They also pulled on hats and gloves, then armed, they headed out front.They had to reach the sidewalk to see the roof and if anything was on it.Nothing.Then they moved around to the back of the house and saw imprints on the snow-covered roof where the cougars had left their paw prints and had lain.
They also saw that the trellis they had removed from the house and put in the garden was leaning against the house, and the cougars must have climbed it to reach the roof.Cougars could leap between eighteen and twenty feet vertically, but the root was about twenty-five feet high.
They explored the area out back and saw fresh tracks the men had made that headed into the forest.Travis got on his phone.“Hey, Dan, Timothy, and Manning have returned.They were up on Florence’s roof.But it appears they’ve taken off through the woods.They had been up on the roof as cougars.Uhm, yeah, they used that trellis we removed.”
Travis glanced at Florence and Frank.“Not sure.It’s hard to tell.They moved in a single file.They might have dressed and taken off as humans, but the path is narrow, so they might have traveled as cougars.”He let out his breath as he stared at the trail.
Florence knew he wanted to go after the men, but he was stuck babysitting them.
“All right.See you in a few.”Then Travis finished the call.“Dan wants us to return to the house.He and some of the others will look for the brothers.”
Despite wanting in the worst way to go after the twins, Frank took Florence’s hand, and they went back into the house.Travis followed behind them.
“I know you want to go after them, but we want to keep you safe,” Travis said.“If anything were to happen to you, we would never forgive ourselves.”
“I agree,” Frank said, “but I do want to end this for certain.”
“Yeah, we all do.”
Then they gathered in the living room.They couldn’t go to sleep until they had some word about the brothers.
“Do you want something to drink?Hot tea?Decaf?”Florence asked.
“Yeah, that would be good,” Frank said.
“I’ll have a cup,” Travis said.
Florence made them all cups of tea, and then Dan and the others arrived—Chase, Chet, Ricky, Leyton, Stryker, and Hal.
“We’re on our way,” Dan said.
“Thanks,” Florence said.
After drinking their tea and watching a movie to try and stay awake until Dan and the others returned, she and Frank were cuddling on the couch until they both fell asleep.
Frank heardvoices and realized he had fallen asleep on the couch.Florence was cuddled up with him and was still asleep.Travis was talking low to Dan in the dining room.
Dan shook his head at Frank, indicating they hadn’t found the brothers.Then he waved to him, and he and the others left the house.Travis locked up after them.
Frank kissed Florence’s forehead.She stirred and opened her eyes.Then she sat upright quickly.“Did they catch them?”
“No.They’re going home.Are you ready to return to bed?”Frank asked.
“Yeah.Let’s go.”Florence yawned.
Travis said, “We’re under winter weather warnings.We’re going to have heavy snow on Christmas night.It might be better if Rory and Lacy stay the night with you.”
Florence looked at her weather app.“Oh, no, a blizzard.We’ll try to get them to stay the night.”
Frank was disappointed that they still hadn’t caught the brothers.He was glad he had heard them up on the roof, though.Maybe going after them again had convinced them they couldn’t hurt him or Florence, given how many people were watching out for them.
He settled down with Florence in bed, hoping they could both get back to sleep.Before they knew it, it was time to wake; no more reindeer sounds on the roof, which had turned out to be cougars.Kittens had gotten on top of his roof and run across it one night when he lived in Florida, and he swore they sounded like a stampede of elephants.So he wasn’t surprised when he heard the cougars, though he knew they would have been trying to be quiet.
“Breakfast?”Florence asked, not making a move to leave the bed.
“Yeah, sure.”He got out of bed and started to dress.“Cinnamon rolls?”
“Absolutely.”Then she finally climbed off the mattress and hugged and kissed him.“Merry Christmas.”
