Page 67 of Only One More Lie

He offered an affirming nod. “We should know something soon.”

Andi hoped Gibson was right. Mostly, she prayed that Duke and Ranger were safe.

CHAPTER 33

Duke heard the sound of snow crunching beneath an unseen weight outside the cabin again and bristled.

What if the person who’d slit his tires was back?

He couldn’t be sure. But he couldn’t take any chances.

He drew his gun again as he approached the door.

“Someone’s here.” Ranger stood also, instantly going on alert.

The hum of a motor cut through the air.

Would whoever had been here earlier be brazen enough to return? He found it hard to believe.

But maybe.

He grabbed his flashlight and aimed it in front of him, and then cautiously opened the door.

Instead of seeing a person, a bright light blinded him.

He raised his hand to see beyond the glare.

“Duke McAllister?” a deep voice called. “Ranger Garrett?”

Duke remained stiff. “That’s us.”

“We’re with the state police. We’ve been looking for you.”

His shoulders softened as he let down his guard—some. “Someone slashed our tires,” he explained. “We couldn’t getback to the camp, so we started a fire to warm up here. Figured we might have to spend the night.”

The man stepped into the light, and Duke recognized him as one of the officers he’d seen with Gibson earlier. Officer Winsome.

“I’m glad we found you,” Officer Winsome said. “It’s supposed to drop to twenty below tonight, and the snow is supposed to pick up. A storm is headed this way.”

Ranger stepped toward them. “We’re glad you found us also.”

Duke glanced back inside the cabin. “You’re going to want to check this place out.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I believe Pepper Klinkhart was using this place for some kind of secret rendezvous before she was murdered.”

“Good news,” Gibson announced.

Andi and Simmy sat up from where they’d been seated at a table in the lobby—both attempting to work even though their concentration was shot.

Juniper was wandering around, offering cookies and coffee to guests like a good hostess.

Some guests had been questioned and allowed to leave. Others had decided to stay, claiming they had nowhere else to go and weren’t comfortable driving in the snow.

According to Gibson, none of them had anything to offer, however. Those potential leads had fizzled.

They turned toward Gibson as they waited to hear what he had to say.

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