“Do you like it, after all the travelling and excitement?”
“It pays the bills and keeps gas in my truck.” He shrugged. “I should probably find a real job but I like it here. Nobody asks any questions and everyone does their own thing.”
“Then why feel bad? Sounds like you’ve found a home for yourself.”
He searched her face. “Because I need a home for all of us now. It may not be a small town in Montana.”
He kept talking about the future with them but he had never said he loved her. Or Sadie. “It might be. But I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Ramon is still out there.”
“I could sneak up on him and snap his neck, if you’d like.”
“My God, no. I don’t want that on my conscience.” She glared at him. “Or on yours.”
He grinned at her. “I know. I wouldn’t do that to us. But—”
“Mommy, Mommy. Dinner is ready.”
Lina nodded, rose to her feet and turned to her lover and friend. “Let’s think it over and see what we can come up with.” She looked outside at all the snow. It covered everything, hiding the past and leaving a smooth, new surface for the present. But in the future, the snow will melt and the past will be revealed again.. “The storm is turning into an ugly blizzard so we’ve got all night.”
“It’s your call, but we’re going to have to do something.”
She could tell by looking at him that he wasn’t going to let it go. He was going to go after Ramon . And she was terrified.
Chapter Eleven
After dinner, the wind howled, pushing the tension in the house higher than ever. They all sat in the living room, the lights on the tree, Christmas music playing softly in the background and he was ready to go stir crazy. There was nothing worse than waiting for the call to advance. Even when he was making the call.
“I do not like this idea,” Lina hissed at him.
“I know, you’ve made your opinion very clear, but I have to let him know I’m in the picture now and give him a chance to leave us be.”
Adelina tapped her fingers on one knee. “He’s not going to give up. Men like Ramon don’t lose gracefully. If they say they’re giving up, they’re lying.”
“You’re probably right, but it’s important for me to give him a warning. Once he knows you’ve got protection, he might head out.” What she didn’t know was that if he wasn’t willing to crawl back into his hole, Todd was going to put him under ground.
“Sadie, it’s time for bed.” She rose from the sofa and extended her hand to the little one. “Please say goodnight to everyone.”
Sadie gave Mrs. Murphy a big hug and a smacking kiss, then came to him and wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Good night, Todd.” She kissed his cheek and skipped up the stairs, holding her mother’s hand. He kept his eyes on her back every step of the way.
Rubbing the spot on his cheek he made up his mind. This was going to stop. Tonight. Now.
“Would you tell Lina I had some business to take care of? I’ll be back shortly.”
“You’re going out in this weather?”
“Yes.” He shrugged into his ski jacket. “I’ve got to get some air.”
Seeing the concern on her face, he added, “I’ve got four-wheel drive on the truck, so I’ll be fine.”
She sighed. “You’re going to do what you think you have to.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Be careful.”
After a ten minute drive that took twice as long as usual because of the snow he parked at the motel. He was willing to try talking to the man first. He figured that would take a couple of minutes at most.
Two bangs on the door and it opened. Lina’s ex stood there, his hair mussed, eyes bleary.
“What do you want?”
Todd flat-handed the door panel and pushed it wide open. “I want you to leave Bandit Creek and crawl back into your hole.”
“Obviously you’ve met my whore of a wife.” Ramirez walked into the room, leaving the door wide open. “She can do whatever the hell she wants, but I want my kid.”
“You can’t have either of them.”
“Sure I can. They won’t be that hard to find in this back side of hell.” He snorted. “I thought I would be forced to tear apart every house in this burg apart to find them, but now I know they’re with you.”
“You know nothing. I’m here. You’re leaving.” Todd extended his hand toward the open door. “Now would be the best time to go.” Ramirez didn’t seem to understand that things had changed. He’d lost control of the situation the minute he drove into town.
Ramirez looked outside. “Are you crazy? It’s a frigging blizzard out there. I’m not going anywhere in that. But I think you’d better get your ass out of here. Tell Lina I’ll find her and then I’m taking Sadie. And if she tries to run again, I’ll make sure she regrets it.” He poured another shot of Scotch into the glass on the bar and threw it back. “Now get out.”
Todd stood there, watching.
“I don’t know who you are, but this is family business and you aren’t family.”
“Actually, I am.” Todd stood with his legs apart, balanced on the balls of his feet. This rat bastard was not going to get a chance to hurt Lina or Sadie again.
Ramon raised his brows. “Really?” Then he took a long look at Todd. “So my wife has decided to find a toy to keep her warm on these cold winter nights.” He lowered his brows and pinched them together. “She should never have left Atlanta. It’s decently warm there.”
“You know why she left. And why she’s not coming back.”
“Because she decided I was guilty of a crime I did not commit and deserted me in my time of need.” He pursed his lips and shook his head. “What kind of wife does that?” he asked Todd.
“A smart one. I want you to stop chasing her. She is not returning to Atlanta. Crawl back under whatever rock you came from and leave us alone.”
“You can keep the slut, but my daughter’s mine. Bring Sadie to me and we’ll leave as soon as the bloody weather clears.”
“Ain’t happening, Ramirez. You’ll get either of them over my dead body.”
”That can be arranged.” Ramon walked to the open briefcase on the small round table.
Todd moved closer, just in case he pulled a gun.
Instead, the man pulled out a blue-cornered document and waved it at him. “I was given custody of Sadie, since my ‘wife’ illegally took her across state lines. So she will give my daughter to me. If she doesn’t I’ll contact the Sheriff. Then she won’t have a choice.”
Disappointment washed over Todd. If Ramirez had pulled a gun, he would have ended it right now. Instead he’s yelling about legal crap.
Ramirez smiled, oily and smarmy. “She’s mine and I’ll take her.”
Todd’s fist tightened as he lunged across the room, grabbing the scumbag by the throat and holding him against the wall. “Are you threatening the lady?” he snarled, nose to nose with Ramirez. “I can promise you the Sheriff will put you in jail for that, long before he’ll do anything about a woman traveling with her child.”
Ramon clawed at Todd’s wrist and forearm, spit spewing from his mouth. Todd held him against the wall, feet dangling above the floor and watched as his eyes bulged and his breathing labored louder and louder.
As if she was there, he could hear Lina talking to him. “Todd, put him down. He’s not worth it.”
Eyes narrowed, he stared at the asshole whose life was in his hands. The bastard didn’t deserve to live, but he didn’t need to go to jail for his murder either. He slowly opened his fingers and let Ramirez’s toes touch the floor.
Ramon slid down the wall, gasping for breath. “You will pay for that, senor. My wife’s nights will be lonely again.”
“I doubt it. She and Sadie will be right here in Bandit Creek, with me.”
***
Back inside the boarding house, Todd dropped to the sofa and pulled Lina on to his lap. It fe
lt good to be with her. How had such naiveté survived against a snake like Ramirez? But she never had to worry about the bastard again. “Don’t worry. I’ll deal with him.”
“He has legal custody.” She grabbed his upper arms, squeezing tight. “Let’s leave. Tonight.” She looked at the door. “If we leave right now, we can be long gone before he knows we’ve left Bandit Creek.”
“We’ve had this conversation already, Lina. The roads are likely closed, so we won’t get far. Besides, if we run now, we’ll be looking over our shoulders forever. Sadie needs a home and a settled life.”
“I can’t lose her, Todd. I wouldn’t survive.”
He rubbed circles on her back, trying to soothe her. “Not to worry; I’ll take care of your ex-husband.” He leaned away from her. “I want you to go to bed and get some sleep. I’m going to talk to the Sheriff or his Deputy and see where we go from here.”
Lina’s pale face lost even more color. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean, Ramon has a writ of custody.”
“Sweetheart, Montanans are an independent breed of people. We believe in fighting our own battles. We don’t like to involve the courts or lawyers.” He looked into her eyes. “Especially here in Bandit Creek.”
“You keep making those comments about things being different in Bandit Creek. What do you mean?”
“It’s like any other small town in the middle of nowhere. We have to stick together or we all falter. Between the weather and tourists coming to search Lost Lake, residents know they’re reliant on each other.” He kissed her forehead. “Up to bed with you. I’ll check on you when I get back.”
She nodded and slowly climbed the stairs. He could tell she didn’t like being left behind, but there wasn’t another choice. He had to put his plan into action.
He watched until she was out of sight, then grabbed his parka. As he shrugged it on, he knew he’d rather be going upstairs with Lina than going out into a blizzard. But first things first. That’s what you did when you loved someone.
Whoa, wait a minute. Loved someone? Had he really had that thought? He turned it around for a minute or two as he stood in front of the door. He loved Lina Ramirez. Huh. He loved her and Sadie both. Yes, he did. He grinned ear to ear as he went outside into the cold, not feeling it a bit.
Thirty minutes later, he was in the Sheriff’s office talking to Deputy Adam Medicine Crow. The tall man with the dark, intense eyes had been the deputy as long as he had been in town and obviously long before. He was quiet, methodical and utterly reliable.
“I don’t know, Todd. If he’s been awarded custody....”
“You know how things work on the outside, Adam. She’s sure he got it from a crooked judge.”
“Did she try to get custody before she ran?”
“She expected him to be convicted, so she divorced him, expecting full custody to be given to her. But since he hadn’t been convicted, the judge gave him visitation, even though he was in jail, without bail.”
“And now he’s got a custody order.”
Todd nodded. “He’s free when he should be spending his miserable life in jail. He’s Brazilian, so as soon as he gets the girl, Lina figures he’ll go home. Without extradition and with a corrupt legal system, she won’t have a chance of getting Sadie back.”
Adam nodded. “Another example of the law being satisfied while justice loses out.” He pinched his lips together as he considered the situation, then looked up at Todd. “We’d have to take a look at it. Get hold of the jurisdiction and make sure it’s legitimate. Of course,” he smiled at Todd, “neither of them could leave town while that was going on.”
“Good enough.”
Todd left the Sheriff’s office and drove to the motel. The Mercedes was nowhere around. He tried banging on Ramirez’s door, but no one answered. He stormed into the motel office and checked the register. Ramirez had paid up and checked out.
Terror choking him, Todd drove first to the Murphy’s and ensured Ramon wasn’t there. He checked the house. Everyone was safely home, but Lina sat up when he opened her door.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
She threw off the covers, grabbed her robe and crossed to the open door, closing it behind her. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s going on?”
“Ramirez has checked out of the motel. His car is gone.”
“I’ll be dressed in a couple of secs.”
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m going with you. You aren’t looking for my ex while I sit here at home, worrying.”
He put a hand on her shoulder. “Lina, you can’t help me out there. I need you here, where I know you’re safe.”
She crossed her arms. “If you leave here without me, I’ll follow you on foot. Wait right here.”
Within a minute she was back, dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, carrying a pair of socks. “Let’s go.”
Downstairs, he called Adam and explained what had happened. A few minutes later, the Sheriff knocked on the front door. “Understand there’s a bit of a problem here,” he said as he came inside.
Lina explained the situation as best she could.
“Man would be a fool to leave town on a night like tonight. Adam started patrolling the streets as soon as you called.” He patted his holster. “I’m going to stay here and keep an eye on things.”
“Sheriff , is that you?” Mrs. Murphy called softly from upstairs.
“It is. Sure could use a cup of your coffee, if you’ve a mind.”
“Won’t take more than a couple of minutes. I can probably find something to eat, too.”
“Good. Could be a long night.”
“We’ve had more than one of those, over the years, haven’t we?” She bustled into the kitchen. “You young people go and do what you got to do. Sadie will be fine.”
Lina nodded and pulled on her boots. “I’m ready.”
The snow continued to fall and the wind continued to blow it across every open space. They could hardly see beyond the hood.
“How are we going to find him?”
Todd pointed up one of the side streets. “See? The townsfolks are out looking too.”
She looked from side to side, amazed to see vehicles crawling through the snow. “Why are they doing this?”
“I told you Lina, we take care of our own.”
Two minutes later, Todd’s cell phone rang. “Tell my wife that I have her pregnant boss with me. I want her to come to the lake. Now.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
Ramon laughed. “You don’t. Your choice. You’re welcome to take the chance.”
“How’d you get my number?” he asked but Ramirez hung up.
Todd turned onto Main Street and was driving toward the lake. He wouldn’t chance anyone’s life with Ramirez.
As he drove out of town he dialed Adam and told him about the phone call from Ramirez.
Lina’s hand went to her throat as she exclaimed, “This is all my fault.”
He disconnected the call and reached across the cab to stroke her thigh. “I don’t think he has Penny. Adam hasn’t received a call and neither has the Sheriff.”
“Then why does he want us at the lake?”
“My bet? He wants me where there are no witnesses.”
“You’re not talking to him. I am.”
“Not a chance. You will not get out of this truck.”
She crossed her arms and fell back against the seat. “Ramon is my problem and I will handle him.”
“Over my dead body.”
The first thing Lina saw was the black Mercedes. Todd pulled in behind it, sliding his truck on the snow so that it blocked the car against the railing.
Todd stepped into the snow and her stomach clamped. As soon as he had his back to the vehicle, she stepped outside and closed the door silently. She’d feel a lot better if he had a gun.
He walked toward the lake. Every step crunching the snow and ice
beneath his feet.
The night was dark. The moon hidden behind the clouds. The waves of the lake whipped against the shore, pummelling the rocks beneath the railing. The snow continued to fall, whiting out everything more than a few feet away.
Ramon was looking out over the waves of Lost Lake, his back toward them. “I told you to get out of town, Ramirez.”
“Took you long enough to get here.”
“I was in no hurry. I have all night.”
Ramirez turned to face him and his eyes widened. “Hello Adelina. It’s nice to see you. Where’s my daughter?”
Todd spun on the snow. “I told you to stay in the truck.”
She had no idea what Ramon planned for tonight, but she couldn’t let him hurt anyone else. “Where’s Penny?”
He laughed at her. “I haven’t the foggiest idea. Probably asleep in her bed.”
“You don’t have her?”
He shook his head. “Aren’t you curious how I knew who Penny was?” He snorted. “You’re too stupid to figure it out for yourself.”
Lina continued to walk toward her ex-husband. “How did you know?”
“That stupid old drunk told me that you’d protect her. From there it was simple.” He lifted his right hand and pointed a Glock at Todd. “Too bad you won’t be around to enjoy my win. You have a date with the fish in the lake.”
Lina continued to walk forward. “It’s me you want, Ramon, not this man. Tell me what I have to do to get you to leave town.”
Todd took a step toward the maniac. “I’m not going for a swim tonight, but you might like the water.”
“Yeah?” Ramon snorted. “What makes you think so?”
A bullet whizzed by Todd’s ear. He threw himself to the ground, grabbed a handful of snow and pea gravel and somersaulted toward Ramon, then jumped to his feet and hurled the mix in Ramon’s face. “I was thinking of martial arts.” Then he swung his leg up and kicked the gun out of Ramon’s hand.
She watched as her ex roared and ducked his head, ramming Todd in the gut. The expulsion of air from his lungs was loud and torturous.
The two men danced further from Lina. She didn’t know what to do. Getting involved would distract Todd and she couldn’t help. But then she noticed the gun, lying in the snow.
Christmas on the Run (Bandit Creek Book 32) Page 9