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Chapter Eleven
Edie
Istoodbythetrunk of my rental car, squinting against the sun.Good lord, it was beautiful here.Big Sky Country, indeed.The ever-changing sky in Missoula had taken my breath away, but this was even better.With jagged mountain peaks to the east, rolling woodland leading to more mountains in the west, and the boundless sky above, it felt like someone had taken the lid off the world and opened it up to heaven.
I turned and looked back at the Lodge.The long, rambling building gleamed in the sunlight.Flowers burst from beds next to the wrap-around patio where wooden loungers invited guests to enjoy the views.In the distance there was a barn and paddock where a Black man was introducing a group of excited children to a horse.
I knew from looking at the website that there was a covered pool and spa somewhere.Wide gravel paths lined the property, and I could see golf carts parked outside of a few of the cabins.All other vehicles had to be left in the parking lot.I wondered if they’d set up the resort that way to keep people from wandering too far.
On cue, a golf cart squeaked to a halt behind my car.Jasper should have looked silly with his strong frame behind the wheel of the dainty vehicle, but something about the way he filled the space made my mouth dry.His khaki pants strained against the muscles of his thighs, and the rolled-up sleeves of his checked dress shirt showed off his strong forearms.He was wearing a thin bracelet around his wrist that was set with a yellow stone.
I hadn’t expected to meet him just minutes after I got here.I’d figured that at a resort this size, the management wasn’t keeping track of the individual reservations.My plan had been to find my cabin, settle in, and start doing some quiet poking into the people of Twisted Pines.I’d hoped that I might fly under the Moreaus’ radar, at least for a few days.
Now Jasper had me pinned in his gaze, and I got the distinct feeling he wasn’t going to let me out of his sight as long as I was here.
Jasper swung out of the golf cart and stalked toward me.“Dr.Matthews.”
I raised my eyebrow.“Mr.Moreau.”
His jaw ticked when I used his real name.“What are you doing here?”
My plan had been to say that it was a coincidence, that I just needed a vacation before I went back to Baltimore.But I’ve never liked playing games.“I think you know what I’m doing here.”
A white family walked by, kitted up for a day trip to Glacier National Park.Jasper glanced at them and stepped closer to me so he could lower his voice.“Look, I’m sorry I gave you a fake name.It’s an old habit.If you’re still interested in selling the house, we could consider raising our offer—“
I clicked a button on my keys.The trunk rose, giving Jasper a clear view of the neatly packed boxes that filled it.Rolled up on top was the map that, until recently, had been pinned to my father’s wall.I’d worked my ass off going through the rest of my father’s things, looking for every mention of Twisted Pines or the Moreau family.Now his accumulated knowledge about them was packed into the trunk of the car.
“It turns out that your family figured heavily in my father’s research.Isn’t that interesting?”
Jasper stiffened.“I won’t let you stay here.We have the right to refuse service to anyone.”
“Okay.I have the right to publish this information,” I said, gesturing at the trunk.“It’s all been digitized and saved on a cloud server.”
“No one would believe you.”
“Maybe not.But I could certainly bring a lot of attention to your resort.Do you want to bring a bunch of shifter-hunters here?”I crossed my arms over my chest as he glowered.To my left, an enormous RV pulled into one of the designated spots and disgorged a Hispanic family that ranged in age from eight to eighty.“I don’t think they would fit in with your normal clientele.”
He exhaled hard through his nose.“What do you want?”
I wondered what he’d say if I asked for money.A resort like this must be worth millions.If only what I wanted was that clear cut.“I want to know the truth.”
He stepped even closer, crowding me slightly against the trunk.“Why?”
“Was my father crazy?”
Suddenly, I felt light-headed.In his conflicted features, I could see my answer.
“I don’t want to hurt you or your…clan,” I said, thinking of the nomenclature my father had used.“I just want to know.I have to know.”
He stared down at me.I got that sense of being pinned by his attention, like he was peering at me through a microscope—vision narrowed, searching.Then a couple of people walked by wearing polo shirts emblazoned with the Twisted Pines logo, and he stepped back.“We can’t talk about this here,” he said.“I’ll take you to your cabin.”
Five minutes later, we pulled up in front of a small cabin nestled in a grove of trees.All the cabins had a similar construction, but they were painted different colors and had different landscaping.This one was bright blue, like its namesake gemstone, and had red Adirondack chairs on the porch to face the mountain view.
I hopped out of the golf cart and grabbed my bags, eager to explore.“Don’t get settled yet,” Jasper said.“I need to make a phone call.”
“Well, I’ve got the keys,” I said brightly.“I’ll go in, you take your time.”
Was it the best idea to goad a man who may or may not be able to turn into a wolf?Probably not.But ruffling his feathers made me feel powerful and excited.And why had it been so long since I felt that way?
