by Terri Reed
Seeing the village stirred a nostalgic sense of well-being. She’d loved this place as a kid. Who was she kidding? She still did, even with danger looming over her like a gloomy cloud.
A high arch structure built by her great-grandfather marked the entrance to the village. Fresh green garland snaked around the arch. Embedded in the greenery were tiny white lights. A big gold satin bow with long tails graced the top of the arch.
Inside the village, constructed to replicate an Old West town, employees worked to prepare for opening day. The various storefront facades were in varying stages of decorating with gold ribbons, gold ornaments of different sizes and gold garland mixed with greenery around the wood railing of the ramps that allowed for wheelchair access.
It seemed this year Rob was going for a golden Christmas theme. She couldn’t wait to see what he did with the sleigh. Would he paint it gold? She remembered one year when he’d done a white-and-blue Christmas theme, he’d painted the sleigh blue and hung white lights on it.
Coming to a halt, Heather put her hand over her racing heart. “I haven’t run that far in ages.”
Tyler grinned, knocking what little breath remained in her lungs out with a one-two punch.
“Whew!” Tyler said. “Is your son training for a long-distance race?”
Catching her breath, she forced her attention to where Colin was talking with Rob outside the bakery shop. “He has a lot of energy—that’s for sure.”
“He’s a good kid.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re a good mom. It shows in Colin.”
His comment raised her curiosity. “Have you had much experience with kids?”
He let out a small scoffing laugh. “Not to speak of. But I’ve seen enough unruly children in public places to spot a genuinely well-behaved kid when I see one. And I would hazard a guess that has a great deal to do with parenting.”
“The old nurture versus nature debate, huh?”
“I don’t know. But I have to believe that having a parent who loves and cares for their child the way you do Colin, that he’s bound to turn out well.”
“You must have had good parents, then,” she said. “You turned out well.”
He blanched. “No. I didn’t.”
Did he mean he didn’t have good parents or that he hadn’t turned out well? Or both?
Did she really want to know? Somehow, getting close enough for him to share his history with her scared her. She wasn’t looking to get emotionally involved with this man. He was here for a purpose. And it wasn’t to comfort her lonely heart. It was to protect her and her son’s life. And bust a drug ring. She would do well to remember that despite how much the thought of comfort from him appealed to her. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her red parka.
She had to stop this nonsense and focus on her priority. Her son. “I believe that having a relationship with God is what makes the difference. He is, after all, the ultimate Father.”
One side of his mouth slanted upward. “You’re right.”
They joined Rob and Colin. The delicious aroma of cinnamon and vanilla wafted out of the bakery building. Heather’s mouth watered. “Ohhh, Mrs. Theid is making sweet rolls.”
“Can I get one?” Colin danced on his toes.
“Me, too,” Tyler said, giving Colin another high five.
Amusement danced in Rob’s eyes. “I told Colin he’d have to ask you.”
Colin and Tyler both gave her a beseeching smile that melted her insides like warm butter on a sweet roll. “Pastries for lunch?”
“Pleeeeeease,” Colin said with a wide smile that showed all his little teeth.
Rob chuckled. “How can you resist that face?”
“Right,” Tyler chimed in with a big toothy grin of his own. “How can you resist?”
Unable to deny them the treat, she relented with a laugh. “All right. But we’ve got to head back to the house for some real lunch. A healthy lunch.”
“Aww, we just got here,” Colin protested.
“Let’s not push it, buddy,” Tyler said, holding out his hand to Colin. “Let’s get a treat.” He looked at Heather expectantly. “You coming?”
“I’ll be right there,” she assured him. “Mrs. Theid was one of my mother’s best friends. I should come in and say hello.” But she didn’t move. Maybe it was because the thought of going inside the bakery with Tyler and Colin as if they were a family unit left her mouth dry and tore a chunk out of her heart.
Tyler hesitated, clearly torn between wanting to stay close to her and wanting to fulfill his word to her son. Tyler was a good man. She’d only had a few hours on which to base her assessment, but so far he’d proven he was a man of honor and integrity. A man worth taking a second look at. But she wasn’t looking, not once, not twice.
Colin tugged on his hand, practically dragging Tyler through the bakery door.
Seeing the two walking into the shop hand in hand made her insides melt all over again. She wished she could bottle up this time and keep it for darker days when she and Colin needed a little pick-me-up.
“He seems like a decent guy,” Rob said, reminding her she wasn’t alone.
“Yes. He does.”
And that was a problem.
One she didn’t know how to solve. But it was clear she was going to have to guard her heart if she hoped to get through this unscathed. She’d lost her one true love. She had no intention of putting herself at risk again.
Shifting her focus to the village decorations, she said, “Gold this year. I like it.”
“It seemed appropriate since this is the golden anniversary of the farm’s Christmas Village.”
A fist-size knot tightened in her chest. Of course it was. If she’d been paying attention, she’d have remembered. Every Christmas season her parents had been marking off the countdown to the anniversary. Her great-grandparents had bought the farm nearly eighty years ago but waited until their own children were grown and had their own lives before building the village and opening it up to the public.
Touched by his observance of the date, she said with honest gratitude, “Thank you, Rob, for remembering.”
“Of course. You are very important to me.”
Swallowing back the unease itching its way up her throat, she replied, “Our family is grateful for all you do.”
She stared at his scarred face, battling the suspicions rearing within her mind. Was he involved with the drug smuggling? Or was he innocent?
Seth had looked to Rob as a surrogate father. Did she dare take a chance on asking Rob about the journal? Would she be tipping off the bad guys? Where had Rob been standing when the chain on the trees let loose? Had Rob been involved with Seth’s death? Was Colin safe with Rob around? Colin looked up to Rob. It would tear him up to discover the man was in any way responsible for Seth’s death. And her parents had trusted him...
She looked away from Rob to gaze over the village. She recognized every face. Year after year these same people journeyed to the tree farm to help make Christmas bright for others. Yes, they were paid, but each one enjoyed their time here enough to return. She’d never worried about her or Colin’s safety here on the farm before. But now she stared at each person and questioned whether they were really what they seemed. Any one of these employees could be involved in the drug-smuggling ring. Involved in Seth’s death.
A throbbing headache pounded behind her eyes, and her stomach burned with agitation. She didn’t know how long she could handle the dread that seemed to have taken up residence inside her. She prayed it wouldn’t have to be long and that she and Colin would make it through alive. With their hearts intact.
* * *
The cute little bakery was bigger on the inside than Tyler had expected with a full kitchen, large ovens, a few tables and chairs. And the
most decadent-looking array of pastries and candies Tyler had seen in a long time.
Before they were served, he called Nathanial and asked him to bring the truck around. Tyler didn’t think any of them were up for the hike back.
The woman behind the counter, Mrs. Theid, boasted that all her treats were homemade. She’d been working for the Larsons since before she was married, and she’d just celebrated her thirty-third anniversary.
Tyler hadn’t been free to ask too many questions with Colin next to him. But what he did learn made him realize there were more people involved in the Larson Christmas tree farm than he’d first thought. Which meant more suspects to cull through.
Tyler followed Colin out of the bakery, their hands filled with large gooey sweet rolls dripping with icing. One look at Heather’s face had concern crowding out his enjoyment of the pastry in his hand. He cocked his head as he studied Heather. Her face had lost some of the color she’d had from their run. And her lips where pressed tightly together, her eyes troubled. “You okay?”
Her smile looked forced. “Yes. Though I’d like to head back now. I’m tired.”
“I called Nathanial and asked him to bring my truck around to pick us up.”
“You did?” Heather’s eyes brightened. “That was thoughtful of you.”
As if on cue, a horn honked. Nathanial waved from the driver’s seat of Tyler’s large black truck with an extended cab.
Colin’s face scrunched up, but Heather held up a hand before he could protest. “We will return to help later. I promise.”
Colin huffed and then chomped on the roll, apparently satisfied with her words. Tyler liked that she was firm yet kind with the boy. So different from the way his mother and his grandparents had treated him. He’d dealt with both extremes. His mother had been harsh, sometimes mean when she was coming down off a high, whereas his grandparents had been overindulgent with their affection and praise.
They climbed into the cab of the truck.
“You didn’t bring me one of those?” Nathanial groused good-naturedly, eyeing the remnants of their pastries.
“Wouldn’t want to ruin your figure,” Tyler shot back, then finished off his pastries with a flourish.
Nathanial grinned as he drove. “You got that right. Too bad you can’t say the same for yourself.”
Tyler chuckled. He liked the Canadian. They’d only worked together a handful of times, but Tyler could count on Nathanial to have his back.
Glancing over his shoulder at Heather, who stared out the side window with a pensive look on her face, Tyler wondered what Rob had said to upset her. He still hadn’t made up his mind about Rob. He seemed to genuinely care for Heather and Colin, but there was something off with the guy. And that bugged Tyler.
When they reached the house, Tyler climbed out and opened the rear cab door for Heather. Nathanial did the same for Colin.
“I need a moment with Nathanial,” he told Heather as she climbed out. “You and Colin wait for me on the porch, okay?”
She nodded, but he wasn’t sure she really heard him. He snagged her elbow. “What’s wrong?”
Her brows knit together. “Everything. I hate this. I hate not trusting the people working on the farm. I hate the fear that something bad will happen to me or Colin.”
Hurting for her, he brushed back strands of dark hair that clung to her cheek. “I know. I wish you weren’t going through this. But we’ll get to the bottom of this—I promise.”
For a long moment she stared at him, her eyes so forlorn and vulnerable. He fought the need to take her in his arms and assure her all would be well. But he didn’t. Couldn’t. Letting this assignment become any more personal than it already had was a bad idea.
His boss had commanded him to stick close to the widow and her son, to protect them. Not so he could fall for the beautiful lady and her adorable kid. He ignored the little whisper inside his head that told him he was fast on his way to falling and there wasn’t a safety net to catch him.
Man, he needed to get his head in the game and out of the clouds. There was no possible future in letting himself become emotionally attached to this woman.
Yet, holding her gaze, with the strong pull of attraction weakening his resolve, he found all he wanted to do was gather her to him and kiss her.
The sound of Colin’s feet pounding up the porch stairs broke through the moment. He stepped back, thankful for the reprieve. “I need to talk to Nathanial.”
She nodded and walked away.
Forcing himself to not watch her, Tyler came around the front of the truck to where Nathanial leaned against the grill.
“We have a problem,” Tyler told Nathanial. “There are more employees—”
“Tyler!”
Heather’s frantic cry from inside the house sent Tyler’s pulse skittering.
SIX
Heart flooding with adrenaline, Tyler raced inside the Larson farmhouse with his hand on his weapon and a prayer on his lips. He had asked Heather to stay on the porch and wait for him, but she’d gone ahead and entered the house unaccompanied.
He shouldn’t have let her get out of arm’s reach. That was unprofessional and plain stupid. If she ended up hurt because he’d made an error, he’d never forgive himself. He already carried enough guilt for not having extracted Seth before his duplicity was discovered.
Tyler raced into the living room, while Nathanial hurried past him to clear the kitchen. The place had been ransacked. Tyler surveyed the destruction for half a second. The books they had painstakingly gone through the night before and arranged on the shelves were now littering the floor in a haphazard fashion. Throw rugs had been lifted and carelessly deposited in a heap in the corner. Couch cushions had been slashed, the stuffing spilling out. The side tables turned over. The lamp smashed.
“Heather!”
“Here.” Her voice came from down the hallway on the ground floor.
He rushed to her side outside her brother’s room. She held Colin in her arms, his face buried in her neck. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head but shock clouded her eyes. “Someone...”
He followed her gaze into Seth’s bedroom. Here the damage was more vicious. The dresser had been toppled. The mattress pulled from the frame. The floorboards ripped up. Clothes stripped off the hangers and shredded. The senselessness of the carnage appeared personal, as if the perpetrators had been taking out their aggression on Seth’s belongings.
Gripping her elbow, Tyler led Heather back to the living room. They met Nathanial at the bottom of the stairs.
“The kitchen and the rooms upstairs have been searched,” Nathanial said in a tone filled with anger.
Colin whispered something into Heather’s ear. She nodded and set him down. He ran to the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
“Do you think whoever did this was looking for the journal?” Heather asked.
“I think that’s exactly what it means.” Tyler had to admit he hoped that the extent of the ransacking was a sign the bad guys didn’t have the notebook. But it also meant Seth’s murderer knew about the records he was keeping. “When we searched we didn’t see any signs of loose boards or hidden compartments in the furniture.”
“I wish Seth had told you exactly where he’d hidden the notebook,” Heather said in a strained voice. “It could be anywhere on the farm.”
Tyler didn’t like hearing the miserable tone. He wouldn’t let her give up. “And we will find it.”
“I hope so,” she said with a weary sigh. “We need to call the police.”
Tyler exchanged a glance with Nathanial. “Bringing in local law enforcement could jeopardize our investigation by spooking the people we’re trying to catch.”
Heather arched an eyebrow. “Won’t it seem suspicious if I don’t call the police
? We know whoever did this is working for or with the drug cartel and is probably keeping an eye on me and the house. If the police never show, they’ll know and wonder why not.”
“True. We need to act as if we aren’t aware of the drug ring.” Tyler took out his phone and called the Bonners Ferry sheriff’s department. They promised a deputy would be out to take their statements for a report.
Tyler knew the procedure. They would take print samples and look for trace evidence. All standard and necessary. However, Tyler held little hope that the perp would leave behind anything incriminating. Not when they’d been so careful committing Seth’s murder and making it look like an accidental overdose.
“I need to make sure nothing of value was taken,” Heather said as Colin came out of the bathroom and clung to her leg, his eyes wide.
Kneeling down so he could be at eye level with Colin, Tyler said, “I know you’re scared, but I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” So many bad things had happened to them already. Tyler would do everything he could to make her and Colin’s world better. Safer. He gestured to the living room and the damage. “This can all be fixed.”
Colin straightened. “I’ll help.”
Tyler put his hand on the boy’s thin shoulder. “You can certainly help once the police have done their thing.”
They waited out front for the sheriff’s deputy to arrive. As it turned out, Sheriff Paul Rodriguez came out to the farm along with a crime scene unit. He took their statements and waited while Tyler and Colin helped her straighten up the mess left by the intruder. She’d found nothing of value missing.
The sheriff pulled Tyler aside. “I’ve spoken with your boss, Agent Griffin. If there’s anything the Boundary County sheriff’s office can do to assist in your investigation, you let us know.”
“Thank you, sir.” Tyler shook his head. “I appreciate the offer.” And he was surprised. He was glad the situation hadn’t turned into a turf war. Sometimes the local law got a bit prickly when any of the federal agencies came into their territory working a case.