Page 40 of Christmas Ransom

The feds were apparently convinced that J had left town with the bank money and gone to Washington State. The focus of their investigation had moved—at least temporarily. Maybe thathadbeen a drunk driver last night.

What bothered her was that Agent Grover still believed that it had been an inside job—with her helping the robbers. She’d heard that he was looking at several former employees at the bank—one who now worked at the hospital.

She’d quit fighting Davy about returning to her home—at least for the time being. Instead, she told herself that these days together were a dream, one she didn’t ever want to wake up from. For most of her life, she’d spent it looking to the future, planning what it would be like.

When it hadn’t turned out anything like she’d planned, she’d been devastated. But now she could see just how different she and Davy were. He lived more day by day, and she was beginning to see the value in that. It was something she’d never done before—not looking to the future, but just enjoying one day at a time.

She’d also come to realize that she’d been living around her job. Without it, she felt adrift. Now with all this time on her hands, she saw that even on her days off work she’d had a list of things to do and would check them off. She’d kept so busy she’d never questioned if she was truly happy.

Being here with Davy without lists and a schedule was truly her first holiday. She tried hard not to remind herself that it had to end. Instead, she couldn’t wait to open her door and see Davy every morning. Also, there was usually coffee.

This morning was no different. They finished breakfast. He handed her a cup of coffee before clearing away their dishes. “Remember what we used to do over the holidays?”

She remembered building snowmen, hanging on to the bumpers of cars and sliding down the streets, climbing snow-laden roofs and jumping off into deep drifts. She also remembered making love in his pickup one very cold, starry night.

“You’re going to have to be more specific,” she said, curious where he was going with this.

“Sledding,” he said and grinned as if he’d known where her mind had gone. “Although the thought of getting you in the back of my pickup...” He laughed and she joined him.

“Neither of us want that,” she said. They made eye contact for a little too long before she pulled away. They were falling back into their old, easy relationship. She’d forgotten what good friends they’d been. They could tell each other anything and everything. It was nice to be close again.

They’d avoided any more mistletoe though, being close again but not that close. Not that Carla couldn’t feel that combination of chemistry bubbling between them. She knew Davy felt it too. When they’d parted last night to go to their separate bedrooms, Carla had had to bite her tongue to keep from calling him back to her.

But this was nice, them being friends again. She told herself that she’d be a fool to let it go further. While they’d agreed to make the best of this time they had together, she knew he’d suggested it to keep her mind off the robbery and the investigation and the killer.

She just hoped the feds were right and the killer was long gone from Lonesome—and her.

Chapter Twenty

Jud slept in late since he didn’t have to work Christmas Day—and he was in no mood to deal with Jesse after last night. By the time he got up, she had left for the hospital. All he could think about was the money. If he found it, he would be in control of his life again. It was his way out.

He tried to think like Jesse, expanding his search and starting with her car, which was now in his driveway because she’d taken his pickup, saying her car was out of gas. Unfortunately, she was too smart to hide the money in such an obvious place. But at the same time, it would be just like her to hide it in front of his nose.

Back in the house, he tore the place apart. Winded and sweating, he stared at the mess he’d made. No money. What if she’d given it to a friend for safekeeping? He immediately discarded that idea. Jesse didn’t have any friends that he knew of, especially any she would trust with money.

No, she’d hidden it. He’d start in the rocks up in the mountain near the cave where he’d initially stashed it and work from there.

But when he opened the door, he was shocked to find Cora Brooks standing out by Jesse’s car. “Mrs. Brooks?” he asked as he approached her.

“This is her sister’s car,” Cora said, pointing at the small sedan. “Her sister Debra’s car.”

He hadn’t known that. Jesse had taken her sister’s identity right down to her checking and savings accounts—and her car, apparently. How was that possible? Unless...

“They’re identical twins, you know,” Cora said with distaste. “But only in looks. I’d always hoped that Debra would turn up.” She shook her head. “Realizing what Jesse has done... Debra is dead, isn’t she?”

He figured it was the reason Jesse had taken not just her car but her life, including the job as an aide at the hospital. “I wouldn’t know anything about that,” he said.

The old woman sneered. “Thought I’d have a chat with her.” Cora tried to see around him inside the house, which he’d just torn apart.

He blocked her view. “She’s not here, and I was just going to work.”

She gave him a once-over, as if wondering where he went to work dressed like he was, in old jeans and a T-shirt. He was going to tell her it was none of her business, but that had never stopped Cora.

“I’ll tell her you stopped by,” he said and started back toward the house, hoping she’d take the hint and leave.

“Don’t bother,” she said and turned to leave. “I’d rather surprise her. Maybe I’ll pay her a visit at the hospital. I heard she’s working there.” Something about Cora’s smile chilled him to the bone. He’d heard that she had a bad habit of finding out things about people and then extorting money from them to keep silent. Hadn’t she almost gotten killed last year because she’d tried to blackmail the sheriff’s brother? Or maybe that was just a small-town rumor.

He watched her head down the street and flag down the senior citizen bus, which pulled up to stop for her. Once she disappeared inside, he went back in for his winter coat and boots. He should probably warn Jesse about Cora. He pushed the thought away. He had bigger fish to fry. He had to find the money and outsmart Jesse.

---