Powdered Murder

"Just like I couldn't trust you around Do

The sound of Lila's voice sent chills down my spine. The nature of her allegations were serious yet she was addressing them like she was ordering a coffee. She pointed the gun at Patrick and casually stepped closer to him, limping to keep herself from falling.

"Put the gun down." Patrick had his hands up showing his surrender. "Let's talk about this inside." He was calmer and more collected than I would've expected him to be. He watched Lila with a look of disappointment on his face. His expression was far from showing any fear.

"No," Lila said lightly like she was possessed by a soft-spoken, i

"Lila—" I started.

"Shhh," she cut me off. "It's not your turn yet." She brushed a strand of hair from her face. The blood on her calf had stained the bottom half of her dress and the red blotch was visible now.

"Why did you do it, Lila?" Patrick asked. "Do

"I know," she agreed. "Pity." She took a deep, calming breath. "But it had to be done. She can't just go around hugging people's fiancés and telling people my business."

"You mean telling people about those pills you are on?" I blurted out.

"Exactly." Lila didn't even look at me. I gulped, knowing I shouldn't have said any more to upset her. But the fact that she hadn't been upset with my comment confirmed the worst. If she didn't care what I knew about her anymore that meant she'd already decided to kill me. She had already tried and failed once before. "I hate those stupid things, but Franco breathes down my neck insisting I follow the doctor's orders. Wouldn't want to have a psychotic break on camera, he always says." She waved the gun slightly as she giggled.

"So those were your pills he was giving you?" I continued. "You don't think he could have … switched them?"

"Wouldn't make a difference," she giggled again. "I haven't been taking them. I find that I have more energy when I don't, and those pills make me bloat. I mean, who wants to feel like they're on the first day of their period every day? Not me, thanks."

"Oh, Lila." Patrick lowered his voice and hung his head.

"I don't regret it," she sang. "If I'd been on my meds I wouldn't have seen the spark between you too, and I wouldn't have seen through the lies of my dirtbag of an assistant. Every time he slithered off to answer emails I knew what he was really doing. When I would act a little bit suspicious he would do some spying for me to win back my allegiance. What a fool."

"It isn't too late, Lila." Patrick lowered his hands and walked towards his neurotic fiancée like the pistol between them didn't exist.

"Don't tempt me, sweetheart." Lila forced a fake smile.

"It isn't too late to turn yourself in and make all of this right. I'm sure what happened with Do

"Oh, it wasn't an accident," Lila admitted. "I killed her. It was so easy too. All I had to do was hand her the cupcake as a peace offering and she freely ate it. Then I held her underwater to keep her quiet. Nut allergies. Pathetic, isn't it."

My feet were like blocks of ice and not because they were actually partially frozen in place. Lila wasn't sorry for what she did. She kept on smiling and talking in the tone of a cheery teenage cheerleader about to go on her very first date with a guy on the football team. I wondered if she had that same look on her face when Do

"Lila—" Patrick moved closer despite that Lila had just confessed to murder.

"Not another step, dearie."

"But—"

BANG!

Patrick was interrupted by the pull of a trigger. Lila barely even blinked as he dropped to the ground and rolled over in the snow grabbing his shoulder. He yelled, and moved to his good side. Lila smoothed a strand of her hair though the wind rustled it out of place again almost immediately. The sound of the gun shot pierced the canyon the way the first one had and I prayed someone heard it. Out of all the times for the people in this town to be nosey, now was definitely the time.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

"Yes, I tried to kill you," Lila admitted. "You were headed in the right direction, but I knew you would never figure out it was me. I mean, I vandalized my own suite to make it look like I had a stalker in town and no one caught onto that either."

Lila glanced down at Patrick. He winced as snowflakes drifted down and settled on his black suit. He laid still,but his eyes were open. They darted from me to the ski lift and back towards the resort like he was quietly formulating a plan in his head. I knew he would be successful at it if I kept Lila distracted. I just hoped when she finally decided to shoot me that it wouldn't be in the head. If it was anywhere else, I might stand a chance.

"You're right," I humored her. "I didn't know it was you all along, and I'm sorry about what I put you through." Lying to keep her from going trigger happy put a sour taste in my mouth.

"Oh." She lowered her gun slightly and straightened her shoulders. There was no way she could last much longer on her wounded leg. She was so thin that the blood loss was sure to make her too lightheaded to stand pretty soon. "Glad to see you've learned your lesson. Too bad there won't be a next time." She raised the gun again.

"How did you do it?" I asked quickly.

"Well, it was actually really easy. You walk the same path every day. Always through the staff hallways and never out the front. Naturally, your sister gave me a quick little tour of the facilities when I arrived." She glanced at the handle of the pistol. "You see, my parents died when I was very young and I spent most of my childhood in Michigan with my aunt and delinquent cousins. She did this fu

"That sounds horrible." I sympathized with her, mostly because I felt like I was talking to an entirely different Lila.

"That wasn't the half of it," she answered, seemingly unscathed by her childhood nightmares. "Anyway, I noticed that some of the more expensive gym equipment gets locked up every night and you being the Head Trainer obviously tote around the keys. Yesterday morning when everyone else thought I was in my room pouting, I moved them so you would receive a phone call from that other trainer woman with oily hair."

"Taryn," I muttered.

"An awful name and an awful haircut," Lila commented. "No offense."

"How did you know where I kept the keys?

"Essie," she scoffed. "You work in an ancient hotel where no one important ever comes. My room doesn't even have a safe. Obviously the key was somewhere in your office." With her free hand she brushed back a few curls, pleased with herself.