Page 9 of Snow River

April owned the most expensive inn in town, Fire Peak Lodge, and she’d recently put Charlie in charge while she dealt with legal issues arising from a crime committed in the late nineteen seventies.

“It’s hard to get the straight story.”Lila eyed the popcorn, but decided to pass for now, especially if she had to talk about that incident.“I’ve heard a few different versions of it at The Fang.At first I heard the shooting happened at the airstrip.People used to gather for the arrival of the plane that carried the mail.There was no post office, so you’d just show up and collect your mail from the bag on the plane.”

“So the gunman was going for maximum density of population?”Molly winced.“Sorry, that sounded very cynical.He wanted to make his mark, is what I meant.”

“Maybe.”Lila shrugged.“But then Pinky Bannister told me that the murders were spread out over a couple of days while they tried to catch the guy.It’s hard to know the truth.”

“There must have been news coverage.”Charlie, always the computer-savvy researcher, reached for her iPad.But Lila shook her head.

“Not really.Back then, so few people lived out here.Less than forty, or so I’ve been told.There wasn’t a newspaper that regularly included news from Firelight Ridge.We’re talking about oral history, really.The first time I heard about the shootings, I went to the general store to get Wi-Fi and check it out.The only mention I found was in a true crime podcast by a guy named Jim Sutcliff.”

“What did he say about it?”Ani’s dark eyes were fixed on her as if Lila was reading her a fascinating bedtime story.

“He called it the Snow River Murders.I know, so over the top.Apparently the killer lived on Snow River and was kind of a hermit.His name was Paul Anthony Bowman.He was bitter because his wife had divorced him, and he’d moved out here for a fresh start.The long winter sent him off the deep end, and he just snapped.At least that’s what the podcast said.”

“You don’t believe that?”Molly’s eyebrows drew together.She was a lawyer and very good at solving puzzles.Lila could tell she didn’t find the alleged motive very persuasive.

“I have no idea.Why wouldn’t I?”

“Didn’t one of the victims live in your house?Maybe you’ve picked up—” Lila cut Charlie off before she could finish the thought.

“No.I haven’t.”

The dream didn’t count.It was just a dream.Not a vision, or a premonition, or anything more than neurons firing while she was asleep.

She realized that her friends were all looking at her with various expressions of surprise.Not because she hadn’t picked up anything, but because she was so vehemently denying having done so.She hadn’t told any of them about her dream.

“Anyway, Allison Casey was a victim, not the murderer.How would she know why she was killed?”

“Allison Casey?”Molly set down her glass.“You know her name?”

“Of course I know her name.”Hadn’t she always known her name?Lila frowned, trying to remember how she’d learned it.“I’m sure someone told me when I first moved in.”

“You never mentioned it before.You told us about her dress, but I’m pretty sure you didn’t say her name.”

Ani put her hand on Molly’s arm, a signal to lay off.Molly had always been Lila’s fiercest protector, even in adulthood, but she could also be quite the interrogator.

“Well, I’m sure someone told me, that’s all.Anyway, I still have that podcast if anyone wants to listen to it.I can’t say if it’s accurate or not.Besides, I’m more interested in the woman they just found.Molly, what else did Sam say about her?”

“Hmm…well, he said that Bear found the body.”

“What?”

She’d barely seen Bear over the past few days, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about finding a dead body.

Ani caught her expression.“He didn’t tell you?”

“No.But of course he doesn’t tell me everything.I’m just his employee.”She startled as her friends all burst into laughter.“What?”

“Do you really believe that you’re just Bear’s worker bee?”Charlie scoffed.“When you’re around, that man can’t take his eyes off you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”Bear was…well, he was Bear.Ever-strong, ever-silent, ever on-guard, ever ready to come to the aid of anyone.Not just her.

“I thought you were supposed to be intuitive?”Molly teased her.“You really haven’t noticed how he looks at you?”

“Stop it.”Lila felt heat flood her cheeks.“Bear has always been purely professional around me.It’s insulting to say otherwise.He would never do anything inappropriate with someone who works for him.”

“Oh come on, this isn’t some corporation with a human resources handbook.”Charlie rolled her eyes, which Lila considered completely unnecessary to make her point.“Are you saying you wouldn’twantsomething to happen with Bear?Completely consensual?Like, he comes to you and looks into your eyes and asks if you’d like to come over for a hot tub.I hear he has a Japanese-style soaking tub under a spruce grove.”

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