Page 37 of Protecting the White Bear

“Will do.”

“His girlfriend was supposedly kidnapped, but it turns out Helen was just doing this for the ransom money, and she’s back with her ex-boyfriend. Monica’s and my phones are dying, but we want Pierre to know that Helen is fine.”

“Sure. How far are you from White Bear?”

“About another hour and a half. This is the first time we have had any phone reception. We’re on the main route, but travel is slow.”

“I’ll call everyone to let them know where you are, and they’ll meet you with an ambulance.”

“Okay, thanks, Dad. I know Mom’s been worrying, too. Tell her we’re all right. Oh, and Monica’s one of us.”

“Your brothers and cousins smelled her scent in her car. No one we know, though?”

“Uh, well, I went out with her once, but none of you know her. She’s out of Anchorage and was working on the kidnapping case. We need more backup. We have a drunk woman in custody also.” He didn’t mention the brothers with the bags because he didn’t know if they were in trouble yet.

“I will get a hold of everyone.”

His parents owned and ran the White Bear Tavern, and his brother Ben worked full-time there. When Ben couldn't reachAndy, he knew they would call the state troopers and have them come to help.

“I’m so glad our phones are working,” Mr. Richardson said. “I’m letting our daughter know we’re heading back to White Bear. She and our son-in-law live on the outskirts and will meet us at the police department. Our son-in-law will drive our vehicle to their house. Though, if you need to, you can use the car or our phones, if yours run out of power.”

“Thanks. I’ve got family in White Bear. They’ll give me a lift. As to the phone, I appreciate the offer. I might take you up on it if I lose power completely. So who caused the car wreck?”

“Those young men who were helping everyone out. I don’t trust them one bit,” Mr. Richardson said.

“Why?” Andy wondered if they would confirm his and Monica’s suspicions that something wasn’t right about the brothers.

“They were flying down the road as if the whole world was chasing them. Just an old cop’s intuition,” he said.

“They’re the ones who caused all the cars to wreck,” Mrs. Richardson agreed. “They were trying to pass the woman’s car with the two little girls in the backseat. I’m so glad they weren’t hurt. But the driver needs to be charged with reckless driving. I agree with my husband that they’re not to be trusted. Something’s up with them.”

“Monica and I thought so too, but just a general suspicion. Nothing concrete,” Andy said.

He continued to drive, slipping on the icy road, moving more slowly than he wanted to because he was worried about Harvey and his wound. Luckily, the drunken woman was snoring loudly against the passenger window, not causing any trouble. But he kept wondering what the brothers might have in their bags.

He called his mom this time since she managed the cash register while his dad cooked in the tavern's kitchen. “Haveany crimes been committed in White Bear around the time the blizzard hit?”

“Oh, honey, I’m so glad you and the woman are all right. Several break-ins at shops in town have occurred because of the blizzard. It seems criminals used the opportunity to rob businesses shut down during the snowstorm.”

“Have they identified any of the perps?”

“Three sixteen-year-old teens drove a pickup truck into a gun store and stole twenty-one guns. They located two of the teens right away, still holding onto thirteen of the guns. The other teen was caught and had another eight. All of them are being charged as adults for illegal possession of firearms, in addition to stolen vehicle charges.”

“Well, damn.” Andy knew there would be some crimes committed during the storm, but nothing that outlandish. “Good thing they were caught.”

“Yeah, that’s what everyone thought.”

“Was anyone else in a robbery that might have involved a blue Ford Bronco?”

“Oh, yes. A couple of men wearing black ski masks robbed the White Bear National Bank and drove away in a blue SUV.”

Could that be the brothers? That could very well be why the men had been speeding on the road away from White Bear, avoiding getting caught.

“The men wore all black: pants, jackets, ski masks, and boots. The police have been displaying a video of them leaving the bank, and several eyewitnesses have given descriptions to identify them. They have guns.”

“Okay, that’s good to know,” Andy said.

“If they were involved in the accident and with you in the caravan now, be careful. The scariest part is that they had breakfast here this morning before they did it,” his mother said.

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