CA 35 Christmas Past Read Online Free PDF Page B

away from the lodge entrance, she gave him the all clear. “It’s safe for
you to get up now.” It was still dark, but the village lights made the ice and
snow sparkle. A winter wonderland. That was Aspen.
God, she’d missed this part of the country. It snowed in Chicago, but the
landscape was nothing like this. The only mountains seen from her apartment
view were skyscrapers.
                He sat up, twisted
around to glance out the rear window. “You do this often?”
                She navigated the
increasing village traffic. Tourists were already out in force. “I have to
admit, I’ve never facilitated an escape.”
                “Could’ve
fooled me.”
                She was going to have
to watch her step or he’d figure out she was a little too helpful. A little too around.
               
                The roads were in good
condition despite the recent snowfall. A definite plus when maneuvering the
busy streets of the picturesque village. The early hour didn’t deter anyone.
They’d come here for the slopes and they weren’t wasting a single moment. The
village folks went all-out for Christmas. Lights and greenery
in every window. New York’s holiday window displays had nothing on
Aspen’s.
                Add the ambience to the
great skiing, and tourists flocked to the area. During the winter season the
population of Aspen skyrocketed, making for close quarters on the streets and sidewalks
and in every other space thereabouts.
                As she left the city
streets behind, her passenger spoke up. “Where exactly is this Mama Jo’s?”
                “A
few miles outside town.” She’d eaten there a million times. As a kid,
her family had often gone for Sunday brunch.
                Then she realized just
how deeply she had thrust her booted foot into her mouth.
                “How do you know the
place has the best coffee for a hundred miles? You’ve been here before? I
thought you said this was your first visit to Aspen.”
                She didn’t have to look
at him to know he’d just put two and two together and come up with five. It was
inordinately clear in his voice. Not to mention he was staring a hole through
her.
                “Don’t you do your
research before you take a vacation?” She did look at him then, as if she
couldn’t believe he would be so careless. She was skating on thin ice here.
She’d taken her cover over the top, given him way too many avenues to question.
And just as many for her to stumble over.
                “What do you mean?”
                “Honey—” she turned her
attention back to the road “—I check out every restaurant, shop and
accommodation I think I might be even remotely interested in. I work too hard
for my money to waste it. When the better part of a hundred
reviews say Mama Jo’s is the best breakfast stop for a few hundred
miles, I believe it’s in all likelihood so.”
                Molly’s fingers
tightened on the steering wheel. She’d seriously screwed up there. If he didn’t
buy her excuse…this whole setup could crumble and her first field assignment
would be blown. Not a good way to cement her fledgling career as an
investigator at one of the top agencies in the nation.
                If they could just get
past these sorts of questions, she would be good to go. He’d accepted the whole
“we have to share a room” setup. And, until now, he’d seemed to be satisfied
that she was who she said she was.
                The more experienced
investigators at the Colby Agency had warned her about giving too much
information when developing a cover. Keep it simple. Give only the
absolutely necessary.
                First time out, she’d
failed.
                Idiot!
                “I guess,” he finally
said, “I