Page 20 of Mountain Man's Naughty Elf
I pulled back the curtains to find a transformed landscape. The relentless wall of white had given way to gentler snowfall, the kind that featured in Christmas cards and holiday movies. Overnight, at least two feet of fresh snow had accumulated on top of what was already there, blanketing the forest in pristine white. The wind had died down to occasional gusts.
I poured myself a mug of fresh brew just as Pepper's singing finally stopped. A few minutes later, I heard her footsteps on the stairs.
I kept my back to her, suddenly unsure what to say. Good morning? Sleep well? Sorry I almost kissed you?
"Looks like the weather's letting up," I said finally, settling for neutral territory.
"But we're still snowed in, right?" Her voice came from closer than I expected. I turned to find her standing at the kitchen island, dressed in the same clothes I'd lent her—my flannel shirt now knotted at her waist and the sweatpants still rolled multiple times at the ankles. She'd managed to make my clothes look deliberately styled rather than borrowed out of necessity. Her hair hung in damp waves around her shoulders, and without makeup, her freckles stood out across the bridge of her nose. She looked fresh and bright and heartbreakingly appealing.
"Roads won't be plowed for at least another day," I confirmed, pushing a mug of coffee toward her. "Longer for the access road to the cabin. We're still stuck here."
Was it my imagination, or did she look relieved?
She nodded, and we fell into an odd, charged silence. The air between us felt thick.
The satellite phone's ring shattered the tension.
"That's probably Rudy," I said, grateful for the interruption. I moved to my desk and picked up the phone. "Forrester."
"Morning, mountain man! Power back on your way yet? Half the county's still dark."
"It came back a few hours ago. Generator kicked in. We're fine."
"Good to hear. How's our whistleblower holding up? Get any cabin fever yet?" I glanced at Pepper, who was pretending not to listen while sipping her coffee. "We're managing."
"Put me on speaker. I've got info about her embezzling ex."
I hesitated, then hit the speaker button. "Go ahead."
"Morning, Pepper!" Rudy's voice called out. "Heard you're still playing hide-and-seek with the mayor."
Pepper moved closer, setting her mug down beside the phone. "Good morning, Rudy. Any news I should know about?"
"Only that your instincts about Wickett were spot on. I've been digging deeper—the guy's been running shell companies for years. The toy drive is just the tip of the iceberg."
"I'm not surprised," she said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "He was always... creative with finances."
"Well, he's gotten sloppy lately. That evidence you have? It could be the key to unraveling the whole thing. His construction companies, the downtown revitalization, the resort contracts—it's all connected."
"How bad are we talking?" I asked.
"Millions," Rudy said flatly. "Skimmed from various town projects over the past four years. But here's the interesting part—he's got partners. People with serious juice."
"What kind of juice?" Pepper asked, her face paling slightly.
"The kind that carries guns and makes problems disappear," Rudy said. "Your mayor's in bed with some shady developers from Denver. That might explain the armed 'security detail' Pax mentioned."
I watched Pepper's reaction. She seemed more angry than frightened. "So now what? Do I take this to the police?"
"State police, not local," Rudy said. "And I have a contact at the Denver Post who's been tracking these developers for months. Between the three of us, we can make this stick. But first, you need to get out of there safely with that evidence."
"The roads—" I began.
"Will be cleared by tomorrow afternoon, according to county services," Rudy finished. "In the meantime, stay low. Wickett'sbeen asking around town for Pepper. Saying she's 'unstable' and 'in need of medical attention.'"
Pepper made a disgusted sound. "Classic. Discredit me before I can expose him."
"Exactly. Listen, I've got to go. I'll call again tomorrow to coordinate. And Pax?"
