he’s hoping to reveal the murderer and end this situation. No one wants to feel threatened all the time.”
I nodded. “No problem with passing the information to the stranger. If he shows up, that is.”
“He’s been there every time we have. I hope he’ll be there this morning. Just remember to keep it casual.”
“That’s easy. I’ve chatted with him in the past, and I’ll do it again today.”