TWISTED ICE (ONC 2023)

CHAPTER 11

"Wait." Jasmine shifts in the wooden chair. "We know you had the same opportunity as we did, but you're saying your motive is a writing project? That was the coin you flipped? Improving your writing through what, practicing your skills with that pen and notepad?"

"Well," I say. "My laptop is in my suitcase back at the crash site."

"So what you're saying is, you don't have a motive at all?"

"You said it, I didn't."

She suppresses a sarcastic chuckle and props her chin up with an elbow on the table.

Hunter frowns, letting his chair's back legs hit the floor. "But what about your... you know."

"What?" I lean back against the cushion. The corner chair's fabric is coarse, but once again, better than the wall of a cave. "My attraction to you and your attraction to Jasmine? Both of you are still alive, aren't you? So, what's your point?"

"I don't know. You said you wanted to fit in; do you believe you succeeded in that?"

"Good enough to get invited on this trip." I turn to Jasmine, sensing a slight chill in the room even with the fire blazing. "How about we look at your motives next?"

Jasmine snarls and bites her bottom lip. "Sure. Let's do it."

"Okay." I tick them off one at a time with a finger for each. "Jealousy. Revenge. Hatred. Fear. Isaiah and Chloe had crossed you. He made you jealous by the way he yearned for Chloe, and she angered you with how she flirted with him. Which means you could have killed him in a heated lover's quarrel. That could have been your coin... to kill and get revenge."

"I flipped on whether to invite you on this trip. You can see what it landed on." She rolls her eyes. "All I wanted to do was expand my circle of friends. To invite you into the inner circle. So that's what I did."

"Seems like such an innocent flip. I have a hard time believing that."

"It's true."

"Or so you say."

Jasmine slams her fist down on the table. "I can't believe this."

"I'm not finished."

As I wade into the murky water of accusation and blame, Jasmine's face contorts, her mouth and cheeks twisting in on itself. She stands up and takes a few cautious steps toward me. I rise from the corner chair to let her know I won't back down. If I ever thought she would attack me, it's now, but I forge ahead with her motives, anyway.

"We heard you arguing with Isaiah on the way to the cave," I say. "As for Chloe, you hated her for leading him on. Because of your insecurities, your fears, because you couldn't stand the thought of him longing for someone else. You killed them both. Objects of a turbulent heart."

Jasmine inches closer and then lunges at me, but Hunter kicks his chair aside and cuts her off. He's faster, and tackles her, both of them crashing into the couch.

"She's not worth it." He drags her away from the bloody cushion and back to the table. "She's hiding something; we just have to find it."

Jasmine sucks in a deep breath and brushes a hand over her sweater, blood from the couch smearing across the front. Chloe's blood.

"Then there's you," I say to Hunter, but hesitate, allowing them to catch their breath.

I watch as he calms her down and helps her take a seat at the table. She's not hyperventilating but a few more anxiety notches higher and the room won't have enough oxygen for her, let alone the rest of us.

"Actually," I say, "before moving on, based on the motives I've already established for Jasmine, I could see her wanting to kill you, Hunter."

She bristles against his side, but he touches her shoulder to keep her from rising. "Why would I want to kill him?" she says.

"Because he represents one of Chloe's desires. She wanted Hunter and only flirted with Isaiah to get his attention. Killing him would finish the job, ridding you of everything that tainted your relationship with Isaiah." I hold up a finger to keep their attention. "That's not all of it. In your scenario, I believe your fear of having all your sins laid bare would lead you to killing me. In the end, everyone must die to cover your tracks. You couldn't stop with one of murder, and you wouldn't be able to stop with a second one either."

"I did not kill anyone!"

"My observations are only speculation." I mirror her ridged jawline and intense stare, but I keep myself under self-control, not allowing myself to slip over the edge.

"Sounds like accusations to me."

I turn to Hunter. "As for you, getting Isaiah out of the way sets you up with Jasmine. Puts you in position to make your move. However, you had to make it look like an accident. If he got drunk and fell on that tree stub, then stumbled off the bluff, you would be home free to sweep in and comfort Jasmine, show her you could be there for her. Of course, she wouldn't have to worry about you ogling over Chloe because you only have eyes for her."

Hunter sits his chair up and falls into it. Crosses his arms. "You've thought this through."

"I've been watching all of you. There's a benefit to being last in line."

"Okay. If you're so clever, then why did I kill Chloe?" He narrows his eyes. "Not that I did, but why would I?"

"Simple," I say. "Chloe was the first to discover the bloody stub of that tree that broke off near the ground. Jasmine hated her and you convinced yourself Chloe needed to die next to satisfy your wannabe lover's fury."

"So now we're working together?"

"No. You killed Isaiah to get him out of the way and you killed Chloe because you wanted to keep her from pursuing you and interfering with your goal of having a relationship with Jasmine. That was your coin to flip; you wanted to make a move on her and remove Isaiah from the equation. Also, you wanted to make Jasmine happy, so you thought killing Chloe would do just that. Of course, offing her in the blizzard was the perfect cover to make that happen."

"You've lost your mind," Jasmine says.

"Have I? Who do you think he wants to kill next? Me!" I jolt up from my seat and pace across the cabin, sling my arms into my parka, throw my backpack on, and open the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Hunter pops up and steps toward me, but doesn't put a hand on me to stop me. "You'll die out there. It's nighttime. It's not snowing anymore, but the temperature will drop."

Jasmine joins his side. "Yeah. What are you going to do?"

"I think I know where he hid the knife, and I'm going to get it before he can."

"So, you don't think I did it?"

"No. You had the motive, and you had the opportunity with Isaiah and Chloe. But I saw the way you reacted when Isaiah died. I don't think you had the heart to kill him. I don't think you have it in you to kill anyone. But Hunter does."

"You can't believe a word she's saying," he replies. "She's trying to make you think I killed them."

I spin away, aiming for the door.

"Did you kill them?" I hear Jasmine say.

"Wait!" He reaches out and grabs my arm. "We have to stop her. If she finds the knife..."

I jerk away from his grasp and glare sidelong at him. "Don't listen to him, Jasmine. If I were you, I'd run. He doesn't think I know where it is, but he'll have to kill us both in the end. He can't leave any witnesses."

"She's lying."

"Is she?" Jasmine says.

With that, I dart through the door into the frigid air and into the snowy clearing with Hunter and Jasmine on my heels. A full moon lights up the night sky, as if revealing all our motives and giving us the opportunities we need to see this thing through to its conclusion. Question is, who will get to the murder weapon first? The race is on.

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Chapter 11 - 1,398 words
Story Total - 19,573 words