Page 50 of Christmas in the Shadows

“I’ll be there with you. Believe me, I wouldn’t want to put you in a situation where your safety is compromised. But we’ve got to find out some answers. Maybe if you’re there, the two of us can ask the right questions.”

She considered it a moment before nodding. “Okay then. As long as you stick close to me.”

A flash of something swept through his gaze. It almost looked like satisfaction.

Chelsea reached for her keys and unlocked her car. That was when she noticed her hands were still trembling.

Tex seemed to notice at the same time she did and reached for her. “I can drive. I really don’t mind. You look like you’re still shaken up by everything.”

She hesitated only a moment before placing her keys in his hands. “Okay then. If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.”

He opened the door for her and waited for her to sit inside. Then he climbed behind the steering wheel, his body folding into the small car.

Chelsea had never seen someone look so out of place in her vehicle. But there was nothing about Tex’s personality that fit with her Volkswagen Beetle’s vibe.

He offered a little laugh as he adjusted the seat back as far as it would go and started the ignition. “Can’t say I’ve ever driven one of these before.”

“Maybe you should consider getting one of these as your next car. I think it fits you.”

He threw her a look. Then he eased away from the curb and started back toward Chelsea’s house.

But just as they reached the outskirts of town, Chelsea noticed his muscles tense and how he kept glancing in the rearview mirror.

“Tex?” She almost didn’t want to know.

“I hate to tell you this, Chelsea.” His jaw tightened. “But I think we’re being followed.”

CHAPTER 18

Tex didn’t want to alarm Chelsea, especially if there wasn’t a reason. But every time he looked behind him, the same car was there.

He’d never seen the dark green sedan before. The person behind the wheel wore sunglasses and a baseball cap, so it was hard to tell any details about him.

Tex glanced back at the road in front of him, his senses on alert. But when he looked in the rearview mirror again, he noticed the car now getting closer. Too close for his comfort.

He pressed on the gas, not wanting to wrongly guess what this driver might be up to.

“Tex?” Chelsea’s voice trembled.

“I’m just trying to be on the safe side.”

The driver sped up. Came close enough that Texas couldn’t see its front grill.

This was the part of the road that was narrower, that was deeper in the mountains with a wooden guardrail on one side. Beyond the guardrail was a cliff that dropped probably two hundred feet.

“What are you going to do?” Chelsea glanced behind them.

“I’ve got this.”

He only hoped this Volkswagen Bug could keep up.

He pressed the accelerator harder as they started up an incline.

The car seemed to moan as the engine was pushed to its limits.

But not the vehicle behind them. It didn’t struggle at all.

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