Page 53 of The Sound of Sleighbells

Ed slammed down the phone so hard that the sound stung Digger’s ear. Pocketing the rest of the quarters, he climbed on the Yamaha and headed back to the ranch in a black mood. He should have known that Ed wouldn’t settle for anything but revenge. But how to give him what he wanted—that was the question.

Judd had saved his life years ago. That was water under the bridge now. But killing his former friend would land him on death row. Assault would leave a live witness, as would kidnapping.

Property damage made more sense—easier to carry out, less chance of getting caught, and less of a penalty if he did run afoul of the law. Not that he planned to. All Digger really wanted to do was to sell the stash, hit the road, and be free.

He needed a foolproof plan—one that would damage Judd and impress Ed. That was going to take some thinking.

Chapter Twelve

After the chaos of Abner’s accident and Digger’s veiled threats, Judd had been braced for more of the same. But the week that followed had been surprisingly calm.

The three youngsters had come after school every weekday to work on the harness. They were making good progress with high hopes of finishing in time for the parade. When Maggie had completed the first string of bells, she’d draped the narrow strap over her shoulders and pranced around the room like a pony, jingling all the way while Judd and the boys applauded.

When Judd had agreed to let the kids work in his shop, he hadn’t expected to enjoy having them there. But now he wasn’t looking forward to the day when the harness would be finished and the parade over. He could only hope Ruth had changed her mind about his ending the relationship with her and their son. He was coming to realize how empty his life would be without them.

Abner, too, was on the mend. Skip had stepped in to help the old man with extra sessions of physical therapy while he was at the ranch. Abner, though still on pain medication, was getting around with his cane now, instead of the walker. He was looking forward to going home on the weekend and to getting his dog back. Whether he’d be up to playing Santa was still a question.

Even Digger was a surprise. He’d told Judd that he had a temporary job washing dishes and sweeping up at Rowdy’s Roost while the regular man recovered from a broken wrist. He’d claimed that he was looking for a better job and a place of his own to live. All good—except that Judd knew better than to trust his former friend. Digger appeared to be working regular hours and keeping his distance from Ruth. But even that wasn’t like him. The certainty that something wasn’t right kept Judd on edge.

But there had also been good times—like Thursday night when Ruth had come by to pick up Skip and Maggie. She’d brought a pan of lasagna, fresh bakery bread, and some chocolate-chip cookies that the girls had helped her make. Ruth, Abner, Judd, and the children had shared dinner on paper plates and eaten every delicious bite. The meal had felt like a big, happy family party—a glimpse of what Judd’s bad choices had cost him.

Today was Saturday, and Abner was ready to go home. Judd would be driving him the short distance in his old Pontiac Firebird. Ruth and her girls would be waiting there with lunch and his beloved dog.

Skip and his friends would spend the day working on the harness. Then Skip planned to stay with Abner to help him manage his first night and morning back home.

Judd was proud beyond words of the way Skip handled responsibility—helping his mother, watching over his sisters, and stepping in wherever he was needed. It pained Judd that he couldn’t speak of his pride. But at least Ruth had given him the pleasure of seeing what a fine young man his son had become—even though he could take no credit for it.

Maybe someday . . . But that wish could turn out to be a step on the road to heartache.

Now as he backed the car away from the house, with Abner in the passenger seat, he glanced toward the shed and noticed that Digger’s bike was gone. Digger had been spending a lot of time away lately, presumably at Rowdy’s Roost. And he seemed to have plenty of spending money. Judd hoped he was earning it with honest work. But demanding proof would only borrow trouble.

The distance to Abner’s house was less than a mile. They were there in a few minutes. As they stopped next to the porch and Judd opened the door for Abner, a furry brown shape, the size of a half-grown bear, flew out the front door. Squirming and wagging with joy, the dog hurled himself at his master.

“Butch, you old rascal!” Abner laughed as the dog licked his face. “Did you miss me? Hey, I missed you, too!”

Tammy and Janeen had come out onto the porch. They were giggling and bouncing with excitement. “Welcome home, Abner!” they shouted.

“Let’s get you inside. The wind is chilly out here.” Keeping the dog at bay, Judd helped Abner out of the car and steadied him going up the steps. The little girls and the dog followed him through the door.

As they came inside, Ruth stepped out of the kitchen. She was wearing a denim apron over her jeans and red sweater. Her face was flushed from the heat of the stove. She looked like an angel, Judd thought. “Welcome home, Abner,” she said. “Sit down and rest. We’ll be eating in a few minutes.”

“What’s cooking?” Abner asked. “If it tastes as good as it smells, I’ll be in heaven.”

“Baked chicken and scalloped potatoes—your favorite. Along with hot rolls and a salad. Judd, we’ve set a place for you. Please stay and eat with us.”

For an instant, Judd was tempted. The food smelled wonderful, and he’d only had coffee for breakfast. But today, sitting at the table with Ruth, devouring her with his eyes, would only heighten the frustration of wanting her.

“Thanks for the invitation, but I need to get home,” he said. “I’ve got work to do, and I want to be there for the kids.”

As he spoke, he remembered the night when he hadn’t been there for her. Was she remembering it, too?

Before his mood darkened further, it was time to leave.

“Thanks for everything, Judd,” Abner said. “You’ve been a lifesaver.”

“Not just me. Everybody helped. We all care about you and want you to get well.”

“I’ll do my best,” Abner said. “Now, Ruth, how soon will that chicken be ready?”

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