“Good. I just can’t believe they wouldn’t be related.”

When Laurel and CJ were done stringing the lights, they stepped back and looked at the tree.

“I like it just like it is. No red bows,” CJ said.

“I agree. The tree looks lovely.”

All spruced up in Christmas finery, the hotel and grounds were beautiful. Not modern gaudy, but reminiscent of an older time—even nostalgic. Evergreen garlands and red bows trimmed the white fence, and evergreen wreaths decorated with red bows hung at each of the nine windows of both floors. The gazebo and spruce out back sparkled with white lights.

“You and your sisters have done a beautiful job. It’s really going to be great having the additional lodging for visitors to the area. Bertha’s place gets packed and some of the bigger homes have started to rent bedrooms, but this will be nice for a few more guests.”

“I agree.” She turned to CJ. “Not to change the subject, but why do you think the Wernickes left and never came back?”

CJ was afraid she’d been worrying ever since she heard about the disappearing brother and sister. Though she seemed to enjoy decorating the backyard with him, and he was glad he could help her while her sisters were gone.

“I don’t know. But I’m all for uncovering what went on,” he said. “I’m sure that the situation was investigated as thoroughly as it could be at the time. But it certainly doesn’t hurt for us to see if we can come up with anything new.” He wished his father was still alive so they could ask him what he’d learned but hadn’t specified in his report.

“What are your sisters doing?” CJ didn’t want to pry, but it seemed odd that they’d left when there was still so much decorating to be done and then the grand opening was tomorrow.

“We located…” Laurel paused. “Um, we purchased a couple of antiques, and when they didn’t arrive on time, we were afraid something had gone wrong. We just want to make sure we get them all right.”

CJ was instantly suspicious because of the abrupt change in what Laurel was going to say, the way he smelled her concern, and how she seemed afraid to tell him the truth—but also because he couldn’t imagine a couple pieces of furniture being so important that Laurel was left to deal with the hotel’s opening on her own.

“Is there a special place where the furniture is going to be displayed?”

She snorted. “Maybe in front of the letter on the wall. Then we can rehang our painting in the house.”

That didn’t answer his question. Why had her sisters needed to leave? “We have a long time before supper. Why don’t we run up to the slopes and get some afternoon skiing in?” he asked.

She looked a little unsure about that.

“You’re done with the place. Nothing else to do unless you want to watch a movie at home or something. But we could go skiing, have supper, then go for a night run if you’d like.”

“Okay, but I’ll warn you now, I went ice skating once, and I’m not the most graceful skater. So don’t expect much of me for my first time on the slopes.”

“That’s why having your own personal trainer is the only way to go.”

She smiled a little, then headed for the stairs. “I’ll get my ski pants and jacket. I picked them up on sale when we first got here, just in case. What about you?”

“I have mine in the truck. I always have a bag packed for emergencies in case I have to run to the ski resort.”

“Oh, okay, super. Be right down.” She disappeared upstairs.

CJ immediately retrieved his bag of clothes and changed in the guest bathroom.

When she returned, she was wearing formfitting black ski pants that showed her curves, a pale blue sweater, and a matching jacket. She looked scrumptious. He hoped she loved skiing as much as he was going to enjoy teaching her.

He grabbed his jacket and she slipped on a ski hat and gloves, then they locked up her house and climbed into the truck. As he was backing out of the parking area, something at the hotel caught his eye. His gaze shifted upward.

The light in the attic room was on…again.

Chapter 6

Laurel knew that keeping secrets from CJ or anyone else would be difficult if she and her sisters spent much time with any of the pack members. She couldn’t believe she had nearly made the slip about her aunt’s furniture.

She climbed into CJ’s truck. He hesitated to drive out of the parking lot and was looking at the hotel. She turned to see what caught his eye. The light was on in the attic room.

“Told you it was haunted,” she said. He smiled, shook his head, and drove off to the ski resort.

To get her mind off being apprehensive about skiing, Laurel thought about her mother trying to find out what had happened after that long-ago Christmas when she didn’t receive word from her sister. Despite going to Silver Town, Sadie hadn’t learned anything. A couple of local residents claimed Clarinda hadn’t worked for Warren Wernicke. And they’d been adamant about it.

Sadie had even spoken with Sheridan Silver, the sheriff. Laurel and her sisters had hoped to question him further but had been sorry to learn he was dead. Laurel wished she could ask CJ if his father had said anything about their aunt or mother.

He might not know anything about it. In any case, she didn’t want to alert CJ as to why she and her sisters were here.

She looked out at the pristine expanse of snow, broken up by pines laden with the white stuff that sparkled in the noonday sun. Beautiful. She tried to put thoughts of her aunt out of her mind for just this afternoon, but she couldn’t help thinking about her.

After Laurel and her sisters heard their mother’s suspicions concerning her sister’s disappearance, they began investigating it. In an old chest, Ellie had found a photo Aunt Clarinda had sent their mother to help document her ownership of the highboy and blanket chest. All of the furniture at the hotel had been auctioned off at one point, and it had taken Laurel and her sisters months to finally track her aunt’s things down at another auction. The fact that Aunt Clarinda’s furniture had been sold at the hotel auction proved that she had lived there.

Now that the furniture had been returned from Paris, Laurel and her sisters wanted to keep track of it because of what might be hidden in secret compartments—if there were any. Laurel just hoped that no one had emptied what might have been hidden there.

“Here we are,” CJ said cheerfully as they arrived at the ski resort.

Several pack members waved at CJ…and at her. She wasn’t used to so many people, wolves, treating her like she was a good friend. She hadn’t considered what it would be like to be up here with him. Alone. Without her sisters to quash some of the speculation.

Despite knowing it was not the best idea to appear as though she and CJ were a couple, she felt good about it. Relished the notion that she was with the hot deputy sheriff. That he was well liked, and for the afternoon, she was with him.

* * *

As soon as Laurel was fitted for ski boots and skis, four instructors descended on her, offering to give her private ski lessons. Arms folded across his chest, CJ just smiled at them.

“Don’t tell me that you’re giving her lessons?” a blond named Cantrell said. Another man, Robert—obviously Cantrell’s twin—silently stood by, nodding. They both looked like Viking gods—blue eyed, muscled, tanned, and grinning broadly.

“I tell you, those Silver wolves always get the women,” Robert said.

“We’ve got to learn their secret.”

Laurel laughed. She’d never expected to see such lighthearted wolf rivalry over a woman. She’d been a little concerned about male wolf fights over eligible she-wolves, so she was glad there was none of that here.

“Are you ready?” CJ asked, giving her a wink.

“Yeah.” She just hoped she wouldn’t do too badly. She could do a lot of things well, but when it came to new adventures like this? She could see herself falling down more than standing up, breaking something before she barely got started, and generally embarrassing herself in front of all the pack members. It would be easier if she and CJ were doing this at any other ski resort where they didn’t know anyone.