Murder Fir Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page B

loved wild animals. My mother used to complain because I brought rabbits and snakes inside all the time so I could take care of them. It’s what I wanted to do as an adult too.”
    “Why not work for a zoo or an animal refuge?” he asked.
    “My father was in law enforcement. I guess I wanted to roll the two together after he died. He was killed during a traffic stop on the highway near Sevierville. I was twelve at the time.”
    “I’m sorry. My father died when I was young too. Nothing so dramatic. His tractor rolled over him.”
    “That’s terrible too. I’m sorry.” She put her cup of coffee in a holder between the seats and yawned. “So what do you do?”
    “I still grow Christmas trees in the valley. Same piece of land—but I never take a tractor out by myself.” He paused. “Why did you leave the valley to find your career? Seems like there are plenty of jobs around working with animals. You could’ve been a part-time cop too.”
    She snuggled into her jacket. His had been much better since it was bigger, but hers would have to do. “I had to leave. I didn’t ever plan on coming back to stay.”
    “But sometimes things happen,” he replied. “I guess you had to come back to be with your mother, huh?”
    Bonnie’s even breathing and failure to reply told him that she was asleep. He tucked his coat across her, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes.
* * *
    It was morning when she awakened. For a minute she couldn’t figure out where she was. The windows were covered with snow. Her back hurt, and the wolf behind her was crying out.
    Matthew was on his knees leaning across the seat. “Swallow some of this, little man. It’s guaranteed to make you feel better.”
    “Is he all right?” Even though her brain felt sluggish, she could still remember the wolf she’d rescued.
    “He’s in some pain. I made a paste with some herbs for the pain. He takes it pretty well.”
    “I’m surprised he’d take it from you that way. What’s in it?”
    “The herbs aren’t as important to getting him to swallow it as the bacon flavoring I put in it.” He soothed the wolf with a salve on the burned parts of his body.
    Bonnie watched him through the sliver of space between his back and her seat. “You’re really good at this. I’m surprised you’re not a wildlife vet.”
    “School and I never got along. It’s just come to me so I could help animals when I need to. But I told you, I’m a tree farmer at heart.” He sat back in his seat. “My coffee was gone a long time ago. How about yours?”
    “Sure. I could use something hot.” She moved his jacket toward him. “You might need this.”
    “It stopped snowing a couple of hours ago.” He put on his jacket. “The cold set in after that. They’re saying it’s a couple of degrees below zero. I’ll be right back.”
    But it wasn’t as easy to get out as he’d expected. The snow was higher than the bottom of the door and glazed with ice. He had to lean back in the seat and kick the door open. Snow fell on him from the roof and blew into the truck.
    “Don’t try that at home.” He grinned at her and was gone.
    Bonnie checked her phone when he was gone. There were messages from her brother and mother, but she had no service to return the calls. She sighed as she took a closer look at the wolf. The herbs Matthew had given him had taken away the pain, and he was sleeping. He looked so thin and frail. She hoped he’d survive and that she’d be able to reintroduce him to his natural habitat.
    When Matthew didn’t return right away, she decided to go inside to wash her face and get her own coffee. She felt sure no one was going to be out to steal the truck. There were no footsteps or tire marks in the pristine, white blanket that lay over the town.
    Matthew was on his way out as she was going in. He handed her a cup of coffee. “There are donuts too. I didn’t have enough hands to grab any and thought you might not want to eat them after they