He raised the binoculars to his eyes, scanning the ridge for activity, keeping his own movement to a minimum. It took a moment to spot his quarry. Fred Johanston, Al’s brother-in-law, lay on the ridge, watching the activity in the garage through a pair of binoculars. Cole lowered his glasses and scooted back into the house, carefully sliding the balcony door closed, not wanting to give away his position.
Fred Johanston was up to something, but what? There was no way he’d inherit the ranch should both Jase and Cole die. He had no hope of being Jase’s guardian. What was he up to? Cole didn’t have much time. He didn’t want to tip off Fred that he was on to him. Hurrying through the house, back outside, he took even more care to keep out of sight of the ridge, but he took several weapons with him.
He’d already committed to taking Jase and Maia on a hunt for a Christmas tree, and if he abruptly changed plans it could alert Fred that Cole was on to him. Better to act as if nothing were wrong and figure things out the way he always did, methodically, slowly, putting the pieces of the puzzle together until they fit perfectly. Now that he knew they were under surveillance, he could take the appropriate steps to keep them safe.
Maia looked up as he hurried in through the side door, his weapons stashed safely in a small toolbox. “Everything all right?”
“The snowmobiles are gassed up and ready to go,” Jase said.
“Well, put on your gloves and pull down your hat over your face. The doc and I are going to race you.”
“No we’re not,” Maia said.”
“Awesome,” Jase said. “I’m the king on a snowmobile.”
“The rules are, we go out the door full throttle, head for Moose Creek, and you have to zigzag through every open field or you’re disqualified.”
“Piece of cake,” Jase said. “You’ll never catch me.”
“Don’t be so cocky, kid,” Cole reached over to zip the boy’s jacket to his neck. “You’re also disqualified if you take a spill.”
“Hello! I don’t suppose you heard me say no way,” Maia said, tugging at Cole’s arm. “We are not racing.”
“I can’t believe you’d be afraid of a little speed, Maia,” Cole said. A mischievous almost grin slid over his face.
Maia glared at him with suspicion. “If I thought you could do that on purpose . . .”
“What?” He sank down onto the snowmobile and patted the seat behind him. “Climb aboard, and let’s go get that tree.”
Maia slid behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You aren’t going to tell me what’s going on, are you?”
“I don’t know yet,” he said truthfully, “but we’re going to be very careful.”
The ride through the snow was wild and exhilarating. The two snowmobiles flew over the snow. A few flakes fell from the clouds, reminding them they didn’t have much time, but they still played, Jase and Cole racing across the pristine fields toward Moose Creek. Maia’s laughter rang in Cole’s ears and found its way into his heart. She rested her head against his back and urged him on when Jase was inching ahead of them.
All the while, Cole made every effort to keep trees and slopes between them and the ridge. He encouraged Jase to play, deliberately forcing the boy to zigzag through every open field so it would be nearly impossible to get off an accurate shot should Fred have the desire. Cole hadn’t seen a rifle, but he’d seen the saddle and blanket and the scabbard, and he was certain it had been Fred who’d taken the horse out. And it must have been Fred who shot the mountain lion the same day he’d run Wally into the fence. But why? What possible reason could he have? He certainly couldn’t expect to get his job back that way. Revenge? Could it be that simple?
Jase brought his snowmobile to a halt in front of a particularly tall fir tree, pointing. The branches were full and the tree’s needles were thick. “This one’s a beaut! What do you think, Doc?”
“He would ask you,” Cole said, helping her off the machine. In the thick of the trees they were well protected. Snow was beginning to fall again, and the wind was picking up. He glanced up at the sky. “I think this one’s going to have to be it, Jase. We’ve just about run out of time. The storm’s coming in fast.”
There was a lot of laughter and just as much argument as Cole and Jase decided what was the best way to top the tree. Maia stood back watching, laughing at them, but all the while she could see that Cole was extremely alert, his eyes restless, constantly moving. He was wary, extremely so, and he exuded a powerful aura of danger. He was hunting, she knew, but had no idea what he was looking for.
The tree was tied to a sled and secured behind Jase’s machine. That told Maia Cole wanted to be mobile or he would never have risked allowing Jase to pull the tree. They made their way back at a much more cautious and sedate pace. It was far colder with the snow flying at their faces in spite of their warm coats. The snow fell steadily, a sign that they were in for another long storm.