Forest climbed in without agreeing or disagreeing. “They have to turn the trailer around. We’ll beat them to the house.”
She touched his shoulder, silently thanking him for not putting up a fuss. Technically, Snowflake belonged with the wranglers and he could have told them to stay home or get out of the way. But no one loved the reindeer more than Billy. Knowing she was safe, even if she had to go to the faraway land of North Dakota, was better than spending his Christmas worried about her.
They pulled into the yard just as the sun set. There was a light glow along the horizon, but that would be gone soon too. Forest turned the truck and they ended up facing the barn doors. One of them hung crooked on its hinge. The geese and ducks were all over.
Mitzi threw open her door before the truck came to a stop. “Snowflake!” she screamed, unable to hold back the terror. She skidded to a stop inside the barn door, her eyes working to adjust to the dark. “Snowflake!” Her voice echoed through the rafters and a bird took flight, scaring her. Hay bales were scattered everywhere. Bags of feed had been torn open, their contents spilling all across the floor.
When Forest ran in, he hit the grain and skidded. Billy was right behind him. “Fudge ripple!” Forest lunged for the ladder and climbed up. “Snowflake?”
Billy ran in and out of stalls, checking each one.
Mitzi stood in the middle. The reindeer wasn’t there. She could feel it in the emptiness.
The wranglers’ truck lumbered into the yard, loud in the darkness of fear that swept into her mind.
“This wasn’t her.” She pointed to the mess.
Forest jumped down the last two rungs. “It was Ely.”
“Ely?” Billy joined them, putting his arms around her and holding on.
She patted his back. “You think Ely stole Snowflake?”
Forest nodded. His eyes darted to Billy.
“Why?” Mitzi asked. “He didn’t even know we had a reindeer.” She thought about the night someone broke into the barn. “You think he was the one who broke the lock before.”
Forest looked around the barn. “He asked me about a reward for her. But I told him it was off the table.”
She tightened her hold on Billy. “So you think he took her? That’s absurd. What would he do with a reindeer?”
“Sell her to the highest bidder.”
“Is there a market for reindeer?” She had no idea.
“She flies, Mom.” Billy looked up at her. “He’s going to sell her as a flying reindeer.”
Of all the … “Hush, Billy.” She couldn’t deal with his Santa infatuation right now.
“Forest,” called Pax from the yard. They all raced out. “We found tracks. A truck and trailer going into the woods. That way.” He pointed down the four-wheeler track to the tire ruts. Now that he’d pointed them out, she couldn’t believe they’d missed them before. “Do you ever haul through here?” he asked her.
“Never,” she replied.
Forest was already moving toward his truck. “Get Dunder out. There’s a sleigh in the garage. Call me when you’re ready.”
“Will do.” Pax took off for her garage. Jack went to the back of the trailer.
She and Billy joined Forest. “The sleigh will get places a truck can’t.”
Forest and Billy exchanged a look. Billy grinned.
“Yeah, it will.” Forest chuckled.
Mitzi felt like she’d been left out of a joke. Whatever. They had a reindeer to find.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Billy came around to Forest’s side of the truck to get in. “She doesn’t believe,” he said quietly. “Does she?”
