Murder Fir Christmas Read Online Free PDF

her.
    She’d also grabbed the heavy coat that went with her uniform. It was like new since she’d only worn it a few times in Alabama. Asking Sandie if she could leave her suitcase there, she draped Matthew’s coat over one arm and picked up two cups of coffee before she went out into the storm.
    It was easy to see why the roads out of Sweet Pepper were blocked. The storm had gathered intensity and had already blanketed the area with at least a foot of snow. Under that was the ice that had first accumulated. The roads that had been difficult were going to be impassable.
    She found Matthew’s truck parked along the curb close to town hall. Her wet tennis shoes were freezing in the snow. She hadn’t thought to bring any boots with her, other than rain boots. She’d have to shop for a pair as soon as she could. It was December in the Smoky Mountains. There would be snow through March or April. She was going to need some warmer clothes too.
    Bonnie tapped on the driver’s side window, and Matthew rolled it down.
    “Coffee?” she asked as the steam from the hot cup swirled with the snow.
    He looked surprised. “Thank you. The bed and breakfast is just over there. Sorry I can’t offer to drive you. I don’t want to lose this space—close to necessary services.”
    She didn’t answer but hurried around to the passenger side, shoved in his jacket, and hopped up on the seat. “You go on to the bed and breakfast,” she said. “I’m the one who brought the wolf. You shouldn’t have to suffer for my actions.”
    “I’ve spent more nights in this truck than I care to remember. I’ll keep watch on the wolf.”
    “Where is he?” She changed the subject since she knew she wasn’t leaving. “How’s he doing?”
    “He’s right here in the back.” He turned on the overhead light so she could see the wolf. “He’s doing all right for an animal that was shot and burned. He’s young. He should recover.”
    Bonnie peered around the seat. The little wolf was sleeping on her jacket. Matthew had cleaned him up, and his wound was no longer bleeding. She smoothed her hand across his head where he hadn’t been injured.
    “Thank you.” She turned back to face Matthew. “Burned and shot?”
    “Yep.” He tossed a small bottle to her. “I got the bullet out. I guess he was involved in the gunfight with Ray and Harvey.”
    She examined the bullet in the plastic bottle, holding it up to the light. “Not a bullet from a rifle. It looks more like a .38.”
    “That’s what I thought too. What the heck was going on out there?”
    “I guess we’ll have more answers tomorrow once the fire brigade gives its report and the coroner has a look at Ray and Harvey.”
    He turned off the light and sat back in his seat sipping his coffee. “You better head over to the B and B. I think we might already have more than a foot of snow, and it’s not slowing down.”
    “I’m not leaving.” She sat back in her seat and drank some of her coffee. “But you can. I promise to keep an eye on your truck.”
    “You’re kind of stubborn, aren’t you?” There was a smile in his voice.
    “That’s what my parents always said. I like to think of it as tenacious.”
    “Not a bad quality for someone in your line of work. How’d you become a federal agent anyway?”
    Bonnie watched the snow hitting the wide windshield, grateful for the warmth of the truck—and hoping he had enough gas in the tank to last the night. She was glad he finally accepted that she wasn’t leaving, but she wished he would have taken her up on her offer to stay there without him. He seemed to be a nice enough person, but it was still awkward staying in his truck overnight. She supposed she could have moved the wolf to her pickup, but she was exhausted. And the heater in her truck wasn’t as good.
    Something else on the list, she thought sleepily.
    She indulged his curiosity by briefly explaining how she’d decided to become a Wildlife Agent. “I’ve always