The resort had a restaurant, restrooms with changing areas, and rentals for skis, poles, snowboards, and ski boots. But skiing wasn’t on the schedule. About twenty adults were there, ranging in age from twenty to eighty-five in human years. Some were already wearing their wolf coats and waiting outside for the rest of their friends or family to join them. Others were still disrobing at lockers and shifting.
A group of three teens were also there watching them. Cody, Minx, and Anthony now worked at the resort. Minx’s twin sister, Caitlin, was with her twin toddler boys and her mate, Trevor, the other deputy sheriff standing nearby.
Cody smiled at Laurel and her sisters, his jester hat moving and jingling as he talked. “We’re working here at the ski resort, so if you need any help, just let us know.” He motioned with his thumb to the other teens, and they all smiled at the sisters.
“Thanks,” Laurel said. “We appreciate it.” She and her sisters went inside to strip off their clothes and shift.
Cody joined CJ and asked, “So are the sisters all taken yet?”
CJ raised his brow. “Don’t tell me you’re interested in one of them.”
He laughed. “Nah, I’m still trying to make some headway with Minx, and so is Anthony. But we got bets going that you and two of your brothers will beat out the other guys who are interested in the sisters.”
CJ shook his head and sighed dramatically. “They all came in the truck with me tonight.”
Cody grinned. “Yeah, we were all talking about that. Who would have thought that you, the youngest of your brothers, would get all the girls?”
Laurel and her sisters loped out of the building as wolves, and CJ felt his cheeks heat a bit despite the cold, certain the ladies had heard Cody’s comment.
“I’ll be right out,” CJ said, then went in to change.
Laurel and her sisters were delighted with the prospect of running over the snow-covered ski slopes as wolves—as a pack. She was surprised to see so many of the pack members here, even though it was really only a small portion of the Silver pack. But it seemed like a huge group to her, because their previous pack had consisted only of the three of them since they lost their mom. Their dad had died when they were young.
The wind was whipping the snow about, but Laurel’s fur coat kept her nice and warm. It was so different from running in Florida where the cold wasn’t nearly this brisk. Their coats had thickened up considerably while they’d been living here.
As soon as CJ joined her, she and her sisters followed his and Brett’s lead. This felt so good. Everyone else was smelling the air, learning the sisters’ scents as Laurel and her sisters tried to memorize as many wolf pack members’ scents as they could. They’d met a few people already in the pack and had cataloged their scents, but not nearly enough.
CJ and Brett stayed nearby and watched to make sure the sisters didn’t get lost, which Laurel appreciated. Two other wolves joined them, and recognizing their scents, she realized that they were CJ’s brothers Sarandon and Eric. The brothers led the way, and she and her sisters followed them into the backcountry away from the ski resort.
She realized then that it was good that they hadn’t participated in any other pack activities, because having fun with these wolves wasn’t in the cards. She was afraid that the more they enjoyed being around the pack, the more they’d want to stay. Then what would happen if they learned about foul play related to their aunt?
For now, she was having the time of her life. In Florida, they had explored some of the more than one million wooded acres—in the thirty-five state forests—when they ran in their wolf coats. They really had to watch out for humans though. Living there, they never got to play in snow. Ellie glanced her way. Meghan wore the same devious expression. Laurel knew they were considering tackling her.
Ellie was closest to her, so Laurel pounced on Ellie first, and Meghan leaped on top of Laurel after that, making a pileup of three gray she-wolves in the pure white snow. They were so busy playing with each other that they didn’t realize until they shook off the snow that several wolves were watching them and smiling.
Wolves loved to play. But this kind of play was a lot different from what she and her sisters were used to. She loved how big the pack was and how it could be the perfect place to raise a wolf family. For others. Not for them.
* * *
After the run in the snow, Eric, CJ’s oldest brother, took him aside while the women were in the timber lodge getting changed.
“Be careful, little Brother.” Eric was the most serious of the brothers, the one who had made decisions for them when they were younger, but no longer.
“The ghost busters won’t give me any problems. Even if they’re well-known for their ghost-busting show.” CJ attempted to keep the irritation out of his voice. He was a deputy sheriff now. No professed ghost busters were going to give him any trouble.
Eric raised a brow at him.
CJ let out his breath in exasperation. He and Tom would never live it down that Darien and Jake had scared them to pieces at the hotel when they were kids. “There are no ghosts,” CJ added.
“I’m not referring to ghosts or ghost busters.” Eric shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. He was the tallest of the brothers at six one, and his black sweater made him look especially formidable. His dark gaze turned to the lodge where Laurel and her sisters were exiting the building, laughing and talking.
A couple of women intercepted them and began chatting. The sisters looked like they’d had a grand time. CJ smiled to see them in such great spirits. All of the pack members had gone out of their way to speak with the ladies about doing something fun, sure that they had needed the break from the renovations. He couldn’t believe they’d finally agreed to do this.
“They’re not staying long,” Eric warned.
“How do you know?” CJ couldn’t help feeling defensive. He was certain they were here for some purpose other than joining the pack. But he believed that if enough of the pack members made them feel welcome, the ladies would make this their home. “Because they’ve done the same with the last couple of hotels they’ve renovated? There were no wolf packs in the area.” At least that he and his brothers knew of. “If they’re not used to living around wolves, give them a chance. They’ll get used to us. Before you know it, they’ll feel as though they’ve been members of the pack forever.”
“It’s more than that. They’re here for some other purpose. Mark my word.”
CJ suspected that too, but he refused to believe that the women would decide to leave after a while. At least in the case of the other hotels, the sisters had waited a good year after they renovated them and got them into the black before putting them up for sale. That meant they’d be here for another year.
Unless this one became profitable too quickly and they found another hotel they needed to buy pronto. Then he had a thought. What if one of the she-wolves really became interested in one of the wolves of his pack? The sisters wouldn’t leave without her, would they? Then again, maybe the male wolf would leave with the women.
“Maybe you should…court one of the ladies,” CJ said.
“Laurel?” Eric asked, and CJ tried to hide how growly he felt at the mention of her name.
Eric smiled knowingly at him. “She’s in charge of her sisters. If anyone’s mind needs to be changed, it’s hers.”
“If either or both of the other sisters decide to mate a wolf from our pack, Laurel won’t be leaving.” CJ let out his breath in annoyance. From what he’d seen of the way she interacted with her sisters, she wouldn’t want to leave them behind.
Eric slapped his brother’s back with his gloved hand. “You have the best chance at making that happen.”
CJ studied his brother, wondering why he thought that. He was only interested in Laurel, and he suspected her sisters were leaning toward staying, but Laurel wasn’t.
He and his brother grew quiet as the ladies drew near.
“That was fun,” Ellie said to them. “I
’d love to do it again soon.”
“Anytime,” Eric said, smiling a little. But he didn’t seem interested in any of the sisters.
CJ wasn’t sure what was going on with his brother. He knew he’d been butting heads with Darien, as alpha as both were. Eric still believed that their father, and not Darien’s, should have run the pack. And when their father got into the mess he did, Eric would have led the pack. CJ really thought they’d resolved that issue to some degree.
He was happy with Darien’s rule. He was a fair and just leader, and CJ was close to Darien’s brothers and many others in the pack. He was afraid Eric would leave the pack again. Only this time, CJ wasn’t leaving. He wasn’t sure about Brett and Sarandon, but he didn’t want to see any of them go.
“I’m glad you had so much fun,” he said to Laurel as they returned to his truck, her sisters’ snow boots crunching on the snow behind them as they talked about treats and Christmas drinks they wanted to serve each night as the guests came in from skiing.
“It really was nice. You can’t know how much we enjoyed that—such a difference from running as wolves in Florida,” Laurel said.
“I couldn’t imagine running in the heat there. Not that it doesn’t get hot here in the summer, but I love the fall and would miss that there.”
“The fall colors were beautiful here,” Ellie agreed.
Before long, they were parking at the house behind the hotel. It was nice that they had a parking lot back there and another out front so that guests could come in either way.
“Even though it’s getting late, do you mind if I check and see if the letter C is still visible?” CJ asked Laurel. “If so, I’d like to paint it again right now. That will give it a chance to dry overnight.”
“It’s so late,” Laurel said, trying to talk him out of it, but he was determined to do it.
“Night,” Ellie and Meghan said and headed to the house, not bothering to see which way this would go.
“You really don’t have to do this,” Laurel said again. “I could do it even.”
“No, that’s okay. It’s bugging me and I hate leaving a job unfinished.”
“Thanks then. I appreciate it.”
When they entered the hotel, she turned on the lights in the sunroom and then the hall before they walked into the main lobby. The letter was as prominent on the wall as before.
She folded her arms and shook her head. “It’s persistent, if nothing else.”
“So am I.” This time he painted with brushes instead of the roller, hoping that a thicker coat would make a difference. When he was done, he said, “I’ll just clean this out and then let you get some rest.”
“Come on. I’ll go with you.”
“I don’t believe in any ghosts.”
“That’s all right. I do.” Not that Laurel had seen any. Just what a ghost had supposedly done. She walked with CJ down the stairs and noticed that nothing had happened while he was there—except for the appearance of the letter on the wall. She hadn’t experienced cold spots, other than what would be normally there because of seepage around the windows or pipes. But nothing unusual since CJ had begun helping them out this time.
While he washed the brush, he asked, “So when is a good time for me to come over and paint again?”
“Anytime in the morning is fine with me.”
“Eight?”
“Sounds good. Meghan and Ellie will be gone by then.”
He smiled a little at Laurel, and her cheeks warmed considerably. Why was it that a guy typically turned everything into something more intimate? Like they’d be alone together…to do what?
And that had her blushing furiously all over again.
After that, they said good-bye, and she locked the hotel up and headed out the back door to the house.
Her sisters were both watching out the window, sipping mulled wine from Santa mugs. Tomorrow, Laurel still had to decorate the yard and gazebo, but everything else was ready. The gazebo, fountain, and gardens were perfect for guests during any season, though the fountain couldn’t run until spring now. For winter, they were decorating everything for Christmas. That way the rooms that had a garden view would see festive touches everywhere.
The house was toasty warm, a fire crackling, the divine aroma of mulled wine—honey, wine, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and oranges—scenting the air as she walked inside. She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well?” Ellie headed for the dining room where she and Meghan had put grilled cheese sandwiches, pickles, and chips on Santa plates.
Laurel was delighted that they’d made something to eat.
“Did it go away?” Ellie asked.
“No.” Laurel hated that it hadn’t. But at least they could cover it with the painting. What would happen then? Hopefully, the painting wouldn’t vanish and allow the letter to still be seen.
“That’s good news about Brett finding information about the hotel. When are we going to take a look at it?” Ellie asked.
“He’s coming over in the afternoon. He has something else he’s doing in the morning, and then he said he’d gather up all the stuff and bring it over,” Laurel said.
“Wish he’d wait until we got home.” Ellie poured Laurel a mug of mulled wine, then added an orange peel on top. “That means if you find anything important, you have to call us right away.”
“I will.”
“It’s truly beautiful, don’t you think?” Meghan looked out their front window at the lights strung along the back side of the hotel, the white lights flickering like diamonds. Green wreaths adorned with red bows hung in each of the windows, making it Christmas-card perfect.
“It is.” Laurel admired the beauty of the place. “But we’re sure our aunt vanished from there. Once we solve the mystery and can prove what happened to her, if there was foul play, the pack will have to handle it. Then we’re out of here.”
Ellie pursed her lips. “What if she was murdered and the killer wasn’t part of the pack? Or was and is long gone? I’m tired of moving. We’ve never lived with a wolf pack, and I like all the people we’ve met so far. I had the time of my life tonight.”
“How do you think they’re going to feel, knowing this is why we bought the hotel? That we’re only pretending to be loyal pack members?” Laurel shook her head.
Meghan took her seat at the middle of the table, Ellie across from her, and Laurel at the head of the table. They began to eat their grilled cheese sandwiches. The extra-sharp cheese added the perfect tanginess, as did the dill pickles.
“I’m with Ellie on this.” Meghan got the bag of chips out again and poured more. “I’d like to settle down. We could just manage the hotel and leave it at that. CJ and his brothers are sexy as all get-out. Plus that sheriff is hot, and the pack has any number of other bachelor males. And they’re all interested in us. I’m really tired of moving. I’m ready to set down roots for a few years—at the very least.”
“And really run a hotel for the long term? A haunted hotel? Solving our aunt’s disappearance is our primary drive.” Laurel brushed the crumbs off the table. “Just remember, anyone in the pack could be responsible for her disappearance. So don’t go thinking any of them are charming and your real friend because none of them are—not until we resolve this. Even then, if we uncover anything sinister, we’re bound to create hard feelings when we reveal the truth.”
Ellie nodded. “As much as I hate to agree, I do. It’s not on your list, but Rosalind McKinley is coming by with the poinsettias from her greenhouse early in the morning, and I’ll put those out before we leave. Did you know that her sister-in-law, Carol, is a psychic? I wonder if she might have a clue. She’s newly turned and wasn’t living here at the time. So she should be scratched off the list.”
“Already done. I heard she has future visions, so I don’t think that would help us,” Meghan said. “If she could sense entities or speak with them, that would be different.”
“Future visions?” Laurel took another sip of her wine, brea
thing in the fragrance again.
Meghan speared another pickle. “Yeah, well, she might be one of those frauds, you know. But they say she saw Darien Silver’s pack members shifting in her visions. And she told Darien’s mate. Anyway, she was turned and that solved that problem.”
Finished with supper, Laurel gathered up their plates and carried them into the kitchen.
Meghan grabbed the bag of chips, and Ellie began to put away the bread, cheese, and jar of pickles.
Laurel turned to look at Meghan and frowned. “Still no sightings of our aunt? None of your strange sensations?”
Meghan shook her head. “I figured the renovations would stir things up. But other than the shadowy figure of the woman, who I couldn’t recognize, nothing else.”
“Except for the stuff that happened to the painters’ equipment and to CJ. Hopefully nothing awful will happen while the guests are there.” Laurel turned to Ellie. “Have you sensed anything?”
“Just what you have,” Ellie said. “I tried incense when the two of you were shopping for throw rugs, but nothing more.”
“Maybe you used the wrong kind for this entity,” Meghan said. “We’ll have to be more careful now that we’re opening the hotel. I really think we should have waited until we had communicated with her.”
“You know that it can take a long time to make any connection. And sometimes it doesn’t ever happen,” Ellie said.
“What if the ghostly figure isn’t of our aunt? What if she died there, but she’s moved on?” Meghan posed the question none of them had wanted to consider.
“If she has, we’ll still need to learn what happened to her, make the place profitable, sell it, and move on.” Laurel removed her boots.
“I wonder if Carol would know of any ghost mediums.” Meghan yawned.
“We don’t believe in most mediums. Many are fakes.” Laurel rose from the sofa, walked over to the window, and eyed the attic window of the hotel. She really hoped nothing would bother CJ there.
“Is he afraid of ghosts?” Ellie joined her at the window.