thoroughly searched the house and canvassed the neighborhood, but nothing of interest had been found and no one reported seeing anything prior to hearing Maddie Hill scream.
He noticed a missed call from Jake and checked his voicemail. Since Jake would not be home for at least an hour, he decided he had time for lunch. He made another call. “Kristy? I find myself with a free hour and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend it with. You free for lunch?”
6
Emma loved every season, each as different from the others as it was possible for weather to be. Growing up in southern California, she’d been accustomed to having just two seasons, wet and dry. In Wyoming, all four seasons chased each other around the calendar. Before Emma had time to grow tired with one, the next was pushing its way forward. Spring was her favorite time of year, but fall was a close second.
The change in air pressure that accompanied the movement from summer to fall was draining for Grace. Though she had said nothing to Emma, she hadn’t been able to hide the dark circles that appeared beneath her eyes. Over breakfast, Emma had suggested they skip the drive up Casper Mountain they’d been planning. “There’s a storm blowing down from Canada. Weather report calls for three feet of snow by tonight. I never quite believe the weatherman, but it’s still probably better if we wait.”
Grace had accepted Emma’s weather excuse despite the bright sun that was streaming in at every window and had readily agreed to another quite day at home. She’d fallen asleep on her easy chair, Peachy curled in her lap and Sparky on the back of her chair, snuggled against Grace’s shoulder. Emma had spent the past few hours lost in thought. Grace had told her that all of her family was gone. Jake, too, had lost his parents and had no siblings. He had cousins down south, where his mother was from, but they’d never been more than Christmas card family to him.
Her own family was big and boisterous, with several generations that gathered for holidays and special occasions. She and Jake had stayed home from the family Christmas celebration last year and they hadn’t been planning to go to Florida this year because of Grace. She decided to call her sister to see if she could fit one more person around her table. It might do Grace good to immerse herself in family, and everyone was family at her sister’s house.
Grace slept the morning away, while Emma took advantage of the quiet to read a book. A gust of wind slammed into the southwestern corner of the house with such force it startled both Grace and the cats. “Is it snowing?”
“Just wind. Clouds are blowing in. Weatherman might be right after all.”
“I hope so.” Grace hadn’t seen much snow, spending most of her time living in California or traveling the globe, going from airport to hotel to conference center to airport again. She was looking forward to what she’d told Emma would be her first white Christmas.
The two women were sitting down to a late lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches when they heard Jake’s truck in the drive. Emma ran out to greet him, throwing her arms around him as if they’d been apart for weeks instead of just two days.
“I should go away more often if that’s how you greet me when I come home.”
“I just missed you. Catch any fish? Did you get your elk?”
“Nah, but Jeb and I are going back tomorrow night. We’ll get in a couple more days before I have to give up and just go after deer. I missed you.” Emma walked in with Jake and made him a grilled cheese sandwich. She ladled soup into a mug for him and popped her own lunch into the microwave to reheat.
“So, what did you decide about running for County Attorney, Jacob?”
“Ninety percent.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“There’s a few people I want to talk to first.”
“Lining up your support in advance?” asked Emma. “Smart idea.”
“How
He noticed a missed call from Jake and checked his voicemail. Since Jake would not be home for at least an hour, he decided he had time for lunch. He made another call. “Kristy? I find myself with a free hour and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend it with. You free for lunch?”
6
Emma loved every season, each as different from the others as it was possible for weather to be. Growing up in southern California, she’d been accustomed to having just two seasons, wet and dry. In Wyoming, all four seasons chased each other around the calendar. Before Emma had time to grow tired with one, the next was pushing its way forward. Spring was her favorite time of year, but fall was a close second.
The change in air pressure that accompanied the movement from summer to fall was draining for Grace. Though she had said nothing to Emma, she hadn’t been able to hide the dark circles that appeared beneath her eyes. Over breakfast, Emma had suggested they skip the drive up Casper Mountain they’d been planning. “There’s a storm blowing down from Canada. Weather report calls for three feet of snow by tonight. I never quite believe the weatherman, but it’s still probably better if we wait.”
Grace had accepted Emma’s weather excuse despite the bright sun that was streaming in at every window and had readily agreed to another quite day at home. She’d fallen asleep on her easy chair, Peachy curled in her lap and Sparky on the back of her chair, snuggled against Grace’s shoulder. Emma had spent the past few hours lost in thought. Grace had told her that all of her family was gone. Jake, too, had lost his parents and had no siblings. He had cousins down south, where his mother was from, but they’d never been more than Christmas card family to him.
Her own family was big and boisterous, with several generations that gathered for holidays and special occasions. She and Jake had stayed home from the family Christmas celebration last year and they hadn’t been planning to go to Florida this year because of Grace. She decided to call her sister to see if she could fit one more person around her table. It might do Grace good to immerse herself in family, and everyone was family at her sister’s house.
Grace slept the morning away, while Emma took advantage of the quiet to read a book. A gust of wind slammed into the southwestern corner of the house with such force it startled both Grace and the cats. “Is it snowing?”
“Just wind. Clouds are blowing in. Weatherman might be right after all.”
“I hope so.” Grace hadn’t seen much snow, spending most of her time living in California or traveling the globe, going from airport to hotel to conference center to airport again. She was looking forward to what she’d told Emma would be her first white Christmas.
The two women were sitting down to a late lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches when they heard Jake’s truck in the drive. Emma ran out to greet him, throwing her arms around him as if they’d been apart for weeks instead of just two days.
“I should go away more often if that’s how you greet me when I come home.”
“I just missed you. Catch any fish? Did you get your elk?”
“Nah, but Jeb and I are going back tomorrow night. We’ll get in a couple more days before I have to give up and just go after deer. I missed you.” Emma walked in with Jake and made him a grilled cheese sandwich. She ladled soup into a mug for him and popped her own lunch into the microwave to reheat.
“So, what did you decide about running for County Attorney, Jacob?”
“Ninety percent.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“There’s a few people I want to talk to first.”
“Lining up your support in advance?” asked Emma. “Smart idea.”
“How
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