Silent Night by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online Page B

sitting around the fireplace playing Scrabble. It seemed such a mundane thing to be doing. I mean, come on, Scrabble is an old person’s game. It’s been around forever. You plopped the word OTHERS onto the board. In that moment, I realized my entire life was about me. I never thought of others at all. It was always what I wanted. Because my parents died, I thought I was entitled to get whatever else I needed. I’d been searching for love and acceptance in all the wrong places when all the time it was right here.”
    Bree studied Lauri’s face and saw her eyes mist. “Oh, honey, we love you so much. Kade would walk on hot coals for you.”
    “I know he would.” Lauri’s voice was choked. “I’ve put you both through a lot, and I’m sorry. Truly.” She wiped her wet face with a finger. “I need to apologize to Kade too.”
    “I could see he was touched that you were trying to help that girl.” Bree rose when Lauri did and grasped her shoulders. “But don’t you dare put yourself in jeopardy like that again. That guy might have hurt you. Or worse.”
    Lauri sobered. “I know it was stupid. I need to be smart—like you.”
    Bree shook her head and smiled. “I’m stupid myself on occasion.” She turned toward the Jeep. “Let’s find that cabin.”

Seven
    M -18 headed on east, and Bree made a sharp turn onto Pakkala Road, which would take them into a heavily forested area. In the spring, motor homes and SUVs pulling campers plied the road on their way to experience some of the last wilderness left in the Midwest. Today the road was practically empty, as most campers didn’t want to enter the Snow King’s paradise.
    Some would laugh at her for describing snow country as paradise, but then they likely had never smelled the cold freshness of pollution-free air or watched a white blanket of snow cloak everything in clean, pristine beauty. Bree couldn’t imagine a better place on earth. A sparkling winter day like this offered a glimpse of perfection.
    She parked the Jeep and got the dogs out. “Hang on to Zorro.”
    Lauri nodded and yanked on her struggling dog’s collar. “He wants to play in the snow.”
    “Little Piney Lake is that way.” Bree gestured to their west. “You said it was on the north side of the lake. We’ll have to hike in about two miles, then head toward the lake. I think we’re just north of the lake if we head west.”
    Lauri’s warm breath fogged the winter air. “Two miles? We can’t get any closer?”
    Bree shook her head. “I only have one sidecar for the snowmobile, so our only option is to hike in. It’s not a bad walk, though. The ground is mostly level. Follow me.”
    She held a downed barbed-wire fence out of the way for Lauri, then the two of them trudged through the forest. The cold air burned Bree’s lungs, so she knew Lauri had to be uncomfortable, but the young woman made no complaints. She pushed on with a grim and determined expression.
    Half an hour later Bree paused. “We’re close enough to let the dogs try to find the scent.” She held the paper sack under Samson’s nose. He plunged his nose into the jacket, then raised his muzzle and barked.
    “Search, Samson,” Bree said. Her dog raced off into the clearing.
    Lauri unclipped Zorro’s leash, and he ran after Samson. Both dogs ran back and forth, their muzzles in the air. They worked in a Z pattern, scenting the air until they could catch a hint of the one scent they sought—skin rafts drifting in the air. Samson’s tail stiffened, and he turned and raced in the direction of the frozen lake.
    “He’s caught it!” Bree ran after her dog.
    Lauri followed Zorro. The forest engulfed them again, and the rustling of the wind through the snow-covered trees, the muffled sounds of small animals, and the whispering scent of wet snow all comforted Bree with a sense of place and time. In spite of their familiarity, Bree knew the welcome was just a facade. The North Woods was never safe.
    As Garrick