The Mephisto Club

sinned.
”
    “Because I have,” murmured Lily. “And I’ll never stop paying for it.”
    “And the four place settings on her dining table. That was meant to represent the Saul family, wasn’t it? A family of four.”
    Lily wiped a hand across her eyes and looked out the window. “And I’m the last one. The fourth place setting.”
    “You know what?” Jane said. “I would have killed the son of a bitch, too.”
    “You would have done a better job.”
    The road grew steeper. The Subaru struggled up the mountain, tires churning through ever-deepening fresh powder. Jane glanced at her cell phone and saw zero bars. They had not passed a house in at least five miles.
Maybe we should turn around,
she thought.
I’m supposed to keep this woman alive, not strand her in the mountains where she’ll freeze to death.
    Was this the right road?
    She squinted through the windshield, trying to see the top of the hill. That’s when she spotted the lodge, perched like an eagle’s nest on the cliff’s peak. There were no other homes nearby, and only this one access road led up the mountain. At the top there would surely be a sweeping view over the valley. They passed through a gate, left open to admit them.
    Jane said, “This looks about as secure as you can get. Once that gate’s locked, this place is unapproachable. Unless he has wings, he can’t reach you up here.”
    Lily stared up at the cliff. “And we can’t escape,” she said softly.
    Two vehicles were parked in front of the lodge. Jane pulled up behind Sansone’s Mercedes and they climbed out of the car. Pausing in the driveway, Jane stared up at rough-hewn logs, at a peaked roof soaring into the snow-swirled sky. She went around to the trunk for their bags and had just slammed the trunk shut when she heard a growl right behind her.
    The two Dobermans had emerged like black wraiths from the woods, moving so silently that she hadn’t heard their approach. The dogs closed in with teeth bared as both women froze in place.
    “Don’t run,” Jane whispered to Lily. “Don’t even move.” She drew her weapon.
    “Balan! Bakou! Back off!”
    The dogs halted and looked at their mistress, who had just emerged from the lodge and was standing on the porch.
    “I’m so sorry if they scared you,” said Edwina Felway. “I had to let them out for a run.”
    Jane did not holster her weapon. She didn’t trust these animals, and clearly they didn’t trust her. They remained planted in front of her, watching with eyes black as a snake’s.
    “They’re very territorial, but they’re quick to figure out who’s friend and who’s foe. You should be fine now. Just put away the gun and walk toward me. But not too fast.”
    Reluctantly, Jane holstered her weapon. She and Lily eased past the dogs and climbed up to the porch, the Dobermans watching them every step of the way. Edwina led them inside, into a cavernous great room that smelled of wood smoke. Huge beams arched overhead, and on the walls of knotty pine hung the mounted heads of moose and deer. In a stone fireplace, flames crackled at birch logs.
    Maura rose from the couch to greet them.
    “At last you made it,” Maura said. “With this storm blowing in, we were beginning to worry.”
    “The road coming up here was pretty bad,” said Jane. “When did you get here?”
    “We drove up last night, right after Frost called us.”
    Jane crossed to a window that looked out across the valley. Through the heavy curtain of falling snow, she caught glimpses of distant peaks. “You’ve got plenty of food?” she asked. “Fuel?”
    “There’s enough for weeks,” said Edwina. “My friend keeps it well stocked. Right down to the wine cellar. We have plenty of firewood. And a generator, if the power goes out.”
    “And I’m armed,” said Sansone.
    Jane had not heard him walk into the room. She turned and was startled to see how grim he looked. The last twenty-four hours had transformed him. He and his friends were now under siege, and it showed in his haggard face.
    “I’m glad you’ll be staying with us,” he said.
    “Actually”—Jane glanced at her watch—“I think the situation looks pretty secure.”
    “You’re not thinking of leaving tonight,” said Maura.
    “I was hoping to.”
    “It’ll be dark in an hour. The roads won’t be plowed again till morning.”
    Sansone said, “You really should stay. The roads will be bad.”
    Jane looked out, once again, at the falling snow. She