Santa In Montana (Calder Saga 11)

Chase called after her. “While you’re at it, find Trey. Tell him that I need to see him.”

Within an hour both Quint and Laura had been alerted to the forecasted winter storm predicted for Christmas Eve. Both had already begun adjusting their schedules to arrive at the Triple C ahead of it. Twenty minutes later, Trey walked into the den.

“Cat sent a message that you needed to see me.”

“Yes.” A movement beyond the doorway drew Chase’s glance as one of the teenaged girls walked by. “Close the doors.”

Trey made a rapid scan of his grandfather’s expression, realizing this must be something important, and trying to gauge the seriousness of it. As always, Chase’s expression was difficult to read. He closed the doors and crossed to one of the wingbacked chairs.

“Laredo’s over at the Shamrock ranch,” Chase announced.

Trey drew his head back in surprise. “The Shamrock. What’s he doing there?”

“Hiding out. I told him when it was safe for him to come back, I’d send—only you. Go tell him to come home.”

“Will do.” Trey didn’t bother to ask for any explanations. Like others, he knew Laredo’s past didn’t bear close scrutiny. If Laredo had needed a place to lie low, then he’d had his reasons, and it wasn’t important for Trey to know what they were.

“If anyone should ask—and I mean anyone—don’t tell them where you’re going or why,” Chase instructed.

“No problem,” Trey assured him.

“Have you heard the forecast?” Chase asked. Trey walked to the door.

He paused in front of the doors. “We’re already checking to make sure each camp has extra hay on hand and hauling round bales to all the isolated pastures. After that, we’ll just have to wait to see how strong the winds are and whether the cattle start drifting with them.”

In short, all was being done that could be done.

A half hour before dinner that night, Trey returned to the Homestead followed by Laredo. Jessy’s face lit up when she saw him.

“You’re back.” She smiled up at Laredo, automatically fitting herself to his side.

“Miss me?”

“Only every day,” Jessy admitted with her usual candor.

Chase emerged from the den and saw the two together. “Don’t be asking any questions about where’s he been, Jessy. For now, that’s a secret between Laredo and me.”

She laughed. “I won’t. Unlike some, I like being surprised on Christmas.”

“Good.” Chase nodded and continued on his way to the dining room.

Jessy and Laredo followed at a much slower pace. “Have you already been to the Boar’s Nest?” she wondered.

“Didn’t have time, though it would have been nice to clean up and get a change of clothes.”

“We can both go after dinner. I have a surprise to show you,” Jessy told him, aware the Christmas hot tub was something he was bound to notice as soon as he got there.

“A surprise, huh?” There was a knowing gleam in his blue eyes. “It wouldn’t happen to be—”

She pressed two fingers to his mouth, stopping him from finishing his sentence. “No questions from you either.”

He grinned. “Fair enough.”

By mid-morning on the twenty-fourth, the skies had already turned a sullen gray, but it was the ominous bank of dark clouds to the northeast that foretold the storm’s approach. For the time being the air was still, barely a breath of wind, but Trey wasn’t fooled by that. The northeast was the home to what the Sioux Indians called the White Wolf—a howling Arctic blizzard.

Hands thrust deep in the pockets of his sheepskin-lined parka, Trey stood at the window of the office area sectioned off the airstrip’s main hangar and watched the sky. Behind him the radio crackled.

“Five miles out on final approach.”