Snow Happens Read online

  “Yes, they do,” Sarah agreed. “Conrad?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Why Alaska? Mr. Pence said Charlie Raymond applied for a transfer, but his gossipy receptionist insists Mr. Pence ran him off.”

  “It’s possible Charlie was given a choice... transfer to a new post or get canned,” Conrad pointed out. “Realizing that he was in danger, maybe he chose a remote post hoping that he could escape and stay hidden.”

  “Which means someone here at Yellowstone told those three phony scientists where Charlie Raymond transferred to, right? How else could they have located the man? And because he called the FBI, which most likely alerted British intelligence, Mr. Bradley jumped into the game, tracked down Charlie Raymond’s new location, and knew the killers would make a beeline for Alaska.”

  “So Mr. Bradley did the same, hoping to catch the killers before they killed Charlie,” Conrad added. “Which means Mr. Bradley must have known Charlie’s location was somehow leaked by someone right here at Yellowstone.”

  “By Mr. Pence?”

  Conrad rubbed his chin and surveyed the beautiful, dangerous landscape whizzing past the Subaru’s windows. “Most likely,” he said. “It’s possible the killers left the park after their little tourist charade, then doubled back and had a little one-on-one talk with Mr. Pence. It’s possible they’re the ones who paid for his new BMW, too.”

  “Our three fake scientists could have threatened Mr. Pence, pushing him into a corner, forcing him to make Charlie agree to a transfer. Now, because Charlie is dead, Pence is being eaten alive by guilt.”

  “And it just so happens that Charlie was transferred to a very remote park that doesn’t get much foot traffic, especially in the winter season,” Conrad added. Before he could continue, his cell phone rang. “Turn down the heat,” he told Sarah as he checked the incoming caller. “It’s the coroner... about time.”

  Sarah reached forward and adjusted a black knob on the dashboard. The heat blowing noisily from the vents slowed and hushed. “Let’s see what information we get this morning,” she said.

  Conrad placed the call on speakerphone. “Detective Spencer.”

  “Detective Spencer, this is Dr. Ford Jenkins,” an old man’s voice came from the speakers. “You don’t know me.”

  “I can’t say that I do.”

  “My office is located in Anchorage,” Dr. Jenkins continued. “The body of Charlie Raymond was sent to me for further examination by your local coroner, and—”

  “What was the man’s cause of death, Dr. Jenkins?” Conrad asked, getting straight to the point. Sarah bit down on her lower lip and waited.

  “Charlie Raymond was shot with a dart containing a highly lethal poison,” Dr. Jenkins said, sounding annoyed by the interruption.

  “Yes, but what was the poison that killed him?”

  “The poison is not yet identified,” he said. “Further lab tests and mass spectrometry may reveal the precise chemical formulation, but that takes time,” he said with not a small amount of condescension.

  “I see,” Conrad said.

  “The poison,” Dr. Jenkins said, with a pause for the click of what sounded like a very expensive lighter and the unmistakable sound of a puff from a no doubt very expensive cigar, “is extremely lethal.”

  “I kinda figured that out for myself, doc,” Conrad replied in exasperation, realizing that the man he was speaking to was nothing more than a conceited snob.

  “The poison,” Dr. Jenkins continued his patronizingly slow explanation “attacks the victim’s heart. Once the poison reaches the heart, the heart muscle immediately ceases to function and the subject suffers instant cardiac arrest. Very merciful, actually.”

  “A man is dead,” Conrad said impatiently. “I don’t think having his life snatched away was very merciful.”

  “Detective Spencer,” Dr. Jenkins began to reply and then stopped abruptly. The unmistakable sounds of a scuffle crackled over the speaker phone.“Who are you... what are you... hey! Who do you think...” and then the call went dead.

  “Dr. Jenkins?” Conrad yelled into his cell phone. “Dr. Jenkins, are you there?”

  “They got to him,” Sarah said in shock. “It had to be MI-6.”

  Conrad tossed his cell phone into his lap. “By the end of the day, if not already, Charlie Raymond’s identity will be completely erased from every database known to man. The man’s life will be wiped off the face of the earth, leaving you and me trying to solve the murder of a ghost.”

  Sarah slowed the Subaru down, taking this in. “So what’s our next step, Conrad?” she asked in a desperate voice. “If what you’re saying is true, and I think it is, then pursuing this case is futile.”

  Conrad sat quietly for a few minutes as Sarah drove. Then he turned his head and looked at her with worried eyes. “Maybe we can’t pursue a murder case anymore... at this juncture, anyway... but we can still protect the innocent. We’d better make tracks back to Snow Falls.”

  Sarah turned her head and read Conrad’s eyes. “Oh no,” she said as alarm gripped her heart. “Mr. Bradley... he’ll kill everyone who was aware of Charlie Raymond.”

  “Including Mr. Pence,” Conrad said as he grabbed his cell phone. He dialed Roger Pence’s office. “Pick up, man, pick up.”

  “Detective Spencer?” Mr. Pence answered his phone.

  “Listen to me,” Conrad said hurriedly, “get out of your office and hide. Your life is in danger. Detective Garland and I know you pushed Charlie Raymond into that transfer and—”

  “I...” Roger started to object but caved in to his fear. “Yes, okay... it’s true. But I didn’t have a choice. I was threatened and so was my family. But... Charlie... poor Charlie... I swear, Detective Spencer, I didn’t want any harm to come to him. I haven’t had a wink of sleep since I heard that he was killed.”

  “We’ll talk about that some other time,” Conrad told him. “Right now, get to your family and get them into hiding.”

  “I have a girl outside watching my office,” Roger said. “I’ve informed all the park rangers to alert me if they spot anyone matching the description of the three people responsible for Charlie’s death. I’m safe in my office.”

  “No, you’re not,” Conrad snapped. “Get out of your office, get to your family, and go into hiding. I’ll call you when it’s safe to come out. Now go!”

  “I... yes, okay,” Roger said hung up.

  “Think he listened?” Sarah asked Conrad.

  “For his sake, he’d better have,” Conrad said. “Hey, my stomach is really grumbling. I’m not going to be any good unless we stop and eat somewhere.”

  “Let me at least get us farther west into Montana,” Sarah countered.

  “Good idea,” Conrad reluctantly agreed. “We’ll have time to see if anyone is following us.”

  “Could you call Amanda for me? You know the number,” Sarah said, focusing on the road. The sides of the road were covered in heavy snow, but the road itself was well salted and cleared of snow. Even with the roads clear, Sarah didn’t want to turn the road trip into a desperate race. Instead, she drove with caution.

  “Bradley could still be there. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Please,” Sarah begged. “Conrad, it’s been days. I... have to know if my friend is still... alive.”

  Conrad understood. Against his better wishes, he dialed Amanda’s home phone. To his shock, she picked up. “Are you okay?” he asked her, placing the call on speakerphone.

  “I’m fine, for now,” Amanda said in a scared voice. Sarah and Conrad heard her take a shaky sigh and exchanged a glance. “Bradley and another bloke with him left my house as soon as you and Sarah left town,” Amanda continued. “I was ordered to remain in my home.”

  Sarah felt tears begin to flow as soon as she heard Amanda’s voice. “I’m so sorry I had to leave you.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” Amanda began to cry. “I was the one who left you, remember? If only we had stayed together... as
partners.”

  “We’re on our way back right now,” said Sarah, trying to keep her eyes from blurring with tears. “Right now we’re in southern Montana. We went and talked with Charlie Raymond’s supervisor at Yellowstone.”

  “Bradley hasn’t been back to your home since Sarah and I drove out of town?” Conrad asked.

  “Not a peep,” Amanda replied, with a quiet sniffle. “I thought of making a run for it, but then I have to think about my Jack.” “I’ve got my boots on, I even put on my warmest sweater and wool dress, and I’m ready to dash out the back door at any second. But... I can’t.”

  “Stay put, June Bug,” Sarah pleaded.

  “Do I really have a choice? I’m trapped,” Amanda said pointedly. “Before Bradley left he also... mentioned my son. I’m not stepping foot out of my home.”

  Conrad knew it was not humanly possible to understand the fear and anger and desperation Amanda was feeling. “I promise to get this guy,” he told her.

  Amanda laughed humorlessly. “You promise to take down a powerful British agent? That’s a laugh, Conrad. No offense, I know you’re a decent bloke and all, but you’re in way over your head.”

  “Maybe not,” Conrad said. “Listen to me. I’m going to give you three names. Wrap your memory around these names and use them as a weapon if you can.”

  “What names?”

  “The names of the three people who killed Charlie Raymond,” Conrad explained. He motioned to Sarah to turn off the noisy heating completely. “The people Bradley Preston is pursuing. My hunch is that they are still in Snow Falls because they plan to eliminate anyone Charlie Raymond might have confided in. And trust me when I say this: Bradley Preston is going to do that exact thing. Preston is going to kill anyone who even remotely knew Charlie Raymond, and he especially isn’t going to let anyone live who saw the man’s dead body.”

  “Oh dear,” Amanda said. “Sarah? Is this true?”

  “Conrad is right,” Sarah said miserably. “It seems that Bradley Preston is after a group of terrorists who might have been planning an attack on Yellowstone National Park. Charlie Raymond uncovered their plot and was killed. At least, this is the conclusion Conrad and I have reached.”

  “Not only that, but Charlie Raymond was pushed out of his job at Yellowstone by his supervisor,” Conrad jumped in. “He was sent to Alaska to die. I guess he knew his time was short and that’s why he went out to the lake to meet Dave. I think he was going to confide in Dave, and would have if Dave had arrived on time.”

  “I think Charlie knew he was going to die and wore his uniform to the lake because he wanted to die the way a soldier does in combat, proud and brave,” Sarah added.

  “Well, I’m glad he went with honor, but that doesn’t make his death any less awful,” Amanda replied sadly. “And I still don’t know what to think or what to do. There’s a powerful snow storm raging out there, my snowmobile needs a new spark plug. My truck will never make it through this snow and you know I’m simply lousy on skis. And even if I had to make a run for it, where would I go?” Amanda’s voice tugged at Sarah’s heart. But suddenly, her friend exclaimed, Oh, hang on, yes!”

  “What?” Sarah asked, alarmed.

  “If I’m going to die, I’m not going to make it easy for them to find me. Jack wouldn’t allow me to just sit idly by and wait to have a bullet with my afternoon tea. I know where I can run and hide.”

  Sarah struggled to catch up to Amanda’s train of thought. When she did, a quick smile touched her lips. “Don’t forget the kitten, and leave when it gets dark.”

  “There’s a blasted snowstorm outside,” Amanda said exasperated. “If I wait until night, I’m likely to get myself lost. So here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to call Jack and then I’m going to call my son and tell them what’s happening. My son is smart. He’ll go into hiding. Jack, he’ll do what needs to be done to stay alive... I hope. I just can’t sit around in my kitchen any longer and wait for the inevitable to happen. If Bradley Preston intends on killing me, he might very well go after my son and my husband, too. I have to fight.”

  “Don’t call your son or your husband,” Conrad blurted out in warning.

  “Why not, for crying out loud?” Amanda demanded.

  “If you get caught, Bradley may check your cell phone. Even if you erase your calls, he may still be able to track them,” Conrad explained. “Right now, it’s better to stay silent.”

  “I have to warn my family,” Amanda argued.

  “If you do, you might get them killed,” Conrad said patiently. “Leave your cell phone on your kitchen table, leave your back door wide open, and make it appear that you were abducted.”

  Amanda didn’t speak for a long moment. Sarah could hardly bear the silence as she drove on, waiting for her friend’s reply. There was no forcing a difficult decision in a crisis. Sarah willed her dear friend to grasp the hope offered by Conrad’s solid, trustworthy presence. It was the one thing Sarah knew to be true and real.

  Just when Sarah was beginning to despair, Amanda spoke again. “Okay Conrad, I’ll make it seem like someone grabbed me. I... trust you.”

  Conrad smiled with relief. “Sarah and I are on our way.”

  Sarah decided to throw caution to the wind and pressed down harder on the gas pedal. “If Bradley hasn’t returned for you, that must mean he hasn’t found the three people who killed Charlie Raymond,” she told Amanda. “So listen to Conrad and remember the names he’s about to give you. If you’re caught, use the names as a weapon... tell Bradley you sent the names to the press along with information about Charlie Raymond.”

  Conrad drew in a deep breath and spoke the names of the three people Charlie Raymond had escorted around Yellowstone National Park. “Remember them.”

  “I already have them memorized,” Amanda promised. “Okay, guys, I’m... going to make my move on the chessboard... I love you both.”

  “We love you too,” Sarah said, feeling tears burst from her eyes. “Amanda... June Bug... run as fast as you can and don’t stop.”

  “I will,” Amanda assured her. “Conrad, when you get back in town, remember that I owe you a cup of coffee,” she said and ended the call.

  Sarah pressed down even harder on the gas pedal. “We’ve got to get back to Snow Falls,” she said in an urgent voice.

  “Alive, not dead,” Conrad reminded her. “Slow down, okay?”

  Reluctantly, Sarah eased up on the gas. “Bradley gave us a week... it’s been three days. I told Amanda that he hasn’t found his targets yet. The truth is, Bradley could have already found his targets and now he’s preparing to strike at anyone who remains a threat to him.”

  “Why did he give us a week?” Conrad wondered aloud as he looked out of the passenger side window. “How could he be certain he would be able to track down Charlie Raymond’s killers in only a week? And why was he at the lake? I’m sure that gray thread Andrew found belongs to Bradley.” Conrad grew silent for a minute as his mind struggled through a messy room of questions. “Maybe...”

  “Maybe what?”

  “Step on it!” Conrad exclaimed. “We’ve got no time to lose.”

  Sarah didn’t argue. She stepped on the gas pedal and sent her Subaru racing down the highway. As she sped through Montana, she listened to Conrad’s careful explanation of what he thought was happening in Snow Falls. Every single word Conrad spoke struck tremendous fear into her heart.

  Chapter Six

  Amanda unlocked the back door to Sarah’s coffee shop and eased quietly into the kitchen. Leaving the lights off, she crouched down and duck-walked to the office with the little kitten cradled in her arms. “We’re going to be okay,” she promised the kitten in a whisper. But when she entered the dark office, her heart nearly stopped. Someone was sitting in the corner, breathing hard.

  “Help... me,” a desperate voice pleaded. The voice was that of a young woman.

  “Who are you?” Amanda demanded. “What are you doing here?”

 
; “My name is... Gwen Palmer. Please help me... I’ve been shot...”

  “Oh dear,” Amanda said. Feeling fear claw at her chest, she set the kitten down on Sarah’s desk and squatted next to Gwen. She couldn’t see much in the dark, but she could smell blood. “Where are you hurt?”

  “My... shoulder,” Gwen moaned in pain.

  Amanda agonized, torn by compassion but also something darker and more threatening that she couldn’t ignore. “Why should I help you? You killed Charlie Raymond.”

  “No,” Gwen pleaded, breathless with pain, “we came here to try and save him, but Bradley got to him first. Your accent... you’re British?”

  “Yes,” Amanda confirmed.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Amanda.”

  “Amanda, my name is Agent Gwen Palmer. I’m with MI-6. My partners and I have been tracking Bradley Preston.”

  Amanda pressed a hand against her forehead in shock and confusion. “That awful man threatened my family. He threatened my son and my husband.”

  Gwen pushed her sweaty black hair away from her eyes. She looked overheated in her thick blue ski suit which had an ominous dark stain at the shoulder. “Bradley will kill anyone who gets in his way. Just like Charlie Raymond got in his way.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I can’t explain... not now. Please, I need help,” Gwen begged. “The bullet... went straight through my shoulder, but it hurts...”

  Amanda balled her hands into tight fists, closed her eyes, let out a silent scream, and then took a very deep breath. She kicked the office door shut with one foot, stood up, and hit the light switch. The bright overhead lights revealed a very beautiful young woman struggling to hold her left shoulder. “I will help you, but if you try anything funny I swear I’ll stuff your face into a snowbank.”

  Gwen tried to nod her head but fainted before she could. Amanda dropped her head to her chest in exasperation. “Well,” she said, looking back up the kitten who was sitting on its haunches wondering what in the world was going on, “this is just the cherry on the cake, now isn’t it, little guy.” The kitten let out a quiet meow. “I’d better save this girl’s life. Even without that ski suit I think she may be running a high fever.”