At the Crossroads (Buckhorn, Montana #3)(57)

He wanted to ask about the father of her baby but told himself it no longer mattered. “Tell me where you are.”

Another sob. “They’ll follow you.”

“No. I’ve lost them. You know you can trust me.”

Silence, then finally, “It’s a small old cabin all by itself at the foot of the mountain.” She gave him the directions. “Promise me that you’ll come alone.”

He didn’t promise, but he wished he could come alone. “I’m on my way. Stay there.” He disconnected and looked at Alexis. His love for her, coupled with the fact that he was sure she was carrying their child, made him want to lock her away for safekeeping. Not that she would hear of it.

“I don’t think we should both go. It could be a trap. Furu and Cline followed her to the motel. Maybe Jana had tracked Al there, but if not...”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Alexis said and smiled. “I heard enough of the conversation to agree. It is probably a trap.”

For just a split second, he thought she would take his advice and stay safe.

“But you aren’t going alone. I have a plan.”

He shook his head, seeing that there would be no talking her out of it. “I do love a woman with a plan. But we’re going to need a few more supplies first.”

ALEXIS COULD SEE how hard it was for him to agree to her plan. She thought about last night in the shower with Culhane and later curled up in bed. He knew. He hadn’t said anything, but there was no doubt that he knew about the pregnancy. Now he wasn’t just scared for her. Just as she’d feared, he would be more protective. He needed to take care of himself and let her do what she knew how to do. But he was Culhane Travis. He always did the right thing, the good thing. Just like now.

“I know where this cabin is,” she said as he gave her the directions Jana had given him. “I’ll get out some distance from the cabin and circle around back. You take your time and go to the front.” She could see he wanted to argue, but she wasn’t having it. “I’ll fire a shot if it looks like a trap. You do the same. Otherwise, text me when you get in and the coast is clear. Unless you think she’s more apt to tell you what you need to know without me there.”

He shook his head. “She knows about you. Whether she likes it or not, we’re a team.” His words sent a waterfall of pleasure rushing over her—just as did the look in his eyes. “We do this together.”

She swallowed, feeling as if he was talking about more than this trip to meet Jana. There was worry in his tone but also resignation. He couldn’t change her nature any more than she could his. She looked away as he drove. She couldn’t think about the future, unsure if they would survive the next thirty minutes.

Would Jana set a trap for Culhane to walk into? Alexis had no doubt that the woman would. But would she involve Furu and Cline? Only if she’d already made another deal with the sheriff.

As deceptive as the woman was, Jana could have lied about where she was or could even take off before they got there. Or she could just simply set him up. No wonder Culhane had trust issues, she thought.

Clouds hung low over the mountains as he turned down the road. Snow. She could feel the temperature dropping. It had been an especially dry fall, but this coming storm could change that. Once the ground was covered with snow, it would probably stay until spring. The weatherman was predicting a white Christmas.

“We’ll go with your plan,” Culhane said. “If it’s a trap, we get the hell out of there.” He glanced over at her. “No taking any chances, agreed?” She nodded.

The road narrowed as it wound back into the deep pines at the base of the steep mountains. Alexis put down her window and breathed in the cold, fresh air. The clouds seemed to drop around them making it hard to see. Through the fog, she could barely make out a small cabin ahead. Smoke curled up from the chimney, and one light shone inside.

“Stop here,” she said and checked the clip in her weapon before she dug another from her purse, making Culhane groan. Hopefully she wouldn’t need anywhere near that much firepower, but it was nice to know she had it just in case.

She looked over at him. There was so much she wanted to say. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. She felt him reach for her as if to pull her to him, to keep her from going. “Good luck,” she said as she bailed out too quickly, before either of them changed their minds.

In an instant, she had disappeared into the trees and fog as snowflakes began to fall.

CULHANE SAT FOR a moment listening to the sound of the pickup’s engine as snowflakes whirled around him, making him feel as if he were caught in a snow globe. He felt a chill, even though the inside of the pickup cab was still warm, still carried Alexis’s scent.

He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want Alexis doing this. The two of them had faced other challenges together. But now the cost was so much higher. They both had too much to lose. Not that it would stop them. The only way they would be free of this was by making sure that nothing happened to Jana.

Culhane checked his weapon to make sure it was loaded and then turned around. He found a side road and a place to hide the pickup in the pines. Getting out, he took the backpack he’d bought along with the supplies they’d picked up. Then he sprinted in the direction of the cabin. As per Alexis’s plan, they should both arrive at the cabin about the same time.