35. Snow Angel

35

SNOW ANGEL

J arrett was thrilled they managed to get through Jack's transfer news. Jack signed a lease a few days ago on an apartment in a building that Scott and Mitchell owned. He was pretty sure that Jack bumped someone else up on a list. Jarrett had told Scott that it was a personal favor for Andi.

No one questioned it or doubted anything. They all knew what happened to Andi and that her cousin had flown in quickly as her only family.

He'd never said Jack was anything other than Andi's cousin when he didn't know the truth and ignored it when it was brought up to not lie now.

He'd rather focus on the weekend he was having with Andi and was thrilled that the weather wasn't horrible for thetwo-hourdrive from the docks.

Though the higher they got into the mountains the more snow there was. The roads were at least clear.

"I miss this," she said, looking out his window. "I didn't realize how much I would. It's exactly what I need."

"I'm glad," he said. "I don't know the last time I had a few days off without worrying about work or being on call."

"Are you on call now?" she asked.

"Nope," he said. "All calls will go to another investigator that is on the islandpart time. I'm truly on vacation and it's been a long time since that happened."

"I haven't been on vacation since my plane crashed into the ocean."

She was laughing when she said that. "Not funny."

She held her finger and thumb up. "It was a little bit funny," she said. "Admit it. I mean if I can't laugh over this, I might cry again and I'm tired of crying."

Luke's birthday was last week and he hadn't known. He'd gone to see Andi after work and she'd looked as if she'd been sobbing and he was terrified something had happened to her, but she'd explained what it was.

That she couldn't even go visit him at the cemetery. She'd gotten him a stone even though she had him cremated. She had his ashes in the house and he'd seen them in a silver container that was in a box hidden away.

He wanted to know why she did that and she said she hadn't found the right piece to put them in and seeing them in that boring box was depressing.

He brought her to Laine Connors-Mills's studio. Laine was an artist on the island and made a lot of custom pottery pieces and something was being made for Andi now.

"Sometimes we just have to do what feels good at the time," he said.

"I know," she said. "But sometimes I feel like a wuss. I never used to cry this much in my life and I feel as if it's all I do anymore."

"I don't think you're much of a crier," he said. "And when you shed a few tears, you've got every right to do it. I know many that would be crying daily in your position."

"Thanks for that," she said. "I know there are people out there in worse situations than me. All things considered, I've got it good."

"It's good to have that attitude. This looks like it's our turn."

Jarrett saw the mailbox out front where his navigation was telling him to turn.

The long driveway had been plowed and he knew there was no snow in the forecast for the next several days but plenty for them to strap on snowshoes and walk the paths.

"That is gorgeous," she said when they pulled in front of the log cabin. "Like out of a storybook."

"It's nicer than the pictures," he said.

"I don't even care what the inside looks like. I mean from the pictures it was beautiful, but the outside and the nature around make up for everything. There is even a farm over there."

"The owners are on the other side of the farm." He could see the house in the distance.Farenough they couldn't be seen or heard but could walk over. "They said we can go over and feed the animals if we want. I guess a lot of people enjoy that. Must be the city folk that come up here."

She started to laugh. "I wouldn't mind going to do it, but it's not like I haven't before. I'm not what I'd consider city folk."

"I'm not," he said. He felt like he was anything but even though it's not like he'd been to a lot of farms in his life either.

"It will be fun. I'm glad we brought food with us," she said. "I didn't see any stores in the past thirty minutes."

"There isn't one," he said. "This is true nature. I bet it's nice up here in the fall too. I don't think I'd want to be here in the summer, though there are some hiking trails to take you into the mountains. Just the thought of someone getting hurt and having to call for help makes me nervous."

"Not funny," she said, slapping his arm playfully.

"I couldn't resist," he said.

He parked and they got out and made their way to the front door before they unloaded everything. He put the code in for the lock that he was told and a key dropped out for him to unlock the door.

"Oh yeah," she said. "I wonder how high those ceilings are?"

"Looks like close to twenty feet," he said, looking up when they walked into the cabin.

It just took his breath away. One wall was all glass looking into the backyard and mountains in the distance.

There were two bedrooms on the first floor with a full bath and the primary was a massive loft upstairs.

"Let's go see the bedroom upstairs," she said.

She was all but running up the stairs and he was following behind her. There was a hallway to the room that overlooked the family and dining room below.

Jarrett turned the corner and went into the primary and saw Andi rolling on the bed.

"You look like a kid right now."

"I can't help it," she said. "This is awesome." She grabbed his arm and pulled him right on the bed while she was giggling. "Thank you so much."

He turned and pinned her to the bed, leaning over her and kissing her lips. "You're more than welcome and you can show me your appreciation later tonight, but we should get our stuff."

"Yep, let's do it," she said. "We'll have a few hours before it gets dark and can check out the area. Maybe get a little walk in."

He rolled off the bed and wasn't even in the hallway before he heard a voice yelling, "Hello?"

He moved in front of her and looked over to see an older couple there. "Hi," he said.

"Jarrett Bond?" the man asked. "We are Bob and Cindy Moyer."

"Yes," he said, walking down the stairs. Their eyes landed on his gun. He wouldn't leave home without it if he had Andi with him. Not that he ever left home without it anyway, but if she wasn't with him it'd be in the glove box. Now it was on his body or by his side nonstop.

She never once said a word about it. Maybe because ever since she met him he'd had it on him. She was probably used to it with her father anyway.

"Are you the police?" Cindy asked.

"State police," he said. He pulled out his ID to show them. "I'm just here on vacation."

Cindy looked at his ID. "That's fine," Bob said. "Just threw us off. I'm sure you're not the first person to come here with a gun, but we don't see it like that. We just wanted to let you know that we are the house next to the barn if you need anything or have any problems. You're a little earlier than we thought and I wanted to bring some wood in but didn't want to do it without letting you know."

"I'll get it," he said. The guy looked to be close to seventy.

"No," Bob said. "You're renting the place. I should have had it here, but it was just delivered and I threw some in my truck. The rest is at our house so if you run out, just let me know."

No way he was letting the guy do it. He followed him out and saw the twenty or so pieces in the back of the truck and went to pick up several and bring them in.

"I'll get our stuff," Andi said.

"Leave the cooler for me to get," he said.

"I planned on it," she said, laughing.

In ten minutes he had all the wood stacked and watched the owners drive away, then went to get the cooler. Andi had brought in everything else and no amount of telling her to leave it worked.

She was almost as stubborn as his mother who had four men to do things for her.

He carried the cooler into the kitchen and helped her unload it. They had food to cook dinner for two nights and lunch meats along with some breakfast foods they kept cold on the drive up.

Andi had put away the snacks and other food for their two days. He thought they packed light or were going to, but it filled up a lot of the back of his SUV.

"I think everything is set," he said.

"Looks it," she said. "Do we want to just put the snowshoes on and walk around the back? It seems pretty open."

"Bob said we could go right or left when we get back there. He has the trails marked to stay out of the woods if we want to go right now."

"I think that is best," she said. "It will be dark in less than two hours. No reason to get lost."

Jarrett pulled his phone out. "At least I've got cell service. I'm going to drop a pin right here just in case we do get lost tomorrow."

"So smart," she said. "I'd never think to do those things and I should."

"That is what you've got me for. Let's get our snow pants on and bundle up. It's not too cold, but if we are out there too long, we'll start to feel it."

They pulled up snow pants over their jeans, put their boots on, and then bundled up with jackets and hats, found the snowshoes on the back porchandstrapped them on once they were outside.

He liftedupone leg and then the other to move and get the hang of it. Andi took three steps, her feet got tangled up, and down she went. He tried to catch her and ended up in the snow with her.

"Good thing you turned or you would have squished me."

She was laughing so hard she had tears running down her face. She rolled off of him onto her back and started to swing her arms and legs wide. Or try to with their snowshoes on her feet.

"What are you doing?"

"Making a snow angel," she said. "It feels like that is about all I'm able to do successfully. I'm thinking we are better off going in and building a fire and having a drink than worrying about me breaking something."

He was thrilled she'd suggested that because he was terrified she'd pinch him if he did, but he was seriously concerned that she wasn't going to last long without falling every other step.

He stood up and reached his hand out to pull her up. She almost pulled him back down trying to get her balance.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking them off," she said. "I can walk better without them. I want to see the animals tomorrow and we can do it without them. I don't think the snow is that deep."

Over his ankles, but not by much. That was why they had boots and snow pants.

"We'll figure it out tomorrow. It's been a long day of traveling having to ride on the ferry and then the drive here," he said.

"The downside to living on the island. Added an hour to our drive."

"But the beauty of living there makes up for it," he said.

"It does," she said. "I'm so glad I found it."

"So am I," he said softly. He didn't think she heard him, but she smiled at him and winked letting him know she heard everything.