Deep Freeze

by Hinze, Vicki

  “I am.” Liz laughed. “Congratulations, Emma.”

  “Thank you.”

  “That’s just a perk, I know. But I’m glad it makes you happy. Mason’s the real reward.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. We’re talking now.”

  “How’s it going?”

  “I have no idea.” Emma wished that weren’t true. “But either way, thanks for what you said.”

  “You figured out the reason?”

  “I did.”

  “Wonderful.”

  “I appreciate the opportunity and your help, Liz.” Emma meant that sincerely.

  “Not me. That came straight from the director.”

  “He heard that?”

  “Every word,” Liz said. “That was the only thing holding you back on probation. You can’t run from your emotions, Em. Eventually, they’ll wreck you.”

  Emma didn’t know whether to hang her head or squeal her delight. Finally, she settled for a lame, “Thank him, also.”

  “You can do that yourself when you get back.”

  “I will.” Emma hung up the phone.

  Mason sat smiling. “They got them? All four in the backup team?”

  “They did.” Emma returned to her stool. What had changed in Mason she didn’t know, but he seemed a lot more relaxed than she’d seen him in a long time.

  “All is well, then?”

  “I think so.” She tilted her head. “Have you received word of any changes?”

  “You mean about the move to Atlanta?”

  He knew. She nodded.

  “I was waiting until after you said what you wanted to say to tell you about it.”

  “You’re not happy about the move?” This did not bode well.

  “I wasn’t sure whether it was safe to be happy. Atlanta is your town. I had no idea what you were going to say, so I didn’t know if you’d welcome me there or not.”

  Uncertain and unsure. Like her. “It’ll be easier to teach you to shoot if we’re in the same state.”

  “True.” He nodded but a smile lurked on his mouth. “So, are you done saying what you wanted to say?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Okay, then. My turn.” He clasped her hand.

  It couldn’t be that bad. Not if he was holding her hand. Could it? Her heart beat fast.

  “About me ignoring you,” he began. “Just so you know, I went along, but that was your mother’s idea.”

  “My mother?”

  He nodded. “Her heart was in the right place. She loves you, and she liked me. She saw you going through guys and said if I was serious about you, I needed to wait until you discovered what you didn’t want. Only then could you appreciate what you did.” He paused, then added. “You’d come around, she said. You were smart and gorgeous, and you’d figure it out.”

  “Only I didn’t. Not then.”

  “Not then, and not in college. I had hoped you would, but you didn’t.”

  “Wait a minute. Are you saying you were interested in me way back then?”

  “No, I’m saying I was crazy in love with you then, but I didn’t want to be just another guy you dated and ditched. So, I kept my distance and didn’t date you. I didn’t want the heartbreak.”

  “Well, we both blew it, didn’t we?”

  “Did we?” He stood up and tugged her hand, suggesting she stand up. When she did, he kissed her, letting her feel his passion, his desire for her, and his vulnerability, too.

  A long minute later, he parted their mouths. “Holly is over for us, Emma. We’re damaged, but we made it.” He stroked her cheek with a gentle thumb. “I’m thinking our personal storm is over, too.”

  “What exactly does that mean, Mason?”

  “It means I still love you,” he said simply. “I’ve always loved you.”

  Emma looked up at him and smiled. “I still love you, too.”

  He kissed her again. Longer, harder, and deeper.

  While her senses were still reeling, he asked, “So is there an engagement you have to break before you can marry me?”

  He wanted to marry her, and she definitely wanted to marry him. “Actually, no, there isn’t.”

  “That’s a relief.”

  “For me, too.” She chuckled.

  He dipped his chin. “Just so we’re clear. You are saying you will marry me, right? I mean, you’ll actually show up and marry me?”

  She wanted to laugh. She didn’t. “I will.”

  “I'm going to hold you to that, Emma. I mean it.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” She tightened her hold on his shoulders. “Everything I want is right here.”

  He hugged her hard.

  She drew back. “In the meantime, since there’s no other relationship to sever, I could help you prepare the lab.”

  “For what?”

  “The move to Atlanta.”

  “Oh, honey, I have no idea when that’s happening.”

  “According to Liz, it’s happening as soon as they can get an aircraft in here to pick up the pathogens.”

  “Seriously?”

  She nodded.

  “Guess that’s what the text coming in later today is going to be about. Orders for me to move to Atlanta.”

  “It’ll be kind of convenient, since I work from there, too. It’s my home base.”

  He smiled. “Very convenient.”

  “Maybe I could hitch a ride home with you and the pathogens.”

  His eyes were smiling. The most amazing twinkle lighting them. “Well, I don’t see why not. If I heard what I think I heard, you’re now a security consultant.”

  “Yes. Yes, I am.” She curled her arms around his waist.

  “So, I guess it’s safe to ask the marry-or-die question now, right?”

  “We’ll save that for after the wedding.”

  “You’re not going to skate out on me, are you?” Anger not uncertainty flickered across his face. “You said—”

  “No way,” she promised. “That’s to make sure you show up and don’t skate.”

  He laughed. “Well, no matter who your boss is, congratulations on surviving the probation, Emma.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You really are good at what you do.”

  “I have to be, or people get hurt. That’s a strong incentive.”

  “It is.” He dragged a fingertip along her cheek. “I loved the girl I thought you were, but I totally love the woman you’ve become.” His voice dropped. “Who would have thought after all this time…” He didn’t finish the thought. “Christmas miracles are abundant around here.”

  Olivia recovering. The invaders being thwarted. The lab being breached and them still keeping the pathogens contained and the contamination restricted. After three grueling years, probation was finally over and she’d been hired by Silencers, Inc. But best of all, Mason and she had finally found each other. They’d survived the deep freeze and experienced a lot of miracles in Colorado. “Definitely, abundant.”

  Darcy Keller appeared on the television screen beyond Mason’s shoulder. Emma prayed the same would be said for Nebraska.

  Mason bent to kiss her again, and a thought struck Emma. “Wait. What about David, Sophia and the kids? He’ll be out of a job.”

  “No, he won’t. They’ll follow us to Atlanta. It’ll take a while to sell their house and make the move. A month at most.”

  Emma hugged Mason hard. “I’m so glad they’re coming, too.”

  “I’m insisting. Both David and I need to monitor Olivia long-term.”

  “Do you expect challenges?”

  “Honestly, I don’t. Dr. Cramer is doing fine, and he claims he’s had no long-term effects, so we shouldn’t see any in Olivia either.”

  “But you’re taking no chances and you want to be sure.”

  “Exactly.” Mason laughed, his smile crinkling the skin near his eyes. “We’re going to build a great life together, Emma.”

  “If you’d said that a week ago, I would have doubted
it. But after all this… I believe that we will.”

  And inside Emma, the remnants of the deep freeze fully thawed.

  Portal 3 News

  Darcy Keller stood before the cameraman near the satellite truck in the PIA parking lot.

  “Holly has left an indelible mark on Portal. Four fatalities have been reported, and two dozen injured have been transported to local hospitals. Nearly two million are currently without power.

  “I’ve just spoken with the mayor of Portal and she reports it will take a few days before roads are cleared and people are safe to move around. For now, they’re asking everyone to stay home and off the roads unless it’s an emergency. Downed power lines are extremely dangerous and should be avoided. Both authorities and repair crews are braving the dangers to assess the damage. A special shout-out of gratitude to our linemen, working to get power restored, and to those from nearby areas who are coming to Portal to help. We’ll share video of the damage as soon as we’re able to get into those areas most heavily hit by Holly.

  “Here at PIA, Assistant Airport Manager, Janette Wilson, says the facility has experienced significant damage but the five-thousand stranded passengers are all fine. One unidentified child had a raging infection, but a fellow traveler had and shared the needed antibiotics, and word is the child is out of danger and recovering. Wilson expects, barring any runway or tower damage, the airport will begin transporting passengers later this afternoon.

  “We send our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. We also wish those injured speedy recoveries. While our nerves are frayed, there is no doubt we have much to be thankful for this Christmas. Property damages are expected to be high, but the loss of life was minimal, and while one life is a horrible price to pay, in a storm like Holly, that’s a miracle.

  “The storm is tracking to Nebraska. Having endured it here, my best advice is to be prepared—food, water, batteries, essential medications. You know the drill—and hunker down, Tinley and those in Holly’s path. For the latest advisories and updates on Holly, stay tuned for reports from our Chief Meteorologist.

  “This is Darcy Keller for Portal 3 News. Back to you in the studio…”*

  * * *

  Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this book, please do leave a review.

  Read on for a sneak peek of the next STORM WATCH novel, Wind Chill by Rita Herron.

  Sneak Peek

  WIND CHILL

  STORMWATCH, Book 3

  by Rita Herron

  Copyright © 2019 by Rita Herron

  * * *

  Bailey Huggins hated the cold, but she had a job to do, and today that meant braving the elements to do it. People had to be informed about the blizzard bearing down on the state and its inherent dangers or else they might get caught out in it.

  The cameraman motioned for her to stand in front of the Welcome to Tinley sign so he could capture the wind battering it and the power lines as they swayed beneath the force.

  She did as he instructed, then yanked her snowcap tighter over her ears, already chilled to the bone. But she was a professional trying to work her way up at the station, so as she waited to begin the segment, she pasted a smile on her face.

  Rick gave her the cue, and she raised her voice so it could be heard over the roaring wind. “This is Meteorologist Bailey Huggins, reporting to you via Channel 7 news, Tinley, Nebraska. As of midnight last night, a severe weather advisory has been issued for the entire state. Holly, the worst blizzard to strike in eighty years, has already wreaked havoc on Montana and Colorado, leaving fatalities and devastation in its wake.”

  Thick snowflakes pummeled her, but she brushed them from her eyes with a gloved hand. “Temperatures have already dropped into the single digits and are expected to land below zero by morning, with the wind chill reaching thirty below in the next twenty-four hours.” She shivered, struggling to keep her teeth from chattering.

  “Road advisories have been issued, flights have been cancelled across the Midwest, and power outages are already being reported.”

  She paused for dramatic effect. “This is no laughing matter. People are urged to stay inside and off the roads for their own safety. Make sure you have emergency supplies available, along with food and water. Once the storm hits, roads may be impassable, businesses closed, and you won’t be going anywhere.”

  She hesitated again, this time adding a small smile. “Happy Holidays, folks. Unfortunately though, our White Christmas is just about to get nasty.”

  * * *

  Chapter One

  9 a.m., Gulf Shores, Alabama, December 21

  Special Agent Gia Franklin was on TV again. Talking about him.

  A smile curved his lips as he studied her smoky amber eyes, now filled with distrust and determination as she addressed the members of the press conference.

  The fed was proving to be a worthy adversary. Strong-willed and smart. Calm yet menacing in the way she stared down the reporters who tossed questions at her like live grenades.

  He felt like he knew her. Like she was becoming a friend. Maybe he’d forget the formalities and just call her Gia.

  Just as he’d wanted to do all those years ago when she’d ignored him.

  She wasn’t ignoring him now.

  Gia thumped her fingers on top of the podium. “I’m sorry to report that there are now nine victims of The Christmas Killer.” A photograph of the latest female to die at his hands flashed on the screen.

  Only this was a plain picture of her, not the way they’d found her. The beautiful red scarf he’d wrapped around her neck and the ornament he’d lovingly tied to her wrist were missing.

  “This is Terry Ann Igley, age twenty-seven. She owned a pet grooming and boarding service that catered to tourists in this beautiful beach community of Gulf Shores,” Gia continued. “If you have any information regarding her murder, please call your local police or the FBI.”

  His body hardened at the memory of Terry Ann’s pretty dark eyes pleading with him not to kill her. She had a tender spot for all live creatures, especially dogs and cats, and was organizing a pet parade where owners dressed their furry friends in holiday costumes.

  She’d trusted him.

  Until she hadn’t.

  “When are you going to catch this guy?” a blond reporter in the front row asked.

  Gia glanced at the male agent next to her, but he simply gestured for her to answer the question. It was obvious she was in charge.

  “We are doing everything within our power to identify the perp and stop his killing spree. Since he has struck now in three different states, the FBI has formed a joint task force with law enforcement agencies across the states.”

  “He started in your home state of Florida, didn’t he?” a dark-haired male reporter prodded.

  The agent hesitated. Because she wasn’t from Florida. Gia Franklin grew up in the small town of Tinley, Nebraska. She’d moved to Florida after her mother died three years ago, ironically right before Christmas.

  She had one sibling, a sister named Carly, who still lived in Tinley, aka Tinsel Town, because each year the town hosted a huge holiday festival with activities and decorations that drew tourists from all over the region.

  Carly was blonde and beautiful with the face of an angel. So opposite of her ice queen sister.

  “Florida is my home now,” Gia said instead. “And yes, the first three victims were from the south Florida area, then the assailant struck in Georgia.”

  The raven-haired reporter waved her hand. “Three kills in Florida, three in Georgia and now three here in Alabama. He left an ornament from the Twelve Days of Christmas song with each victim. That means he’s not finished.”

  The agent lifted her chin, anger radiating from her cool eyes. “Judging from his MO to date, I’d say that’s a fair assessment. All the more reason we need anyone with information regarding the victims to come forward. No matter how small the detail, it might be helpful.”

  Laughter bubbled in his throat
at the double meaning of the name they’d given him. The Christmas Killer. Fitting that he was destroying the holiday spirit for these do-gooders with his murders. All methodically planned.

  His Christmases had been ruined a long time ago.

  He glanced at the box of special ornaments handcrafted after the Twelve Days of Christmas song. He’d left the partridge in a pear tree ornament with his first victim. The second; two turtledoves. The third; three French hens. The fourth; four calling birds…

  He still had three more ornaments to give out.

  Another reporter cleared her throat. “Agent Franklin, women need to be warned. Do you have a profile of the killer?”

  Gia’s chest rose and fell on a deep breath, then she curled her fingers around the edge of the podium with a white-knuckled grip.

  “We believe he’s a white male, mid-thirties. He’s methodical, organized and wants attention, as if he’s staging a show by posing his victims.” She swallowed. “He’s charming, average to good looks, blends in with a crowd so he often goes unnoticed. In fact, that may be a sore spot with him. He feels he’s invisible.”

  She hesitated, then cleared her throat. “While he may exhibit outward signs of violence, he possesses a dark sinister side and may be suffering from bipolar disorder coupled with manic depression. Most likely, a traumatic event occurred around this time of year in his life, so the holidays trigger his rage.”

  The reporter’s hand shot up. “Do you have any idea where he’ll strike again?”

  Gia paused as if searching for answers, then stared directly into the camera. “Not at the moment. But I promise you, I won’t stop until I catch him and put him behind bars.”

  His blood heated with admiration and…anger. Gia Franklin had just challenged him.

  A chuckle rumbled from deep in his gut. She wanted to make this personal.

  Hell, he’d considered making it personal before. Now he would. He’d make it very personal.

  He snagged his phone and accessed the airlines’ flight schedules. He’d planned to stay in the sunny South for the last three kills.