“I’m fine.” As long as they don’t find out about the dog meeting. “How long have you worked here, Angie?”

“This is my first summer.”

The waitress delivered my salad and I casually placed my napkin in my lap. “I suppose this has been the craziest day so far.”

Angie nodded. “Outside of a broken pipe in one of the cabins that made a mess, yes.”

Broken pipe. Dead raccoon. Ransacked art room. Fishy sardines. Pitchfork trap. “Mmm.” I took a bite of salad.

“I, for one, will look on the bright side,” Dee Dee said. “I love Angie and look forward to more one-on-one instruction. The class will be a lot smaller after today.” She looked at each of us as if to challenge us to say anything.

“I would normally agree with you, Dee Dee.” Angie had two bright spots of red on her cheeks. “But I’m paid per student. Roy offers a full refund if anyone isn’t satisfied. The couple with the broken pipe, along with their daughter, the Rinaldis, Mrs. Eason and her daughter, Mrs. Kendig, and another four people who had their reservations screwed up means I’m down eleven people. That’s a chunk of change.”

Now it was Dee Dee’s turn to blush. “I’m . . . I’m sorry, Angie. No offense intended. I just . . .”

The waitresses brought our main course, breaking up the awkward moment.

I did a quick calculation in my head. If eleven people were no longer coming, that amounted to eleven thousand–plus dollars a day that the Mule Shoe wasn’t receiving. Roy still had to maintain the staff and other costs.

Was financial ruin the saboteur’s goal? Why? And where else did I need to look?

Chapter 10

Bram watched Darby walk off to her cabin. He’d hoped for expert help but understood the line she had to walk. He drummed his fingers on the picnic table. She hadn’t looked at him when he confirmed he was persistent. He hoped she hadn’t noticed his double meaning.

What if she had? What if . . .

He slammed his hand down on the table, then stood. He had a job to do on the arson fires and no time for idle thoughts and useless speculation.

He didn’t need to wait for the supply wagon to head to town. Roy had mentioned a second helicopter would be taking one of the parents to Idaho Falls. He’d ask them to drop him in St. Anthony.

Roy stepped out of the barn.

Bram waved to him, rose, and trotted over. “Would it be okay if I take a look at where the accident occurred?”

“Sure. Are you thinking it could be anything other than a terrible accident?”

“Just being thorough.”

“I’d appreciate it. What bothers me is I know my staff. None of them would be careless enough to leave a pitchfork on the ground.”

“You’ve already asked them?”