Page 51 of Christmas in the Shadows

After a moment, the guy tapped their bumper.

“Tex . . .”

He pressed the accelerator to the floor. The vehicle continued to chug up the mountain.

That was when the driver behind them nudged them again.

This time, they lurched forward.

Chelsea gasped.

Tex studied the road in front of him. Tried to figure out the best plan of action.

One thing was for sure. He couldn’t let this guy run them off the side of the road. The cliff was too steep. Too deadly.

But if he remembered correctly, there was a small pull-off coming up ahead. If he could just get there . . .

He pressed the accelerator harder. But it was already to the floor, and the car behind him didn’t back down.

The vehicle came at them again.

Tex gripped the wheel tighter.

Where was that pull-off?

Then, just as he rounded the bend, he spotted it.

But he’d have to maneuver the Bug into the pull-off very carefully. At this rate of speed, it would be dangerous. If Tex miscalculated, he’d slam into the side of the mountain.

“Hold on!” he yelled.

Then he swerved into the gravel alcove.

As soon as all four tires hit the gravel, he threw on the brakes.

The car slid, veering dangerously close to the rock wall beside them.

Tex glanced behind him. The vehicle following them slowed.

The next instant, the driver gunned the engine and raced away.

Tex glanced in front of him again as the Volkswagen Bug came to a stop without crashing—but barely missing the mountain.

They were safe.

For now.

He threw the car into Park and turned to Chelsea. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, though clearly frightened, with her wide eyes and shallow breathing. “I’m fine. I think. But Tex . . . how far is this person going to take this?”

That was an excellent question. He wasn’t sure he knew the answer. Or that he liked the conclusions forming in his mind.

Instead of responding, he drew in a deep breath.

Then he pulled back onto the road.

The best thing he could do right now was to get the two of them off this mountain and somewhere safe.

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