Snowstorm Sabotage by Kerry Johnson

Author:Kerry Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-07-16T14:32:30+00:00

NINE

Everly gulped down a sob. Her dad leaned back on his hospital bed, weariness lining his face, the grayish pallor of his skin shocking. The hospital gown dwarfed his tall, bony frame like a tablecloth, and the sharp point of one elbow stuck out from the blanket. She tempered her surprise and worry, falling to her knees beside his bed.

“Dad, I’m so sorry you had to come back here.”

“I’m fine. Already feeling better, in fact. What is he doing here?” Dad’s hazel eyes—the same shade as hers—narrowed at the sight of Isaac standing stoically behind her.

“He brought me here to see you.” She stroked his embattled arm strung with IVs and beeping machines monitoring his vitals. “I can’t believe this. What happened?”

“I wasn’t feeling well. Ended up on the bathroom floor.” He waved his free arm, scowling. “I’ll be fine. Just need to eat more.”

Clearly it was much more than that ravaging his body. “Have you found anything out? Do the doctors know what’s causing this?”

“Well, they know it’s not cancer.” For a brief moment, her dad’s indomitable confidence wavered as he spoke aloud one of the few words that rendered him powerless. The disease that had taken his wife, Everly’s mom.

“I’m so glad.” She set her hand over his.

“And, they’re pricking me left and right. I’m surprised there’s any blood left in my body. One of them even asked me if I’ve ingested any chemicals lately? I told him Sheila’s coffee might pass for a chemical, strong as it is.” He chuckled.

Chemicals. Everly shot a glance at Isaac, but he hovered in the doorway, monitoring the hall.

Dad continued. “They did chest X-rays and scanned my brain.” He dropped his chin in one of his classic get-down-to-business gestures. “Now why don’t you explain to me why he’s back in Maple Creek?”

An odd look passed over Dad’s face. Fear?

She glanced around at Isaac again. He’d moved and stood near the counter, reading something on its surface. His features were inscrutable as his eyes roved over the paperwork. In the background, the commercial cut to the local news.

Everly spoke loudly to combat the news anchor’s baritone reporting. “Isaac is in town working on...a story.”

“A story? About Ravens?”

“Yes. Sort of.” She grabbed at what information she could share. “He’s the one who kept me alive when we were lost in that blizzard.”

“So, you didn’t run away on purpose?” Dad used his thumb and pointer finger to massage his forehead. “Savage made it sound suspicious.”

Detective Savage. “No. Well, yes I ran, because someone—Hugh—sent men after me. With guns, Dad. They chased me down Tipping Point last night.”

“What—why would Hugh do that?” The machine beside her dad’s bed clicked, then beeped loudly as though in warning.

“I—I mean, we—don’t know that yet. Isaac and I are trying to—”

Isaac cleared his throat loudly. She pinched her lips and exhaled in small bursts. Hint taken. She couldn’t tell her dad anymore about Isaac’s role in this. On the TV, a blonde reporter took over from the desk anchor, her strident words thundering through the room.

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