When the Snow Falls

by Fern Michaels

  “In all the excitement, I forgot.”

  “Right,” Hannah kidded. “Seems like Pierce knows your habits quite well.”

  He nodded in the affirmative. “I’m hoping to get to know yours a lot better, too.”

  Hannah didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing. Five minutes later, they were on the ground. Thank goodness, she thought, because if she’d had to come up with an answer, she wasn’t sure what she would’ve said.

  Chapter 7

  Hannah said good-bye to Pierce and thanked him for saving her from a long drive. “I can’t imagine why Max didn’t have me fly directly to Telluride, so thanks again.” She shook his hand and made her way inside the small airport. Actually, she was very suspicious of the entire setup, but she’d give Max the benefit of the doubt for now.

  Liam stayed behind, apparently taking care of any last-minute plans he and Pierce had. She’d overheard them talking about Pierce’s planned fishing trip, and it brought tears to her eyes. Even though her father had been a business tycoon, he never lost his love of fishing. Hannah had accompanied him on many trips, and she, too, enjoyed the sport, though she refused to keep her catch, always tossing the poor creatures back into the water. Her father respected this, and he, too, would toss whatever he caught back into its home waters. She did know he didn’t practice this when it was just he and his buddies. And that was okay with her. She wasn’t that unreasonable when it came to nature. She knew the fish she enjoyed so much at The Captain’s Table, her favorite waterfront restaurant in Naples, didn’t magically appear out of a manufacturer’s deep freeze.

  “Ms. Ray?” a young woman behind the counter asked.

  “Yes?”

  “Mr. Jorgenson has a car waiting for you and Mr. McConnell. He said to tell you he was sorry he couldn’t be here personally to drive you to Maximum Glide but gave directions to where each of you is staying.”

  Hannah saw the green-and-white plastic name tag on the woman’s beige blouse. “Thank you, Mandy. I’m sure we can manage without him.”

  The woman looked to be in her early twenties. Black hair cut in a sleek bob, creamy skin untouched by the sun or time, she smiled, revealing a mouthful of silver braces. “He said you could, and I’m supposed to give you this.” She handed Hannah a large gift box. Wrapped in shiny silver-and-gold paper with three giant bows—a red, a green, and a gold one stacked atop one another. Good grief! Was she supposed to bring a gift? She’d been such a Scrooge when it came to Christmas, she had to admit she was not up on all the latest holiday etiquette. She took the package from Mandy. “Thank you,” was all she could manage to say. The box was extremely heavy, and Hannah wondered what was inside.

  “Mr. Jorgenson told me that you were not to open the box until you were settled in your condo. He was very adamant about that. He even told me I’d get in all sorts of trouble if I didn’t insist on emphasizing the importance of this. I hope it’s okay with you?”

  Poor Mandy. The young woman looked as though she was about to cry. “I promise.” Hannah placed her hand in the air, with her thumb and pinkie down so that her remaining three fingers were in the correct position as she proceeded to recite the Girl Scout Law. “ ‘I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place and, be a sister to every Girl Scout,’ and I promise not to shake or peep in Max’s box.”

  Mandy shrieked, “Oh my gosh! How did you know?”

  Hannah nodded at the picture on the countertop. Mandy was a Girl Scout leader.

  Mandy removed a tissue from the box on her desk. “I forget that’s here sometimes. How cool is this?”

  “Then you trust I won’t open the box?” Hannah asked with a grin.

  “Absolutely. From one Scout to another, I trust you wholeheartedly.”

  A clapping sound from the airport entrance caused both Hannah and Mandy to turn around.

  “Very well said, Ms. Ray. You never mentioned you were a Girl Scout,” Liam said as he strolled toward them.

  “Well, it isn’t exactly something that comes up in everyday conversation. Mandy has been given strict orders from Max to give me this”—she nodded at the shiny wrapped present on top of the counter—“and if I open it before I’m settled in at the condo, then not only am I in deep trouble, but she could be as well. When I saw this picture”—she indicated the silver-framed photo—“I knew that one Scout would trust another, especially if I recited the Girl Scout Law.”

  “I like that. A true Girl Scout.”

  “Mr. McConnell?” Mandy asked inquiringly.

  “That would be me,” he said.

  “This one is for you.” She reached beneath the counter and pulled out another box, only this one was larger. “Mr. Jorgenson asked that I give this to you. Same deal. You can’t open it until you are all settled in at the cabin. You’ve got the hottest address at Maximum Glide; you know that, right? Are you two famous or something? Mr. Jorgenson has rolled out the red carpet for both of you,” Mandy said, then continued, “Not that you have to be famous or anything to have the red-carpet treatment. We get a lot of famous people here. Tom Cruise, for one. But we all recognized him.”

  “Ah, I hate to disappoint you, but we’re here to work for Mr. Jorgenson. So, no, we are not famous in the sense that you think,” Liam answered for both of them.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude, I’m just a bit on the nosy side. At least that’s what everyone tells me.”

  Hannah spoke up. “Nosy is not a bad thing. If you ever get tired of freezing and want a change of scenery, look me up.” She reached inside her purse and gave Mandy one of her business cards.

  “Oh, cool! You’re a private eye! And in Florida. Wait until I tell Jason, my boyfriend. He will truly be impressed. He’s always after me for being so nosy. Are you for real? About looking you up and all?” Mandy asked, her eyes as wide as the moon.

  “Sure, we can always use an extra set of eyes. Of course, there is training and certification required, but in my business, nosiness is considered an added bonus.”

  Hannah and Liam laughed together. “Yes, it is in mine, too.”

  “Don’t tell me, you’re a private eye, too,” Mandy said in such an excited tone, Hannah thought the young woman was about to lose her voice entirely.

  “Sort of. Now, if we could get that car Max promised, I am ready to call it a day. What with the time difference and all, I think it’s nearing my bedtime.” Liam winked at Hannah as he said this.

  “Yes, mine, too,” she added, then felt like kicking herself. Did he think she was implying something more than sleep? Surely not. He was an adult, the same as she. He acted like one, and she was acting like Mandy, a young woman starstruck by anything out of the ordinary.

  “I’m sorry. I talk too much, too. Jason tells me that all the time.”

  Hannah silently agreed with the mysterious Jason, but she’d keep that to herself. Mandy was just young and excited.

  “Here are the keys. Mr. McConnell is supposed to drive; again, this is from Mr. Jorgenson, not me,” Mandy added. “I have to follow the rules.”

  Mandy came from behind the counter with a small bellman’s rack. She placed their packages from Max on it, then Liam took his and Hannah’s suitcases and placed them beside the packages. He reached for his wallet and took out a hundred-dollar bill. He placed it in Mandy’s hand. “Take Jason out to dinner on me,” he said, leaving the girl speechless.

  “But . . . I’m not,” Mandy said, then stopped. “Okay, I will do that. Tonight. Thank you so much, Mr. McConnell. And Ms. Ray. I’m going to tell Jason what you said about nosy being a good thing, too. Now, follow me,” she said, and proceeded to pull the cart through a set of automatic doors. A blast of air sent shivers through Hannah. She tightened the belt on her coat and stuffed her hands in her coat pockets before stepping out into the bli
stering cold. It was much colder in Telluride than it had been in Denver.

  “Aren’t you cold?” Hannah asked as she followed behind Mandy and Liam.

  “Freezing,” he shouted.

  The wind was picking up, making it hard to hear and be heard. Hannah wanted sunshine and hot sand between her toes right now. She did not like being cold. Not one little bit.

  Mandy led them to a bright yellow Hummer with the engine running. “This is for you to use as long as you’re here,” she said.

  Did Mandy think they were a couple? Surely not! Had Max implied that when he’d arranged for only one vehicle?

  Liam opened the passenger door. “Go on, get inside. You’re freezing.” For once, Hannah agreed and let him take control of loading their luggage and those mystery packages.

  A minute later, he was in the driver’s seat. Only she saw that he now wore the denim jacket he’d been carrying. He made a few adjustments to the seat and the mirrors, then put the vehicle into DRIVE.

  “Stop!” Hannah shouted, then lowered her voice to a normal volume. “Sorry. Your seat belt. You forgot to fasten your seat belt.”

  He looked down. “Habit. I hate the things.” He put the Hummer in PARK, then fastened his seat belt.

  “Yes, but they’re a lifesaver.”

  “You’re right. Now let’s get this clunker on the road,” Liam said, turning to her. He gave her the sexiest smile, and her heart flip-flopped.

  She was in deep trouble for sure.

  “So it says here,” he glanced at the sheet of paper he’d found on the dash, “that I’m to drop you off first at Forest Hills. That’s the name of the condos where you’ll be staying,” he explained.

  She wanted to say “duh” but kept it to herself. She’d already acted like a jerk more times than she cared to remember. As soon as she was settled in, she was going to call Camden and tell her about this . . . setup, if that’s what it was. She was becoming more suspicious by the minute.

  Liam was a good driver, even on the slick and winding road that led to Maximum Glide. There were piles of snow on both sides of the road, and Hannah was reminded of Florida and how easy it was to jump in her car and drive anywhere without worrying about icy roads and bad weather. Yes, they had hurricanes, and yes, it rained a lot in the summer months, but rarely was she in a situation where she couldn’t just jump in her little red Thunderbird and go. Now, Liam was driving very slowly, never taking his eyes off the road. She didn’t want to distract him, so she glanced out the window at the scenery.

  The small town was decorated with strings of bright, colorful lights. Pines of all kinds were draped with giant red bows. Even the traffic lights were decorated. Giant plastic Santas in sleighs with reindeer appeared as though they were about to take flight from the rooftop of a restaurant named Snow Bunnies. Hannah couldn’t help but grin as she saw yet another business decorated in shiny red and green lights that blinked “Merry Christmas!” Telluride was definitely caught up in the spirit of the season.

  “Well, what do you know? Max’s directions are right on the money. Looks like we’ve arrived at your destination, Ms. Ray.”

  Forest Hills.

  “I’m to see you to the front desk and nothing more, as per Max’s instructions,” Liam said as he pulled the yellow Hummer up to the guest-entrance parking area. “No questions asked.”

  Hannah opened the passenger door. “And I suppose this is as per Max’s instructions, too?”

  “You got it,” Liam replied.

  Chapter 8

  Liam found the turnoff to Gracie’s Way without any trouble. The directions were quite clear, but frankly, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to be this high on the mountain, even if this cabin was Maximum Glide’s top vacation rental.

  The inside lights were on just as Max said they would be, plus the entire outside of the cabin had been decorated with thousands of colorful lights. Giant pine wreaths with red ribbons tied around them were in every window.

  Liam hit the garage control Max had left in the car and pulled the Hummer inside. He shut off the engine, then clicked the key fob to open the Hummer’s hatch. He grabbed his luggage and the ridiculously large package and entered the cabin through the door leading to the kitchen.

  He was pretty impressed when he stepped inside. The kitchen was enormous, with a giant range, two ovens, and more counter space than anyone could ever use. Liam set about exploring his new temporary digs. A Sub-Zero refrigerator was stocked with enough food for an army. Liam took out a can of Coke and guzzled it as he scoped out the kitchen. A table and chairs made of real logs seated twelve. Red and green rugs were scattered over the honey-colored wood floors. A great room off the kitchen boasted a giant fireplace across an entire wall. A fire had been started, and the smell of pine and something sweet filled the giant room. “Max doesn’t do anything by halves,” he said to himself as he wandered through the rooms. He followed the staircase that led upstairs to two bedrooms plus a loft. He located the master suite at the end of the hall.

  Centered in the room was a giant king-size bed made of the same honey-colored logs as the walls. The bathroom had a huge, glassed-in shower. A giant Jacuzzi tub stood smack-dab in the center of the bathroom. “Good old Max,” he said. Heated towels and plush bath sheets were strategically placed, and pleasantly scented soaps were on the long, dark green marble countertop. Two mirrors, their frames made out of branches, made him laugh out loud. “Talk about bringing the outdoors inside. Leave it to Max. He’s really into this.”

  Satisfied that he’d be living more than comfortably for the next couple of weeks, Liam went to the kitchen to retrieve his luggage. He was about to take advantage of that Jacuzzi.

  A bellman escorted Hannah to her condo. He insisted, telling her she was listed as a top-priority client by the owner, and duty required that he obey his instructions. More Max, she wanted to say, but didn’t want to get the guy into any unnecessary trouble. He unlocked the door for her, then stepped aside, allowing her to enter first.

  When she saw the view, it almost took her breath away. “Oh, wow,” she said. “This is glorious.”

  “It’s pure heaven, isn’t it?” the bellman concurred.

  For a few seconds, she’d forgotten she wasn’t by herself in the room. “It is,” she said, then handed him a twenty-dollar bill. She hoped that was enough. Her social skills were a bit rusty.

  “Thank you, ma’am. If there is anything you need, my name is William. Here is my number.” He handed her a card. What was this? Her personal escort/bellman?

  “Thanks, but I think I have everything I need, at least for now.”

  “Shall I draw a bath for you before dinner?” he asked.

  Hannah felt like an eighteenth-century heroine in a romance novel. What the heck. “I would like that very much, thank you, William.” She’d play along with this. It wasn’t like she had a man—or anyone else, for that matter—to draw her a bath at home. Well, come to think of it, she took showers at home, so there really wasn’t any need.

  “Indeed, ma’am. How shall I select the temperature?” He stood ramrod stiff next to the wall-to-wall windows that allowed a full view of the majestic mountainside. It truly was breathtaking. Of course, she could say this now because it was warm inside, and a fire was burning in the real-wood fireplace. The scent of something sweet lingered in the air. This was not a bad scene for snow and cold. As long as she stayed inside, she’d be fine. All she had to do was find Max’s thief, aka hacker, then she could go home. For now, she’d make the best of it.

  “Very hot, William,” she said. “I’ll just take a look around while you tend to my bath.” She laughed. If Camden heard her now, she’d crack up. If her employees heard her now, they would bust a gut.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said before heading down a long hallway to what she assumed was the bathroom.

  The entire wall of the living area was glass, which was the big wow factor. Across from the window was a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace. Plush sofas in soft
beiges faced one another. Several tables were scattered throughout with books and magazines. Brightly colored pillows were placed invitingly throughout the area, just begging for one to curl up with a good book or simply enjoy the view of the mountains. She found the kitchen to be just as perfect, with a small dining-room table for six, stainless-steel appliances, and a black-bear theme throughout: bear canisters, salt-and-pepper shakers, a paper-towel holder, plus place mats and matching curtains. Hannah liked the idea of the bears as long as they were just a decoration. Anything more . . . well, she wasn’t sure how she’d react if she were to encounter a real live bear.

  The condo, at least as much as she’d seen so far, was eminently, completely suitable for her. As soon as William left, she planned to soak in the tub and call Camden. She wanted to check on Leanne, and to tell her about Liam McConnell.

  William chose that moment to appear. “If you need anything else, please call the number on the card and I will see to your every need.”

  “Thanks, William, I’m good for now,” Hannah said, hoping he was finished. She wanted that bath and a strong cup of coffee. She wondered if she asked William for a cup of coffee, exactly how many seconds it would be before a steaming mug was in her hand. That was something she didn’t care to find out at the moment. Or any time soon, for that matter. No use getting spoiled rotten when she would be leaving sooner rather than later.

  “Then I’ll be waiting for you at eight o’clock promptly.”

  She must have had a strange look come over her face because William looked quite shocked at whatever her expression was. “Mr. Jorgenson has arranged for you to join him for dinner tonight at Eagles Nest.”

  And here we go again, she thought. More Max. “I wasn’t told, but if it’s on the agenda, then I’ll be ready at eight.” And not a moment sooner, she wanted to add. It was just after five. That gave her three hours to relax in the tub, talk to Camden, and prepare a list of questions for Mr. Max Jorgenson. And make herself presentable, just in case Liam was invited to this dinner, too. Something told her that he would most certainly be there as well.