Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska #2) - Sarah Morgenthaler Page 0,7
eyebrow. “I need to package that and sell it to a few of my colleagues.”
“Easton comes from Sasquatch stock,” Graham said under his breath to Zoey. She bit her lip to cover her giggle as Easton dropped back into his seat.
The folding chair creaked beneath his weight, which made Lana nervous. Technically, this building was hers too, which meant if Easton was injured by way of collapsing folding chair, Lana’s company was liable for a lawsuit. The standard-size folding chair simply didn’t accommodate a Lockett-sized person.
On the stage, Jonah sighed. “Before we begin, does anyone have any announcements?”
“Oh, that’s me.” Lana stood, juggling her coffee, her phone, and her plate. “Sorry, I need…oops. Well, I suppose that cookie had better places to be than with me.”
Zoey smiled at her encouragingly. In a room full of people, hers was the only friendly face in the crowd. Lana had spent enough time in front of a boardroom not to shift uncomfortably, but she couldn’t keep her fingernails from drumming her coffee cup, a nervous tic she’d never been able to break.
“I’ve posted the information on social media and passed out flyers, but I wanted to remind everyone that the Montgomery Group is hosting a Christmas party for the town on the twenty-first, with cookie decorating, Santa, and lots of fun activities for kids of all ages. It starts at noon and lasts until the fun runs out.”
Silence. Complete silence.
“Special gifts for any children who come and free treats for all.”
A cookie could be heard dropping across the room. Lana added cheerfully, “And this party mix is delicious, in case anyone missed out.”
No one so much as blinked.
Okeydokey.
“That went well,” Zoey said with more optimism than Lana felt. Lana sank down in her seat. Love must have damaged Zoey’s eyesight along with her ability to read a room.
“They think I’m the Grinch about to steal their Christmas,” Lana replied.
Graham shot her a sympathetic look, reaching over Zoey to squeeze Lana’s hand. “Don’t worry, L. They’ll get used to it eventually.”
“That’s right,” Zoey said firmly. “And if they don’t, they’ll have us to deal with. We’ve got your back. Right, Graham?”
His expression melted. “Always, darlin’.”
It was hard to watch them and not feel a little hope about the status of the world. Too bad this group of people was convinced Lana was going to bring ruin to them all.
“As I was saying,” Jonah continued, “I know we were all hoping for a year free of trouble, but I regret to inform you, there’s been an…incident.”
“What kind of incident?” Easton asked.
“Out at John and Cheryl Price’s place.” Jonah hesitated long enough that Lana’s curiosity rose. Then he sighed as if exhausted. “All signs point to the Santa Moose having returned to town.”
A complete hush came over the town hall. Graham straightened from his customary slouch, shoulders tensed.
“What’s a Santa Moose?” Lana asked in a whisper.
“Scourge of our existence,” Graham replied. “Like an ROUS, but no flame spurts to save ourselves in.”
Jonah cleared his throat louder. “Last year, we almost managed to track him down, but unfortunately to no success. The Moose Springs police department—”
“That’s just him,” Ashtyn said.
“—and volunteers from the town—”
“That’s just me,” Easton added.
“—found that the closer to Christmas, the worse the pattern of destruction got. While in past years, we’ve been hesitant to get Fish and Game involved, after the seeing the Christmas decoration destruction out at the Prices’, I think it needs to go to a vote.”
“Are we talking about killing a moose?” Zoey shoved her glasses higher on her nose. “Why wouldn’t they move him, like Ulysses?”
Last summer, an accident had happened with a moose very close to Graham’s heart. Ulysses had been successfully relocated away from town after injuring a tourist, but Lana knew Graham still missed the massive animal.
“Move him?” Graham shook his head. “Zo, no one’s ever seen him.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. For three years now, he’s been the Ghost and the Darkness. It drives East nuts. First thing on four feet he couldn’t track.”
Easton shrugged a single broad shoulder as if accepting this as truth.
“Graham, would you like to take over the meeting?” The officer’s face was a study in pleasant detachment, but his right eyelid had started to twitch.
“Naw, you’re doing great, Jonah.”
“Do we have volunteers to try to locate the Santa Moose?”
Another silence fell across the room—an atypical silence for a town normally happy to help one another. Especially when it involved sneaking about in camouflage and drinking beer.