Page 15 of Snow Going Back

She’d been on the road for five and a half hours, stopping only once to briefly stretch her legs, not wanting to draw the journey out any longer than necessary. To her surprise, snow had been steadily falling for the last hour, and as it coated the ground in a thick, fluffy white blanket, the wet grey world she’d woken to that morning had morphed into a bright and cheery winter wonderland.

The satnav led Kate down a much quieter road, and the sounds of the highway soon melted away to nothing. As she wound through the dense evergreen forest, the sun briefly broke through the clouds and every fallen snowflake began to wildly glisten. Kate smiled, drinking in the incredible natural beauty of the place, and for a while she almost forgot all her problems even existed. After another few miles, she passed the welcome sign for Pineview Falls, and as she reached the main high street, she slowed to a crawl.

‘What onearth…’ she muttered, looking around.

Picturesque buildings lined each side of the street, some brick, some colourful timber, all of them unique. Quaintshopfronts and restaurants advertised their wares in pretty window displays and on hand-painted signs, and the coffee shop in the centre, with its pitched roof and wooden window shutters, was so inviting she almost pulled over there and then. The whole high street was thoroughly enchanting, as though it had been plucked right out of the pages of a fairy tale. She’d never seen anywhere quite like it.

The red-framed glass door fronting one of the larger brick buildings swung open and two small boys ran out, scampering away clutching paper bags. A frantic-looking woman chased after them a moment later. Kate glanced up at the sign:The Old Firehouse Sweets ’n’ Treats. Her gaze moved up to the old bell in the brick tower above it.

‘Seriously, whatisthis place?’ she breathed.

Driving on, Kate left the curious little town centre and made her way to the address Bob had given her the night before. She stopped on the side of the road and peered out of the window, as the satnav declared she’d reached her destination. A white picket fence separated a generous garden from the sidewalk, opening up at one side into a wide sweeping driveway. The brick walls of the large home were painted white, with grey shutters decorating the outer edges of each window. Steps led up a covered porch that ran half the length of the house and to a green front door with a big brass knocker.

After pulling on to the drive, Kate parked and rummaged in her bag for the keys. She found the one markedFront Door, then, hesitating only a moment to brace herself against the cold, she finally got out of the car.

‘JesusChrist,’ she yelped as she grabbed her handbag and dashed across to the front of the house. Pulling out the key, she blew in and out in swift bursts, shivering violently. Her hands shook as she tried to insert the key into the lock, and she cursedunder her breath. ‘Comeon,’ she pleaded. ‘Come on, come on, come on…Yes!’

The key slid in, and soon she was inside with the door closed firmly behind her. Her joy at being out of the cold was short lived, however, as she swiftly realised it wasn’t much warmer inside.

Wrapping the practically useless tailored red coat she’d chosen for Boston’s mild autumn temperatures around herself a little tighter, Kate tucked her hands under her armpits and looked around the wide entrance hall, wondering where to start. She flicked on the lights and began to explore, walking from room to room and admiring the polished hardwood floors and pale greens and greys in the tastefully decorated rooms. She found the hot water and heating controls and whacked them up high, then checked the kitchen cupboards and fridge. She’d forgotten to stop en route for supplies, which her stomach was now pointedly reminding her.

A carton of milk stood in the door of the fridge, and she eyed it dubiously before pulling it out to check the date. Remarkably it actuallywasin date, and as the only other things she could find were half a box of Cap’n Crunch and a jar of instant coffee, she settled for exactly that.

‘Ugh!’ She grimaced as she tasted the first mouthful of cereal. It was awful. She glanced disgustedly at the box. ‘Well, Cora,’ she muttered, ‘you have great taste in furniture, but cereal,not so much…’

A couple of hours, another grudging bowl of Cap’n Crunch and a hot shower later, Kate changed into her pyjamas, thankful that she’d packed her thick winter ones. She’d only packed a couple of outfits, not realising she’d be over here for more than her usual couple of days, and neither were even remotely suitablefor the freezing temperatures that had fallen over northern Vermont. As she’d unpacked, the local news had informed her that the area was experiencing an unexpected cold snap, the usual mid-November weather having apparently decided to make its entrance a little early this year. She’d have to go out first thing and buy some more suitable clothes, she decided. And a coat that actually stood a chance of doing its job.

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down to see Lance’s name flash up on the screen. She took a deep breath in to steel herself and then answered with a smile.

‘Hey, how are you?’ she asked.

Despite the stress of the situation, it still felt good to see his face. She’d worked so late the night before, going over everything with Raymond and Bob, that she hadn’t had a chance to talk to him.

‘I’m good,’ he replied with a yawn. He lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes, dropping them back into place and pushing back the stray hair that flopped forward. ‘Just having a bit of a crazy night. Client went psycho in the courtroom and now there’s months’ worth of damage to try and undo.’ He shook his head. ‘How’re things there? What was the big emergency?’ There was a short pause as he squinted at the screen. ‘Whereareyou?’

Kate sat down on the bed she’d commandeered as her own and looked around. ‘Long story,’ she said heavily.

‘I’ve got time,’ Lance replied.

‘Have you?’ Kate looked at her watch. ‘It’s gonemidnightthere. You must be exhausted.’

‘It’s fine.’ Lance held a full glass of Scotch up to the screen. ‘I need to decompress anyway. Call it a bedtime story.’

‘I’m not sure it’s one you’ll like,’ Kate warned.

‘Try me,’ Lance replied, a touch impatiently. ‘Come on – what was this emergency they flew you over on aSundayfor?’

Kate shifted into a more comfortable position. He’d been less than impressed when she’d broken the news that she had to leave for Boston just hours after he’d proposed, sothisnews was going to go down like a lead balloon.

‘Short version, there’s an old contractual agreement that falls outside our usual remit and that I’m responsible for carrying out. The terms are explicit with no room for movement, and it requires me to be in Vermont for the next few weeks,’ Kate told him frankly.

‘What?’ Lance looked horrified. ‘Kate, we’re gettingmarriedin a few weeks!’ His expression darkened. ‘No. This is too much.’ He shook his head. ‘You need to turn it down and get on a flight back hometomorrow. Tell Bob he can find someone else.’

‘Excuseme?’ Kate’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

She could understand his feelings, but that didn’t mean he could tell her what to do and how to speak to her boss.

‘Kate, this ispreposterous,’ Lance continued. ‘I mean, what do they expect you to do? Put some case you shouldn’t even be on in the first place before your own wedding and then fly back last minute and hope you make the ceremony?’ His voice rose as the sarcastic side of his temper went off like a firework. ‘Sorry, Vicar, she’s somewhere over Birmingham – if she parachutes into the wind just right though, she still might make it…’

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