“People need to learn manners.” Mrs. L stomped up to them, completely unaware of the tension in the group. “Molly Richards just told me my sweaters were too pricey, and that Noel Linbar just about ran me off the road on his way through town.”
“What? When did you see him?” Fin asked her.
“About an hour ago. He lit out of town like he had a naked woman waiting in his bed, and not his wife. Who, by the way, we never see because she’s always out of town visiting her friends and family. That man’s got loose morals, if you ask me. I’ve never proved it, but there’s rumors.”
“Rumors?” Joe asked.
“Well…” She looked left and right. “I don’t like to speak bad of the Linbars, considering how they’ve suffered. And I’ve held my tongue—”
“You need to tell us now,” Fin snapped, making her eyes narrow. “And since when do you hold your tongue?”
“Don’t use that tone with me, Findlay Hudson! And since they lost their son and Noel lost his brother!”
He ground his teeth together.
“Seeing as he nearly ran me over, I don’t mind speaking bad about Noel Linbar at the moment. Not his family, you understand, just him. Plus, there was that time I overheard him saying my Christmas sweaters were crass. Never quite forgiven him for that.”
“And what is it you want to tell us, Mrs. L?” Jack said in that way he had that once would have lowered every zipper and raised every skirt in a five-mile radius.
Joe shot Fin a “shut it down” look as he opened his mouth to roar at her.
“I was at the Linbars one night helping Missy Stephens doing the catering for a party. Her daughter had let her down, as they’re wont to do.”
Fin thought about grabbing her and shaking what she wanted to say out of her.
“I was upstairs having a look around. I’d always been intrigued about the Linbar house and saw this as my chance.”
Fin ground his teeth together.
“And what did you see?” Joe prompted her.
“That Noel Linbar and Linda Foster all cozied up, and both of them married.”
“And just so we’re clear, Mrs. L,” Jack added. “When was it you saw Noel leaving town in his car?”
“About an hour ago. He had a passenger, but I couldn’t see who it was, as I was diving for cover. My heart nearly stopped, and I’ll be having words with him when I see him next.”
“He and his wife bought the old Cramer place, right?”
“Yes. Apparently spent a fortune on redecorating.” Mrs. L sucked her lips inside her mouth.
“Nash, where are you parked?” Fin said.
“On the street.”
“Let’s go.” Fin ran with the others down the street, leaving Mrs. L standing there in her snow-capped mountain singing Christmas sweater, wondering what the hell was going on.
Chapter37
He couldn’t find her. She’d vanished. It was now 9:00 a.m. the following morning and still they had no idea where Maggie Winter had gone. They’d been searching through the night and come up with nothing.
Both Linda Foster’s and Noel Linbar’s houses had been searched and nothing found there, including the owners. They’d driven endlessly down roads, checked streams and houses. Any local who was able was out searching for her, and Fin’s insides had turned to ice just thinking of the scenarios she could have fallen into. Was she hurt? Crying and scared? Trapped somewhere? Had someone kidnapped her? Was it Noel Linbar and Linda Foster or was that a wild goose chase?
Where are you?
Nash had called in his father and brother and their ranch hands to search and gone in the other direction, calling in every hour to see if there was news.
Fin’s eyes were scratchy, his throat tight, and he couldn’t think of anything else to do.
