The ride in the elevator was quiet. Robert was poorly pretending to look at his phone. Holly stared at the floor, looking like she was trying to fade through it. Mr. Brookstone, arms crossed, looked towards the door, waiting for them to burst open. Westly stared at the buttons thinking about the poor girl upstairs. The ding from elevator reaching the ground startled all of them. The door opened to a giant three-story lobby. Seven elk antler chandeliers created an oval around a black stone fireplace in the center of the lobby. There were over a dozen leather couches, chairs, and fur rugs, it would be hard not find somewhere to relax. The elevators were to the left of the main sliding glass doors, decaled to look like pine trees as you entered the hotel. The front desk was to the right, a straight, solid block of black marble. There were three oak staircases that fanned out from the main lobby. There was the staircase on the left, which climbed three stories to the balcony. The one on the right was its mirror climbing to the same balcony. The balcony, “U” shaped around the lobby, overlooked it entirely.

The middle staircase on the other hand only climbed one story to a second lobby that served as an open dining area. Dark red tables with white china on forest green table cloths. To the back of the dining area was a large bay window towering up the three stories, giving anyone who walked into the hotel a clear view of the mountain. At the base of the window was another, smaller, black stone fire place with a slate gray marble seating. The window had two revolving doors leading out to the patio at the base of the mountain. Under the middle staircase was small room with a wooden spiral staircase leading down to the hotel bar, called “The Gold Mine.” Westly quickly darted up the middle staircase. Robert called after him.

“Where are you off to?”

“I need to see the outside of the window.”

“Wes, if she was killed up the mountain, we need to contact the forest services. Proper channel-”

“You call who feel you need to Robert.”

Westly didn’t look back as he ran up the stairs. Robert shook his head.

“Asshole is doing it again,” he mumbled to himself.

Robert turned his up his coat collar and walked out of the hotel. Brookstone and Holly stood in awkward silence. Brookstone extended his hand to Holly.

“Miss Yan, please tell Mr. Gibbon his gusto may not be appreciated by the police, but the Brookstone family is grateful for it.”

“I will,” Holly smiled.

Brookstone waddled to the middle of the lobby to mingle with the rest of the family. Holly began her way up the stairs.

“Miss Yan.”

The voice was soft and wispy. Holly looked over the railing of the staircase. She saw a young blonde woman motion to her under the stairs. Holly recognized her right away. It was the victim’s sister, Summer Brookstone. Summer was two years older, the blonde white curled hair made them almost look like twins. Summer’s eyes were a piercing blue, unlike her sister’s emerald green. Holly noticed Summer’s eyes right away, as they were still able to break through the cloud of red puffiness from her tear ducts. Summer led her into the small room under the stairs. The one with the wooden spiral staircase leading down into the bar. The moment the door clicked shut, Summer threw her arms around Holly and burst into a weak and sputtered cry.

“Is it…true…my baby sister…she…butchered!”

Holly reluctantly hugged her back. Summer began sobbing loudly.

“It’s my fault! All my fault!”

Holly led her halfway down the stairs and sat her down. She tried to gently push Summer off her. Summer’s grip was tight on Holly’s arm like it was only thing that would keep her from disappearing.

“It is not your fault, Summer. Blame the bastard who did this to her.”

Summer shook her head on Holly’s shoulder, spreading tears all over Holly. The splash of the tears on Holly’s neck was her limit. She pushed Summer to a sitting position, her eyes still draining.

“I lied!” Summer wept.

“How did you lie Summer?”

“I did see Autumn after the rehearsal dinner.”

Holly released her grip on Summer and pulled out her notebook.

“Continue.”

“I was coming up from the bar, Jeremey’s brother is one of the groomsmen and he offered me a drink but I didn’t want to do the cliché thing so I told him no but he was really cute and I was like we are in this romantic hotel in the mountains and my little sister getting married so I figure what the hell so I came down here to have a drink but they don’t have the wine I like so I suggested my room then I was mad because that was too forward-“

“Summer!” Holly snapped and bit her lip. “Where did you see Autumn?”

Summer wiped the tears from her eyes.

“I was trying to say I was drunk. But I did see her in leaving the hotel.

“What time was this?”

Summer shook her head and shrugged.

“I asked her where she was going, and she said she had “meet someone.” Everyone was at the hotel who could she have to meet?

Holly scratched that down.

“Why would keep this from us Summer?’

Summer burst into another fit of tears, making Holly instantly regret her question.

“I was drunk! The last moment I had with my sister I was so drunk I couldn’t even remember the time! I am the worst person in the world!”

She tried to bury her face in Holly’s arm, but Holly was ready for her and blocked her.

“You are not bad person, Summer. No one could have predicted this. Is there anything else you can tell me?”

Summer shook her head, her eyes perked up and she began waving her arms.

“She was made up. Her lipstick was redone, and she had on my red wool peacoat. She always stole it from we she wanted to impress a guy.

Summer trembled as if she was going to cry again. Holly pulled her up.

“Why don’t you go get some lunch. This has all been very helpful.”

Holly walked out into the main lobby. She helped Summer up the middle staircase and sat her at one the tables.

“Thank you.” Summer smiled. Holly nodded.

Holly walked to the three-story bay window. She pulled her phone out and was about to text Westly, when she looked outside and saw him sitting on a second story balcony, staring at the side of the hotel. The elderly couple sitting on the balcony were doing their best to ignore him. Holly pushed open the revolving door and ran over to where Westly was.

“Wes!”

Westly looked down. He pointed the side of the building and starting to explain something that Holly couldn’t hear.

“Wes come down, I have news!” she shouted.

Westly grabbed the side of balcony and with one quick motion leapt from the balcony, landed on the grass, and somersaulted up to her. Every time he did it amazed her that he never got so much as a sprain.

“The killer didn’t climb down.” Westly said, even before he had fully stood up. He pointed at the divots in the side of the building.

“See the pattern of the marks they only travel up. The killer, killed her up the mountain, carried her back, climbed to the third story balcony and placed her in the bed.”

Holly looked at the divots. It did look like someone climbed the building. However, she knew everyone would not be as easily convinced.

“We are going to need a lot of evidence to convince anyone that her killer murdered her away from the hotel and brought her all the way back.”

Westly nodded.

“Let’s head up the mountain and see what we find.”

The pair began their climb. The foothills of the mountain came right to the base of the hotel. The vertical climb was too steep for anyone to ski down but did create a very pretty view. Most of the ski crowd were further down the mountain. The hotel specialized mostly in weddings and events, rather than the conventional commerce of skiing. The design kept this side of the mountain virtually untouched by the bustle of people. Holly stuck her hands in her pockets. The wind was starting to pick up and last night’s rain was still heavy on the trees, making the breeze biting cold.

“Summer lied to me. She saw Autumn after the rehearsal.”

“Summer is again?”

“The sister. She said that Autumn was dressed in a red peacoat with redone makeup and headed out as if she was going meet someone.”

“She say who?”

“My guess is a former boyfriend to get some closure. Summer wasn’t too happy about it.”

“Is that why she was crying?”

“How did you know she was crying.”

“Your shirt is drenched, I first though you spilled something on yourself, but this makes more sense.

Holly tightened her coat. Westly noticed.

“Sorry I wasn’t going to mention it, but it was pretty obvious.” He said.

“But you promised wouldn’t investigate me.” Holly responded coldly.

“That is why I wasn’t going to mention it.”

They walked in silence. The steep vertical climb made it hard to talk. They both didn’t want to admit that the shock of seeing someone methodically mangled didn’t sit well with either of them. The made it half way up the alpine slope about a hundred yards from the base of the hotel before Westly spoke.

“Did you notice they were all senses?”

Holly was a bit winded from the climb and propped herself against on the rocks to catch her breath.

“What are you talking about?” she heaved.

“Her ears, eyes, nose, fingers and tongue were all removed. All of those are senses, hearing, seeing, smelling, feeling and tasting.”

“So why the feet?”

“I think that was also feeling to the killer. You feel with your fingers and toes.”

“So why not remove the toes?”

“Still working on that.”

Westly sat on the grass and looked up at the rest of the alpine hill. He checked his watch; they had been hiking for about a half hour

“She couldn’t have gotten much further up and still be in the time of death window.”

Holly joined him on the grass.

“Wes, this might be ritualistic, the removal of the senses, the eerie way in which she was left on the bed, feels like a cult.”

Westly shook his head.

“I thought about that, the setting was too private and didn’t have anything burnt or buried around her.”

“I know you don’t want it be a ritualistic thing since Casper but-”

Westly threw up his hand.

“It doesn’t fit as ritualistic, okay. It fits more as malice, like the killer wanted to take everything away from her.”

Holly nodded.

“Okay Wes, we’ll go with your instincts.”

They helped each other up and continued up the alpine. Westly’s phone buzzed. The caller said “Oliver.” Westly hung up without a second thought.

“You know he’s going to call back.” Holly said with pleading in her voice.

“And at that point I will again not answer. He knows what I am doing, he just doesn’t like getting yelled at.”

They continued up the alpine slope a few steps. Westly kept looking back and counting. The weather was starting to lift. The warm evening sun crested on the back of the mountain creating a picturesque glow. Westly cupped his hand over his eyes to stare towards the crest of the foothill.

“There!” he shouted and ran up the hill.

Holly cupped her hand and looked in the same direction as Westly but could not see what he saw. She quickly followed after him, tripping over her feet on the still wet stones. Westly ran up the hill about ten yards to a lone thick pine tree. Its curves contrasted the curves of the mountain, bending and twisting while still reaching upward. Holly caught up with Westly. She stared at that the tree and there she saw it. The red peacoat was stuck in branches. The arms, collar and waist of the coat were stabbed through by branches giving the illusion that the tree was bleeding. Holly clapped Westly on the shoulder.

“Are you sure it’s not ritualistic?”

Westly ignored her as placed his foot on the lower branch and lifted himself up into the tree. He grabbed the bottom end of the jacket.

“Wes! We should wait for the police. This be considered tampering with crime scene.”

“I don’t believe our killer has left Vail, or even this mountain. If I wait for Robert, he will likely be in New Zealand before I can solve this.”

“Please leave the coat. Robert will have probable cause to arrest you and I-”

Westly reached into the right coat pocket and pulled out a bottle of lavender perfume. He jumped from the tree as he did from the balcony and landed like a cat.

“This is what I was looking for.”

“We already know she was wearing lavender perfume. You made a very big deal out of it.”

“Yes, but why lavender perfume? All the bottles you saw in her room were half empty, but she opts to use the new bottle to meet an old boyfriend? Unless he told her to.”

Westly shook the bottle up, it surprisingly made a crinkling sound. He quickly took the lid off to reveal a rolled-up note in the bottle. The note looked like it had been wet before and then dried and wet again. Westly pinched it out the bottle and unraveled it.

Lavender,

I need to see you…I need to see you before it too late. Please meet on the lone pine just before the foothills, north of the hotel, tonight after the rehearsal. You won’t regret it.

Foxgloves

Westly handed the note to Holly. She read, rolled it back up and stuffed it back in the bottle.

“Lavender? Foxgloves?” Holly questioned.

“Lovers’ pet names. I think she was meeting someone from her past up here and he took the news of her wedding…poorly. Let’s head back down see if anyone knows a “Foxgloves.”

Westly screwed the lid back on the bottle of perfume and climbed back up the tree. The sun was just peaking over the mountains, about to be dusk. Westly stuffed the perfume back in the pocket. As he did, he felt the top of the collar. He called down to Holly.

“There is something tied to this collar. It looks like bailing twine. It is stuffed back in the branches and is climbing up the tree. Can you check around the back to see where it goes?

Holly walked behind the tree. There was the twine cascading down through the branches like a perfectly thin rod, burying its self in the dirt at the base of the trunk.

“The twine disappears into the ground.” She called back to him.

Westly leapt from the tree again and met Holly. Without a word he grabbed the taut twine and pulled.

“Westly No!” Shrieked Holly.

Bursting through the soil, Westly pulled a brown stained bundle of cheese cloth, tied at the top. It was full, the contents were moist and seeping through the cloth. The heavy stench of rot filled the air. Holly covered her nose and mouth, trying not to vomit. Westly undid the top binding and opened the cheese cloth. The stench was unbearable, and he dropped the cloth on the ground. Draining from the back was Autumn’s feet, fingers, nose, ears, tongue, and one eye. Westly coughed and quickly wrapped everything back up. He stared blankly back at Holly.

“Body parts buried at the base of tree. This might be ritualistic. Goddamn it!”