Mountain Ice (David Dean Mysteries)

Dean had been successful, for a four-figure charge, in securing a one way ticket with an open ended return, from Montrose, via Denver and Chicago, to Indianapolis. Cynthia would go alone-that was a given with Bird Song requiring Dean's attention. From Indianapolis, Cynthia would rent a car for a two-hour drive to her mother's small town. It would be a very long day and night. She paced as Dean finalized the arrangements with scarcely enough time left to reach the airport before the first leg of the trip was scheduled to board.

Fred returned, was informed of the situation, and gave Cynthia a warm and silent hug. He then reached into his pocket for his snap-top purse and extracted five worn twenty-dollar bills. He forced them into her hand, closing her fingers.

"You might need a stiff drink or two. And don't you worry none about Bird Song. Me and David here will have the place running as smooth as a Shanghai subway." Before Dean could remember what Shanghai offered for public transportation, Fred set about taking care of the needs and concerns of the returning guests.

"How's she going to fly in this stuff?" Fred asked at one point, on his way to deliver cookies and hot chocolate to the parlor. Dean continued to make sandwiches the pair would eat on the road.

"They say the flight isn't canceled yet so let's hope Montrose stays clear enough, at least for another hour or two."

The trip to the Montrose airport was slow. The roads were nearly empty but low visibility made driving treacherous. Cynthia sat huddled in the corner of her seat, away from Dean, her tiny size looking childlike as she trembled, in spite of the fact the Jeep's heater was set on high.

"I'm sorry about this morning," he said as they crawled up the road from Ridgway. She looked away, outside, at the blur of snow as he continued. "It was stupid of me to lose it and act like a school kid. Whacking the bastard wasn't the way to respond. God," he said, as it began to sink in, "and now he's dead!"

She just shook her head. "I don't know what's right and wrong anymore. It's been a terrible few days." She took a deep breath, "I'm glad he's dead. He was an evil man. I know I shouldn't say it, but it's the truth. I just hope God doesn't punish me by...taking my mother."

"It doesn't work that way." He added, "I wish I were going with you."

"I'm scared."

He reached over and pulled her toward him and she snuggled against him and he could feel her shake. "He's dead now. It's all past us."