Ill Take Forever

was chilling, the slow, fearful thud of her heart in her chest a painful reminder of the intruder and the fear he caused.
    Jenny had her foot on the first step when they heard the rumble of a truck, then slamming doors and voices outside. She paused, hope flaring again and looked over her shoulder, up to the face of the man. He was tall, over six feet, and seemed to be looming over her own five foot five inches. He looked scruffy and tired. The thought surprised her.
    'Wait,' he said, moving to the heavy front door, ear cocked to better hear the voices. In only a couple of moments, there was a rap at her door.
    Jenny moved toward the door, her heart skipping. Was this help? She threw a glance at the stranger.
    'One wrong move and one of your friends might get hurt,' he said softly, gesturing with the gun, moving back a few feet, eyes narrowed as he watched her. Leaning against the wall, out of sight when the door opened, he nodded toward her.
    The rap came again. Jenny reached out a shaky hand to flick on the outside light, release the locks and open the door a few inches.
    'Yes? Oh, hi, Nate. What are you doing out on a night like this?' she said, her mind racing. She dare not risk getting Nate shot–or herself. But was there some way to let him know she was in trouble?
    'Hi, Jenny, it's awful, isn't it? Can I come in?'
    She looked over to where the stranger was, but he had disappeared. Without making any noise, he had gone into the closed-off den, that door now open a crack. No doubt he could see and hear everything. And probably had that gun pointed directly at her.
    'Of course, come on in. What are you doing out so late? It's freezing, still snowing, too, I see.'
    Jenny tried to act normally, her eyes flickering involuntarily to the study door.
    'Forecast’s for more, too. Looks like we'll be snowed in for a while. You okay?' Nate Fisher was dressed in warm mountain gear; his hat and jacket caked with snow. She glanced behind him as she closed the door, but didn’t see anyone. Yet he’d been talking to someone.
    'Did you come just to check on me?' She smiled at her neighbor. They had never been friends, but she’d known him for years.
    'No, me and Jim are looking for someone. A stranger around here. You seen anyone walking around, probably earlier?'
    'Nate, it gets dark around five. Even earlier on a stormy day like today. If I saw someone this afternoon, he'd be long gone by now. It's after ten. Who is it?' Jenny was puzzled—why would Nate be looking for the stranger so late at night, and in such inclement weather? If the man in her den was wanted, surely the sheriff or one of his deputies would be searching.
    'I know it’s late. We’ve been following his tracks since mid afternoon, but the snow covered them. Lost him a few hours ago and we're just searching all around now.'
    'What’s the man done? And why are you and Jim searching for him? Why not Bob Marshall?' Bob Marshall was Alpine County's Sheriff.
    'Well, it's not a—er—legal matter, really. Just a guy that—er—owes us some money from a poker game. Tried to welch on the deal. I won't keep you, Jenny. If you see anyone you don't know, give me or Jim a call.'
    Jenny started to say something, tell him her line was down. Give some indication that all was not right. But the menace the intruder offered was too much. She couldn’t take the chance he’d shoot Nate, or maybe her. Her heart sank as she felt as if her last hope was leaving when Nate turned to go, but she was afraid to try to stop him. She wouldn’t jeopardize his safety, or her own. Not while the stranger stood nearby, watching their every move. She didn't know what he would be capable of, but he was big and threatening. If she went along with him, maybe he'd leave and things would be all right again.
    Reluctantly, she shut the door, hearing Nate call to Jim, hearing them move away, out of earshot. Their truck revved in the hushed night, moving away. Slowly she turned to face the den. The door opened and the stranger stepped out. The gun was no longer in sight.
    'What's going on?' she asked. 'Nate and Jim don't wander all over creation in a near-blizzard, and hours after dark, to follow a guy who welched on some poker match.'
    His lips twitched at her comment.
    'No, there’s more to it. Not your concern, though. They friends of yours?'
    'I've known them both for years. It’s a small community. I pretty much know everyone in Palmer.'
    He nodded at the mention of the town that