It didn’t help that worry about this saboteur kept running around my head. I swiveled to look out the window. The view helped a little, but it made me think of the deer.
Leaning forward, I could just catch a glimpse of the cabin on the hillside. My lips curled. I much preferred the memory of Tessa laid out half naked on the bed, my mouth on her sweet pussy, and her gasping out my name.
The rap of knuckles sounded on the door, and I knew without looking up that it was Caden. Spinning, I watched him prowl into my office. His face looked grim.
“Anything?”
“No.” He looked frustrated as he dropped into a chair in front of my desk. “I didn’t find anything at the scene. My team is running searches on all your rivals. Nothing’s coming up. No one’s even in Colorado, let alone in Windward, or has links to it.”
I drummed my fingers on the desk, feeling my own frustration.
“I did have better luck with some of the hate mail. I tracked down one sender. A female environmental activist who lives in Windward. She’s sent some letters, but she hasn’t been in the hotel. I’ve verified her alibis.” A groove formed on his brow. “There’s another sender, though. From the ranting in those letters, I’d guess that person is fully capable of killing deer. I’m thinking this has to be local. This person killed the deer and put it on the path, and did it quickly. They’d have to know their way around.”
“Tessa might be able to help. She knows everybody, and could help narrow the list down.”
“You trust her?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I’ve been watching her,” Caden said. “The woman has endless energy, and can solve pretty much any problem. It’s obvious that the guests love her. The staff loves her. I’d hire her for my team, if I could.”
I sat there trying not to be annoyed and jealous that Caden had been watching Tessa.
He cocked his head. “You really like her.”
“She’s an excellent employee. Smart. Intuitive.”
“Attractive.”
Ireallydidn’t like Caden noting that she was attractive. I steepled my hands.
He grinned. He did it rarely, so it always took me by surprise.
He was messing with me. “Stop looking at her.”
“Hmm, territorial, too.”
I rubbed my temple. “We met at the masquerade.”
“Ah. I figured you’d met someone when you came up here. When you got back to Denver, you were… different.”
“I slept with her, and I didn’t even know who she was. Now, we’ve come to an agreement while I’m here. I intend to get her out of my system, and while I do that, it will be mutually enjoyable.”
Caden cocked a brow. “This should be interesting.”
I waved a hand at him. “Have you got anything else for me?” I looked down at the paperwork on my desk. “I got a message to meet Tessa in the great room and need to go soon.”
He glanced at the paperwork. It listed all the potential upgrades to the Windward. “You’re planning to renovate?”
“Piper is still running the knockdown scenario, and you know I assess all options, but let’s just say that Tessa has been showing me the charm of the Windward Resort.”
“You sure you weren’t just charmed by the manager?”
“Maybe. But this situation between us is temporary. I’m not staying. Once things are in hand, I’ll move to the next acquisition. Probably the Maldives, if the deal doesn’t go south.” I shook my head. “Tessa is an employee and…the kind of woman that doesn’t do casual long-term.” I had the sudden thought of her with a clean-cut husband and a picket fence. My gut tightened.
Caden didn’t comment on that. “I’ve got a couple of my team coming in. Deem and his guards are just not experienced enough to keep you safe.” He frowned. “The concierge…”
I wracked my brain for a name. “Rossi? Enzo Rossi?”