Page 23 of Into the Lion's Den (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

I touched my face. “Fell off a horse.”

She sucked air through her teeth as if feeling my pain. “What exactly are you looking for?”

I read off the items on my list, and she pursed her lips before saying, “I think I can help with most of this. What’s the party for? Doesn’t sound like a wedding or baby shower.”

“The fishing opener. There’s a welcome dinner up at the resort, and I’m the new events coordinator.”

“New?” The crinkles around the woman’s eyes deepened.

“Yes, the person who used to do the job quit.”

“I know Dorothy,” the woman said. “She’s a good friend of mine. I’m just surprised they bothered to replace her.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“After Tony Fitzpatrick died... He was a fixture in this town. A real character. Everyone loved him.” She held up her hands. “His kids are all great, too, don’t get me wrong. It’s just hard to imagine that place going on without their father. People have been talking... There’s rumors they might sell.”

“Well…” I said, feeling caught off guard but doubting the veracity of the rumors. John Riordan may have received a delayed report about Tony Fitzpatrick’s death, but he wouldn’t have set me up at a place that was on the verge of financial collapse.

“I’m obviously new,” I continued, “but it seems to be business as usual up there.”Usualbeing the operative word. Reese was still adamant that no one make any changes.

The woman looked doubtful about my business-as-usual assessment. “Dorothy never bought things like this for any of the events, but what do I know?” She smiled warmly. “I’m glad to hear the family is sticking around. I don’t like the idea of a bunch of fancy hotels. Now...”

She glanced past my shoulder toward the front of the store. “Origami paper I have up front. As for mini chalkboards...I might have a few in the back. Let me go look.”

An hour later, after getting what I could from the craft store and following the woman’s recommendation to make the rest of my purchases at the hardware store, I returned to the Jeep.

The busker’s tips had grown since I’d first walked past. I reached him just as he finished the Eagles’ “Life in the Fast Lane.”

“You’re really good,” I said. “Do you play anywhere besides sidewalks?”

He tipped his head toward the bar behind him. “My band mostly plays at The Mad Hatter. I’m out here to advertise.”

“Is the food good too?”

“Best burgers in town.”

I made a mental note to add the bar to the list of local eateries and live music the resort recommended to its guests. Then, after giving his puppy a goodbye pet, I loaded my purchases into the back seat of the Jeep and made the ten-minute drive up the hill and into the trees.

My first stop upon returning would be Reese’s office. Even if it wasn’t my imagination, and he really was actively avoiding me, he still needed to be told about the mountain lion warning. He had guests to advise. Horses to protect.

I hustled into the lodge with my arms full of my purchases. I hadn’t even made it to the front desk when I ran into Sam.

“Whoa,” he said. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“Gotta dump my stuff off, then show Reese this.” I set one of the bags down on the check-in counter and removed a copy of the warning poster from another one of my bags.

Sam stared at it for a long moment before raising his eyes to meet mine. “Where did you get this?”

“In town. Every store has one posted. There were extras at the hardware store, so I grabbed one.”

A muscle flexed in his jaw.

“Does it worry you?” I asked.

He didn’t respond other than to frown, obviously deep in thought.

“A mountain lion could spook the horses, right?” I asked. “Or scare away guests who want to go camping. I thought you should know.”

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