Page 101 of Tessa's Trust

She nudged me over to the side of the building, and I walked through the heavy snow to the rear of the dwelling. It hit me that I was done with cabins, and I was so fucking finished with snow. This was getting ridiculous. My teeth started chattering so hard my jaw hurt, but I couldn’t stop it.

“Up the stairs,” she whispered tersely behind me. I could barely make out any stairs. When I planted my boot on the lowest one, it sank so far I nearly pitched forward.

Grabbing the railing, I quietly hitched my way up, my feet and legs protesting every time I shoved them back into the snow. Unable to help myself, I pushed as fast as I could toward the wooden siding on the top of the deck, which was at least a little bit protected by the eaves.

Oh, the snow still reached my knees, but at least my thighs were free for the moment. The wind picked up, slashing into us, and I wanted to cry. Instead, I waited. Louise emerged at my side and peered around me. “Try the door,” she ordered.

I reached out and attempted to open the slider. “It’s locked,” I whispered.

“Fair enough,” she said, stepping back. Then, before I could comprehend what was happening, she moved to the side and fired three times into the glass. Huge shards dropped, and I yelled, jumping back. She pressed the gun to my hip again, and this time, it burned me. “Inside. Now,” she snapped.

I coughed and stumbled inside just as Sadie and Jonathan emerged from either side of the living room, their jaws slack. Louise pointed the gun at both of them. “Everyone on the sofa,” she yelled.

Sadie’s jaw dropped, and she didn’t look nearly as terrified as I felt. “What in the hell is going on?”

Jonathan’s hair stood up straight, and he wore an old, ratty green jogging outfit. He looked at the gun. “What are you doing, young woman?”

“Louise.” Sadie put her hands on her hips. She wore too-big jeans and a red Christmas sweater. “We’re square. You drove out to my place twice and paid me off. Remember?”

“Oh, yeah, I know. But we are not square,” Louise said. “Sit, or I will shoot you.”

Sadie, the skin on her neck sagging, looked wide-eyed at the broken glass door. “What is wrong with you?” she muttered, stomping over to sit on what appeared to be an eighties-style gold sofa.

Jonathan, his face set in a perpetual scowl, stumbled over to her, grabbed a knitted blanket on the way, and tossed it onto his sister. “It’s freezing in here now,” he whined.

Louise pointed the gun at his face. “Shut up. I need to shoot somebody, and you’re a good prospect.”

I was shivering so hard, Sadie beckoned me over. “Come here, Tessa. Come sit here.”

“Go ahead,” Louise said. My lips ached from the cold, and I stumbled across the snow now scattering over the wooden floor to sit next to Sadie. She immediately threw the blanket over me.

“Oh, my goodness. You’re freezing.” Then she glanced at my arm. “You’re bleeding. She needs help.”

I’d forgotten about my arm. I looked down to see a lot of blood. Oh, God. My head swam.

Jonathan stood. “Let me get her something.”

“No,” Louise said. “Move, and I’ll shoot you.”

“It’s okay. You still have us,” Sadie said. “There’s a wrap in the bathroom, Jonathan,” she said.

He nodded and scurried out of the room.

Louise fired into the ceiling, and I jumped.

“I’m coming.” Jonathan hustled back. There hadn’t been time for him to get a phone or a weapon. He returned with an ACE bandage and tossed it to Sadie. She immediately wrapped my arm, and it didn’t hurt. I figured that was bad. My whole body felt like a block of ice.

Louise still stood by the shattered door, gun pointed at the three of us. “Where’s the money, Sadie?”

Sadie looked at me and then at her. “How did you find me?”

“It wasn’t easy,” I admitted. “We found your sticky notes.”

She frowned. “That damn Rudy. The jerk told me he’d stolen my little safe.” She looked over at Louise. “What’s your plan here, Louise?”

“My plan is to take your money,” Louise said, her gaze darting around. “Where is it?”

Sadie shook her head. “It isn’t here. You don’t think I’d bring all that cash with me, do you?”

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