Three Variables

'James says that he is the detective'

'Ashton says he's not the prisoner'

"… and that's how my grandfather sold this coffee shop" finished Nathan.

"Look at that SNOW! It is covering my car!" said Ashton, alarmed. The word 'snow' was louder and clearer. "Isn't it James?"

"Yes, it is" James replied, a bit confused. 'Why did this guy ask only me?'

Ashton had a slight smirk.

'I told this whole story and all they care about is the car!' Nathan rustled inside.

James seemed to set his hair and then gave a piercing look at Ashton that looked like a lightning.

"Where did you say you were from, Ashton?" asked James.

"From the Salt Banks", Ashton replied, "I ride here sometimes to see my mother".

'He said 'father' to me' thought Gustavus.

"… and my father. They both live together here at the Ice Lake Basin".

"So, you have come to see your parents and got caught in this blizzard", said Nathan.

"No, actually I am here to see my father. My mother, she had to go to the city on her work", replied Ashton, still looking at James, who was looking back at him.

'What is up with these two guys?' Gustavus thought "They are just staring at each other without even a blink. These might know each other. Actually, these both might be the two escaped prisoners.'

'Two prisoners! Rumors do carry false news every time' James thought.                                

'Given the fact that everyone is keeping silent and staring weird, the prisoner must definitely be among us', Madhav thought 'Before I was here, James and Nathan were talking about the prisoner but they stopped immediately when I walked in. Could they both be the prisoners? Or they could both be police officers, here to find the prisoners. Either way, I have to be cautious on not making myself suspicious of the prisoner".

Meanwhile, Ashton was thinking, 'The police officer at Snowfields seemed to describe the prisoner as muscly and strong. James, Gustavus and Madhav – all of them look quite strong'

Suddenly Gustavus stomach growled, "Oh! Sorry" he exclaimed with a short laugh.

"Seems like you are hungry" said Madhav, with a smile.

"Yes" replied Gustavus, with a serious look at Madhav, "I haven't eaten in the evening"

'The prisoner wouldn't have eaten anything in the evening and as Ashton said, he was in the middle of the road, with no transport at all. He could be the one' thought James, 'the author didn't mention anything about how Gustavus reached there'

"Actually, I have a few rotis left. You can have them" said Madhav, searching his bag. He took out a steel box from it, opened it and gave it to Gustavus.

'This guy is nice' thought Ashton.

'If he is the prisoner, he wouldn't have had this food' Gustavus took the box. "Thank you" he smiled.

"Can I have some too?" asked James.

"Yeah, sure" Madhav said with a short laugh.

Gustavus opened the tin, "Oh, chicken!" he said with excitement.

Both of them began eating. Nathan looked at Ashton, "You want some?"

"No, I am a vegetarian", Ashton declined.

"That explains why you are skinny", said Nathan, grinning, taking another bite at the roti, "Just kidding, but you should try chicken at least once, man"

Ashton just smiled as a reply.

He stood up and moved towards the huge window. He put his hands back and held one in another and looked through the window. The storm outside was unforgiving. As snow poured down, there was no creature seen on the…

'No author, I am not observing the storm', Ashton whispered. He was looking at the other four in the reflection of the glass. They were all eating.

'We have four people here and three variables – The detective, the prisoner, and another detective named Dusk. Gustavus is being quite and conservative. He seems to be native here, yet he was all alone in the middle of the blizzard when I found him. I could ask him what he was doing there, but he already suspects me for the prisoner. I better not make myself look like the prisoner, when I'm not. Madhav acted weird, thinking of gun in Gustavus's hands in a way that a prisoner would react on seeing a detective. Nathan is the last person to be a prisoner, he seems to be naive and extrovert, something a prisoner on the run wouldn't be. But Madhav saw him and James talking about the prisoner. Oh, James! The guy who can even read what I am thinking right now'

Just then, James glanced at Ashton for a second and leaned further in his seat, stretching his legs.

'He says that he is the detective and there should be another detective named Dusk' thought Ashton. "The snow doesn't seem to slow down. I think we will be spending the whole night here" he said out loud.

"Yeah, maybe", replied Nathan and stood up. He walked towards Ashton and looked out of the window. The storm was still raging.

"But, sometimes the storms forgive. They halt for a small two to five minutes gap and then they continue with the same ferocity. We could run to a place nearby if we want in that gap", he said still looking out of the window.

"But that happens only sometimes" Gustavus replied. 'The prisoner could use the gap to run and hide in some place' he thought.

'But there would be no place nearby for the prisoner to hide, which is a better hiding spot than this shelter' James thought.

Madhav closed the box and put it inside his bag. He was thinking 'I don't know what crime the prisoner had done. It might be a murder or a robbery or something else. The prisoner could be ruthless. He could be savage. Sweat dropped from his forehead. 'No, I need to have courage. He wouldn't strike when there are four other people'.

While Gustavus thought 'Why is this guy sweating in this ice-cold blizzard?'