The Lawman's Yuletide Baby

by Ruth Logan Herne

  No answer.

  He flipped to text, hit her number and put in 9-1-1. Answer ASAP.

  And then he called again.

  “Gabe, what’s wrong? What’s happened? Is Jessie all right?”

  Her voice was worried for him, worried for that beautiful baby when she should be concerned for her precocious, headstrong daughter. “Corinne, where’s your boat?”

  “In the yard where I left it.” Her voice sounded pragmatic at first, but he could tell when she put one and one together. “Gabe. Tee’s home for a half day, working on a project. Is she in the house?”

  Her tone had changed completely, because she knew the answer before she asked the question. “Did she take that boat out alone, Gabe? With a storm coming?”

  “Pete just checked the house. There are lights on, and her laptop is open on the table, but the boat key isn’t on the rack. She’s gone and the boat’s gone.”

  “Aaarrrggghhh!” He heard a door close, then another. “I’m on my way, but Gabe, by the time I drive home, the weather will have changed. It’s already snowing here, and I’m thirty minutes west of you guys.” He heard her call out an emergency goodbye to the charge nurse at the desk. “I can’t get there in time to make a difference.”

  “Pete’s here, we’ll go after her in my boat. Call it in so I don’t wear my battery down or lose a signal. Give them the address, her favorite spots and the boat description. Tell them anything you can tell them to help locate her. She’s a strong swimmer and she knows to wear a life vest. The sheriff’s department will send their boat patrol. So will Grace Haven. But hurry, Corinne. Hurry.”

  * * *

  She didn’t have to be told twice.

  She called in the emergency, then called Drew directly. Drew knew Tee. He’d be able to advise where the water rescue patrol should launch to minimize search time.

  Tee...

  She couldn’t let herself cry.

  She couldn’t let herself come undone.

  There would be plenty of time for that later, when Tee was safe and sound and grumbling about boys, school and anything else that messed up an adolescent girl’s love of life.

  She should have taken the kids out on the water more. She knew that, and the truth came roaring back now. She’d spent her time trying to be everything to everyone and forgot to prioritize her daughter’s love of the water. Of boating and tubing and fishing. And how much she loved going out with her grandpa.

  For years Tee had been dragged to game after game to support her big brother’s love of baseball. How had she been so careless with Tee’s hopes and desires? She ran to her car, headed for the interstate and got instantly bogged down in pre–Thanksgiving Day traffic, slowed by the thickening snow.

  Kate called just as Corinne realized her predicament. “I’m talking you home so you don’t lose it on the way,” her mother-in-law announced when Corinne took the call on the car’s hands-free phone system. “It’s a terrible day to hurry anywhere, Corinne, especially with the weather and holiday traffic.”

  She’d found that out, and should have stayed off the interstate. Why hadn’t she considered that before taking the entrance? Because she was scared. Scared for her daughter and scared for Tee’s safety, and she was over twenty miles away, unable to do a thing about it. “I can’t believe this, Mom. Tee taking the boat out alone. The traffic. The snow. Any of it.”

  “I love that Tee is so much like her father,” Kate replied softly. “She’s Dave, through and through. But in times like this I wish she had a little more of you in her. That hint of caution.”

  Corinne bit her lip because what used to be caution had become fear somewhere along the way. “Have you heard from them? Anything?”

  “Nothing yet. Gabe took his boat out and Dad’s at your place in case she makes it back there. They wanted someone to be at home base.”

  Oh, Tee...

  Her heart ached. Her hands trembled. Why hadn’t she paid more attention to her daughter? She was so busy being cautious that she forgot to let Tee be Tee. “I can’t stand the thought of something happening to her.” She whispered the words around the hard swell of her throat. “I can’t even imagine my life without her, Mom.”

  “Then, don’t.” Kate stayed strong and simple, qualities she exampled every day. “Imagine how we’re going to celebrate Thanksgiving with her safe return, and all the stories we’ll have to tell. If we don’t kill her first once they get her back to shore.”

  “You think they will? Get to her in time? Get her back safely?” There. She said it.

  She’d lived on the water for a lot of years. She understood how quickly a calm lake could become a dangerous thing, and the slanted snow and strong winds surrounding her meant visibility would diminish rapidly. Creeping along the short stretch of interstate, she could barely see two car lengths ahead. How could Gabe and the others possibly find Tee on the lake in these conditions?

  “I think Jesus has calmed the waters before. He can do it now.” Kate’s voice was both firm and gentle. “I’m placing our girl and these rescuers in God’s hands, Corinne. And the fact that Tee loves the water and has a knack for handling anything she tackles.”

  “Like her father.”

  “Yes.”

  Awareness broadsided her as she crept along in bumper-to-bumper traffic. “I tried to keep her safe by clipping her wings. Not letting her be herself, not letting her fly free. And I probably put her in more danger because of it.”

  Kate laughed lightly. “Oh, Corinne. Kids like Tee and her father will always find danger. It’s their nature. But their fearlessness is also their strength. They’re not timid, or intimidated by much of anything. Although I’m pretty sure that David inspired every gray hair I have. Well, Kimberly gave me her share, too. Rory and Emily were almost a relief by comparison.”

  Corinne understood completely. Kimberly and Dave were always ready to take the plunge into anything and everything. That aptly described her daughter, too. “Will you pray with me, Mom?”

  Kate exhaled a soft breath into the phone, then said, “I’d be happy to.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gabe scoured several eastern-shore coves at their end of the long, tapering lake, but didn’t see Corinne’s boat.

  Would Tee have had sense enough to seek the far shore as the storm rolled in? Or would she try to make it back home?

  She’d aim for home, he decided. Mostly because she’d get in huge trouble for taking the boat out on her own, but also because she was Tee. If it looked like a challenge, she was the first one on board.

  He gunned the engine, heading south, binoculars raised. The wind sliced across the lake, bearing straight east. The drop in temperature was record-setting, even for Central New York. Pete would call him if Tee showed up back home, but as the first snowflakes began to fall, Gabe understood the seriousness of the worsening conditions. He needed to find her soon and get her home, warm, safe and dry.

  He headed east, then slowed the engine.

  Tee loved boating. More than that she loved fishing. She’d fished with Corinne’s grandfather when he was alive, so maybe taking the boat out wasn’t so much of a joy ride as it was a way to remember those special times with her great-grandpa.

  He turned southwest, aiming for Caldecott Beach. Fish liked to hang out in the warmer, shallower waters a quarter mile out of the rocky cove marking the hotel’s sandy beach. Buoys marked the dredged channel, allowing boats to tie up at the Caldecott Hotel docks, but with the rising chop and snow, the buoys wouldn’t be visible. That meant Tee had nowhere to go but home, and that was a long ride north in these conditions.

  He thought he’d see the rescue boats manning the waters from multiple directions.

  He saw nothing as visibility and temperature dropped moment to moment.

  He used his navigatio
n system to guide him toward Caldecott. If he drifted too near the shore, he’d hit those rocks himself. If he stayed too far out, he might miss Tee altogether, if she was here. He could only pray that if she wasn’t here, that one of the other boats would find her and haul her into safety.

  He slowed the motor just enough to churn through the water and called Drew. “I’m at Caldecott. Where are you guys?”

  “South of you, Meyering’s Cove, heading east.”

  “Anything?”

  “No. And with the decreasing visibility, we’re flying blind.”

  “I’m moving slow. Chop’s increasing.”

  “Watch those rocks.”

  “Roger.” He hung up the phone, scanning as best he could.

  He thought he’d hear her motor.

  He heard nothing over the slap of waves and the increasing wind. Visibility had gone minimal, but his location system had him coasting into the fishing nook area. He dulled the engine and yelled, “Tee! Can you hear me?”

  Nothing.

  He crept forward, praying with every passing moment, then again yelled, “Tee! Tee, can you hear me?”

  Still nothing.

  He started to turn, then paused, feeling stupid.

  The horn. He hit the horn three times, quickly. He paused, waiting. Just as he was about to turn outward, he heard something ahead and to the right. Near the rocky outcroppings. Three short beeps. Three long. Three short. They were faint, but they were audible.

  S.O.S.

  He answered with three short beeps again, and edged her way, praying she’d repeat the signal.

  She did, and it was louder this time, which meant he was getting closer.

  “Tee!” He yelled her name repeatedly, wanting to see her. To grab hold of her and take care of her and return her to her mother, safe and sound. He hit the horn again, and when she replied with the S.O.S. signal, Corinne’s boat appeared before him almost instantly, off to his right. “I’ve got you, honey. Grab hold of this.” He threw her a rope. “Tie it down so I can come alongside.”

  She was scared, soaked and cold. He watched her try to maneuver the rope to no avail. Time for plan B. “Are you anchored?” He raised his anchor to help her understand the question over the sound of the wind and water slapping waves against her boat.

  She frowned, then nodded.

  “Okay.” He couldn’t command two boats back to safety. He knew his vessel better, but he couldn’t risk getting Tee on board, even with her life jacket on. If someone needed to switch up boats, it was him, and it was now. He stuffed his cell phone and his waterproof flashlight into the coat pocket of an old extra coat he kept stowed in the boat hatch. He threw the coat to her, then did the same with his jacket. He kicked off his shoes, anchored his boat and jumped into the water.

  Weight pulled him down. The cold water made him suck a breath. He pushed back up, spitting and sputtering, spotted Tee’s boat and swam her way. The wind and waves doubled his work.

  He cut the angle, finally got alongside and reached up. Now he needed to board her boat without tipping them—and the boat—into the water.

  She reached out a hand with such a look of determination, he grabbed hold, and with her balance and his effort, he heaved himself up and in.

  He stared up at her for a few seconds, then flashed her a grin. “Catch any fish?”

  “Oh, Coach.” She threw herself at him as he scrambled up. “I’m so dumb! I just wanted to...” Uncontrolled shivering stole her words away, but he got the gist.

  “Put that coat on and sit right there. We’re going to get back to safety. Grab my torchlight and aim it toward the water in front of the boat, to the right side.”

  She tugged the coat on. He helped her zip it when her hands refused to work, and then she held the strong, waterproof flashlight as steady as she could with chilled hands while he pulled his jacket back on.

  He aimed for the hotel.

  He’d fished out here several times over the years, but not often enough to remember the channel buoys. He turned the boat into the snow but lost his bearings instantly and rethought his choices.

  He couldn’t chance it. He was more familiar with the northern end. He’d have to make the wild ride back there and pray them to safety. He turned about, increased the motor and pointed north. “We’re going home, kid.”

  She nodded, too cold to talk.

  He headed north, praying silently, hoping for just enough of a break in the snow that he could spot houses, lights or a spot to pull up. He watched the speedometer and the gas gauge. It was tipping to the left, getting dangerously low. He tried to reach Drew.

  Nothing.

  He couldn’t text and drive the boat at the same time.

  He tried Corinne’s number, and she answered immediately. “Gabe? Where are you?”

  “I’ve got her.” He had the phone tucked against his shoulder. “We’re low on fuel, we’re heading your way, alert Drew and all law enforcement, whoever you can contact. I’m snow-blind, but I should be getting close. I think.”

  “We lit a fire.”

  “You what?” He couldn’t have heard that right.

  “On the shore. We lit a fire on the beach to help guide you in. Grandpa taught me that. Watch for it, Gabe. It’s pretty big.”

  She’d no more than said the words when he spotted an orange haze behind them, to his left. He’d gone past their beach, and if his call hadn’t gone through, he’d still be searching. “I’ve got it. Coming about. We’re not going to try to dock. I’m running aground.”

  “I’m praying you in safely.”

  Those words. The gentleness in her tone.

  He couldn’t think about that, or let it mean too much. She’d made herself clear, and he had a lot of his own reckoning to manage. Nothing like a near-death experience to reevaluate just about everything there was in life that matters.

  “Hunker down, Tee, just in case we bump hard.” She followed his shouted direction, peering at the fire ahead.

  The wind didn’t allow the luxury of coasting in. He’d have to go aground swift and hard, then cut the engine, and that’s exactly what he did.

  He pitched forward. His head took a nasty shot from the windshield, but Tee stayed tucked between the seats without a scratch from their hard landing.

  People streamed forth.

  EMTs helped them from the boat. Tee’s legs buckled the moment she tried to stand. They called for a stretcher, but she’d been cold too long already.

  Gabe rounded the hull, lifted her up and carried her to the waiting ambulance. Corinne raced to them. She gripped Tee’s hand. “Come on, sweetness, let’s get you warmed up, okay?”

  Tee blinked up at her mother. Her eyes mixed sorrow and joy. “I’m s-sorry, M-Mom.” Shivers grabbed hold as she tried to speak again.

  “We’ll save the apologies for later, okay?” Corinne climbed into the ambulance as the medics took over. “Right now let’s just get you warmed up.”

  He backed away, letting mother and daughter have their moment.

  Corinne turned and put a hand out. “Gabe.”

  She wanted to thank him.

  He saw it in her face, her gaze.

  He didn’t need thanks. He’d done exactly what he had to do, answering the pledge he’d made long years before.

  He lifted his hand. “I’ll see you later. I want to make sure everyone gets in all right. And you.” He leaned in far enough so Tee could see him. “Drag me along on your next fishing trip, okay? I guarantee we’ll have better luck together than you do on your own.”

  She tried to smile as silent tears rolled down her chilled white cheeks. “Okay.”

  He moved back and closed the rescue wagon doors.

  Tee needed warmth and time with her mother. A trip to Grace Haven Memor
ial would give her both.

  He scrubbed a hand to his face.

  Pete called to him from inside, but he couldn’t face questions right now. When Drew called in the “all clear” that all units had made it out of the water, Gabe trudged back to his house.

  Pete and Callan had doused the fire with the garden hose and sand while reporters snapped pictures left and right.

  Medics wanted to take Gabe in and check him out.

  He refused.

  He was fine, or would be once he got out of the frigid wet clothes. His long, cold boat ride had given him time to assess a few things. Now he needed enough faith and courage to see those things through.

  * * *

  “Mom, I am so sorry.” It was after ten when a very contrite Tee appeared on the stairs facing the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning.

  Relief flooded Corinne the moment she spotted her beautiful girl. Tee looked so much better than she had fifteen hours before.

  Fear had struck an arrow into Corinne’s heart yesterday, a sharp piercing of how quickly life could change, a lesson she’d thought she’d learned a long time ago. But life hadn’t changed because Gabe Cutler was brave enough to rush to a kid’s rescue when needed.

  She hated herself for thinking his raw courage could be a bad thing after the car accident.

  If Gabe wasn’t strong and brave and true, she might not have a daughter today. She owed Gabe an apology at the very least, and maybe...just maybe...he’d give her the second chance to be the brave woman she’d claimed to be long years ago.

  “Is that apple pie I smell?”

  “It is.” Corinne pointed to the island behind her. “I made a little one, just for you, for breakfast.”

  “Pie for breakfast?” That thought relieved Tee’s features quickly. “With ice cream?”

  “If you’d like.” She finished grinding the cranberries and nodded to the oranges. “I’m going to have you finish this up for me, okay? And then we’ll talk about how I’m going to lock you in your room for four or five years until common sense prevails. But I’ll save that lecture until after the cranberry-orange relish is ready.”