Cold Blood (A Thomas Shepherd Mystery Book 4) by Dan Padavona

Author:Dan Padavona [Padavona, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-11T16:00:00+00:00

27

Venturing outside didn’t appeal to Darren, not when he was warm in the cabin. Nor did he want to separate himself from Raven. But he understood what needed to be done. If he didn’t act, they would never get out of the parking lot, let alone make it back to the village.

“Where on earth are you going?” Raven asked.

He fixed a ski mask over his head and face and pulled on his jacket.

“To start the truck and plow the parking lot.”

“We’re safe inside.”

“Yeah, but how will get out of here? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the snow isn’t slowing down.”

Indeed, it wasn’t. The drifts outside were almost up to the windows. He wondered how difficult it would be to open the door.

“Then I’m coming with you.”

“Raven, it only takes one person to plow the parking lot.”

“What if something happens to you?”

“Like what?” he asked.

“Like the abominable snowman comes out of the woods and takes you.”

“I’ll smack him with a shovel.”

She wouldn’t take no for an answer. Before he could leave, she shrugged into her jacket and donned a hat and mittens. At that moment, Jack woofed and leaped off the couch, tail wagging as he joined them at the door.

“It looks like someone else wants to help,” she said.

Darren threw up his hands. “I take it everyone is joining me. Tigger?” The cat turned its head and lay beside the woodstove. “No, I don’t suppose you want to come. You’re the only sane one among us.”

The ranger muscled the door open. After they stepped into the night, he closed it so the snow wouldn’t fall into the entryway. The chill struck him like a slap across the face. He’d experienced northern winters throughout his life but remembered nothing like this. The arctic air took his breath away, and the wind made it seem ten times worse. The logical portion of his brain told him to go back inside and huddle near the fire. He couldn’t. Not with the snow higher than the Silverado’s tires. It would take effort to dislodge the truck from the powder.

Raven opened the door, and Jack jumped inside and sat between them. The engine groaned when Darren turned the key. Before long, the Silverado obeyed his command, though it too wanted to hibernate until the storm ended. Shifting into drive, he went nowhere.

“Should I jump out and shovel the snow away from the tires?” she asked.

“Stay in the truck. I don’t want you catching pneumonia.”

“Darren, you’re worse than my mother. Bacteria and viruses cause pneumonia, not chilly weather.”

“You mean all those times my parents were wrong when they told me I’d catch a cold if I didn’t wear a hat and scarf?”

“Pretty much.”

“Gosh, science really is advancing quickly,” he said.

Jack glanced back and forth, enjoying the banter.

“I’ll ask again. Should I get a shovel?”

“Nope. I’ve got this.”

He put the truck in reverse, moved a few inches, then shifted into drive. After rocking back and forth, he cleared enough room for the pickup to gain a foothold.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.