A Deadly Winter Retreat

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ONLY THREE OF us remained: Troy, Gina, and myself. Regrettably, I had abandoned all hope of Lena's return, and her fate remained uncertain. It would be nothing short of a miracle if she had somehow survived the snowstorm. Despite the profound sorrow and grief I carried for her, one thought dominated my mind—we needed to uncover the identity of the sick individual behind the letters. We had to stop this person in their tracks and prevent them from causing us any more harm or grief. That was my sole focus at that point. If Lena's soul was still out there, somewhere beyond our reach, my greatest hope was that she had found safety and security wherever she might be.

I also couldn't help but wonder about private investigator Leroy and my role in his passing. He was now deceased, and questions about his death lingered in my mind.

What if I bore some responsibility for his demise?

Guilt weighed heavily on my chest. Maybe if I hadn't hired him to investigate the identity behind the letters, he might still be alive. It was likely that the person pursuing him was the same individual hunting us, intent on eliminating us one by one.

Dave and Glenna—both were now gone. Forever. 

The mere thought of it sent a shiver down my spine. I felt this sense of emptiness in the pit of my stomach that wouldn't relent. It stirred my emotions from hopelessness to pity. Overwhelmed by these feelings, I could no longer stay grounded. I was beginning to feel as if I was losing it.

And to add to all of that, a sense of impending doom consumed me as if we were next on the list - the list of those whose bodies were destined for demise.

"What's happening to us is unbelievable," Troy walked in place, pacing nervously, "And not to mention how the cops are treating these incidents as simple everyday occurrences." Troy was just as dumbfounded as all of us were.

As we sat on the couch, attempting to devise an escape plan, Gina's phone rang to the tune of my speeding heartbeat.

Gina slowly reached for her phone, raising it to her ear.

"Hello?" Her voice trembled with sorrow, and her eyes suddenly widened in shock. "What? Are you sure?" She spoke into the phone. "It doesn't sound like something Dave would do." Without further thought or words, she hastily hung up the phone.

"Gina, what happened?" Curiosity plagued me,  wondering what caused her sudden change in demeanor.

"The police said Dale escaped, and they're stranded in the snow. They've warned us to lock up and not let Dale back into the cabin," Gina explained, her tone filled with despair.

Shaking my head, I replied, "Dale's our friend. Why would we refuse to let him into our cabin?" 

Gina shrugged, confusion etched across her face.

 "Dale wouldn't harm anyone, not even a fly," I added.

Troy looked on, watching with evident disbelief, "I just can't see Dale doing any of it." Troy began. "I can't imagine him being so calculated as to commit multiple murders. I can't even imagine him escaping from the police."

Gina shook her head. "He's not that type of guy." Her lips dived downward into a frown. "I can't see him escaping either. He would follow due process and allow the police to take him down to the station, and from there, he would get it all sorted out."

"I agree. He's just not the kind of guy who would commit murders and then run astray from the police." I rubbed my forehead in distress.

"Ladies, I'll be upstairs. I'm getting a headache." Troy stated. "I'm just too overwhelmed right now. I can't discuss this anymore." 

Gina and I watched as Troy made his way up the staircase. Then, followed by his footsteps, we heard the sound of the bedroom door closing.

Gina was overcome with emotion. She made her way into the entryway of the cabin, grasping the knob of the closet door. She swung it open. Reaching inside, she grabbed her heavy parka down from the hanger. She slipped her arms into each of the sleeves. Bending down, she picked up her snow boots and placed her feet into them. I couldn't hide my shock as it was evident that Gina planned on leaving, presumably to look for Dale.

"Gina, where are you going?" my voice concerned.

"To find Dale," she replied, her determination evident. Pulling out her pink snow hat, she secured it snugly over her head. Then she flipped the hood of her parka jacket over it.

My eyes widened in concern. "Gina, there's a blizzard raging out there. You won't make it!" I warned, desperation evident in my voice.

"I know what I'm doing, Trish!" She said, shrugging off my apprehension.

"It's not safe out there, Gina!" Troy interjected, warning her. "You won't survive." He added matter-of-factly.

"Well, I'm coming with you! I won't lose another friend." I firmly stated assertively.

Gina stopped in her tracks, her gaze locked onto mine with curious disbelief, as though she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"You're coming with me, Trish?" She asked in disbelief.

I nodded my head. "Yes, I will not let you go out there alone!" I warned. "But you have to promise me, if things get too hectic out there, we're heading back."

Gina bent her head down, gazing at the hardwood floors. "Trish, I don't know if I can promise you that," she began. "I won't stop until I find Dave."