Chapter 72

“I guess even serial killers have a sense of humor.” He glanced in my direction and shot me a toothy grin that made him look scarier than ever.

We were on the outskirts of town when his phone went off. He peeked at the display. “Sorry, gotta take this.” He pressed the button for speakerphone.

“Annie, what’s up?”

“Uncle Ax?” The voice coming from the other end trembled and sounded scared.

“Honey-Bee. Hey. Where’s your mom?” Axel scrunched his eyebrows.

“She went out.”

He stiffened and his Adam’s apple bobbed as if he were swallowing down a big lump of anger. “When did she leave, honey?”

“After you took Gramma home.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Lemme call your mom real quick, and then I’ll call you back. Okay?”

The little girl hesitated. “Okay,” she whispered.

“Maybe you can tell Olaf a story while you wait? You can bring the phone to your room.”

“Mom says I can’t.”

“I know. But this time it’s okay. Trust me?” He cajoled her with a voice softer than freshly fallen snow.

“Promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die, Honey-Bee.”

“Okay.”

He hung up, pulled over to the side, and stopped the car. “Sorry, Danny, but I gotta make a call.”

“Sure. You need privacy?”

“No. Stay here in the warmth.” The snowfall had increased, and the winds shrieked outside the truck. Just the thought of stepping out made me colder than Frosty the freaking Snowman, and I was happy I didn’t have to.

Axel stabbed the phone with his finger and it rang and rang, but no one picked up. He tried a second and a third time with the same result and each time his body stiffened a little more. All color drained from his face and I tensed, expecting an imminent explosion. What I got was the complete opposite.

“Would you mind a detour, Danny?” He spoke to me like he’d talked to his niece a few seconds ago. If he hadn’t been whiter than the ghost of Christmas past, I wouldn’t have guessed he was upset.

“Of course not.”

“Are you sure? I know you don’t trust me, but I’m not comfortable with Bea being on her own.” His posture was relaxed and his grip on the wheel had loosened, but he kept his eyes stubbornly on the road.

“I’m certain.” I emphasized my words with a nod. “You shouldn’t leave her alone. She sounded scared.”

“Yeah. She doesn’t like bein’ by herself.” He leaned against the headrest and his chest expanded as he drew a deep breath as if to calm himself.

I blinked. I couldn’t believe how vulnerable and small he looked. As if the weight of the world rested on his huge shoulders and he was about to crumble under it. I wanted to reach out and comfort him but kept my hands to myself.

“Let’s go, Axel. The hotel will still be there afterward.”

He twisted his head and looked at me then. I was fascinated by the stark contrast between his pallor and his full, scarlet lips. His dark—almost black—eyes shone with gratitude. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He did a U-turn and drove back in the direction we’d come from. It took us almost thirty minutes to reach his sister’s place—which gave my pants time to dry—even though we hadn’t driven far. He parked outside a double-wide trailer and turned to me.

“Come inside with me? I don’t know how long this will take.”

“Sure.”

I shoved my feet in my shoes as we unbuckled, and then got out of the truck. I ran after him with my arms over my head to protect myself from the icy snow pouring down. When we reached the door, Axel knocked.

No one answered the door and not a sound came from inside. He knocked again and bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited.

“Maybe she doesn’t know it’s you. You said you’d call.”

“No, no, no, no,” he muttered and dug his phone out of his pocket. “I can’t believe I forgot.” As he called the little girl, I studied him.

Fully uncurled from the cramped cab, he stood taller than Eagle Mountain, at least six foot seven. He towered over my own six feet and was twice as wide, and I was no skinny twig. I’d never felt so tiny in my life. I inched closer to him, seeking shelter from the icy winds.

“Honey-Bee, it’s Uncle Ax. I’m at the door. Lemme in?” He hummed as he listened to her reply. “I’m sorry I forgot to call you back. I came here instead so you won’t have to be alone. Come to the door, please. Good. Okay. See you in a sec.”

He dropped the phone into his jacket pocket. “She’s comin’.”

“Great.” I clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering.