desk, talking to Mona Weston, one of the owners. From the expression on Mona’s face, the discussion wasn’t going well.
Though Cait’s voice was pitched low, he could easily overhear Mona’s side of the conversation.
“I just wish you’d wait and talk to my husband when he comes back. I hate to take the chance of my guests being bothered. People come here to get away and relax. They can’t do that with cops tromping around the property.” Seeing Zach, Mona lifted a hand in greeting.
Cait turned, her green gaze pinning him with the accuracy of a laser. “If it would make you feel better, Mr. Sharper can accompany me while I take a look around. I promise none of your guests will even know I’m here.”
Gail’s expression was confused. “Zach? You know this . . . Ms. Fleming?”
Well, hell. Zach gave a moment’s thought to turning and walking out the door again. Easier that way to mind his own business. But from the look on Cait’s face, he could tell that wasn’t going to be an option.
He made his way over to the women. Mona was dressed much the same as Cait, in jeans and a T-shirt, but she had nearly twenty years on the younger woman, most of them spent outdoors. She was a good six inches shorter than Cait, with a strong, capable build that came as much from her work around this place as being the mother of three rambunctious boys.
“Mona,” he said by way of greeting. “Gil not around?”
“He went to Eugene for copper tubing. We’re having trouble with the hot water in some of the rooms.”
“Always something.” He flicked a glance at Cait. “Ms. Fleming’s business won’t take long. I can stick with her, if that makes you feel any better.”
The woman sent one last uncertain glance toward Cait before saying, “Well, I don’t know what Gil would think of me letting a stranger wander around the springs with the guests, but I guess it’s okay if you stay with her.”
Something lightened inside him when he registered Cait’s expression. Although arranged into a bland polite mask, he was willing to bet that beneath it she was seething. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t bother anyone.”
“Mona.” The desk clerk trying to get the older woman’s attention grew more insistent, and she threw a glance over her shoulder.
“I’ll hold you to that, Zach.” Her attention returned to them, and she noticed the brochures he was holding. “Oh, I can use some of those. We’re down to our last few.” She sent him a genuine smile as he handed the pamphlets over. “We always get rave reviews from the guests who sign on for one of your tours.”
“And I appreciate you steering them my way. You go on and take care of things at the desk.” He nodded toward the college-age girl who looked to be getting more frantic by the moment. “We’ll be all right.”
“Thanks, Zach.” Mona hurried away to handle whatever crisis her employee was dealing with, and he turned to Cait, correctly interpreting the killer expression in her eyes.
“Not exactly a trusting soul, is she?”
He turned and headed for the doors, and she matched him, stride for stride. “Maybe not. Or could be she just knows trouble when she sees it.”
“What trouble are you referring to?” Far from the temper Zach had bet she’d been feeling earlier, Cait’s voice was curious. “Me? Or the case?”
A wise man knew when a question was loaded. That one was about as innocent as a minefield. Expertly, he skirted it. “Well, discovering seven human skeletons is hardly the norm around here.” He headed back toward the Trailblazer. He’d have to park it in the lot before they headed out toward the springs. “No one wants to look out his window and wonder if his neighbor is the one guilty of murdering people and stashing them in a cave.”
“No one said anything about murder.” Her objection sounded automatic as she got in the vehicle and he pulled around to the parking lot.
“You don’t say much,” he agreed,
Though Cait’s voice was pitched low, he could easily overhear Mona’s side of the conversation.
“I just wish you’d wait and talk to my husband when he comes back. I hate to take the chance of my guests being bothered. People come here to get away and relax. They can’t do that with cops tromping around the property.” Seeing Zach, Mona lifted a hand in greeting.
Cait turned, her green gaze pinning him with the accuracy of a laser. “If it would make you feel better, Mr. Sharper can accompany me while I take a look around. I promise none of your guests will even know I’m here.”
Gail’s expression was confused. “Zach? You know this . . . Ms. Fleming?”
Well, hell. Zach gave a moment’s thought to turning and walking out the door again. Easier that way to mind his own business. But from the look on Cait’s face, he could tell that wasn’t going to be an option.
He made his way over to the women. Mona was dressed much the same as Cait, in jeans and a T-shirt, but she had nearly twenty years on the younger woman, most of them spent outdoors. She was a good six inches shorter than Cait, with a strong, capable build that came as much from her work around this place as being the mother of three rambunctious boys.
“Mona,” he said by way of greeting. “Gil not around?”
“He went to Eugene for copper tubing. We’re having trouble with the hot water in some of the rooms.”
“Always something.” He flicked a glance at Cait. “Ms. Fleming’s business won’t take long. I can stick with her, if that makes you feel any better.”
The woman sent one last uncertain glance toward Cait before saying, “Well, I don’t know what Gil would think of me letting a stranger wander around the springs with the guests, but I guess it’s okay if you stay with her.”
Something lightened inside him when he registered Cait’s expression. Although arranged into a bland polite mask, he was willing to bet that beneath it she was seething. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t bother anyone.”
“Mona.” The desk clerk trying to get the older woman’s attention grew more insistent, and she threw a glance over her shoulder.
“I’ll hold you to that, Zach.” Her attention returned to them, and she noticed the brochures he was holding. “Oh, I can use some of those. We’re down to our last few.” She sent him a genuine smile as he handed the pamphlets over. “We always get rave reviews from the guests who sign on for one of your tours.”
“And I appreciate you steering them my way. You go on and take care of things at the desk.” He nodded toward the college-age girl who looked to be getting more frantic by the moment. “We’ll be all right.”
“Thanks, Zach.” Mona hurried away to handle whatever crisis her employee was dealing with, and he turned to Cait, correctly interpreting the killer expression in her eyes.
“Not exactly a trusting soul, is she?”
He turned and headed for the doors, and she matched him, stride for stride. “Maybe not. Or could be she just knows trouble when she sees it.”
“What trouble are you referring to?” Far from the temper Zach had bet she’d been feeling earlier, Cait’s voice was curious. “Me? Or the case?”
A wise man knew when a question was loaded. That one was about as innocent as a minefield. Expertly, he skirted it. “Well, discovering seven human skeletons is hardly the norm around here.” He headed back toward the Trailblazer. He’d have to park it in the lot before they headed out toward the springs. “No one wants to look out his window and wonder if his neighbor is the one guilty of murdering people and stashing them in a cave.”
“No one said anything about murder.” Her objection sounded automatic as she got in the vehicle and he pulled around to the parking lot.
“You don’t say much,” he agreed,
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