Page 51 of The Sound of Sleighbells
“And in that sleigh, I know.” Abner chuckled. “I’ll do my best to be in shape. But you’d better have a Plan B in case I can’t make it.”
“Plan B is not my job.” Judd unlocked the door and opened it for Abner who paused, sniffing the air.
“Damn, but that smells good!” he exclaimed.
A tantalizing aroma drifted from the kitchen. Handing Abner his walker, Judd followed his nose. On the counter, a warm Crock-Pot filled the room with a savory fragrance. Pot roast. It had to be.
“It looks like you’ve had a visitor,” Abner said.
“But who? And how did they get this in the house? I don’t own a Crock-Pot.” Judd raised the lid. Pot roast. He was right. It looked and smelled heavenly.
A foil-covered aluminum baking pan rested nearby. Abner raised the foil. “Hot dog, it’s chocolate cake! And it’s Ruth’s. I’d know that old pan anywhere. Judd, if you don’t marry that woman, you should have your head examined.”
“I won’t argue with that idea. But how did she get all this in here?”
Judd had seated Abner at the table and was dishing up the meat and vegetables when he remembered. Before he’d left to follow the ambulance, he’d given Skip a key. He knew, of course, that the food was here because of Abner. Still, it was a nice surprise.
The surprise would have been even nicer if Ruth had been waiting here to welcome him. Judd could almost picture her standing in the doorway with her arms open. For now, that fantasy would have to wait. But he hadn’t given up on making it real.
After lunch, Abner was tired enough for a nap. “You’re sure you’ll be all right by yourself?” Judd asked him. “You could fall getting up and down.”
“Blast it, I’m not an invalid, and you’re not my nurse,” Abner grumbled. “The hospital therapist showed me how to get on and off the bed. It hurts like hell when I do it, but I won’t fall. I’ll be fine, and you’ve got saddles to finish. Don’t let me keep you from your work.”
Resolving to come back later and check on him, Judd went out to his shop. The harness lay spread on the floor. Skip, Trevor, and Maggie wouldn’t be coming to work on it until Monday after school. So far, they’d done an amazing job. Most of the larger straps had been replaced. But many smaller pieces needed to be measured, sewn, and threaded through the rings and buckles.
Maggie had been attaching the bells to the leather strips that would go around the horses’ necks like jewelry. She’d made a good start, but hours of work lay ahead, threading the base of each bell through a hole punched in the leather, then tying it in place from the back side. Something told Judd that when the kids had decided to fix the harness, they’d had no idea what they were getting into. But he had to give them credit for staying with the job.
Three unfinished saddles waited on their stands. Judd stood back and studied them, organizing the work that remained. The saddle that a wealthy TV producer had ordered for his wife was nearly done. The leather pieces were tooled and needed only to be hand-stitched into place. If he worked steadily, he could finish that one by late tonight, and ship it off tomorrow. That would leave the presentation saddle, which needed the most work, and the one that a breeder of million-dollar performance horses had ordered for a reining competition.
Judd took pride in his craft. He couldn’t—and wouldn’t—cut corners with materials or workmanship on any of his saddles. Not only were they beautiful pieces of art—they were made to fit the rider’s body and rest easily on the horse, so that at the end of a long day’s ride, there would be no sore spots. Everything had to be perfect. That was why his work commanded premium prices.
With a plan to follow, he felt more confident about his tight schedule. He would check on Abner once more and make a quick call to Ruth. Then he would get to work.
Back in the house, he found Abner snoring on the bed. The room was chilly, so he laid a light quilt over the old man and stole out again.
He waited until he was back in the workshop before phoning Ruth. His pulse quickened when he heard her pick up.
“Judd? Is everything all right? How’s Abner?” There was a note of strain in her voice.
“Everything’s fine. Abner’s asleep. He’s still got some pain, but he’s getting around a little better today. I’m really calling to thank you for the delivery. Pot roast and chocolate cake. You know the way to a man’s heart—or two men’s hearts.”
“I’ll pass your thanks on to Skip and the girls. How did you know it was us?”
“Abner recognized your cake pan, and I remembered that Skip had a key.” He paused. “Are you all right, Ruth? Has anything happened?”
She managed a weak laugh. “You always could read me. But no, everything’s fine. When I went to your house this morning, I stayed in the car with the girls while Skip carried the food inside. I’d hoped I wouldn’t run into Digger, but there he was, and he came right over.” There was a pause. “I won’t keep you long, but I learned something. Digger knew Ed—most likely in prison. You already know that the cocaine stashed in my station wagon was Ed’s. Digger wouldn’t admit to it, but I believe he came here to get his hands on it.”
Judd muttered something under his breath. “If that’s true, he’s more dangerous than I’d thought. Does Digger know you suspect him?”
“Yes. I told him to his face. And I told him I was going to tell the sheriff. It might have been unwise, but I wanted him to stop tormenting me. He denied everything except knowing Ed. I had him dead to rights there.”
“Then what did he do? Did he threaten you or your family?”
“Not then. When Skip came out of the house, he disappeared. Is his bike in the shed now?”
“It wasn’t when I came home. Let me check the bunkhouse. If he’s gone, he could be anywhere. Lock your doors and call the sheriff. Call him now, Ruth. Promise me you’ll do it. Have you got a gun?”
“No. Ed had one, but it was seized when he was arrested. Digger’s no saint, but I can’t believe he would harm me or my children. He just wants to intimidate me.”
