Page 81 of Snowbound Threat

As soon as he spoke to Will they’d returned to Boone’s cabin. The last rays of the day had faded as they stood on the front porch. Up above, stars dotted the dark sky. A chilling breeze circled through the trees around the place, sending snow fallingfrom their branches and causing Ryan to turn up the collar of his jacket against its bitterness.

It carried something more tonight. A secret fifteen years in the making clawing and fighting to come to light.

Chapter Eleven

“Ispoke to Grant about what Abby told me she saw. He had no idea what I was talking about. I asked to talk to Jason, but he refused.” Charlie read aloud from the journal and couldn’t believe her uncle never mentioned any of this before.

“You think Jason had something to do with what happened to Abby?”

“It’s possible.” Ryan handed her a cup of coffee and pulled out the chair next to her. “Withholding evidence goes against everything I know about Pete. You think Grant threatened him?”

Charlie rejected the idea immediately. “I don’t think it would matter. Pete wouldn’t keep something like this to himself. We’re missing something.”

Ryan indicated the journal. “Keep reading. Maybe we’ll get a better understanding of what happened.”

She flipped through several pages of Pete going over what he discovered at the Owens’ old house and his conversation with Grant. “This might be something. It’s the last post in the journal. ‘I saw him in town today. Jason. He was talking with Lila. They seem to be friendly. I tried to warn her off Jason, but I couldn’ttell her what I knew and risk giving too much away. I asked her how long she’d been speaking to him. Lila played it coy as usual. She said they’re friends, but I saw the way he looked at her and she him.”

Charlie sat back in her seat. “Lila never mentioned anything about seeing Jason when we were teens. I wonder if there’s still something going on between them.”

“Maybe it just slipped her mind.” Ryan flipped through the journal. “Still, it’s worth talking to her.”

Before she could respond, Ryan’s phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket. “Boone.”

Ryan answered the call putting it on speaker. “Have you found out anything about Jason or his father?” Ryan briefed Boone about the final journal entry.

“That’s interesting. Turns out, Jason is in town for the holiday. He’s with his father and Grant’s wife. They’re staying at their ski house.”

“We need to speak to him right away and I don’t think we should give them a heads up that we're coming.”

“Agreed. But you should let me handle this one. I know Grant fairly well. I’ll take Will with me.”

He glanced Charlie’s way. “Okay. You’ll let me know what you find out?”

Boone confirmed he would.

Ryan ended the call, and the silence replacing it reminded her of things that needed to be discussed between them. Things she wasn’t ready to go over yet.

Charlie watched through the window as a new day lightened the outdoors in shades of pinks and oranges. And she hadn’t slept a wink. Lack of sleep along with the events of the past two days weighed her thinking down.

She rose and went back for more coffee. “We should have a talk with Lila. She might inadvertently remember something Jason told her back then that might help.”

Ryan watched her for a long moment. “Alright.”

The look on his face condemned her.

“I wished you’d trusted me,” he said softly.

Charlie closed her eyes, her heart breaking. “I don’t know what you mean.”

He closed the journal and rose. “You do. You left because you couldn’t stand being here after your parents’ death. You could have told me as much, Charlie. I would have understood.”

She owed him the truth. “I couldn’t ask you to leave Pine Haven, and I couldn’t stay.” She lifted her palms upward. “Where would that leave us?”

“I would have followed you anywhere, Charlie.”

The soft words ripped her heart further. She turned away and tried not to fall apart. She’d messed things up between them. Had she lost him for good?

“I can’t do this now.” Her voice was barely audible. She was struggling to hang on. “Not now. Not until this is over.” She looked back at him. This wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. Ryan was the type of man who faced problems head on. Waiting wasn’t something he was fond of.