Page 59 of Wounded Christmas Wolf
She couldn’t help thinking about Rob’s threat to turn the sheriff on to them. But there was nothing he could have called the sheriff about, at least that she could think of. Her dad was well respected and friends with all the local farmers and every veteran in town. They didn’t even have property disputes with the neighbors. Everyone liked them.
When Holly arrived at a run, still trying to jam her arm into her coat, Sheriff Farrell was out of the cruiser and talking quietly with her dad. Noelle was sitting on a bale of hay, holding a snowsuit-encased Kaden, and Rocket was at her feet with pricked ears. No one looked too upset, just cautious and worried.
And Jace was there, to Holly’s surprise and secret gratitude, wearing his old town coat and breathing hard as if he had been running, too.
As she approached, she heard her dad say, “Well, now, that’s so, but I didn’t think it would be too much of a problem.”
“I am truly sorry, Colonel. Technically it is a violation of the county’s business regulations, and now that it’s been brought to my attention?—”
“What’s going on?” Holly demanded, gasping out puffs of breath that smoked in the chilly air. “What’s this about?”
The sheriff nodded to her politely. Her dad pulled off his knit cap and scratched his scalp. “Honey, see, we’re in arrears on our loan payments. A few months, see.”
“What?” Holly said. She divided a glare between the sheriff and her dad. She’d seen a few bills arrive in the mail, and she knew the farm was barely scraping along this year, but surely it wasn’t that bad. “We paid everything!”
“And this requires a personal visit from the sheriff?” Jaceasked, muscling up beside Holly. “Don’t you have real crimes to investigate?”
“Who are you, exactly?” the sheriff inquired.
“I’m working on their tree farm this year. And I’m a family friend.”
“In that case, let me just tell all of you that I’m not here in my official capacity, I’m here to give you folks a polite heads up,” the sheriff said. “Colonel Porter and I have been friends for a lot of years. I found out today from Robby Ingram about the bank situation and the insurance, and I’m letting you know.”
Robby—that would be Robert Ingram Sr., Rob’s dad. Holly’s heart jumped into her throat. Rob hadn’t gone to the sheriff directly; he’d gone to his dad.
His dad, who ran the bank, which apparently they owed a bunch of money to.
“What insurance?” Holly said.
“Insurance lapsed too,” her dad said, not looking at her.
More bills they hadn’t paid. How much had he been hiding from her? Holly felt Jace’s nearness with a mix of guilty relief and anger. Right now she could easily have pushed every single adult male on this farm into a pile of snow.
Headfirst.
Except you, Cupcake. You’re perfect and have done nothing wrong.
“I’m sorry, Colonel,” the sheriff said, “but you’re going to have to close the farm for the season, or deal with a heap of fines and possible lawsuits.”
“We can’t shut down now!” Noelle protested. “The last days before Christmas are when we make most of our money.”
The Colonel cleared his throat and addressed the sheriff. “Rich, just between you and me, what if we go ahead and get it taken care of, even afterwards, let’s say? If we have it all done Christmas, the loan caught up and the insurance reinstated, what do you think about us staying open through the holiday?”
The sheriff eyed him. “You’re giving me your solemn word you’ll have it done and won’t make a liar out of me?”
“We will,” Holly spoke up. “You can count on it.”
The Colonel held out a hand, and the sheriff shook it.
“I’ll let Robby know it’s a mistake and he’ll have the check in hand by Christmas Eve—but it had better be there.”
The sheriff tipped his hat and got back in his cruiser.
Noelle and Holly both turned to look at their dad. “Okay, what’s going on?” Noelle asked, jiggling Kaden in her lap. “I feel like that internet meme where the guy walks in and everything is on fire. What’s been happening on this farm since I left?”
“Yeah, Dad.” As the sheriff’s cruiser bumped slowly down the driveway away from the tree farm, Holly turned her frown on him. “I know money’s been tight, but I didn’t know it was that tight.”
Her dad didn’t meet either of their eyes. “It’s very tight,” he said softly. “We’re on the edge of foreclosure, girls. I didn’t want you to know. I hoped to make up the payments, and it was a looking like a good season.”
