Mountain Chill Kill: A Murder Mystery

By Sharon L. Eibisberger

When Mark Ross, Superintendent/Manager of Whitehorse Lodge receives an anonymous call that the cable cars are mysteriously running during the off-season, he reluctantly heads to the mountain to check it out and finds something he never imagined in his wildest dreamsthe body of Jack Drake, his former Father-in-law and owner of the lodge inside one of the cars. Drakes beautiful but spoiled daughter, Andrea Drake Ross, is seething because her ex-husband is still on the lodges payroll and he has become Daddys pet.
Hal Carter, co-owner and Drake may have been partners but they certainly werent friends. Hal feels obligated to help Andrea out of a sticky mess and wonders if he may need her help later if his secret ever surfaces.
Detective Jason White is asked to investigate what appears to be a cold-blooded murder. He suspects greed and desperation as possible motives. Jason and his wife Caroline are plunged into a terrifying, life threatening situation during their quest for justice. As the complex mountain murder is unraveled someone makes it their mission to stop them, no matter what it takes.
A thrilling tale of a mountain murder mystery guaranteed to send a chill up your spine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: May 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781532045721

Sharon L. Eibisberger

Sharon L. Eibisberger is a former professional in the financial services industry and columnist for two local newspapers. Now retired, the mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother enjoys painting acrylics on canvas. Sharon resides with her husband on the beautiful shores of Colpoy Bay near the town of Wiarton, Ontario, Canada. Sharon is also the author of The Wedding Chill and The Last Petal.

Book preview

MOUNTAIN CHILL

KILL

A MURDER MYSTERY

SHARON L. EIBISBERGER

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MOUNTAIN CHILL KILL

A MURDER MYSTERY

Copyright © 2018 Sharon L. Eibisberger.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-5320-4573-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-4572-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018903449

iUniverse rev. date: 05/04/2018

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue

Also by Sharon L. Eibisberger

THE WEDDING CHILL

THE LAST PETAL

Thank you to family and friends who showed their support and encouragement during the writing of this novel.

The numerous questions about when I was going to complete the next book sparked a fire within my imagination. Writing THE WEDDING CHILL was at times like trying to nail Jello to a wall but seeing it in print was worth every moment of emotional challenges. Following THE WEDDING CHILL, THE LAST PETAL took bloom. Now I again find myself transfixed by pen, paper and the (can’t live without it) computer. as I map out MOUNTAIN CHILL KILL.

There are no words to convey my appreciation and thanks to my daughter Christine, who offered suggestions for wonderful twists, turns and who did an amazing job at providing assistance during the editing stages. More commas to the wind. Thank you, Christine, for taking time from your own busy schedule to read and reread the early manuscript. Your input was invaluable in every way in the completion of this work. Thank you, Christine.

A heartfelt thank you for the encouragement and inspiration provided by my best friend, my husband Walter. Without him being there every step of the way, I could never have accomplished the writing of Mountain Chill Kill.

Thank you Honey.

To my Canadian and American friends—you are all so kind in your support. I hope you will enjoy reading MOUNTAIN CHILL KILL.

With my Gratitude, and Love always.

CHAPTER ONE

M ark Ross, Superintendent of Whitehorse Lodge pressed the end call button with more force than was necessary. Shit, I can’t even get a few days to myself. He finished the beer he’d just opened and crammed the remains of his sandwich into his mouth. He ran his hand over his three-day old beard and headed toward the bedroom to change clothes. He pulled on a pair of jeans and crumpled shirt. Nothing he owned got ironed these days. In the bathroom, he checked out his beard. He again ran his hand over the three-day growth. Piss on it, he muttered as he tossed his razor back on the sink. Since his divorce he pretty much did whatever whenever he wanted. His ex-wife Andrea was Daddy’s little girl and according to her, he was never going to measure up to Daddy. Funny, he thought, I still love her, but I’m glad to be rid of her all the same. The bachelor life suited him just fine. She couldn’t even boil water; since she left he’d gained about fifteen pounds. Too many fast food take-outs. The football game on TV held his attention for a few minutes longer. He wasn’t a happy camper having to leave right in the middle of the game with the score tied. Who the hell would start up the cable cars at this time of year? He asked himself out loud. Like it or not, he was pretty much obliged to go check it out. Before leaving he dialed the control room, not really expecting to get an answer. This was probably some local prankster just pulling a fast one. He’d get there to find everything quiet as it should be at this time of year. October was down-time for the resort. The summer visitors were gone and until Mother Nature delivered on her promise of snow, things were shut-down tight. This was the only time employees got a chance to take a few days off. Mark glanced out the window to check on the weather. At this time of year, you were never sure what to wear. It was a fall day, no mistaking that. The area offered spectacular drives for those into fall colour, but hardly anyone took the resort road as it was a dead-end at the lodge. Scenic roads in this area were not hard to come by. Scenic or not it was the last place Mark wanted to be on his time off. He flung his light jacket onto the passenger seat of his beat-up pick-up. Andrea always hated that truck but it was still going strong unlike their marriage. Just a freaking waste of gas, he grumbled as he pulled away from the curb.

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Before long he turned onto the gravel road leading to the resort. He realized it had been three or four days since he got his ass out of his apartment. As he approached the resort parking lot, he glanced up toward the cable run. Everything looked normal to him. At this distance he couldn’t tell if the damn thing was running or not. His was the only vehicle in the vast lot. He cursed under his breath. This better not be some asshole messing with me. He would have left a tied game for nothing.

Mark reached into his pocket for the large master key that was the override for all the cable car systems. During the open seasons he always carried it with him. Damn, he exclaimed. I didn’t bring the bloody key. He continued across the large parking lot. The concrete surface close to the lodge was scheduled for repair the following week. Old tires and ropes cordoned off the closer parking spaces. He wished he’d brought a warmer jacket. The wind was much cooler out here than he expected. If the bloody cable really was running, he’d need a key to stop it. The only key on premise was in the combination safe. He hadn’t been required to open the safe for at least the last two years; now he struggled to remember the combination. Maybe it was the beer he’d downed so quickly that was making his memory foggy. Since the divorce all that was ever in his fridge was beer and bologna. Bachelor staple food. No more sparkling water or rabbit food for him.

The closest access to the cable run was through the lodge. He used his entrance key to unlock the huge double doors. Good thing the door keys were on his car key ring otherwise he’d have to go back home and that would have really pissed him off. It was eerily quiet. Normally Mark spent his time behind the scenes so when he cut through the lodge it was always full of laughing people having a good time. He made his way through to the exit by the cable car loading station. He laughed at himself when he realized that he was actually trying to be quiet. What the hell do I care; there’s nobody here anyway, he said aloud. His voice echoed in the vast emptiness.

The wind was much stronger on the back side of the building. Well I’ll be damned! Mark said as he followed the length of cable that led up to the top of the mountain. How the hell… Mark stood transfixed for a moment. He didn’t have his master key so he reached up and hit the ‘Emergency Stop’ button. Nothing. The cars were still moving. He hit it again. Still the cable kept rolling along on its pulleys. There were fewer cars hooked to the cable now than there would be once the season began in a month or so. He waited for the first car to enter the station. When it was even with the loading dock he hit the button again. What’s the point of an Emergency Stop button if it doesn’t stop the damn thing? He couldn’t remember it ever failing before. The next closest car was about 400 feet from the station now. He waited until it was even with the loading dock and then he hit the button again. The car continued past the base station around the bend and started its trek back upward. Mark was puzzled. Slowly the next car approached the station. Mark sucked in his breath; there was someone inside. Mark smashed his balled-up fist against the emergency button but the cable car just kept going. Mark’s mouth dropped open. There sure as hell was someone in the passing car and although the person was partially obscured he thought he recognized the man. There was nothing he could do but watch as the car took its passenger up towards the top of the mountain.

Oh shit, I have to get that safe open. Mark was talking aloud. The only way to over-ride the emergency stop was to use the master key. He looked around nervously thinking he may not be alone after all.

CHAPTER TWO

C aroline was finishing up the last of the breakfast dishes when the phone rang. Jason, still clad in his pajama bottoms picked up the kitchen wall phone. White residence, he answered. She liked the sound of his voice. Normally he’d have left for the office by now, but they were treating this week as a bit of a vacation. She teased him about hanging around in his pajamas until noon.

Okay Kevin, I’ll meet you out there. No problem. Maybe Caroline will come along.

Jason, a Private Detective worked for many of the most respected, influential people in the U.S., U.K, Germany and other EU countries. After marrying Caroline, he settled down in the States. He always got his man although if you asked him he would say the best catch he ever made was when he convinced Caroline to marry him. They had moved to their dream home away from the big city a short while ago. His investigations were never the same. Whether following a cheating husband or wife, a tax evasion investigation, Government corruption, or a murder case, things were always interesting. He could sniff out a bull shitter, read a slight hesitation in a voice. He could look inside your head and your heart. He was a well-known and respected detective and was trusted by anyone who knew him. First and foremost, he was a great husband and father to their two children Michael and Daisy. He was about as handsome as you get. A man’s man who also turned many a lady’s head.

At the mention of her name she turned toward Jason tilting her head. After a few more words, he returned the phone to its place on the wall.

Who was that? Caroline asked, wiping her hands on the dry dish towel.

Kevin McKay. Do you remember him?

Sure, I remember Sheriff McKay. I met him and his wife at the last Policeman’s Ball. She was delightful. How are they?

I guess they’re okay, but that was a business call. Seems there’s been a problem out at Whitehorse.

I thought that place was closed at this time of year.

"Yeah it is, but crime never closes. A man was found dead in one of the cable cars. McKay wants me to meet him at the lodge. I figured since the kids are away, maybe you’d like