Page 9 of K-9 in Pursuit

“Your name is Chloe?” he asked. “Chloe what?”

“Anderson.”

“So same as Sharee?” He shook his head. “Sorry. You don’t look alike, so I wondered.”

“We’re half-sisters. Same father, different mothers.” She checked the tag on his jacket. “And you’re Brian Weeks?”

“Yeah.” He shifted on the seat, as if uncomfortable. “Why does Sharee live with you?” he asked.

“She was having trouble in the school she was at in Virginia. Our parents thought a fresh start somewhere else would be a smart idea, so she came to live with me for a while.”

He didn’t ask what kind of trouble and she was grateful. She wasn’t practiced at lying, but she didn’t want to go into the whole ugly story, either. “That was kind of you,” he said.

“It’s been good having her here. Getting to know her as more of an adult, instead of the little kid she was when I left home. And I’ve asked her to come to work for me, for a few hours a week. It will give her something else to focus on.”

“What kind of work do you do?” he asked.

“I own a salon and spa—Moon Glow.”

“Your own business? I’m impressed.”

“It’s not that impressive, but it’s enough.”

Silence. At this rate, she could be here all night. “What else happened with Sharee?” she asked again.

He blew out a breath. “The day after you and I talked in the patrol office, Sharee came up to me and gave me something wrapped in tissue paper. She said it was a gift, and skied away before I could give it back. Then I got a rescue call and couldn’t look for her. By the time I got back to the office and opened it, she was long gone.”

The hairs on the back of Chloe’s neck stood up. She didn’t like the sound of this. “What was in the package?” she asked.

“I opened it in front of two of my fellow patrollers,” he said. “Just so you know.”

“You wanted witnesses.”

“Well, yeah. I didn’t want to be accused of doing anything to a teenage girl. Which I wouldn’t. Never.”

“What was in the package?” she asked again.

“A pair of women’s underwear.” His face was bright red now, and he wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Silky ones. With writing on the front. You know, stitching. It said ‘For You.’”

Chloe wished she was more shocked by this revelation, but considering what her parents had shared about Sharee’s stalking of Cameron Douglas, she wasn’t. She sighed. “That was so out of line. I’m sorry.”

“The patrol captain, Connor Donaldson, has the underwear in the ski patrol office,” he said. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop by soon and pick it up.”

“Sure. And I promise I’ll talk to Sharee again.”

“That’s not all,” he said. “A few days later, someone called in a couple of anonymous complaints about me. They used fake names—Jane Smith and Gertrude Cavendish. No one with those names has purchased a ski pass at the resort. They accused me of being rude to one of our guests, and of not picking up after my dog on the slopes—two things I would never do.”

“And you think this was Sharee?”

“What do you think?” he asked. “You know her better than I do.”

Did she? Sharee was ten years younger than her. Chloe had left home at eighteen and hadn’t spent much time with her sister since then. But she knew Sharee was smart and determined—and she could be ruthless. “Maybe she would do something like that,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want to get her into trouble,” Brian said. “She’s a nice kid. I just…stuff like this could cost me my job.”

“I told her if she acted up again, I’d take her ski pass,” Chloe said. “Maybe it’s time.”

“If you don’t, my boss is going to ask the resort to revoke the pass.”