“Oh!”
“You’ve got a good start on that fort. Want some help, boys?”
“Sure.”
“Yeah.”
Together they worked and, with Cal’s help, had the fort built in no time at all, even the tunnel to crawl through. They’d packed a wide ledge of snow around the inside walls for seats, and all four bodies collapsed onto a piece of it, smiling happily.
“This is neat,” said Casey.
“Can we light a fire? It’s cold in here,” Cammy asked.
Leah laughed. “What? And melt this beautiful snow fort? No way, chum.” She tilted her head back and stuck out her tongue to catch some snowflakes.
“It’s not nice to stick out your tongue,” said Cammy.
“Mommy says so,” Casey added.
“How else am I supposed to catch snowflakes?” she asked.
“With your hands.”
“It’s more fun this way. They tickle. Try it.”
They did, then sat back giggling at each other.
“Snowflakes do tickle,” said Casey.
“And they’re cold,” Cammy agreed, shivering.
She hated to go inside and leave Cal, but the boys looked cold. “How about we go in and rustle up some hot chocolate?”
“With marshmallows?” they asked at the same time.
She laughed. “What’s hot chocolate without marshmallows?”
“Yay!” They were on their knees and crawling out through the tunnel in record time.
“Leah, will you meet me tonight?” he asked as he pulled her close.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” So much had happened since she’d been gone. She wasn’t the same person anymore. Once he found out how she’d been living her life, he probably wouldn’t want anything to do with her.
“I can’t think of a better one.” He grinned, and she was lost.
“Okay, I’ll try.”
“That’s all I ask.” He kissed her then, a slow, sweet kiss that had her remembering, had her aching for more. “See you later.”
He allowed her to go first, not such a good idea. She was ever so conscious of her derriere stuck up in the air as she crawled out on her hands and knees. The twins were nowhere in sight, and she hoped they’d gone straight inside to warm up. When she turned, Cal stood there with the silliest grin on his face.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, except to tell you that I enjoyed the view.”
“Very funny. I need to catch up to the boys. See ya.”
She rushed down the path to the front of the house, relieved when she saw their shovels resting against the porch wall. Darn! She’d forgotten hers. She turned to retrace her steps and bumped into Cal. “Sorry.”
“No problem. Were you going back for this?”
She smiled, taking the proffered shovel. “Yes, thanks.”
“No problem.” He slung his over a shoulder and sauntered away whistling a tune from their teens, one they’d always enjoyed.
She touched a cold, mittened hand to her lips, thinking that he did—he tasted exactly the same as she remembered.
* * * *
The snow turned heavy and continued until late in the afternoon. Power was off everywhere, and phone lines were down. Cal reckoned this was the worst snowfall they’d had in years. He’d ridden out several times to check on the stock. Most were huddled among the trees near the creek but seemed to be weathering the storm all right. He’d send the wranglers out with fresh hay before nightfall; maybe even include a bale or two of straw for bedding. Luke would make the decision on that one though.
He climbed up and started the tractor. Now the snow had stopped, he could clear the yard, even though the heavy winds would probably blow most of it back in by morning.
He enjoyed playing in the snow this morning, mainly because of Leah’s presence. At least she still knew how to have fun. He smiled, thinking of that kiss. Meant as a simple kiss, a welcome home kind of thing, it had rocked him clear to his toes. It’s a wonder their body heat alone hadn’t melted the snow fort, without lighting a fire as Cammy had suggested.
He figured they’d both done a lot of growing up since she’d been gone, and it was foolhardy to think they could just take up where they’d left off. She’d sure felt good in his arms, though. It had seemed so right, as if he’d been waiting for her return, but that was nonsense. He certainly hadn’t been celibate all that time. Had she?
The tractor occupied his concentration as he drove onto the main road and turned, preparing to widen the driveway on his drive back to the ranch yard. A car pulled in behind him, but there was nothing much he could do about it. Fencing ran along both sides, preventing him from pulling over. Damned idiot could at least turn his high beams off.
Cal reached the yard and continued plowing, turning the tractor along the trail through the field. They always kept it plowed back to the first gate, and that’s where he headed. He’d just cleared the barn when he realized the car hadn’t stopped at the house but was still behind him. Braking to a halt, Cal hollered out. “Who’s there? What do you need?”
“I have a message for Leah Manning. Is she around?”
“If she was, she certainly wouldn’t be plowing snow. Who’s asking?”
The back window rolled down, and Cal saw the sheen of metal appear just in time to duck sideways as the bullet pierced the plastic shroud. The car reversed, turned, and sped away.
Wow! That was some message!
He shut off the engine, jumped down, and ran for the house. Whatever trouble Leah had gotten herself into, it wasn’t good, and it appeared that trouble had followed her home.
* * * *
An impatient banging had Luke rushing to the kitchen, and Leah wasn’t far behind. She hoped her father hadn’t suffered another relapse. No, Winnie or Michael would’ve called.
“Careful, Luke,” she warned as he reached for the doorknob.
He turned on the porch light and peeked around the edge of the blind, then opened the door.
“What is it, Cal? One of the animals sick?”
“No, nothing like that, Luke. Some guys just drove up beside the tractor, and one of them took a pot shot at me. Said it was a message for Leah. What’s going on?”
“Oh, no! Are you all right?” she asked as she rushed to his side.
“I’m fine, but I would like an explanation. If something’s going down, I can at least be on the lookout.”
“What kind of car was it?” asked Luke as he picked up the phone. “Did you get the license plate number?”
“It was a new Audi A7, dark color, tinted windows, and British Columbia plates that read ‘RK LCRS.’”
“Oh my God! That’s Roddy’s car!”
“Well, whoever he is, he certainly doesn’t like you,” said Cal.
“What color is his car, Leah?” Luke asked.
“Metallic black, the kind that sparkles in the sun.”
Luke was speaking into the phone, and she stood quietly, waiting.
“Leah, are you in some kind of trouble?” asked Cal in a hushed voice.
She nodded. “I’m so sorry they shot at you.” She shivered with the knowledge of what could’ve happened.
“If they’d intended to kill me, they would have. That shot was meant as a message for me to deliver to you. Why would he send that kind of message, Leah?”
“Because he wants me dead. No one walks out on Roderick Kendall.”
“Yet you did, apparently. That took guts. Who is he? Some kind of big shot?”
“Yes, very big.”
Luke hung up the phone. “Michael put out an APB on the car and warned his men of the danger. He’s on his way here.”
“Thanks, Luke.” Leah ran a nervous hand through her long hair, pushing it back over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry for bringing trouble here.”
“Hey, that’s what big brothers are for. I’ll willingly help shoulder your burdens.”
He wrapped her in his strong arms and he
ld her close. She started to sniffle.
Stop that! Now is not the time to fall apart.
“Luke, is there anything I can do?” asked Cal. “I’m more than willing to help protect you all.”
“Thanks, Cal. Have a seat and wait for Michael. He’ll want a statement from you, and we’ll decide what action to take then.”
“I need to finish the plowing and send the wranglers out with hay for the herd.”
Luke released his hold on Leah, went back to the phone, and dialed a number. “Yeah, Pete? Round up a couple of wranglers to take some hay out to the stock.”
“And straw,” said Cal.
Luke raised a questioning eyebrow. “Better get them to spread a couple bales of straw for bedding while they’re out there…yeah. Can you finish the plowing? Cal’s here at the house, and he’ll be tied up for a bit…good.”
“All taken care of,” he said as he replaced the receiver. “I’ll put on some coffee.”
“Actually, I’ve been thinking. Do you think we should finish the plowing? I mean, won’t Michael want to check the car’s tracks?”
“Damn! Never thought of that.” He dashed back to the phone. “No answer at the bunkhouse.”
“I’ll go catch him. Be right back.”
Leah watched out the window as Cal ran across the yard to intercept Pete. A squad car pulled in, lights flashing. Michael emerged and jogged over to where they waited by the tractor. The men wasted no time in stringing crime scene tape around the area to keep everyone out then Michael and Cal walked to the house.
The interrogation was about to start.
* * * *
Once everyone was seated, Michael began his questions.
“When did you first notice the vehicle tailing you?”
“I’d plowed to the end of the driveway and turned to widen the path on the way back in when the car pulled in behind me. He kept his high beams on, and it was irritating, to say the least,” answered Cal.
“Did the car stop at the house?”
“No, it kept coming, pulled up beside me. So I stopped and hollered out to see who it was and what they were looking for.”
“What then?”
“The guy in the front passenger seat said he had a message for Leah, and that’s when the guy in the back took a shot at me. I saw the gun in time to duck, and the bullet went through the plastic shroud. They turned and left, and I came straight here.”
“Good job on getting the make, model, and the plate number.”
“Well, cars are a hobby of mine, so I knew that easy enough. I caught the plate number when they turned.”
“Lucky for us. Can you describe the man who spoke?”
“Dark hair, shoulder length, stylish, short goatee, good-looking, I suppose. He wore several rings on the hand I could see, all silver.”
“What kind of gun?”
“That I’m not certain of. It was a handgun, but I was too busy ducking to take a better look.”
“Understandable. Anything else?”
“His voice was smooth and unhurried, which I thought kind of weird. You’d think he’d just want to say his piece and get out of there quick.”
“Not Roddy,” said Leah. “He thinks he’s invincible.”
“Do you have any pictures of him?’ Michael asked.
“No, I left them all behind. Wait! There’s one in my purse! A publicity shot when I started dancing at the club. He hasn’t changed much. I’ll get it.”
When Leah left the room, silence descended until Cal spoke.
“Why does he want her dead? What’s going on?”
He saw Luke nod at Michael.
“Well, considering what you’ve been through tonight, you have a right to know, if for no other reason than to be on the lookout.” Michael paged back through his notes and filled him in. “That’s the short version.”
“What? Who murdered who?”
“Her boyfriend murdered one of his friends.”
“She must have been terrified. How did she manage to get away?”
“By enlisting the help of a friend at the club.”
Leah returned with the photo, passing it to Michael.
“That’s Roddy on the left. The other man is his club manager, Raoul Etienne.”
“Thanks. Can I borrow this?”
“You can have it, Michael. I never want to see his face again.”
He placed it between the pages of his notebook.
“Our Crime Scene Unit should be here shortly. Technically, I’m off shift at eight, but I’ll take the squad car back to the precinct and return in my own vehicle. We know he’s found you and issued a death threat. I’ll be camping out here for the duration. Any questions?”
“Yeah. What do we tell Dad?” asked Leah.
Chapter Five
“I think we’d better tell him the truth, Leah,” said Luke, “before he hears it from someone else.”
“But, his heart? I wouldn’t want him to suffer a setback because of me.”
“He’s doing fine. I think you should tell him,” Michael said. “I wouldn’t want him showing up here unprepared in the face of what just happened to Cal.”
“Oh, my God! I never thought of that. I’ll call him now.” She picked up the receiver and dialed. “Hi, Winnie. Is Dad there?...no, that’s okay…I’ll talk to him later…bye.”
“He’s not home?” asked Luke.
“Yes, but he’s out plowing snow. He’ll probably call when he comes in.”
“Do you think it likely that Kendall and his friends would stop in there?” asked Michael.
Her gaze flew to him in alarm. “I don’t know. I suppose it’s possible. If he had someone check out my family, he’d know where to find them. What can we do?”
“I’ll check in on my way back to FortMacLeod, find a picture of Vic and fill him in, if that’s okay with you?”
“Yes, Michael. Please do. I don’t want anyone else hurt.”
“Would you like to come with me?”
She breathed an agonized breath and pushed her hair back behind one ear. “Yes, I suppose I should tell them myself and get it over with. I’ll get my coat.”
“What do you want me to do?” asked Cal.
“You might as well tend to the evening chores. The rest of the plowing can wait until morning,” answered Luke.
Cal stood, and Leah glanced his way. Their eyes met, and she saw the worry etched in his, but there wasn’t much she could do to reassure him. “Luke, maybe you should keep an extra man in the house. You can’t be everywhere.”
“Good idea, at least until I can get back,” Michael agreed.
“You okay with that, Cal? I can call Pete in if you’d rather oversee the chores.”
“I’m fine here if you need me, but I’d rather be armed in case those guys come back.”
“I’ll get the rifles,” said Luke.
“Be careful, you two. I wouldn’t want to see the good guys up on charges,” Michael warned.
“No problem. It’s only a precaution,” assured Luke. “But I will use it if I have to.”
“Understood. We’ll be back soon.”
Leah took one last, longing look at the room and its contents, its inhabitants, afraid she might never return. An eerie foreboding settled on her shoulders and, try as she might, she couldn’t shake it.
Michael held the door open, and she walked quickly through. “Come on. Something’s wrong. We have to get to Dad’s.”
“I feel it, too.” They ran to the squad car and jumped in. He started the enginereversed the car and headed out the driveway, then hit the switch for the lights as they reached the main road. Static came over the car’s radio, and he picked up the mike. “Grayson here. What’s up?”
“That Audi has been spotted at a diner in Claresholm. What do you want to do?”
“Call in back-up and approach with caution. Those men are considered armed and dangerous. I’m on my way.”
Instead of turning south toward Granum and her fathe
r, Michael turned north on Highway 2 and accelerated to an alarming speed on the straight stretches. All she could do was hold on and pray they made it safely. She wasn’t looking forward to confronting Roddy, but it seemed she had no choice.
“Sorry to have to drag you along, but we need to act fast.”
“I know, and I hope you catch him without anyone getting hurt.”
Static again. “Back-up hasn’t arrived, and the Audi is leaving. Four men inside.”
“Call ahead to Calgary. Advise them of the situation and have them set up a roadblock. Tell our man to tail him but hang back.”
“Roger that.”
Dread rose to engulf her spirits, dragging her down. She’d brought trouble home, big trouble. Please, God! Don’t let anyone get hurt.
Michael spotted a patrol car at the side of the road as static blared again.
“What happened?” he spoke into the mike.
“Scott was following, but they shot out his tires, Chief.”
“I’m there. Is he okay?”
“Yes, he’s fine.”
“Good. Call a tow truck for him. I’ll keep going and try to pick up the Audi.”
“Roger that, Chief.”
They drove until they reached the Calgary roadblock with no further sign of the Audi. Michael pulled to a stop at the side of the road.
“I’m going to talk to the officers. Wait here.”
She nodded and watched him walk to where an officer stood. Two patrol cars were parked sideways, blocking the road. As Michael spoke, another officer left his vehicle and started walking toward her.
She recognized him! Fear had her reaching over and laying on the horn, never once taking her eyes off the evil intent headed her way.
Michael must have realized what she tried to convey. He turned in her direction, drawing his gun, and shouting an order. The man he’d been talking with also drew his gun, but raised it high, intending to club Michael over the head. She tooted another warning and climbed behind the wheel, putting the car in gear and rushing to Michael’s aid. Michael swiveled around in time to disarm the other cop and knock him to the ground, but now he was getting to his feet and the second one fast approaching.
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