Chapter 55

CHAPTER 55

A ndi listened to Duke’s update when he returned to the cabin.

After he finished, she shook her head. “I can’t believe that’s what was going on this whole time. Are we sure it was Caleb and Peppermint?”

“They’re the only ones who make sense.” Juniper sat on the couch with a blanket pulled around her and a cup of cocoa in her hands. Simmy had made the drink for her. “I just can’t believe this.”

She’d already spoken those words of disbelief several times since she’d come back into the cabin.

“Aren’t there better ways they could have distributed these drugs?” Andi paused near the fire, relishing the warmth of the flames. “And where were they even getting the drugs to begin with?”

“Things aren’t monitored out here,” Juniper said. “I could see where someone who was up to no good would want to use this location. They packaged it with the magic Christmas dust, and no one suspected a thing.”

“My guess is that Pepper died because of this,” Duke said. “That note said: I told you this would happen. ”

“ Someone wanted to send a message, not only to Pepper but to Caleb also,” Andi murmured. “Maybe they were trying to take too large of a cut for themselves.”

Duke grabbed his phone. “I told Gibson I’d call him back. He said he has another update for us.”

“Can you put it on speaker?” Andi said.

“You got it.” He dialed the number, and the sound of ringing came through the device.

Gibson answered on the first ring. “Hey, Duke. Thanks for calling me back.”

“You have the whole gang here listening.”

“That’s fine. I wanted to let you know I’ve been doing some digging into Caleb’s background. As I told you before, Caleb Brinley, as people at the camp knew him, does not exist. He stole someone’s identity.”

“Did you find out who he really is?” Andi asked.

“I did. His name is Caleb Michaels, and he was involved in the drug scene down by the US/Canadian border. He made some enemies—on both sides—and went on the lam about three years ago. He’s used various identities since then.”

“I can’t believe that.” Juniper shook her head, her eyes pressed closed as if she were mentally chiding herself for trusting the man.

“You guys are going to try to get out of there still, right?” Gibson asked. “If Caleb’s enemies are close, and they know the stash of drugs is there, there’s no telling what they will do to get their hands on it.”

“That’s the plan,” Duke said. “We’ll let you know when we’re on the road. We just need to grab a few things.”

As Duke ended the call, Andi ground her teeth.

She hadn’t been sure if Pepper’s death was related to what was going on here or not. But she definitely hadn’t expected drug smuggling. Nor had she expected Juniper to be Simmy’s long-lost daughter.

They had some answers, but they still had so much to figure out.

According to Gibson, they needed to get out of here.

She wasn’t one to question him.

Actually, she was .

But not right now. Right now, she knew without a doubt they needed to leave—before it was too late.

Duke, Ranger, and Matthew all went outside to shovel snow so their vehicles could get out of the driveway.

As they did that, the rest of the gang packed. When they finished that, Juniper and Andi went back to leave extra food out for the reindeer. Then everyone was ready to load the bags into the vehicles and take off.

Juniper and Tundra rode with Simmy and Ranger, while the rest of them rode in Duke’s SUV.

Part of Duke was relieved to get away from this place. Too much had happened here. He had no idea what kind of people Caleb had mixed himself up with. Until they had more answers, it wasn’t safe.

These guys could have been the ones who killed Pepper. Because no one knew for certain that Caleb had killed her. Maybe it was someone Caleb had made mad with his behind-the-scenes drug deals.

Either way, Duke had a feeling Pepper’s death and Caleb’s disappearance was somehow related to the drugs.

As they headed down the snowy lane, he remembered how his vehicle had slid out of control yesterday. The conditions today were even more precarious.

But as he saw something on the road in front of them, he tapped his brakes.

Quickly, he glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure that Ranger saw him slowing.

Thankfully, his friend slowed also.

“What happened here?” Andi leaned closer to the windshield for a better look.

Duke crept closer before fully braking and throwing his SUV into Park.

Then he stared at the mess in front of him.

At least four trees had fallen and blocked the only road leading from the camp.

Was this a coincidence?

Somehow, he doubted it.