Yuletide Jeopardy

Alex sat up with his back pressed against the fender of the car and tried to peer around the front, but another bullet plowed into the front bumper. The gunfire seemed to be coming from a different direction. Maybe the shooter was working his way around so he had a clear shot at them now huddled beside the car.

Grace started to push up from the ground, but Alex shoved her back down and fell on top of her to shield her body as another bullet ripped past their heads. He was about to urge Grace to crawl to the back of the car when three police cruisers roared into the parking lot.

Before he could sit up, the officers, one of them holding a dog, jumped out of the cars, fanned out across the parking lot and headed toward the trees at the edge of the forest. Alex sat up and pulled Grace into a sitting position.

The lieutenant in charge of the officers squatted down beside them. “What happened here?”

Alex stood up and pulled Grace to her feet. “Thanks for getting here so quickly,” he said as he began to relate the events in the park to the officer.

After about fifteen minutes one of the officers emerged from the forest and jogged to where they waited. “We searched the woods, sir. The dog hit on several places where the shooter had stood when he fired, but he was gone. He must have had his escape route planned well.”

Alex nodded. “I could tell he was moving, trying to get a better shot.”

“We’re glad neither of you were hurt,” the lieutenant said. His gaze traveled over the bullet-marked car and shook his head. “Too bad about the car. We’re going to take another look in the woods before we go, but we’ll be glad to give you a ride when we leave.”

Alex shook his head. “No need for that. I’ll call my partner.” He pulled out his cell phone and punched in Brad’s number.

Brad answered right away. “Hello.”

“Brad, it’s Alex. Grace and I are at the Overton Park Pavilion, and we need a ride. Can you come pick us up?”

“Sure, I’ll be there right away.”

“Thanks.”

He disconnected the call and shoved the phone back in his pocket. “Brad should be here shortly. He can take you back to the television station. Would you like for me to give you a ride home this evening?”

“I’d appreciate it. I’ll be ready as soon as the six o’clock news is over.” A cold wind blew across the parking lot, and she drew her coat closer around her. She bit down on her lip and pointed to her car. “This doesn’t change anything, Alex. I’m still going to pursue this story.”

He gritted his teeth. “What’s the matter with you? Are you crazy? Somebody just tried to kill us, and you want to keep going with this investigation? This is something for the police to address, not you.”

“I don’t understand why he waited until we got back to the car to shoot at us. He could have done that while we were in the forest.”

Alex nodded. “I was wondering the same thing.”

“What if he didn’t intend to kill us? What if he only wanted to scare us?” She pulled the note from her pocket. “I think he wants us to find the next clue.”

“We could offer what-ifs all day long and not be any closer to the truth than we are now,” Alex said. “The facts are that someone lured you to a deserted place then shot at you. Whether or not he meant to kill you doesn’t matter. Any one of those bullets could have found their mark. This is where your involvement with this investigation has to end.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Tears sparkled in her eyes, and she pulled Landon’s friendship ring from her pocket and slipped it on her finger. “I’m convinced that whoever shot at us took this ring off Landon’s finger after he killed him. I promised his father I would find out the truth, and I’m not giving up until I know what it is.”

“Grace, please...”

“No! I won’t give up even if I have to do this on my own.”

He exhaled and shook his head. It would do no good to argue with her, and he’d come to the decision about what he should do while he was still in the forest. “I know I’m wasting my breath trying to get you to see reason, Grace. If you’re determined, I’m not going to let you do this alone.” He sighed and reached for the paper she still held. “I work these puzzles all the time. I’ll get started on it tonight.”

“Thank you, Alex.” She hesitated a moment, and he knew she was about to ask him to do something else.

He groaned inwardly. “I know that look, Grace. What else do you want me to do?”

“When you take me home, I’d like for you to come inside and be with me when I tell my parents what happened today.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know, Grace. Your father never did like me. To him I’ll always be the gardener’s son. I doubt if my presence will make any difference.”

“You’re wrong. My father is very different from when you knew him, and I want you to see for yourself. Please do this.”

He wanted to tell her no, but her eyes begged him to do this. After a moment, he nodded. “Okay, I’ll come in for a few minutes.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Alex.”

She crossed her arms and leaned back against the car. Alex turned and stared into the woods where the officers continued to search. He glanced down at the broken headlights and the bullet holes in the car. They had barely missed being killed today.

Cold fear washed over him, and he rubbed the hair on the back of his neck. Grace had opened a Pandora’s box with her announcement on air that she was going to look into Landon Mitchell’s death. There was nothing he could do to stop what might come, but one thing he could do was be there to make sure nothing happened to Grace.

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