Home For a Cowboy Christmas(48)

She looked away irritably. “You can’t promise that.”

He put a finger on her chin and gently turned her head to him. Cupping her cheek, he smiled. “I survived two tours overseas in the military, not to mention my four years in the FBI. My training through all three jobs has given me knowledge few have. Couple that with the fact that we’re on my territory, and the odds are in our favor.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I am,” he said softly before leaning in to kiss her.

She returned his kiss with fervor. “Just keep me updated on everything, please.”

“I can do that. I just don’t want you to worry.”

“I’ll worry regardless. I can’t help it, even though I know nothing can come of my worrying.”

Dwight held her close. “We’ll get through this.”

He just hoped it was a promise he could keep.



* * *



With every day that passed without a sign of anyone, Dwight found it harder and harder to keep sending his friends and employees out to keep watch. Yet, he knew without a doubt that someone would come for Emmy.

There had been no further word from Dalton. Dwight had tried to call him three times, but Dalton never answered. That left Dwight with a bad taste in his mouth. As he’d promised, he told Emmy everything. Sometimes, she took it in stride. Other times, she sat quietly with her thoughts.

He made sure they kept a routine for Emmy’s sake. It had taken him a while, but he finally got her to leave the house again. Over the last several days, Emmy had gone out with him to care for the horses in the mornings. Then, she’d return to the house. He was happy that she felt safe enough to leave the house. It was a small step, and he knew it cost her a great deal every day.

While she enjoyed the horses, she was a ball of nerves until he walked her back to the house. Only then did she relax somewhat again.

Dwight looked at the clear sky. A storm had come through in the early-morning hours, blanketing the ground with three inches of snow on top of the foot they already had. In the distance, he saw more clouds coming in, bringing in another storm and more snow. The temperatures would plummet overnight. He rubbed his hands together and swung his gaze to the house.

Beside him, Sam let out a low growl. Dwight looked at the dog before following Sam’s gaze to the driveway. That’s when Dwight heard the crunch of tires on the snow. The black BMW sedan that came into view wasn’t a vehicle he recognized.

“Sam, go to the porch,” he told the dog.

Sam let out another rumbling growl as he trotted up the steps, his gaze never leaving the sedan. Once the dog got into position, Dwight moved away from the barn. He had only taken two steps when both the driver and passenger doors opened. A middle-aged couple got out of the car, smiles on their faces.

“How can I help you folks?” Dwight asked as he eyed them suspiciously.

They were dressed nicely, matching the car they drove. He didn’t trust them. He wouldn’t have even if Emmy hadn’t been there. There were just some things you didn’t see in this part of the country.

“Hello,” the man said as he closed the door to the car and came around the front. He wore an expensive puffer jacket in an obnoxious, bright yellow. “Sorry to bother you, but we’re lost.”

Dwight watched as the woman came to stand with him. They wrapped their arms around each other as if wanting everyone to believe they were a loving couple. They might be, but Dwight wouldn’t assume anything.

“This isn’t the time of year to be getting lost in these mountains,” Dwight said.

The man laughed nervously. “We’re figuring that out.”

“It’s my fault,” the woman offered with a glance at her husband. “I just wanted to get out and do something.”

Dwight couldn’t have cared less what story the couple gave. Be it truth or fiction, none of it mattered. He just wanted them off his property. “Where are you headed?”

“We’re supposed to be staying at a B&B,” the man said. “A place called the Hartsfield Ranch.”

The more the couple spoke, the more uneasy Dwight became. “There’s no ranch around here with that name.”

“We must have taken the wrong exit,” the woman said.

Dwight shifted his feet and nodded his head to the road. “Your best bet is to head back the way you came. You’ll want to be off this mountain before the storm rolls in.”

“We’re used to snow,” the man said.

The woman playfully slapped his chest. “Gordan, our Utah weather is nothing like this.”

“Why Montana?” Dwight asked them.

The man was taken off guard. “Pardon?”

“Why are you in Montana? You could’ve gotten great scenery in Wyoming.”

Without missing a beat, the woman said, “Our son and his wife live in Casper. We were visiting them for Thanksgiving. I’ve always wanted to see Montana, and since we were close, we decided to take a trip.”

It sounded plausible, but Dwight wasn’t taking any chances. “Cell phone reception is spotty in some parts of the mountain. You’d be better off using a traditional map rather than a GPS.”

“You don’t happen to have a map, do you?” the man asked.

Dwight shook his head. “Afraid I don’t.”