Page 31 of Dead Man's Hand

“Wasn’t going to happen, so get over it. If you feel really bad, you can take one of the kid bunk beds. I’m going for the double bed in the only adult-sized bedroom,” James said with a grin. “Looks like Tommy has already taken the couch.” Tommy was sprawled out trying to get a bar on his phone.

“You can take the truck back in the morning,” Buck told him.

“I’m not worried about Bella,” Tommy denied. “Baby’s not due for a month and you know Bella, she wouldn’t want me worrying. Just wanted to check in, that’s all.” Buck and James exchanged a look.

“Just in case you are worried in the morning, take the truck. Charley’s cabin isn’t that far by snowmobile. I am wondering if Keira Diamond Cross didn’t get us all up here on a fool’s errand while she’s on her way to Alaska.”

“That could be the best scenario,” James said.

“Maybe for her. That still leaves DJ to deal with the Grandvilles if I’m right and this woman he calls his little sister set him up.”

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” James said, and yawned. “Try to get some sleep. Tomorrow could be a busy, eventful day.”

SADIEWOKETOthe smell of something frying. She opened her eyes to see DJ at the small stove. It felt too early to wake up and yet there was DJ with a pancake turner in his hand humming softly as he cooked whatever was sizzling in that huge cast-iron skillet.

Next to the bed, she could see that there was fresh wood on the fire. How long had he been up? Or had he ever come to bed? She tried to remember going to bed and couldn’t.

Had DJ put her under the covers last night? She threw back the heavy quilts covering her, not surprised to see that she was fully clothed. DJ wouldn’t have taken advantage of her exhaustion. No, he had a code of honor that he followed. The thought touched her, warming her heart.

If he wanted to bed her, he’d seduce her. The thought made her swallow as she saw her boots were positioned next to each other beside the bed and slipped them on.

“Is that breakfast I smell?” she said, walking the few yards into the kitchen. It was still storming outside. She couldn’t see anything but snow through the windows, as if the cabin had been wrapped in cotton.

“Hey, sleeping beauty. I wondered if you planned to sleep all day.” He was grinning, those blue eyes of his bright in the white light coming through the windows. Looking at him, it was as if he didn’t have a care in the world except what to cook next. She could see that he felt at home here as basic as the place was. That, too, made her smile.

“What is that?” she asked, taking in what was frying in the skillet.

“Are you telling me that you’ve never had Spam?”

“I’ve never heard of it,” she said skeptically.

“Well, then you are in for a treat.”

He was giving her the hard sell, which was making her even more skeptical.“You made flour tortillas?”This man continued to amaze her.

His grin broadened. “I found flour in an airtight canister and canned shortening and salt. Voilà! Flour tortillas and Spam and canned salsa. This morning, we feast. Shall I make you a Diamond burrito?”

She nodded, laughing as she did. “I’m guessing this isn’t your first time eating canned meat.”

His grin faded a little as he shook his head. “We could sit at the kitchen table,” he suggested, nodding toward a folding table and chairs that he’d set up near the front door.

She hadn’t noticed. But she did notice that it looked like fresh blood on his shirtsleeve. “Right after breakfast, I need to re-bandage your arm.” He started to argue but she talked over him. “I’m sure I can find something to use here in the cabin.”

“There’s a first aid kit in the top drawer over there,” he said, nodding in the direction of the cabinets along the wall to the back door. She marveled at how he’d made himself at home. It made her wonder about the man he called Uncle Charley. Apparently they had a lot in common.

BUCKAWOKEINthe middle of the night to snow. He’d hoped that the storm would have stopped. It hadn’t. He heard Tommy and James moving somewhere in the cabin. He tried his cell phone. No service. According to his calculations, they still had a way to go before they reached Charley Diamond’s cabin. He had no idea if DJ and Sadie had made it there. Or what they had found if they had. His stomach churned at the thought that he might be too late.

James had been subdued last night. Tommy seemed restless. Was he worried about Bella? Bringing them along had been a mistake, Buck told himself, then was reminded how much trouble he would have had changing that tire last night in the storm if he’d been alone.

“You two okay?” he asked as they began to put on their warm clothes to leave.

“Let’s do this,” James said, and looked at his brother. Tommy nodded.

“It’s only a half mile up the road before the turn to the cabin. I doubt we’ll get that far before we have to unload the snowmobiles and go the rest of the way on them. With luck, DJ and Sadie are still okay.”

Both looked solemn as he glanced outside. All he could see was white. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw James check his weapon. Tommy did the same. Buck had already made sure his was loaded, even though he didn’t want any gunplay.

But he’d heard stories about the Grandvilles and the men who worked for the family. DJ had already been shot. Guns were a part of this world—and the one Buck now considered his new career as a PI. Most private investigators, though, didn’t even carry guns. Few had ever been forced to use them.

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