White Trees Crimson Snow by Sallie Bissell

Author:Sallie Bissell [Bissell, Sallie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC030000, FIC031030
ISBN: 978-1-0879-5732-6
Publisher: Sallie Bissell
Published: 2021-02-23T00:00:00+00:00

They reached the fish camp from the backside, circling a wide lake that sported a boathouse and a dock. Thick white ice splintered around the dock pilings, while the middle of the lake remained a slushy dull gray. For a moment Mary was surprised that Jonathan had forsaken guiding hunters for a fish camp job, but then she remembered that he’d spent most of his life on the Little Tennessee River. Fishing, rafting, swimming naked with her while a huge summer moon shimmered on the surface of the water.

“Follow me,” said Lily. “If they’re keeping watch they won’t see us if we stick to the cover of these trees.”

Keeping the lake on their right, Lily threaded through trees that in summer would have shaded a narrow walking path. For a moment the snow quit, but soon another bank of thick clouds rolled in. They reached the camp’s woodshed as a new round of flurries began.

Peeking around the corner of the shed, Mary studied the cabin. It was small, no doubt built for the caretaker of the camp. No lights shone from the windows, nor did any smoke rise from the chimney. If the Snowmen were there, they certainly weren’t availing themselves of the comforts of home.

“Tell me the layout inside the cabin,” she whispered to Lily as she flipped the safety off her Glock.

“We’re looking at the back porch and kitchen,” the girl replied. “Two bedrooms open off a hall, to the right. Living room’s in front.”

“How many windows?”

“One in each bedroom. A big one in the living room. Two on either side of the chimney.”

“Okay,” said Mary, taking command of the mission. “Give me your flashlight and I’ll go check it out.”

Immediately, the girl began to protest. “But—“

“Hard lesson number one, Lily. Whoever’s got the gun, makes the rules. You stay here until I signal you. If you hear any gunshots, turn around and get the hell out of here. That is what your Edoda would want.”

Lily gave a disgusted sigh, but produced a small flashlight from the pocket of her coat.

Mary took several deep breaths, and tried to sprint through the knee-deep snow. She reached the shadows of the cabin’s back porch, where a screen door flapped in the wind. Dodging Jonathan’s snow-covered truck, she kept her gun low, and crept along the side of the cabin, toward the living room. She saw no other vehicle beyond the truck and no tire tracks broke the smooth silk of the snow.

Nobody here, she decided. But what will I do if Jonathan’s in there dead? Eyes wide, mouth gaping open in cadaverous surprise. Her stomach clenched. Years before she’d seen her mother like that; it still made her sick to think about it.

Gun in hand, she ducked beneath the first window and pressed her cheek against the chimney. The stones were icy cold; no fire had burned there lately. She lifted the Glock, crept to the edge of the second window, and risked a peek inside the cabin. But the

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