TWISTED ICE (ONC 2023)

CHAPTER 10

In the moments following Chloe's death, I pull the cabin's only cushioned chair over to the back corner and sit with my glare, scouring the room. Jasmine has her elbows on the kitchen table with her face in her hands, mumbling something to herself. Hunter sits on the floor near the fireplace with his back against the wall. So far, no one has broached the subject of Chloe's body. It's the overwhelming and undeniable object in the room that no one wants to talk about. Yet.

For now, we sit facing each other, no one willing to turn their back on a murderer.

Concerning decomposition, I did some research for one of my previous novels and discovered a body will emit pungent odors within one to three days of expiring. Now, I'm not sure how long we'll stay in this cabin, but by sometime tomorrow, Chloe will need to be moved to somewhere outside. The snow and the freezing temperatures would help slow the decomposing process. Not something we want to consider, but if she doesn't go, the stench will force us back into the wild.

I make the suggestion and Hunter pops up from the floor and lumbers over to the couch, careful not to make eye contact with me or the body... to begin with.

I wonder why he suspects me?

Gnawing on the inside of my cheek, I guess it's because he doesn't want to consider the possibility of Jasmine having anything to do with Isaiah's or Chloe's death. Of course, he could be the killer as much as any of us. Because of that, his innocent facade could be an act, like I accused him of doing when he searched my backpack without permission.

"You're right about moving her," he says. "Besides, we could use the couch tonight."

I scoot up to the edge of my chair. The cushions are stiff, but it's better than a cave floor. "Why? So you and Jasmine can snuggle?"

"Shut up, Eliza." Hunter's brows overshadow his eyes, casting his face in darkness against the orange glow of the fire. "Don't make this about us."

"So now you and Jasmine are together." My lips curl up at the corners. "That gives both of you motive and opportunity. Makes both of you prime suspects."

Jasmine shoots up, kicking the wooden chair against the wall. "You're one to be talking. You've had as much opportunity as any of us."

"What about motive?" I reply.

"Let's talk about both," Hunter says. "After we move Chloe outside."

I glance down at the floor and rake my fingers through my hair, digging my nails into my scalp.

Hunter struts over to the head of the couch and lifts Chloe up by the shoulders, hooking his hands under her armpits. "Care to help me?"

"You didn't have a problem carrying her to the couch earlier," I say.

"You're right. I could do it by myself, but I need to keep my eyes on both of you."

"What?" Jasmine says. "You don't think I did it, do you?"

Hunter lowers Chloe back down. "As much as I want to rule you out, it wouldn't be smart of me to do that. One of us killed Isaiah and Chloe. And it wasn't me."

Jasmine aims a finger at me. "It was her."

"Or you." I stick my chin out toward her, then shift it toward Hunter. "Or you."

He grits his teeth and glares at me. "Grab a leg, why don't you? Both of you."

The insensitive remark burns the air in the small cabin, but it drives Jasmine and me into action. With Hunter taking Chloe by the shoulders, we lift a leg each, gripping her by the boots and hoisting her body up from the couch. I sway to the side with my portion of her weight, but catch my balance, putting more of my back into it. I mean, Chloe probably doesn't weigh more than a hundred and thirty pounds. Hunter has half of it on his end, with me and Jasmine splitting the other half. I'm only carrying one leg by the boot, but I feel the tug of her luscious backside pulling me down.