AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sometimes.” Simmy shrugged. “In the winter, midnight feels like noon and noon feels like midnight.”
Andi supposed that explanation made sense.
The man looked toward the coffee.
Simmy seemed to read his mind. “Let me get you something warm to drink.”
Andi watched as Simmy escorted the man to the coffee urn and poured him a cup. The two spoke to each other in low tones, and Simmy’s face softened.
Andi’s shoulders relaxed.
She’d thought for sure this guy was dangerous. But Simmy seemed to trust him.
Remaining somewhat on edge, she lowered her gun and studied the man. She couldn’t make out his features beneath that beard and all that hair, but he had a mountain man vibe.
Another thought hit her: How had he gotten past Duke?
If Duke was outside, then surely, he would have seen this guy pull in.
Unless . . . something had happened to Duke.
Andi didn’t know Duke that well. Even though her initial impression hadn’t been great, she didn’t want any harm to come to him.
Besides, he’d proven himself to be worthy of respect. She may not want to admit it, but his actions had been honorable. He was trying to do the right thing, and she could admire that.
She nibbled on her bottom lip as she stared at the door.
If something had happened to him, she couldn’t let him suffer outside alone.
Andi glanced at Simmy again. She still talked to Ranger as he took a sip of coffee.
Just then, Andi made an executive decision.
She would leave Simmy and Ranger standing guard.
Andi was going to look for Duke herself.
Decision made . . .
She hoped she didn’t regret it.
chaptertwenty-five
As Duke walked fartheraround the perimeter of the shed, his flashlight hit something on the snow.
Another dot of blood, this one larger than the others.
Almost as if someone lingered here longer, thus allowing more blood to drip.
An odd pattern marked the snow around the blood.
Like a branch had been swept over it.
Duke’s jaw hardened.
Had someone tried to cover their footsteps?
He followed the marks in the snow, stopping at a thick straight line bordered by two smaller ones that cut through the icy precipitation.
