Page 10 of Christmas Ransom

“I have no idea. Maybe if I could remember everything that happened...”

“How about you tell me everything that you do remember,” the agent said.

She’d seen the exchange between the agents and Davy just inside her door and now realized that something new had happened. “Have you caught them?” The agents shared a look. “Please, I have to know what’s happened.”

Agent Grover was studying her closely. “We found the getaway vehicle some miles from here in the mountains. It had been torched, no doubt to try to get rid of any evidence. A motorcycle was also destroyed in the fire.” His gaze bored into her as he said, “There were also three bodies found incinerated next to it. We’re still trying to identify them. One of the robbers got away, the one I suspect you know. The one who tried to take you hostage?”

“Why would I know him?” Carla stared at him as her heart took off at a gallop. She could have been in that van. She would have been one of those incinerated bodies. If one of the robbers hadn’t stopped the man... The angry man in the Santa suit who’d dragged her from her office. She saw him in her memory now standing over her, lifting the big white beard to scratch at his neck.

The tattoo. It flashed in her mind.JheartJ. That’s why he’d wanted to take her hostage. He’d been afraid she could identify him. He would have killed her. He’d gotten away? He was still out there?

The alarm on the machine next to her began to go off.

“That’s enough for now,” Dr. Hull said as he rushed back in. “Step outside the room, Agent Grover, Agent Deeds. Now.” Then he turned to her. “You’re having a panic attack. I need you to breathe, Carla.” A nurse came racing into the room.

She closed her eyes, trying to blot out the memories that had suddenly rushed at her. That’s why the man had wanted to take her hostage. He was going to kill her right there in the bank but changed his mind. He said as much to the others.

As frightening as that was, something else scared her more. The way he’d treated her from the moment he’d appeared in her office doorway. It had felt personal. It hadn’t been random. He’d known her.

The next thought came hard and fast. But didn’t that mean that she knew him? That she’d known the killer?

Chapter Eight

“How is Carla?” James asked when Davy walked into the office after showering and changing his clothing. He’d slept little after coming back to the office apartment. He’d waited until Carla was settled and safe—at least for now.

“She’s in pain and doesn’t remember what happened,” Davy told him as Willie and Tommy came through the front door of the Colt Brothers Investigation building. “Also, she’s scared. I just heard that they found the getaway van and three bodies. There’s a chance that the man who wanted to take Carla hostage killed them and is now on the run. I spoke to a couple of bank employees who stopped by the hospital to check on Carla. They said the robbers were arguing over the man taking Carla before they left.” He turned to his brother Willie, who shook his head.

“I was just at the sheriff’s department,” Willie said. “No news, but there’s a statewide manhunt that will probably be expanded before nightfall to the states around us. But so far, nothing.”

“The feds are assuming that he’s on the run,” Davy said. “But what if he didn’t run? What if he’s local? What if he merely drove home?”

“Why would he stick around?” James asked, and they all shared a look. They’d all heard how the robber had been rough with Carla before trying to take her hostage.

“For some reason, he singled her out,” Davy said.

“You think Carla’s in danger?”

He nodded. “Everyone seems to think he might have known her, had some reason to treat her more roughly than the others.”

“Is it possible she might have information that could lead to his arrest?” Tommy asked.

Davy swore. “Well, if she does, she doesn’t know it. She says she can’t remember a lot of it, but she was talking in her sleep. She saw something, something that has her scared. I think it’s why he tried to take her hostage. I’m not going to leave her alone until he’s caught.” He saw his brothers exchange glances again. “What?”

“Maybe you can stay with her 24/7 at the hospital, but what happens when she’s well enough to go home?” James asked. “Davy, you’re already dead on your feet, not to mention you’ll be leaving right after Christmas.”

“You can’t stay with her 24/7,” Willie broke in. “We’ll take turns. I’ll go to the hospital now. Tommy?”

His brother nodded. “Just call me and I’ll come relieve you.”

“I’ll help too, but it doesn’t solve the problem,” James said. “We can’t do this indefinitely. We have no idea when or even if this man will be caught.”

“Let’s do what we can now and cross that bridge when we come to it,” Willie told him. As the oldest, he’d always been the calmest in a disaster. It didn’t surprise Davy that he was going into law enforcement. All three of his brothers had quit the rodeo now. It was only a matter of time before he hung up his spurs as well. He didn’t want to think about any of that right now. All his concern was for Carla.

“The FBI agents were interviewing her when I left,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll find the robber quickly.”

“Get some rest, Davy,” Willie ordered as he left. “I’ll stay with her until Tommy relieves me.”

How could he rest knowing a killer was out there? One who had hurt Carla and might be back to finish the job? He realized he was exhausted. He’d gotten little sleep the night before because of thoughts of Carla, even before the robbery. All that time in the chair next to her bed had left his neck aching. Between that and worry, he hadn’t slept much.

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