Page 32 of Dead Man's Hand

Unfortunately, Buck feared today would not be one of those days.

That’s when he heard the buzz of snowmobiles. More than one. All headed their way.

DJHANDEDSADIEa plate with her burrito on it. “I gave you extra salsa. I know how you love your hot peppers.” His grin was back and she tried to relax, telling herself that they wouldn’t be up here in the mountains all that long. Once they reached civilization again, she’d insist he have his wound checked out. She worried it would get infected. Better to worry about a flesh wound than what might happen before they got off this mountain.

If she had to, she’d call her godfather. He’d know someone who knew someone who knew someone who would check out the gunshot wound and not report it. Not that she wanted her godfather to know where she was and why. He wouldn’t like it, that much she knew.

“Keep it professional,” he’d warned her. “DJ Diamond will make a great partner for what I have him doing, but beyond that...” He shook his head. “He’s not boyfriend material, so don’t get too attached.”

At that time, she hadn’t met DJ yet and had rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to worry. I won’t touch him with a ten-foot pole.”

Her godfather, who had already met DJ, had said, “Keep it that way. I’ve been told he has an irresistible charm that’s like catnip for women. I hear you’re falling for his routine, and I’ll put someone else with him.”

She’d been fine with that at the time. Now she knew that no one could have done the job she and DJ had for her godfather. Her godfather knew it, too. He’d just assumed now that DJ had paid off his uncle Charley’s debt that his goddaughter wouldn’t be seeing the young Diamond again. She’d let her godfather believe that because she’d thought it was probably true. Once she told DJ that his bill was paid in full, he’d be gone.

Sadie hadn’t admitted to herself, let alone DJ or her godfather, that it was the last thing she wanted. She had more than a soft spot for the cowboy.

“Well?” DJ asked. When she didn’t immediately respond, he glanced at her plate and the half-eaten burrito on it. She hadn’t even realized that she’d taken a bite. Half of it was already gone.

“Delicious. Sorry, I was just enjoying it. Do you need me to tell you that you’re a great cook?”

He was eyeing her as if he’d seen that her mind had been miles away. “Great, huh?”

“Great,” she said and ducked her head to take another bite. “I’m a Spam fan now.”

“Good to hear, since we might be eating a lot of it, depending on when this storm lets up. But I hope you know that I can see through any lie that comes out of that mouth of yours,” he said quietly, his gaze on her mouth.

She swallowed the bite of burrito, her cheeks heating under the directness of his look.

Sadie heard it about the same time as DJ did. He set down his plate and was on his feet in an instant. By the time he reached the front window, she was beside him. “Someone’s coming, aren’t they?”

“Stay here.” He pulled on his coat, one of the weapons in his hand as he went out the front door, closing it behind him, before he stepped off the porch and disappeared into the falling snow.

DJDIDN’TGOFARbefore he stopped to listen. He could hear the whine of the snowmobiles somewhere on the mountain. It didn’t sound close, but it was hard to tell.

Who was it? Keira? Or someone else foolish enough to try to get to their cabin in this storm? Someone like Butch Lamar and Rafe Westfall? Not Titus. He didn’t do his own dirty work.

It had sounded as if the machines were busting through snowdrifts. He waited for the buzz to get louder, signifying that they were headed this way. But that didn’t happen. The sound died off. They weren’t headed here. At least not yet, he thought as he went to the woodpile.

But now he was on alert. It had felt as if they were alone on the mountain. Just the two of them. And he’d liked it. Liked it a lot more than he’d wanted to admit. Now he feared they didn’t have that much more time together.

Sadie looked up expectantly when he came through the door. She’d taken their plates to the sink and was washing them. But next to her on the counter was her gun, fully loaded, he knew.

“Whoever it was didn’t come this way.” He was relieved. He wanted this time before seeing Keira. He realized that he also wanted this time with Sadie.

“You think they were looking for us?” she asked.

“Didn’t sound like it. Our tracks would have been covered and they wouldn’t have been able to see the SUV up here hidden in the pines and snow. As long as it’s snowing, I doubt they’d be able to see the smoke from our fire.” Unless they stopped, got out and smelled it.

He saw her visibly relax as he took off his boots and coat and hung them up, his gun tucked in the back of his jeans. The other gun he’d taken from Rafe and Butch was on the mantel behind a large wooden vase. Both were loaded if needed. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but then again he couldn’t imagine any other way out of this. If the Grandvilles’ thugs showed up, then Keira had to be in on the setup—even if she didn’t show herself.

“Thanks for breakfast,” Sadie said, drying her hands on a paper towel. “Where did you say I could find that first aid kit?”

“First, I brought you something.”

She frowned quizzically. “At the local convenience store you stopped at on your way back in the cabin?”

“Something like that. It’s right outside the door on the porch.”

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