Page 54 of Moonlight Over Montana

He glanced at Maggie who lifted one shoulder and shrugged. He was betting she didn’t know what was on Susie’s mind either.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I wanted to apologize for last night. I sounded like a real brat when Mom and I were arguing, and you didn’t need to see me in action. I don’t want you to think that I’m someone who throws a tantrum every time I don’t get my way.”

He could feel Maggie watching him. Now was a good time to broach the idea of a compromise. “I understand that you were upset with your mom when said she wanted you to be here during the storm.”

Susie opened her mouth, and Jed gave her a stern look. He wanted to finish before they discussed it.

“I also understand you like spending time with your friends, so how about a compromise? I’m going into town to get supplies for the ranch, and I’ve asked your mom to come with me. I thought if you wanted, we can drop you off at Marcy’s and you can hang out for a few hours. When we’re done, we can pick you up and bring you back to the ranch before the storm hits. This way you and your mom both get what you need from the day.”

“Really? I can go into town with you?” Susie looked from Jed to Maggie.

She set a plate of pancakes on the table. “Go text Marcy, and then we’ll have breakfast. If it’s okay with her mom, we can drop you off in about an hour.”

She jumped to her feet and threw her arms around Jed’s neck. “You’re the best, thanks.” Withdrawing her cell from her jeans pocket, she jotted off a message. “I’m starving. We should eat and don’t worry, Mom, I’ll clean up.”

Jed smiled at Maggie, his first attempt at compromise with a teenage girl had worked out well. “And after we get through the storm, I’ll check in with Ford Shepard and see how he’s making out finding your horse.”

Susie beamed. “This is the best day ever.”

He chuckled and said, “Pancakes, a trip to town, and a blizzard. It’s definitely going to be eventful.”

27

Maggie and Jed had finished gathering all needed supplies and were eating lunch when he noticed it was beginning to snow. “We should get Susie from the library and head back to the ranch before the roads get bad.”

They paid the check and now she peered out of the truck windshield after she sent a text to Susie to be ready and waiting on the steps. Five minutes later, Jed pulled up in front of the large brick building and the steps were empty. “I’ll just run in and get her.”

Dashing up the wide stone steps, she pulled on the door, but it was locked. She cupped her hand around her eyes and peered inside, but there were only security lights illuminated, and then she noticed a paper on the glass with a handwritten note.

Closing early due to storm.

Withdrawing her phone, she hit the speed dial button for Susie. It went straight to voicemail. She tamped down the annoyance tinged with a finger of worry as she hurried back to the truck.

Jed asked, “What’s happening?”

“The library closed early, and I tried to call Susie, but it went straight to voicemail. Can we drive by Marcy’s? Her parents’ house is on the same street where Polly and Clint live.”

He dropped the truck in gear and eased away from the curb. There was a thin blanket of snow covering the lawns as they drove and the edges of the blacktop were white with a thin blanket of snow.

Maggie said, “It’s the next house on the right.”

He put on his blinker and coasted into the driveway. She guessed the roads were starting to get slick. Her seat belt was off, and she had the door open before he had fully stopped. The walkway had a half inch of snow and it had only been less than twenty minutes since it started. Jed had been right; this was going to get bad fast.

She depressed the doorbell and then knocked. Doing her best to stay calm, she forced a smile when the door opened. Jessica, Marcy’s mom, smiled when she saw her.

“This is a surprise, Maggie. Come in out of the cold.”

“I can’t stay. I came to pick up Susie.”

A puzzled expression settled on Jessica’s face. “Susie isn’t here. We haven’t seen her in quite some time.”

A sinking feeling hit her stomach. “You saw her last weekend.”

Shaking her head, she called over her shoulder for Marcy. “No. Susie wasn’t here over the weekend.”

Marcy appeared from another room and when she saw Maggie, her face paled. “Hi, Ms. Brady.”

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