High-Caliber Christmas

by B. J Daniels

  It bothered him since he’d locked the house this time. He wanted to know who’d left it and how they’d gotten in. His gaze took in the kitchen and the mud room beyond it, lighting on a series of small hooks where he’d found the house key hanging. The keys had been clearly marked. Anyone in the house might have seen them and borrowed them long enough to have copies made before replacing them.

  Jace picked up the sack with the cologne in it. Now he really did want to know who’d been in the house. He just hoped that whoever had been this brazen hadn’t bothered to worry about fingerprints.

  AVA HAD KNOWN HER SISTER wouldn’t stay away. She just hadn’t expected her to come so quickly. Evie was waiting in her motel room when Ava returned from breakfast.

  “Evie, I begged you.”

  “Oh, stop whining.” Her sister was sprawled on the bed wearing black leather pants, a red T-shirt and no bra. To make matters worse, she was smoking in Ava’s non-smoking room.

  “I can’t deal with you being here right now,” she said. She didn’t want Evie to know about Jace. Evie would try to take him away from her, and right now Jace Dennison was the only reason she had to get out of bed in the mornings.

  Evie picked up one of the newspapers. “Who is Jace Dennison?”

  Her stomach dropped. She’d forgotten all about the newspapers and was now shocked to see that she had circled Jace Dennison’s name every time she had found it in an article.

  “I met him in the Denver airport. He looks like John,” she burst out and had to swallow back that familiar bitter taste of jealousy. “I don’t want you around him.”

  Evie laughed. “Do you think I’ll try to take him away from you?”

  Ava felt sick. “It wouldn’t be the first time.” Evie was going to spoil everything.

  “You know why you’re obsessing over this man?” Evie asked.

  “I’m not obsessing.”

  “It’s because you know who he is,” she said, lowering her voice.

  Ava froze. “What are you saying?”

  Evie leaned toward her and whispered, “He’s John.”

  Ava shook her head. “That’s crazy.”

  “Is it? He reminds you of John, doesn’t he? I saw the resemblance right away, but it’s more than his looks.”

  “How can it be John?” She wanted desperately for her sister to explain it to her, to give her crazy thoughts and behavior validity.

  “Maybe Jace Dennison died, and John’s soul was waiting for a body. You don’t believe it was a coincidence that you and this man just happened to be in the Denver airport at the same time, do you?”

  She didn’t, but she didn’t dare admit it to her sister. She still wasn’t sure if Evie was just fooling with her and would later make fun of her like she used to when they were kids or if Evie suspected what Ava had believed the first time she saw Jace Dennison.

  “That sounds crazy,” Ava said.

  “Maybe not. Didn’t I hear that Jace had been in some sort of accident?”

  Ava nodded quickly. “His plane crashed. He still has a limp. I saw bandages at his house and a medical report in his bag. He could have been killed.”

  “You’ve been to his house?”

  She felt tricked. “I was just—”

  “So you do believe he is John.”

  Ava didn’t dare voice it.

  “If it’s John, then on some level he wants you here.”

  Yes, just as she believed. “You should see the way he looks at me. It’s as if he is remembering me, remembering us.”

  “Ah,” Evie said. “It’s almost as if you have been given a chance to rewrite history.”

  Yes. That was exactly it. And also why Ava didn’t want her sister anywhere near Jace Dennison.

  “Don’t look so worried. I wouldn’t dream of coming between the two of you. I told you how sorry I was about what happened with me and John.”

  Ava had to look away. She didn’t want her sister to see the doubt in her eyes. She would feel so much better if her sister left town.

  As if Evie had heard her, she said, “Maybe I should go to the sheriff.”

  “Why? I haven’t done anything.” Ava hated how whiny she sounded.

  “But you’re thinking about doing something.”

  Was she? Ava moved to the mirror and picked up her hairbrush.

  “You can’t let what happened to John happen again,” Evie said behind her.

  Ava looked up to meet her sister’s gaze in the mirror.

  Her sister just stared back at her, and Ava was suddenly very afraid for Jace Dennison.

  TY WAS WAITING FOR HER when Kayley came out of the school. He stood leaning against his pickup.

  She felt a stab of guilt—not for accepting Jace’s dinner invitation later tonight but for letting her old feelings for him make her completely forget about her lunch plans with Ty. School had been scheduled to let out at 11:30 a.m. today, so she’d made the lunch plans over a week ago.

  Ty was a nice guy, and he seemed to care about her, but they only dated on occasion. She was always so busy. That was why Ty had made the lunch date so far in advance.

  As she walked over to him, she figured that by now he would have heard that she was with Jace yesterday at the funeral. She wasn’t sure what his reaction was going to be.

  “Hi,” Ty said, shoving back his Western hat to smile at her.

  “Hi.”

  His expression changed instantly. “You forgot about our lunch date,” he said, seeing that she had her gym bag.

  “I….” She shook her head. “There’s just been so much going on.”

  “Yeah. I would imagine. With Jace being back in town and the funeral and all. How’s he doing?”

  She took out her keys and opened her pickup, parked next to his, then dropped her gym bag inside along with her purse. Ty was acting as if it was no big deal, but she heard something in his voice that told a different story.

  “Jace is having a hard time, understandably,” she said.

  Ty nodded. “Understandably. I heard he’s put the place up for sale.”

  That news felt like an ice pick through her heart. Hadn’t she known he wouldn’t stay? She’d just never imagined he would sell out right away. Was he that anxious to clear out of Whitehorse? Apparently so.

  “I’m thinking about making an offer,” Ty said. She could feel him watching her closely and knew he’d seen how upset she was. “Apparently he wants out quickly. The place should go for a song.”

  Kayley didn’t blame Ty for rubbing it in. He was angry with her because people were talking about her and Jace being together yesterday at the funeral. She hadn’t meant to hurt him. But she had expected more understanding on his part—probably unfairly, since right now her thoughts were more with Jace.

  If he was selling the house, that meant he would have no reason to ever come back to Whitehorse. It meant she would never see him again.

  Why did that hurt so badly? He’d made it clear twelve years ago that it was over. She hadn’t been waiting for him to come back all these years, had she?

  The thought made her angry with herself. She knew the score. That was why she’d moved on after years of hardly dating.

  “I wouldn’t steal it from him,” Ty said, no doubt seeing her distress.

  “Why would you want it?”

  “There’s some good pasture along the river. I could rent out the houses to hunters. I’ve always liked that property.”

  She suspected he might have another reason for wanting something else that had belonged to Jace.

  “I’m sorry about lunch,” Kayley said, in no mood to sit through a meal with Ty right now.

  “Okay. We can do dinner instead,” he said. “Or will you be holding Jace’s hand?”

  “Ty—”

  “I was just kidding, Kayley. I know you were just helping him at the funeral, right?”

  “He invited me to dinner tonight. I said I’d go.”

  Ty was nodding, looking angry, which made her ang
ry with him.

  “Jace and I are old friends,” she said and regretted that she felt she had to give him a reason. “Friends? He dumped you just weeks before your wedding. He broke your heart. He didn’t even come home when the woman who raised him was dying. So please explain what it is you see in him, because it’s a damned mystery to me.”

  She was glad Ty didn’t know about the baby she and Jace had lost. But she couldn’t explain her relationship with Jace, and even if she could, she didn’t want to. “I won’t discuss Jace with you. Just because you and I have been dating for a while, Ty—”

  “Right,” he snapped. “Doesn’t mean anything. At least not to you, should your old boyfriend swing back through town. Well, I hope you know what you’re doing, sweetheart.” She hated it when he called her sweetheart in that tone. “Because Jace is going to be gone soon. Gone for good. And where is that going to leave you?”

  He turned on his heel, jerked open his pickup door and climbed behind the wheel. A moment later the engine roared and he left, tires throwing gravel as he sped away.

  She watched him go, feeling bad. She couldn’t really blame Ty. But it was never clearer than at that moment that he wanted more than she could give.

  As she got into her own truck, she glanced in the rearview mirror and was startled to see a silver SUV parked down the street. For just an instant, she thought it was Jace sitting behind the wheel.

  The vehicle was just like the one Jace was driving. It even had the same rental-car logo on it. No wonder she’d thought it was Jace’s.

  She realized with a start that it must be the one that had followed her out of town the other day. The same blonde was behind the steering wheel, and Kayley had no doubt she’d been watching her and Ty. As the woman now put up the side window, Kayley realized she’d also probably been listening, as well.

  Kayley drove away, watching to see if the woman followed her. She didn’t.

  JACE FELT LIKE A FOOL as he entered the police department with the cologne in a sack. He was reminded of when he’d come in here two days ago looking for answers, only to get more than a little bad news.

  Now he waited for the dispatcher to call the sheriff out.

  “Hello, Jace,” McCall said.

  He felt even more like a fool as he looked at her. Years ago, he should have figured out that they were related. He and McCall Winchester could have passed for brother and sister.

  “Someone’s been in my house. He or she left this,” he said, motioning to the sack he carried. “I’m pretty sure it is just cologne, but I was hoping you could get a print off it. I’d like to know who’s fooling with me.”

  “Step into my office.” She led the way down the hall. Once in her office, she placed a call, and a moment later a deputy came to take the sack with the cologne in it. McCall directed the man to see if he could get a print and also to have the lab check the contents.

  “Thanks,” Jace said, sinking into a chair after the deputy was gone.

  “I heard you met my aunt at the funeral.”

  He nodded. “I saw you at the funeral. Thanks for coming.”

  McCall smiled, getting his not-so-subtle clue that he didn’t want to talk about Virginia Winchester. “Was the cologne the only thing this person left at your house?”

  “No, there was a Christmas package with a shirt in it.” He hesitated, knowing how crazy it sounded and remembering Kayley’s take on it when he’d told her. The person also put my clothes away in my old room, even though I’d been staying in the guest room.”

  “Think it might have been a well-meaning neighbor?”

  “At first. The cologne threw me. Who buys someone cologne? Not only that—it isn’t even something I use.”

  She nodded. “Once we have the prints, if there are any on the bottle, I’ll run them and see what we get. But if it is a neighbor—”

  “I know there is little chance of matching any fingerprints.” The person would have had to have committed a crime or been fingerprinted for a profession that required it. Like his.

  “You want to file a report about the break-in?”

  “That’s just it—they didn’t break in. I think they took the house key off the hook by the back door and possibly made a duplicate.”

  “You might consider changing the locks.”

  “I don’t plan on being here that long.”

  “Jace, I know all of this must have you spinning, but I just wanted to let you know. I’m getting married on Christmas out at the ranch. All of the family is invited. That means you’re invited.”

  He drew back, a little surprised. “Thanks. I’d think about it if I was going to be here.”

  “Well, I just wanted to extend the invitation. You’re family if you want to be family, but I understand.” She rushed on. “If you’d like to forget that you’re related to the Winchesters, I totally understand.”

  “Yeah, I guess you do,” he said with a rueful chuckle. “But you’re getting married on the ranch?”

  “My grandmother’s idea. Our grandmother,” she corrected. “Pepper is…”

  He raised a brow as she seemed to search for the right word.

  McCall laughed. “She’s complicated.”

  “So I’ve heard.” He rose. “Thanks again for the invitation. I hope you have a very happy life.”

  “Thanks,” she said, also rising. “I’m going to try. In the meantime, I’ll let you know if we come up with anything on the cologne.”

  KAYLEY KNEW DINNER WAS a mistake the moment Jace picked her up. It was just like old times. As he held the door open for her at the Tin Cup restaurant, she was reminded of her junior and senior proms. She and Jace had dined here on both occasions.

  Both times, Jace had been so handsome and charming that if she hadn’t already fallen in love with him, she would have all over again.

  He was like that tonight.

  “You’re awfully quiet,” he said after they’d ordered.

  “Am I?”

  He grinned at her, clearly knowing it was something she couldn’t resist.

  She tried to relax. “Tell me about your life.”

  “I can’t really—”

  “Not the specifics. You travel a lot, right?”

  “Yes,” he replied wary now.

  “Do you have an apartment somewhere?”

  “No.”

  “So you travel light.”

  “Kayley—”

  “I’m just trying to get a picture of what your life is like.”

  “If you’re asking me if I’m sorry that I left—”

  “No, I’m not asking that, Jace.” Their salads came, and they ate in silence until their entrees arrived.

  “So, tell me about your life,” he said.

  She told him about her kindergarten class, some of the funny things the kids said and did, and how exciting it was when she saw how quickly they learned.

  “You love your job,” he said, sounding surprised. “I didn’t know you wanted to be a teacher.”

  “Neither did I,” she said with a laugh. When she and Jace had talked about their future together, it had been a small ranch, with her staying home and raising babies. It amazed her how young they’d been.

  “I’m glad things have turned out so well for you,” he said, his words belying the sadness she saw in his dark eyes.

  “And for you,” she said.

  After dinner, Jace drove her home, reminiscing about the old days and things they did. At her house, he got out and walked her to the door.

  “Thank you for dinner,” she said and started to turn to go in, when he grabbed her arm and swung her around. The kiss came as no surprise, but its power was a shocker. Even with strong feelings for Jace, she hadn’t expected the passion to still be there. She would have thought the way he’d hurt her, what they’d been through with the baby and the twelve years he’d been gone would have put that fire out.

  “Kayley.” His voice broke.

  “What is it you want, Jace?” she asked on a
breath.

  He shook his head, looking miserable. A part of her wanted to reach out to him, make it all better, just as she always had.

  He leaned toward her, his hat pushed back, that damned grin on his face. “Maybe I missed you.”

  She shook her head.

  “Being with you…”

  “You think you might have missed something.”

  “Think I made a mistake.”

  She shook her head. “You needed to leave.”

  “Did I?”

  “You must have, because you did.”

  “I can’t help thinking about what might have been. We could have gotten married and had other babies.”

  “Don’t.” Kayley reminded herself that Jace had put his property up for sale. He’d feel different in the light of day tomorrow. She’d been here before, and she was too smart to fall again for this man.

  That almost made her laugh. She’d never fallen out of love with Jace Dennison. “What do you want, Jace?” she asked again.

  He looked into her eyes. “At this moment, there is nothing I want more than you.”

  She smiled, believing him. “Good night, Jace.” As she started to step away, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. They were inches apart, and she knew that if he kissed her again, she would be a goner.

  She pulled free and hurried up her porch steps. A part of her half hoped he would follow. At that moment, she wanted him as much as he did her, maybe more.

  Once inside, she leaned against the door and listened to him drive away, wondering how many more times she could let him leave her.

  JACE MENTALLY KICKED himself all the way home. What had he been thinking, inviting Kayley out to dinner? Hadn’t he known it would just remind him of how wonderful things had been between them?

  Then he had to go and kiss her?

  He hadn’t been able to help himself. Kayley had looked so beautiful. Tonight had reminded him why he’d wanted to marry her, why she was still the only woman who could make him feel this way.

  Being with her tonight had reminded him of what he’d given up.

  His head was spinning. When he thought about it, he was glad that Kayley had sent him packing tonight. He didn’t want to hurt her again, and with his life such a mess…