A Very Venom Christmas - Kristine Allen Page 0,22

it in the cupholder.

Something wasn’t sitting right. What Grams had said, then Loralei stopping to see Snow, along with the light he’d fixed twice—which he confirmed had been busted out the second time.

We both had a feeling someone was fucking with her house. But why? Did it have something to do with her having been in prison?

I got held up by an accident on the main road through town. After getting tired of waiting, I jumped off on a side street. It brought me in the back way, so I parked on the street. Because her house was on the corner by the stop sign and her truck was in the driveway, I parked in front of her neighbor’s house. They better not get pissy, because I wasn’t in the mood.

When I shut off the truck, snow was starting to fall. I couldn’t stay long. If I hoped to beat this storm system, I needed to get on the road.

As I walked up the sidewalk to her house, I noticed all the lights were on. Like every single window had a light burning. And both porches.

What the fuck?

Without a clue as to why, my senses were screaming at me that something was wrong with the entire scenario. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I darted a calculated glance around the area. My unease building, I stormed to the front door and banged on it.

“You need to go to the back door,” a muffled voice said through the wood. I took a few unsuccessful calming breaths.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Usually levelheaded, I was acting out of character. I needed to get my goddamn shit under control.

Once I’d somewhat calmed down, I went to the back door. The kitchen curtain fluttered, and I heard the locks being turned. The door cautiously cracked before it swung open. I expected Loralei to answer.

Instead, it was an old man. He had to be pushing ninety. That’s when the yapping registered. There was a little hairy dog barking at his feet. He scooped it up, and it growled but quit barking.

“She said you’d be coming. I wasn’t sure if I believed her.”

“What?” I was confused as hell. “Who are you, what are you doing here, and how did you know who I was?”

“Cuz Miss Loralei described you to a T. Name’s Ennis, and this here’s Daisy.” He motioned to the little brown and white dog. “We live back there.” He pointed to the house kitty-corner to Loralei’s in the back.

“Okay? That doesn’t answer the rest of my questions. Where’s Loralei?” I looked at the tall, thin man.

“I’m right here.” Her voice was shaky, and my eyes darted in her direction.

“What the hell is going on?” I was outraged. She had a black eye, her face was scraped up, and distinct fingermarks were bruised into the delicate skin of her neck. I was in front of her in three strides, my hands gently cradling her face so I could inspect the damage. Upon closer assessment, she had a cut by the corner of her eye that might need stitches.

In the blink of an eye, I wanted to kill someone.

Irrational as that thought was, it was one hundred percent true.

She took a long, shuddering breath, but the man stepped up to explain. “I was letting Daisy out to go to the bathroom, and I heard a noise. Daisy darted over to the opening in the fence. Then I heard Loralei scream but it went muffled, which worried me. I had to fight with the gate, or I would’ve gotten to her sooner.” Poor guy looked sick with guilt.

“I’m okay,” she insisted.

She wasn’t.

“You need to go to the doctor,” I ordered. She shook her head with fear in her eyes.

“That’s what I said, but she wouldn’t listen,” Ennis concurred. My teeth ground as I noted every abrasion.

“I need to make a phone call,” I said, but she grabbed my hand before I made my call.

“You can’t call the police!” she cried.

“Why the hell not?” I wasn’t going to, but I wanted to know why she didn’t want the police called. If she’d done her time, there shouldn’t still be an issue.

“Please, just don’t,” she begged, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. With Ennis there as witness, I wasn’t going to push her, but I was going to get to the bottom of that shit.

“Well, I’m not,” I assured her, then called Snow.

“Goddamn, hope you’re on the road. Shit is already coming