My heart skips a beat when heactuallyanswers after four rings.
“Sheriff Paloma speaking.”
After everything I’ve experienced over the last twenty-four hours, his voice is instantly soothing.
“Sheriff—hi—this is Ivy Davis. I’m calling from the Taylor estate. I… I think there’s someone out here,” I say, panic in my tone. “Someone left some gifts in my room. I was out walking the grounds earlier and… and I think I was followed. Not followed—chased! I waschased. He was some big man with a mask that had antlers. Like Krampus or something. I don’t know. But it didn’t feel like a prank. And then I got back to the house, and the cars won’t start and?—”
“Hang on a minute. Slow down. You’re speaking gibberish right now, Ms. Davis.Whatabout Krampus?”
“The man in the woods! With the mask on! He was shirtless and had on these red pants like Santa Claus!”
He’s silent for a second or two. For a second too long.
“Listen, I’m being serious!” I whine, stomping my foot. “Someone’s been in the house and they’re leaving presents for me on the bed!”
“That’s not possible. Mr. Taylor made it explicitly clear his entire staff is off for the holidays. You’re the only one there, Ms. Davis.”
“No I’m not! Someone’s drained the batteries in the cars!”
“Maybe it was Krampus,” he suggests almost mockingly.
“This isn’t funny! What are you even for if you’re not going to respond to emergencies?”
“Idorespond to emergencies. But I’m afraid what you’ve described doesn’t fit the bill. It sounds more like you’re allowing your imagination to get the best of you.”
“It’s not my imagination!”
He sighs over the phone as if inconvenienced by my panic. “I’ll tell you what. How about I make my way out there tomorrow? It can’t be tonight because of the inclement weather that’s forecasted. But if it makes you feel any better, I’ll drive out first thing tomorrow morning and do a sweep of the premises.”
…sure. After I’m already prey.
“You know what?” I snap. “Don’t even bother! I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you!”
I hang up on him before he can even think to counter what I’ve said. For a couple seconds afterward, I’m indignant and angry.
Then the disturbing reality of my situation sinks back in.
I step toward the large window in the living room that overlooks the forest terrain and the mountains of snow as far as the eye can see.
There’s no help coming.
CHAPTER SIX
Twenty minutes.
The taxi company claimed they could have someone out this afternoon to pick me up. I’ve already packed my things and have them waiting at the front door.
I’m in the foyer as the snow drifts and flutters through the air outside before it occurs to me they might not be able to see me. If they’re pulling up to the front of the estate, they’ll be greeted by the giant locked gate.
I’ll need to unlock the gates and leave them open at the very least. With a heavy sigh, I leave my suitcase in the foyer and venture outside for the first time since yesterday’s…encounter.
The cold is worse today, weighing down my coat as soon as snowflakes touch it and soak it through. I follow the curve of the drive toward the front gate.
Snow piles high further down the slope, each step I take sinking me deeper. Even with gloves, my fingers have gone numb. The air stings when I breathe it in, sharp enough that I have to press my scarf tighter over my mouth, mostly to keep my teeth from rattling.
According to any weather report I could find online, it’ll be snowing on and off all day. The sky seems to warn as much with its heavy and gray overcast, every bit as dreary as I feel on the inside.
It certainly doesn’t help my nerves. I cast glances over my shoulder, scanning the tree line.
