As soon as I got to the loading dock and grabbed the papers Nick dropped off, I realized I was just going through the motions. I could do this job with my eyes shut. Almost literally. If it wasn’t for the fear of hitting a pedestrian, I might even try it one day. Some days I was in a hurry, and I could be efficient and fast. Today it was just a duty. It was my responsibility to deliver papers, and I was going to do it. I recognized that some of the elderly people on my route depended on the papers for their window to the world. But today it was more about killing time and giving my mind a rest.

As I pulled away from the loading dock in my sagging station wagon, my head was somewhere else. It wasn’t somewhere pleasant, but at least it wasn’t dwelling on the fact that Mabel was dead and Bailey Mae was still missing.

Just a block from the loading dock, as I pulled up to the closest intersection, I felt a sudden impact. Wham! My whole world started to spin. It was as if I felt the collision before I even heard the deafening crash. My giant old station wagon spun across the icy road, and nothing I did with the steering wheel or brakes seemed to make any difference at all.

As the car started to slow its wild spin, I felt a second impact as the station wagon drove into thick trees on the side of the road. The abrupt stop threw me from the driver’s seat into the passenger seat, and my papers spilled from the crates in the rear all over the car.

Somehow I managed to open the passenger door and tumble out onto the cold, hard ground. For the first time, I wondered if the people in the other car were hurt. I struggled to my feet and took a moment to catch my breath and get my bearings. When I looked up, I recognized the vehicle wedged against mine. It was the Ford pickup truck with the snowplow, and it had done a number on my front quarter panel.

As I processed this image, I saw a figure slide out of the driver’s side of the pickup. I didn’t even know if it was a man or a woman. All I saw was the gun.

I quickly patted my waistline. Damn it. I’d left the pistol in the car. That was a mistake, and now I had to make sure it wouldn’t be a fatal one.

I took three quick steps and jumped behind a snowbank, hoping to put some distance between me and my attacker just as he fired two quick shots.

My head jerked as I felt the impact of the second shot. I was hit.

Chapter 19

Chapter 19