Snowbound by Patrick J O'Brian

Author:Patrick J O'Brian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: suspense, mystery, railroad, historical, casino, survival, indiana, murders, west baden, springss, cursed object
Publisher: Patrick J O'Brian

***

Jana had the feeling everything had spiraled out of her control.

Keith had more or less ordered her, and everyone else, to remain downstairs while he continued his search for Laura. She understood how dogs felt when their owners left them chained up while they left to do errands.

“This is bullshit,” Duncan stated to no one in particular. “He tells us to stick together while he runs off to find his ex. That’s a bit hypocritical.”

“More than a bit,” Judith said, not hiding her irritation.

She was the only one seated within the room.

“I’m a bit confused,” Jana admitted. “He’s acting like she’s the love of his life the way he’s gone looking for her.”

“You’ve got to understand Keith,” Oswalt said. “He has a one-track mind once he decides on something.”

What she truly couldn’t grasp was why he wanted to continue the search by himself when he apparently thought some form of danger existed toward the group. His logic made sense, because the mansion appeared far more vast from the outside than the two finished levels.

“You’re the authority on this area,” Oswalt noted. “What happened here a few years ago?”

“That’s a good question,” she replied. “The newspapers and authorities kept everything very much under wraps to protect the hotel and Paul Clouse. There’s no denying there were murders at the hotel. Of that, I can assure you.”

Duncan appeared openly unhappy about her statement.

“We all thought it was behind us,” Jana said for his benefit. “I believe Mr. Clouse understands there are families out there who will never get over what happened, which is part of the reason he decided to sell.”

“Sounds like the place is cursed,” Oswalt stated.

“I don’t know about that,” Jana said in the hotel’s defense. “The legend of a Jesuit priest named Ernest has passed down through the decades, but what happened a few years ago was the result of one man.”

“Who?”

“Martin Smith, the hotel’s previous owner. Again, much of it was covered up, but it seems he was the puppeteer behind most, or all, of the murders.”

Everyone digested her words a moment.

“What about this place?” Oswalt inquired. “What’s the story behind it?”

“Smith built this after his acquisition of the hotel so he had someplace to stay nearby. There’s a mansion between French Lick and here, but it was turned into a museum, so he had to compromise.”

Silence filled the room as everyone looked away from Jana. She felt as though she had said something terrible and didn’t realize it.

“What’s wrong?”

A few more seconds passed until Duncan spoke.

“You just said Smith caused several murders just a few years ago, and he owned this place.”

“I made no secret about that information earlier today.”

“True, but you didn’t connect all the dots, either. Is it possible the man brought harm to Glenn and Laura?”

“He’s dead,” Jana said assuredly.

Then a memory struck her like a knife through the heart.

The image of a disturbed grave during the fall entered her mind, as well as a newspaper article from several years prior. A catalyst, or

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