Page 31 of Christmas Ransom

“Davy—”

“Clothes first, then shopping? I will say again that my family isn’t expecting gifts.”

She looked away. “It’s Christmas. Sometimes you get something you didn’t ask for or expect.”

He smiled at that, wondering if this time with her was just that.

Her gaze was on the snow-filled pines as he headed down the narrow two-lane road toward her house. There was fresh color in her cheeks. He smiled to himself. She felt the chemistry too. He’d bet his horse on it.

As they neared her house, he was again aware of how isolated her place was. Somehow he had to keep her from returning there until the killer was caught. He glanced over at her and shook his head. Ten years ago he’d tried to convince her that they belonged together and would find a way. Ten years ago they’d been in love. Did he really think he stood a chance of convincing her of anything now that they were no longer together?

JUDWALKEDUPto Carla Richmond’s house through the deep snow blanketing her sidewalk. He could see that she hadn’t been here for a while. There were recent tire tracks in her driveway, so she’d at least stopped by. Or someone had.

But from the looks of the place, what he’d heard was true. She was staying with Davy Colt at the Colt Brothers Investigation building on Main. Apparently, the two had been tight in high school.

Still, he needed to scout out the place for when she returned. The rodeo cowboy would be leaving again soon. Right after Christmas probably, since from what Jud knew about the Colt brothers, Davy made his money on the rodeo circuit. Carla would have no choice then but to come home.

He trudged through the snow, carrying an empty box like it was a delivery just in case someone drove by and saw him. He knocked on the door and waited. While he did, he looked for any indication of an alarm system. This was Montana—hardly anyone had security systems unless they’d moved here from somewhere else and brought their paranoia with them.

Jud still didn’t want to do this, he thought, as he peered in the window through a crack in the curtains. The best thing he and Jesse could do was get the hidden money and skip the country. He didn’t understand why they were still in Lonesome as it was. The longer they stayed, the more worried he was that they would get caught—especially if he did something stupid like kill Carla Richmond.

But he worried that if he didn’t, Jesse might take matters into her own hands. He was still hoping that he could talk her out of it. He couldn’t wait to put this hick town in his rearview mirror.

He was about to put the box down and walk around the house to check the back door lock when he heard a pickup turn into the drive. The last thing he’d wanted to do was be seen here. Fortunately, he was wearing his large company winter jacket and hat with earflaps even though the day wasn’t that cold.

ASDAVYDROVEUP, he saw a delivery man standing on Carla’s front porch—and a delivery truck parked at the edge of the road. The man, seemingly startled, turned at the sound of the truck’s engine. Davy parked in the driveway and he and Carla climbed out.

“Do you have a package for me?” Carla called as the man started to retrace his steps back down the sidewalk toward his truck—carrying the package.

Davy could see where the man had left tracks in the deep snow of the sidewalk to the front door. He made a mental note to shovel her walk before he left. It was supposed to snow again tonight. Davy wanted to be able to tell who’d been here after they were gone.

The delivery man looked down at the package in his arms and shook his head. “Wrong address,” he said over his shoulder as he headed for his truck.

Davy started across the yard toward the man. “What address are you looking for?” The man didn’t answer, as if he hadn’t heard. He disappeared inside his truck. A moment later, the engine revved and he took off.

“That wasn’t weird at all,” Carla said next to him.

“Yes, it was.” He tried to see the plate number on the truck, but it was covered in snow and ice.

“It’s a busy time of year,” Carla said. “That’s probably all it was.”

Maybe, Davy thought. Yet when he’d driven up, he’d thought the man had been trying to see inside the house. Not necessarily suspicious, unless the homeowner had recently crossed paths with a killer.

“Tell me where your snow shovel is and I’ll take care of your walk while you get what you need,” he said, putting the delivery man out of his thoughts for the moment.

She smiled. “What is the point? It’s supposed to snow again tonight and I’m not staying here.”

Davy saw her eye him with suspicion. “A clean walk makes it look like someone’s home. Just safer.” That too was true. But he had a bad feeling that the delivery man would come back. He wanted to be able to check the tracks when they returned.

Carla shook her head. “You think that man was checking out the place to steal my silverware?” When he didn’t answer right away, she said, “No, you think he might be...” She shivered and looked down the road where the delivery truck had disappeared. “If he comes back—”

“There will be fresh tracks in the snow. Snow shovel?” he asked.

She swallowed. “Garage.”

CARLALETHERSELFinto the house. She’d left the heat on, but still it felt cold inside. She flipped on lights as she went, hating how easily she’d been spooked. She wanted to blame Davy for scaring her. Was she going to have to be afraid of every delivery man who came to her door?

She had just started to gather more clothing for the rest of the holidays when her cell phone rang, and she saw it was her boss. “Hello?”

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