“So, tell us!” Vi said to Dad.
“Yes, Frank. What are you doing here—not that we aren’t thrilled to see you . . . ,” Mom said.
“We got a call from the airline that Clyde’s flight was canceled and we couldn’t get through on her cell. We couldn’t reach either of your phones or the hotel. I saw on the news that a lot of this area was without power and we got worried.” Dad shrugged and smiled when he got another hug from mom.
“We hoped you had heard from Clyde and would know where she was staying, but didn’t expect that you’d all be here,” Seth added. He succumbed to a hug from Mom. When she released him, he continued his story.
“Papa’s police scanner told us the police and emergency crews were working to clear accidents off the road.” Seth lowered his voice and said to me, “I had to keep my eyes on the ditches all the way here.”
“How did you get here so fast?” I asked.
“We left when it was still dark out,” Seth said. “Papa wanted to get on the road right away.” Seth bent down to pick up Tuffy, who had begun shivering.
“We tried to get through by car, but there’s a big tree blocking the road to the hotel,” Dad said.
Gasps and tsks went through the crowd. Mavis mumbled that we were stuck here until spring. Tina, Heather, and Amy stepped aside and whispered.
“I saw a snowmobile rental place,” Seth said. And out of the corner of his mouth to me, “While I was watching the ditches for your crumpled car.” He raised his voice and said, “They told us there was a path through the woods we could use if we went slow.”
“How did you get Baxter to ride on it?” I asked while rubbing Baxter’s ears. He looked up at me, tongue lolling with a huge doggy smile.
Dad shrugged. “Seth just told him to hop on and he did.”
Seth and I exchanged a look. His ability to communicate with animals was still our secret, but they’d figure it out soon if he kept convincing the dogs to do crazy things.
“You two are quite the heroes,” Mac said from the doorway.
Everyone turned to see Mac smiling and Wally looking at Baxter with a mixture of fear and fascination.
Vi announced she was freezing and gestured everyone inside. “You two won’t believe what’s been going on around here,” Vi said. “There’s been a murder.”
“Oh, Frank, I’m so glad you’re here,” Mom said and hooked her arm through Dad’s.
Mac and Wally grabbed two duffel bags and the bag we used to tote dog food off the back of the snowmobiles and brought them inside.
Vi launched into her story of ghosts, murders, and yarn bombing as she shepherded the gang back to the hotel.
Seth hesitated outside with the dogs.
“Do you think it’s okay to bring them in?” he asked. “We couldn’t leave them alone at home but we didn’t think about where they would stay.”
“Why don’t you clip their leashes on and we’ll just keep them close until we figure out what to do. It’s too cold to leave them outside,” I said.
The general hubbub in the back hallway drew Jessica out of her office.
“Oh, my. What’s going on?” she said.
Vi explained about our rescuers.
“Rose says the generator isn’t working?” Dad said. “I can take a look at it if you like.”
“If you think you can get it working, I’m sure we’d all appreciate it,” Jessica said. “It’s not getting any warmer.”
Dad nodded and rubbed his hands together. There was nothing he liked better than to fix things.
Vi leaned over toward me. “I hope he doesn’t blow the place up.”
“It’ll be fine, Vi. He knows about generators, he’s been dealing with the one at your house for years.” Vi crossed her arms and watched him walk away with Wally.
“Jessica, the guys brought the dogs with them,” I said. “Do you mind if they stay, or should they try to find a hotel that will take them and is within snowmobile distance?”
Jessica looked at Tuffy, who was shivering in Seth’s arms. “How cute. No, it’s fine. He doesn’t look much bigger than Duchess.” Baxter had been by the back door sniffing the bag with his food and he took this moment to amble forward through the crowd.
“Oh. This one is a bit bigger.” Jessica’s face had gone a shade whiter. “I think maybe we should put them out in the cottage.”
“Cottage?” Mac said.
Jessica nodded. “It’s for families and small groups. It sleeps six and has a small kitchen. The dogs can get outside easily.”
“Wally never mentioned a cottage when we were checking in,” I said.
“Well, we haven’t been using it this winter. But it will only take Holly a little while to open it up and get it ready. It’s not as convenient in the winter because it’s away from the main hotel. He probably didn’t even think of it with the storm coming on Thursday.”
A cottage would have been the perfect place for Mac and I to stay. I would have to have a word with Wally later.