Page 35 of Snowbound Threat

Caleb drove to town in Pops’ truck, the highway almost empty except for a couple of trucks. People braving the cold to get where they needed to go. Rush hour in small town Montana didn’t exactly get busy. Adding the snow on the sides of the road, and the heavy clouds threatening to bring more precipitation tonight, it was probably better to stick near the homestead.

He would, just as soon as he got this package mailed.

Even just months ago he’d have said he wanted to be an agent forever. Coming home and taking over the ranch from Pops, living the life the old man had been born into, had been the farthest thing from his mind.

Now it was like the dream of Christmas. It felt a whole lot like home should feel. Like peace, and comfort.

The work he’d been taught to do was what integrity and honor looked like. A life where he could court Tessa and convince her that marrying him would be the best choice she ever made.

Caleb wanted it.

He gripped the wheel, more certain of this decision than he’d ever been in his life.

The tires slid on the surface of the road and a second later he was spinning. Ice. Had to have been ice. He steered into the skid but kept turning out of control.

The truck bumped down an embankment into a ditch full of last week’s snowfall. Below it, ice. Below that thin layer of freezing cold water.

The hood splashed into it, spraying winter river water across the windshield.

Caleb managed to keep his head from hitting the steering wheel. The truck stopped moving and he sat there, still gripping the wheel with both hands.

Someone smashed the passenger window with a heavy duty flashlight. A second later they reached through the broken window for the package.

Caleb scrambled for his gun, but he was too late.

Chapter Fourteen

Tessa scooted forward on the chair to lean closer to her father. They weren’t going to release him for another day, until the doctor was certain his heart hadn’t suffered damage from being a captive and the concussion wasn’t going to cause him long term problems. At least, not ones that couldn’t benefit from concussion therapy.

“Dad, I get that you feel like you need to keep this secret. I know it’s huge. But I need you to tell me. I need you totalk.Caleb is fighting for his life with this case. If you know something that could help him I think you should tell the truth.”

His mouth worked side to side. The movement usually meant he didn’t like what she was saying but was considering it.

She was exhausted from sleeping on that narrow bed last night, being in an unfamiliar bedroom. Wondering all night if an intruder was going to come in. Or some other kind of attack. Being on edge all night had taken its toll. She couldn’t imagine how Pops must be feeling.

“Dad, this is about some international criminal guy. The kind of person who sent goons to kidnap you.” She had to get him to understand. “Remember when we did that community safety course at the church? What did the guy say?” She paused.“Rescuer safety first, right? That means you need to protect yourself, because if you’re in danger then you’re of no help to anyone. Think about the church, and what will happen to those people if something happens to you?”

“I’m not going to lead that flock forever, Tess. It ends sometime.”

“You’releavingthe church?”

He shook his head. “Tessa, I can’t do the job until the day I die. Being a pastor isn’t just Sunday sermons. I’m tired.”

“That’s not what we’re talking about.” She couldn’t believe he was saying all this. Not just now, but that he was considering retirement. She hadn’t thought about what that might look like. After all, her life had been so steady for so long that part of her must’ve believed it would be that way forever.

I guess not.

Yet again this week it seemed like the foundation of her life had shifted without her realizing until too late that something had changed.

She forced all that way, trying not to spiral but to focus instead on what was happening in front of her. Trying to be adaptable—or wait to fall apart later. “Dad, Caleb needs to know how you came to have that envelope. Why are you keeping a box of letters from his parents that were sent to Ian Rourke?”

“It’s a secret worth protecting.”

“Even though those men tried to trade you for the contents of the envelope?”

“I’m glad they didn’t get it.” He sniffed, his big nose wrinkling. She’d expected him to seem diminished, or older, in that hospital bed. Injured and recovering. But it was like he’d woken up this morning back to his larger than life self—except for the knot on his forehead.

“They won’t, not if Caleb has anything to say about it.” He nodded. “Don’t worry Tess. God has it all in His hands.”