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Kate wasted no time in questioning Lester, her approach bold and direct. “Where were you Monday night after around six p.m.?”
Lester’s eyes widened. He jabbed a finger at the sagging couch “I…I was here, watching the Oiler’s game. Why?”
Kate pressed on, ignoring his question. “Did you see or hear anything unusual? Any strange vehicles or people in the area?”
Lester shook his head, confusion etched on his face. “No, nothing like that. What’s this about?”
“We’re investigating a potential threat,” she explained. “Any information you can provide could be crucial.”
Fenn shot her a look. Clearly, he wanted her to back off. Let him do what he did best. Conduct interrogations.
She winced. She was pushing too hard, too fast.
“Wait, what threat?” Lester asked, his voice rising in panic. “I thought this was about the snowmobile thing. I already told you, it wasn’t me or Wade or Billy.”
Great. Now she’d piqued Lester’s curiosity. Ignoring the guy’s question, she backed away, allowing Fenn to take the lead.
“What about your other friend?” Fenn asked. “Big guy. Doesn’t talk much. Does he have a snowmobile?”
Lester had to think a minute, but quickly snapped his fingers. “Marcus. Don’t recall the guy’s last name. He’s not a friend, exactly. He’s a newcomer to the settlement. Shows up at the Frostbite once in a while, but he never talks much.”
“Where’s he live?” Fenn asked.
“Drags supplies out to the military base. He bunks down in the studio apartment on the depot property out on the East edge of town.”
Fenn really was good at this. Now they had another lead to check out.
“Thanks for the info,” Fenn said, congenially. “Sorry we bothered you.”
Lester nodded. “Sorry I let my nerves get the best of me out there. No hard feelings.”
Fenn smiled. “None at all.” He eased toward the door, but stopped with his hand on the handle, turning back as if he’d just thought of one more thing. “So no one approached you about delivering a note to the hotel? How about your friends? Anybody hand them a couple bills to drop off a message?”
The man’s brow furrowed, his expression one of genuine confusion. “I wish. I could do with a little more green. I don’t know anything about that. Like I said, I just wanted to apologize for last night.”
Lester looked between them, his gaze sharp now. He jerked his bearded chin at Kate. “You’re thinking someone snuck into her room. If it wasn’t those scientist-types, it coulda been Old Rog.”
“Who’s Old Rog?” Fenn’s tone was way more casual than she could have managed.
Lester shrugged, leaning back against the couch. “He lives outside of town. No one knows much about him. Stays to himself. Flies his own plane in and out. Doesn’t drink with anybody. But I did see him coming out of the hotel the other morning. Real early. I was heading home from the Frostbite. Turns out, he was there visiting one of the lady scientists. My ex’s sister saw them heading up to the gal’s room.”
Fenn’s gaze met Kate’s, a silent agreement passing between them. They needed to find out more about this Old Rog and his connection to the scientist.
“Much thanks,” Fenn nodded at Lester and held the door open for Kate.
Darkness shrank the cone of light from Lester’s porch. Kate pulled up her hood, snugging it tight under her chin and settled her goggles over her eyes.
“What do you think?” she asked Fenn before she pulled her mask up over her nose.
Fenn shrugged, the movement almost imperceptible beneath the overly-thick parka. “I believe his story. Lester’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he’s not a liar. And the pieces fit. Old Rog, living outside of town, flying his own plane in and out? That’s the kind of guy who could leave a threatening note without being noticed. Or take a run at you with a Ski-Doo.”
The weight of her own limitations pressed down on her. She could fly anything with wings, but she couldn’t read people like Fenn. She raised her voice to be heard over the crunch of theirboots on the ice. “What about that Marcus guy? I got a weird feeling about him at the tavern. We should check him out, too.”
“Totally. Last night, I took him for another over-muscled mountain guy, but he had sharp eyes. And he was smart enough not to join the Barnacle Bros’ little act.”
A sharp stone bloomed in Kate’s throat. It had nothing to do with the icy air in her windpipe. “Pulling that intel out of Lester? Couldn’t have done it without you, Fenn,” Kate confessed. Her voice held a newfound respect for the man standing before her.
Fenn shrugged nonchalantly, an impish grin playing on his lips. “Well, I do have a way with stubborn old mules. It’s all in the charm, Hackett.” His words hung in the air, lightening the moment as only he could.
