Covert Christmas

by Hope White

  “It’s dangerous to have these in your possession,” Scott said.

  “I can handle this alone.”

  “But you shouldn’t have to,” Bree said. “That’s what family and friends are for, to help each other fight the hard battles.”

  He glanced at her with misty eyes and she thought she might have gotten through to him.

  Instead, he redirected his attention to Scott. “The vials.”

  Scott placed them on the ground.

  “Back up,” Uncle Chuck said.

  Scott did as ordered and nodded at Bree to stay back.

  Uncle Chuck picked up the vials, but didn’t lower the gun. “All this for a little bit of contaminated water.”

  “How did you know it was contaminated?” Scott said.

  “It says so on here.” Chuck glanced at the vials.

  An odd expression crossed his face, like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

  “Don’t confuse me!” He took a step toward Scott.

  Aiden charged Uncle Chuck from behind.

  The gun went off.

  Scott tackled Bree to the ground. Air rushed from her lungs. “Sorry, you okay?” he said.

  She nodded, unable to verbally respond as she gasped for breath.

  “Let go of me!” Uncle Chuck shouted.

  “Drop the gun!” Aiden countered.

  “Stay down,” Scott said into Bree’s ear and slid off of her.

  Bree stayed down all right, she stayed down and prayed. Prayed that no one would be hurt and that Uncle Chuck would come down from whatever anxiety spin he was on.

  She also hoped she’d misinterpreted Chuck’s reaction and he wasn’t part of the master plan to poison the natural water sources in the area. But that’s what Scott had implied, right?

  Another shot rang out and she gasped.

  “The gun,” Aiden said.

  “Got it.”

  “Relax, Uncle Chuck,” Aiden ordered.

  Bree heard the sound of a man sobbing. She glanced to her right. Chuck was chest down with Aiden’s knee pressed against his back.

  “If I let you go, will you be okay?” Aiden said. “No crazy stuff?”

  Uncle Chuck nodded. Aiden helped him sit up.

  Scott crouched beside Uncle Chuck. “You knew about the illegal dumping, didn’t you?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “I’ll call 9-1-1.” Aiden stood and pulled out his phone.

  Bree kneeled beside Scott. “Uncle Chuck, what’s going on?”

  Chuck stared blindly toward the mountains. “He said he was going to clean it up, build another plant, employ thousands of locals.”

  “Did he pay you—” Scott hesitated “—for your cooperation?”

  “Do you know how little a municipal police chief makes?” He glanced at Bree. “I wanted to propose to your mom and take her on a nice honeymoon to Greece.”

  “So you allowed Phillip Oppenheimer to break the law?” Scott said.

  Chuck glared at Scott. “Get me a lawyer.”

  Bree touched Chuck’s shoulder and he glanced at her with bloodshot eyes. “Why did you have to find him out there?” he said softly. “He was never supposed to come down from the mountain.”

  “They’re on the way,” Aiden said, eyeing Chuck. “I don’t get it. You’re involved with poisoning your own town, your friends...Mom?”

  Uncle Chuck looked away.

  “Sometimes money and power are too hard to resist,” Scott offered. “Especially when served up by a master manipulator like Phillip Oppenheimer.”

  * * *

  Bree spent three hours at the police station giving her statement, first to Chief Washburn, then to federal officers who were taking over the case. Apparently illegal dumping wasn’t the only crime committed by the powerful Phillip Oppenheimer, but the feds hadn’t been able to charge him with anything else to date.

  As she sat in a chair by the chief’s desk she felt emotionally and physically exhausted. The most draining part of the day had been the few minutes when she thought her uncle might shoot and kill Scott.

  “Hey,” Scott said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s over.”

  She glanced up at him. He looked different for some reason, distant, and a little bit like a stranger.

  “What about the men who are after you, me, us?” she said.

  “Federal officers are detaining Phillip Oppenheimer and his men at the airport,” Scott said. “Apparently the flash drive I gave them has plenty of evidence, including emails and voice mails, proving Phillip knew about the toxins.”

  “Looks like the feds have identified the dead man from the plant as one of Oppenheimer’s security agents,” Chief Washburn said, walking up to them. “From what we can piece together, Chuck shot him because he threatened to kidnap you, Breanna, thinking you’d be good leverage to control Scott. They were trying to discredit Scott by planting the gun, making the petty cash accusation, among other things. Why was your girlfriend involved?”

  “Ex-girlfriend,” Scott corrected. “I’d suspected she was on their payroll but couldn’t be sure.”

  “Awfully convenient to have a drugged water bottle in her car before you headed up into the mountains,” the chief said.

  “She would have drugged me regardless. Another way to make me look mentally unstable so no one would take my claims seriously.”

  “And the tainted water?” she asked.

  “The water council will work on how to purify it before it hits our faucets,” the chief said.

  Breanna shook her head.

  “What?” Scott said.

  “I’m having a hard time differentiating between the good guys and bad guys. I mean, Uncle Chuck?”

  “That surprised me, too,” Chief Washburn said. “But Oppenheimer made promises, convinced Chuck he had big plans for the area. If he’d followed through on those promises, Chuck would have certainly come out the hero.”

  “Why did Uncle Chuck believe him?”

  “Because it’s easier to believe you’re doing the right thing than to admit you’re a part of the problem,” Scott offered.

  Bree sensed he wasn’t talking about Chuck. But why would Scott take on so much personal responsibility about his boss’s plans? Scott was trying to bring justice to the situation.

  “Can I talk to you outside for a second?” she said to Scott.

  “They might need me—”

  “I’ll let them know where you are,” Chief Washburn said.

  “Okay, thanks.”

  Bree took Scott’s hand and led him out front. The town’s decorations illuminated the street with multicolored bells, stars and snowflakes hanging from streetlights. She smiled at the sight.

  Scott slid his hand from hers and she studied him with a heavy heart. She feared what was coming next, so she tried a diversion.

  “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and glanced down the street, the lights reflecting in his eyes. She was sure he wasn’t seeing the beauty of the display as she just had.

  “Why do I get the feeling you were talking about yourself when you said it’s easier to believe a lie than to believe you’re part of the problem?” she asked.

  He clenched his jaw.

  “Come on, talk to me.”

  He glanced up. The intensity of his gaze shot a chill to her core.

  “It’s the truth,” he said. “I was a part of the problem.”

  “You were trying to fix the problem.”

  “I involved innocent people in the process. Someone could have gotten hurt. You could have been hurt.”

  “But I wasn’t. It’s over and everything’s okay.”

  He sho
ok his head. “Chuck was right about one thing—I continually put you in danger.”

  “Scott, it was those men—”

  “If I hadn’t asked, make that begged you to stay by me that first night at the hospital you wouldn’t have been in danger.”

  “You were alone and you needed my help.”

  “Well, I don’t anymore.”

  She tried covering the pain arcing across her chest with a sigh. “It’s okay to need someone, Scott.”

  “Not for me it isn’t. I take care of people, I don’t put them in the line of fire, like that kid....” He shook his head.

  “Miguel?”

  He stared at the ground.

  “Why do you blame yourself for his death?”

  “Because he was killed trying to help me. I didn’t ask him to,” he said, his voice sounding raw as he spoke. “I told him to stay out of it, that I’d nail the gang for his brother’s murder and instead he ends up dead, too.”

  “He was trying to do the right thing. That was his choice. Not yours.”

  “It was my fault. If I would have closed the case faster he wouldn’t have gone snooping around.”

  “Scott, we can’t take responsibility for other people’s choices. I made the choice to help you at the hospital and nothing was going to change my mind. My choice.” She took a chance and placed her hand over his heart. “And I’m glad I did.”

  “Why?” he whispered. “I’ve got nothing to offer you, no job, no future.”

  “Hey, we just survived a life-threatening situation. Let’s enjoy the moment and not worry about the future.”

  “I can’t help it,” he said with incredible sadness in his voice. “I need to know you’re going to be happy.”

  “I’m happy right now.” She slid her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “The lights are beautiful and hope is in the air. Mom’s open house is tomorrow night and the Christmas tree lighting ceremony is—”

  “No.” He removed her arms from his waist and looked into her eyes. “This is your world, Breanna, not mine. I come from a violent world and will not infect you with that ugliness.”

  “Scott—”

  He interrupted her protest with a kiss. It was gentle, warm and filled with desperation.

  It was a goodbye kiss.

  Tears formed in her eyes. Somehow this man didn’t think himself worthy of happiness and love.

  He broke the kiss and hugged her. “You are...incredible.”

  He released her and bolted into the police station.

  Bree stood there for a few minutes, unsure what to do next. Should she follow him? Confront him with the truth that he was, in fact, worthy of love? Probably not a good idea in front of a room full of law enforcement officials.

  She sensed that nothing she said would change his mind. Somehow he’d have to find enlightenment on his own. Well, not totally alone.

  Please, God, help him see he is worthy of Your love.

  Glancing up at the dark sky dotted with stars, she considered her next move. Instinct told her to give him space.

  But she wouldn’t let him leave Echo Mountain without giving him one last gift.

  * * *

  The next day Aiden showed up unannounced at Scott’s room to check up on him. Scott hadn’t heard from Bree since their conversation in front of the police station.

  And the kiss. Scott closed his eyes at the memory of her soft, perfect lips.

  “Let me get this straight, my sister helped you out this past week and you’re going to leave without saying goodbye?” Aiden said, leaning against the wall, eating an apple. “That’s harsh.”

  “It’s better that way.”

  “Better for...?”

  Scott glanced at Aiden. “Her.”

  “Oh, okay,” Aiden said, disbelief coloring his voice. “You still have one more thing to do before you leave town.”

  “The feds said I could go back to Chicago.”

  “Not the feds, my mother. She wants you to stop by her Christmas open house tonight. And trust me, you don’t want to turn her down.”

  “I’ve got a plane to catch.”

  “Really? After everything you put that woman through?”

  Scott glanced at Aiden.

  “You practically got her daughter killed,” Aiden said. “Then you expose Mom’s boyfriend as a criminal.”

  “So she wants me to come by her party to rip me in front of the whole town?”

  Aiden shrugged. “Doubt it. She’s about compassion and forgiveness, kind of like Bree.”

  Bree’s compassion had astonished Scott on more than one occasion.

  “Are you going to rejoin the force when you get back to Chicago?” Aiden asked.

  “I don’t know. My heart’s not in it.”

  “Yeah, chucklehead, I know where your heart is,” Aiden said.

  “I promised you I’d stay away from Bree.”

  “Hey, don’t make me the bad guy here.” Aiden pushed away from the wall. “I’m starting to think it’s not the worst idea in the world, I mean, you and my sister.”

  “You’re messing with me,” Scott said, eyeing Aiden.

  “No, I’m not. Bree couldn’t trust guys after being with that jerk, Thomas. Then you literally fell at her feet and something changed. Maybe because you were vulnerable and needy, I don’t know. But my sister’s grown a ton this past week thanks to you. She’s got her groove back.” Aiden smiled.

  “I’m glad.” He stuffed a sweatshirt into his duffel bag. “I’m really glad.”

  “And you really love her.”

  Scott hesitated as he rolled up his jeans. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “If love doesn’t matter then what does?”

  * * *

  Aiden’s words haunted him, but Scott knew he was doing the right thing. Letting Breanna go was the true act of love. She’d be free to find another, better man with whom to spend her life.

  Scott climbed the steps leading to Mrs. McBride’s front porch and reached for the door.

  “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

  He spun around and spotted Bree, bundled up in a fleece blanket, sitting on the porch swing.

  “Aiden said not to refuse your mom so...”

  “Oh.” Bree glanced down.

  He instantly regretted his words. He should have said he needed to see Bree one more time, drink in the sight of her face so he’d never forget it.

  “I have something for you.” She unfolded her legs and grabbed a gift bag from the floor. “It’s an emergency kit with everything you need in case you get stuck in the mountains again.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Open it.”

  Scott wandered to a chair and sat down. Excitement danced in her eyes as she watched him. He’d miss that, too, her enthusiasm.

  The kit had all the essentials including matches in a plastic bag, a headlamp, pocketknife, mini-first-aid kit, sunscreen, freeze-dried food and a flashlight. Hooked to the flashlight was a key chain that read: Let Go, Let God.

  “Nice touch.” He smiled.

  “You’ll have to supply the extra clothes and shelter.”

  “Shelter, even on a day hike?”

  “You never know what you’ll encounter in the mountains.”

  Their eyes caught. No, he couldn’t have known he’d find the love of his life in the Cascade Mountains.

  “There should be one more thing.” She smiled, expectant.

  He dug into the bag and pulled out a compass. “So I won’t get lost, nice.”

  “Flip it over,” she said.

  He turned the compass over and on the back was a photo of Bree and Fiona. “Wow, this is great,” he said, his heart aching.

  “We’re
always close, Scott. All of us.” She went to him and kissed him on the cheek.

  He closed his eyes for a second.

  And she was gone. The door clicked shut as she disappeared into the house.

  His gaze drifted to the photo of Bree and Fiona. How could he leave her?

  Aiden was right. Love matters. A lot.

  Who would have thought a mind-altering head injury would teach Scott how to trust and love? He’d spent most of his life feeling discarded and unloved. And now, when love was handed to him like a gift, he was going to reject it? That made no sense.

  But Breanna did. Everything about her made sense from her gentle way to her determined attitude; her devotion to family and her faith in God.

  Leaving Bree would be turning his back on the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him.

  He glanced at the key chain attached to the flashlight. “Let Go, Let God,” he whispered. He clicked the light on, aimed it across the property and clicked it off. “Show me the way, Lord.”

  He stuffed the essentials back into the bag and headed for the house, expecting to be shunned by locals and lectured by Bree’s mom.

  He opened the door and held his breath....

  Everyone greeted him as though he were an old friend. Nia handed him a hot apple cider and Grace from the SAR K9 unit offered him a plate of cookies, which he had to put down in order to greet Reverend Charles. The pastor shook Scott’s hand and said they could use his help at a fund-raising event next week if Scott was still in town.

  Scott felt like a celebrity; he felt as though he belonged.

  A new feeling. A good feeling.

  Harvey came up beside him and smiled. “Glad you’re A-okay.”

  “Thanks, and thanks for all your help this past week.”

  “About that—” Harvey hesitated “—I’m worn out from all that horsing around. I need a vacation, or maybe I need to retire, take some trips, go fishing for a week or a year.”

  Scott chuckled. “Sounds like a plan.”

  “I don’t suppose you’d want to take over as security manager for the resort?”

  Scott snapped his attention to Harvey. “You can’t offer me your job.”

  “I didn’t, but I think he will.” He glanced across the room at Aiden, who cracked a smile and nodded at Scott.