Page 49 of Christmas Ransom

Grover nodded. “Which is unfortunate. I really wanted to ask him about the missing money. But apparently, it and Carla Richmond are gone.”

“How can you think that? There were obvious signs of a struggle when I got back to the house,” Davy said.

“Maybe too obvious,” Grover said.

Davy shook his head in irritation. “Someone took her.”

“Who do you think that was?” Deeds asked. “You said that you were chasing a man in a hoodie. Was there someone else with him?”

“Just because I didn’t see anyone else...” Davy raked a hand through his hair. He felt sick to his stomach. His brothers had warned him, and he hadn’t listened. He should never have gone after the man. He should never have left Carla alone. Now someone had her.

“So, who is he, the man at the bottom of the cliff? Have you been able to ID him?” The moment he asked the question, he saw the answer on the agent’s face. “You know already?”

“Samantha Elliot, the tattoo artist who inked him, regained consciousness and gave us his name. I was on my way back here to question him.”

“But if you know who he is, then you should be able to find out who he was working with,” Davy said. “The note on Carla’s tray at the hospital... Does he work at the hospital?”

Grover shook his head. “His name is Judson Bruckner. He worked temporarily for a delivery company.”

“I saw him,” Davy cried. “He was looking in the window of her house. He had a package, but he said it was the wrong address and left before I could question him further.” Davy couldn’t believe he’d been that close to the killer, that close to catching him. If only he had, Carla would be safe now.

The agent looked at the small notebook in his hand. “You and Ms. Richmond, you hadn’t had any contact for how long before the robbery?”

Davy shook his head, confused for a moment as to why the agent was asking him this. “I told you, I saw her the day before—”

“Before the robbery. I’m asking about before that. Had you had any contact with Ms. Richmond?”

“No. I stopped by the bank the day before the robbery to see her. Before that, I hadn’t seen her in months. But what does this have to do with—”

“You have to understand my skepticism, Mr. Colt,” Grover said. “You said Ms. Richmond wasn’t injured during the shooting at the house, but you were.”

“She had the refrigerator open. I shoved her against it, the door blocking any bullets, as I lunged at the shooter.” He groaned. “Agent Grover, could we please quit wasting time? Carla is in trouble. If this Judson Bruckner didn’t work at the hospital, then someone he knew does.”

“Doesn’t this remind you of the truck that hit you? Haven’t you asked yourself how it was that neither of you were hurt?”

“One of uswashurt,” he said through gritted teeth. He could feel time running out. They were wasting precious moments here while Carla... Who knew where or what was happening with her? “Carla’s ankle was broken.”

“Still, the way the side of your pickup was crushed, I’m surprised she wasn’t killed.”

“I was slowing down. She’d unbuckled her seat belt and was moving toward me.”

“So she’s what? Making a move on you, and out of the blue a big truck just happens to crash into your pickup on Ms. Richmond’s side at that exact moment? How lucky that she slid over by you just before that happened.”

“You can’t still think she had anything to do with this,” Davy cried.

“Why not? Tell me...now that you’ve had time to think about this. Doesn’t it seem strange that the shooter fired shots all over the place—except for the one that winged you, Mr. Colt?”

Davy swore. “You didn’t see his face. I did. His eyes were wild and his hand was shaking. But all that aside, I’ve had enough of this. You’re wrong. Carla’s been taken. By someone connected to the killer. Maybe someone even more dangerous. Instead of talking nonsense, you should be trying to find her before it’s too late.” His voice broke at the fear that it might already be too late.

Grover shook his head. “Ms. Richmond knew I was onto her. She needed to disappear. Now she has.” The agent got to his feet. “I’m sorry, Mr. Colt. I can tell that you care about this woman, but you’re kidding yourself if you think she isn’t involved. Why do you think the robber stayed in town this long? He couldn’t leave without her. And he would have—if you hadn’t run him over a cliff.”

He started toward the door only to turn back. “Carla Richmond’s gone and so is the money. She staged it so you’d think someone took her, struggled with her. But don’t worry, we’ll find her. However, you’d be smart to put this little...episode behind you. She used you.” With that he turned and walked out.

DAVYCOULDPRACTICALLYhear the clock ticking as he was finally allowed to leave the hospital. Now at least he knew J’s name. Judson Bruckner. Apparently, he’d been living in Lonesome for a few years.

But who had taken Carla? All he knew was that she had put up a fight. His gut instinct told him whoever it was had been working with Jud Bruckner. The otherJ? Someone who worked at the hospital?

But when James had gotten the list of employees, that had been a dead end.

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