Page 28 of Protecting the White Bear

“That’s too bad they couldn’t help us, though they’re not law enforcement. The service station looks dark, as if no one is operating it.” Sounding frustrated, she peered closer at the service station.

Signs on the gas pumps stated they were out of gas.

“People probably made a run on the gas ahead of the blizzard,” Monica said.

“Yeah. And they couldn’t get a truck out to fill the gas tanks during the storm.”

Then she brightened with enthusiasm again. “A motel is up the road that way. We could stop there and see if we can get a landline reception. Their vacancy light is on.”

“Do you want to share a room?” Andy smiled at her in a way that said he was serious as sin. Man, he would love to.

She smiled back, appearing to like the idea. “I guess we could do that. We could keep driving until we run out of gas, get closer to White Bear, and sleep in the camper, but a warm hotel room sounds better.”

“Let’s see if we can get accommodations.”

Then Monica frowned. “What do we do about Eloise?”

“Get her a room of her own. I don’t want to take her into custody. She won't be able to go anywhere. We can interrogate her tomorrow when she’s sober and learn all about her involvement in this.” He pulled into the Frontier Motel, which had ten rooms in the single-story motel, except for the end of the lobby, which was a double-story structure with a covered roof over a drive-thru.

The outer walls were white metal, the bottom half of the motel was covered in red brick, and each motel room door was the same color as the brick. Each room had small double windows covered with curtains. All the rooms were dark, as if no one was staying there.

Snow covered the sidewalk from the blizzard, which hadn’t been cleared for guests, surprising Andy. The parking lot was also covered, but he managed to drive through it.

“The Yukon parked near the lobby might be the clerk's or manager’s, so I’m sure there’s someone here. I’ll go in and get us a couple of rooms. Then again, maybe I should stay with her, and you could have your own room if she’s involved in this. ”

He let out his breath. “We could do that.” But he didn’t want to.

And what was up with that? He was interested in the she-bear, that was what. Still, they had a job, and other considerations weren’t important. Telling himself that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm to get to know her better.

“I’ll wait in the truck with Sleeping Beauty while you go in and get the rooms,” he said.

“Be right back.” Monica left the truck while he kept the heater running, thinking of sharing a bed with her, even if it wasn’t practical.

From behind thecheck-in counter at the motel, a black-bearded man dressed in all black narrowed his eyes. His mouth curved down, and his stance was rigid and untrusting as if Monica wasn’t supposed to be there. That made her suspicious. She reminded herself that he might worry he was in trouble with the law when he saw her FBI parka. Not everyone welcomed law enforcement agents.

Or he might be concerned she was there to arrest someone else at the motel, though there were no other vehicles parked there, so it appeared no one was there. It would cause trouble for him if it turned out to be a crime scene.

No one was in the lobby, and he was the only one behind the counter.

“You drove up in Wendell’s truck. What’s going on?”

Uh-oh. At once, she smelled his aggressiveness, and he could probably see Andy at the truck's wheel as he parked under the drive-thru awning in front of the lobby.

“He sent us to get some gas, but it looks like the only service station in the area is empty and shut down for the time being.” Her heart beat sped up; she was ready to pull out her service weapon.

“Why would he send a cop to do that? Has he been arrested? Where is he?”

She pulled out her revolver. “Put your hands where I can see them.”

He dropped down behind the counter and came up with a shotgun.

Damn!“No one can get here in time to take care of your bullet wounds if you don’t put down your weapon,” she shouted.

He snorted. “When I shoot you, you won’t need medical attention.”

“What’s Wendell to you?”

“It’s none of your business.”

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