time. High-end stores offered crystal and silver, while others were more family-oriented and featured mountain animals carved in wood. Hiking and camping gear, along with every item of clothing that could possibly feature the words
Estes Park
, were plentiful, as well. Scarlet had always loved downtown, not despite the fact that it was completely touristy but precisely because it was, in the best possible way.
They settled on a barbecue restaurant. Vertical beams carved into totem poles rose to the ceiling, and there were giant wooden bears at the entrance, along with detailed carvings of woodland creatures that ran along the bar and climbed the walls. A children’s play area, stocked with stuffed animals, was set up against one wall.
There were advertisements for the upcoming Testicle Festival, so Scarlet had to explain what Rocky Mountain oysters were. She wasn’t surprised when they all grimaced and opted not to try them.
After the drive and the walk to the restaurant, Scarlet suddenly realized she was feeling relaxed for the first time since she’d seen those hideous pictures—until she noticed that even in the middle of their own conversation, the others were listening intently to everything the people around them were saying.
She listened, too.
“I just don’t understand the police,” a man at a nearby table was saying to a woman she assumed was his wife. “Two people were murdered at the Conway Ranch, but they don’t say who they were or how they were killed. They just leave us in the dark. Hell, we don’t know whether to stay in town or get the hell out of here. I mean, were they a couple of prostitutes? A couple of gangbangers? That would mean we don’t have to worry.”
She put a finger to her lips, nodding in the direction of two children cuddling with a stuffed bear in the play area.
“They can’t hear me,” he said, but he lowered his voice anyway. “I heard they found remains up on one of the mountains, too. Just bones, so they must have been there for a while.”
“Where did you hear that?” the woman asked.
“At the hotel. Some guy heard it from some other guy, who knew a ranger, and the ranger talked to someone who saw the bones.”
“Oh, Oscar. That’s just hearsay,” his wife said.
Scarlet had been holding her menu, and now she realized that her fingers were white from the tightness of her grip.
“Could be just a rumor,” Matt said softly, so no one could overhear.
“Or there could be more to it,” Meg said.
Their waiter came up just then, putting an end to any further speculation. Scarlet remembered the young man from a previous visit, and he remembered her, too.
He smiled when he saw her, and thanked her for coming back and bringing friends. “What can I get you all? We’re famous for our moose-ball hot chocolate. Don’t worry,” he added, when Meg shot him a skeptical look. “Our moose balls are marshmallows. I’m Dane, by the way, and feel free to ask me any questions about the menu.”
They all ordered quickly, and Scarlet realized that yes, they wanted food, but they also wanted to keep moving.
Diego went for the hot chocolate. “Have to try it,” he told her.
Everyone else agreed and ordered it, too.
“So what brings you all here?” Dane asked. “The park? The ghosts at The Stanley?”
“Came to see Scarlet,” Diego said. “Is this home for you?”
“Born and bred,” Dane said. “My uncle owns this place. We’re going to open a second one, and I’m going to manage it, maybe open a small boutique hotel one of these days.”
“You know the area well, then, huh?” Meg asked, smiling.
“Sure do,” Dane said.
Meg lowered her voice. “The couple beside us were talking about human remains, bones, that were just found recently. Have you heard anything about that?”
He nodded gravely. “A friend of mine’s a cop. They’re bringing in a forensic anthropologist to examine them. They’re trying to keep it quiet, though, what with the
Estes Park
, were plentiful, as well. Scarlet had always loved downtown, not despite the fact that it was completely touristy but precisely because it was, in the best possible way.
They settled on a barbecue restaurant. Vertical beams carved into totem poles rose to the ceiling, and there were giant wooden bears at the entrance, along with detailed carvings of woodland creatures that ran along the bar and climbed the walls. A children’s play area, stocked with stuffed animals, was set up against one wall.
There were advertisements for the upcoming Testicle Festival, so Scarlet had to explain what Rocky Mountain oysters were. She wasn’t surprised when they all grimaced and opted not to try them.
After the drive and the walk to the restaurant, Scarlet suddenly realized she was feeling relaxed for the first time since she’d seen those hideous pictures—until she noticed that even in the middle of their own conversation, the others were listening intently to everything the people around them were saying.
She listened, too.
“I just don’t understand the police,” a man at a nearby table was saying to a woman she assumed was his wife. “Two people were murdered at the Conway Ranch, but they don’t say who they were or how they were killed. They just leave us in the dark. Hell, we don’t know whether to stay in town or get the hell out of here. I mean, were they a couple of prostitutes? A couple of gangbangers? That would mean we don’t have to worry.”
She put a finger to her lips, nodding in the direction of two children cuddling with a stuffed bear in the play area.
“They can’t hear me,” he said, but he lowered his voice anyway. “I heard they found remains up on one of the mountains, too. Just bones, so they must have been there for a while.”
“Where did you hear that?” the woman asked.
“At the hotel. Some guy heard it from some other guy, who knew a ranger, and the ranger talked to someone who saw the bones.”
“Oh, Oscar. That’s just hearsay,” his wife said.
Scarlet had been holding her menu, and now she realized that her fingers were white from the tightness of her grip.
“Could be just a rumor,” Matt said softly, so no one could overhear.
“Or there could be more to it,” Meg said.
Their waiter came up just then, putting an end to any further speculation. Scarlet remembered the young man from a previous visit, and he remembered her, too.
He smiled when he saw her, and thanked her for coming back and bringing friends. “What can I get you all? We’re famous for our moose-ball hot chocolate. Don’t worry,” he added, when Meg shot him a skeptical look. “Our moose balls are marshmallows. I’m Dane, by the way, and feel free to ask me any questions about the menu.”
They all ordered quickly, and Scarlet realized that yes, they wanted food, but they also wanted to keep moving.
Diego went for the hot chocolate. “Have to try it,” he told her.
Everyone else agreed and ordered it, too.
“So what brings you all here?” Dane asked. “The park? The ghosts at The Stanley?”
“Came to see Scarlet,” Diego said. “Is this home for you?”
“Born and bred,” Dane said. “My uncle owns this place. We’re going to open a second one, and I’m going to manage it, maybe open a small boutique hotel one of these days.”
“You know the area well, then, huh?” Meg asked, smiling.
“Sure do,” Dane said.
Meg lowered her voice. “The couple beside us were talking about human remains, bones, that were just found recently. Have you heard anything about that?”
He nodded gravely. “A friend of mine’s a cop. They’re bringing in a forensic anthropologist to examine them. They’re trying to keep it quiet, though, what with the
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