Christmas in Hiding

by Cate Nolan

  Callie didn’t say a word. She averted her head as he glanced over but not before he saw the tear rolling down her cheek. With all they’d been through, he had yet to see her cry. Fighting back his own emotion, Jackson reached his hand toward her. She moved hers away.

  Jackson blew out a breath. What had he expected after he’d confronted her with his suspicions? Better that he concentrate on evasion now anyway. This time he had no one to offer directions. He missed the spirit of camaraderie he and Callie had shared on the past few escapes. He might be the marshal, but they’d been operating as a team—and a good one. He’d have to think about that once they got out of this mess.

  The other driver appeared to realize he’d been spotted and gave up any pretense of innocence, quickly closing the gap between them.

  Looking around at the vast open spaces and light morning traffic, Jackson feared he was out of options. It was outrun them or...

  An idea clicked. He had one major advantage now. The driver from New York had confirmed what had only been suspicion. These men were under orders to take Callie alive. Armed with that knowledge, it was an easy decision. Daring, but obvious. Where was the one place his pursuers wouldn’t dare go?

  Jackson gauged his time. His decision carried its own risks, but they were outweighed by the need to keep Callie safe. A gunshot aimed at his tire gave the final confirmation.

  Tension clenched his jaw as the other car edged up on him, but he forced himself to be patient. He waited, counting down the mile markers, carefully calculating distance and speed, waiting until the car was almost upon him just as he came up to the airport sign. They were almost on his bumper when he stomped on the gas pedal and tore up the airport exit ramp.

  The other driver followed, swinging wildly into the lane at the last minute. Side by side they sped along the service road.

  “Callie? You okay?” Jackson didn’t dare take his eyes from the road.

  “I’m still alive.”

  “And I’m going to keep you that way. But hang on tight in five, four three, two, NOW.” Jackson took a sharp right and blasted right through a security gate as the other car sailed on by. Sirens wailed as he slowed the car, gradually drawing to a halt. Within minutes the car was pulled over and surrounded, but Jackson smiled in satisfaction as he watched their tail speed away. This might require a pretty fancy explanation but at least they were safe for now.

  He took his badge and held it out the window. “US Marshal. Don’t shoot.”

  * * *

  “That was awesome!”

  Jackson chuckled at Callie’s reaction. She was pretty awesome herself. Rather than terrifying her, his wacky plan seemed to have given her a punch of adrenaline. He grinned. “Just let me talk our way out of this, okay?”

  It took several hours and many phone calls, but finally they were free to leave. Jackson wasn’t sure if he’d end up with a promotion or a reprimand, but his witness was safe and in the end, that was all that mattered.

  Jackson considered renting another car, but he was wary of heading back out on the road in case their tail was still waiting. Security had done a search, but he still didn’t feel comfortable. The head of security came to his rescue, locating a couple of maintenance uniforms for them to borrow as a disguise.

  They took a hotel shuttle out of the airport and within an hour they were in town and checked in at the hotel. Jackson declined a bellhop and escorted Callie to the assigned rooms.

  She entered her room. He started to head to his own but stopped and walked back. Something was still bugging him. He knocked and called softly, “Callie, it’s me.”

  When she opened the door, he pushed past her into the room. “This is crazy. Whatever may have happened before, I know you didn’t call anyone and I know I didn’t. There’s got to be some kind of tracking device. I know you said Ben checked, and I’ve checked our phones, but we need to go through everything again. What do you have with you that you’ve had the whole time? Not anything you’ve bought since New York.”

  Callie closed the door and retrieved her bag from the desk. She dumped it on the bed. “I have this. Ben taught me to pack a small bag so I’d always have essentials no matter what. I had a Bible, too, but we left that at the cabin.”

  Jackson sifted through her things—toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, aspirin, water bottle, wallet with her new ID, stuffed penguin. He picked up the stuffed penguin. “What’s this? I haven’t seen it before.”

  Callie blushed. “I know. I hid it because it looks silly for a grown woman to be carrying a stuffed animal in an emergency bag. It’s from my class.” She shrugged. “It helps me feel closer to home.”

  Jackson ran his fingers all over the plush animal, squeezing it. “Yeah, well it may be what is calling home, too. Feel this?” He guided her hands so she could feel the hard piece inside.

  “I feel it. It’s always been there. I figured it probably made some kind of sound, but it doesn’t work anymore.”

  “Oh, it’s making sounds all right, all the way to the people who are tracking us.” He ripped open the seam and withdrew the tracking device.

  “No,” Callie protested, horrified at the implication. “That can’t be. My students gave me this as a memento because we were doing a unit on penguins when I had to leave. They sent it to me so I wouldn’t forget them.”

  “Who actually gave it to you? Think, Callie, it’s important.”

  “I told you, my class.” She looked near tears.

  “No, I mean how did it get to you? You were in protective custody when you received it, weren’t you?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “Ben brought it to me. That afternoon, before the meeting. It was in a basket with some other things. He said my class parents put together a basket with presents. I knew I couldn’t bring the whole thing, so I tucked this in my bag since it was pretty small.” Her lips trembled. “I wanted something to remember my class, something that could still connect me to the life I knew. I’m sorry.” Tears filled her eyes and spilled over. “I figured since Ben had given it to me it would be okay. I’m sorry.”

  Jackson paced across the room. He wanted to scream, to rant and rage. He wanted to roll back time, to never have gotten involved in this case. Ben had brought her the penguin with the tracking device. Ben, his friend, his mentor, his fellow marshal.

  What did that mean? That Ben was a mole or just incredibly stupid? It was policy for marshals to sweep any gift for a tracking device. If he’d been doing his job properly, Ben couldn’t have missed this. And what did it mean that Ben had been the one to escort the attorney down to the car—and the waiting kidnappers?

  Jackson continued to pace, trying to figure out what to do next. On one of his turns, he looked up to see Callie standing by the window. She looked totally defeated. Jackson wanted to kick himself. He’d been so preoccupied with his own concerns about Ben and how ridiculous this whole situation was that he hadn’t even stopped to think how it would affect her. Callie, who had been so resilient, so strong in the face of all adversity and determined even in the face of his doubt and disdain. This had crushed her.

  He walked over and stood beside her. “Callie, honey, it’ll be okay. Now we know. We can deal with this.”

  She looked up at him and he could see the tears still welling in her eyes.

  “Someone in my class did this to me. A friend.” Her voice changed cadence. “At least someone I considered a friend. Was it one of the parents? My student teacher?” She sucked in a breath. “I gave them everything. I thought we were like family.”

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and when she rested her head against his chest, he pulled her into a hug. He stroked her hair, trying to comfort her. “It’ll be okay, Callie.”

  She looked up at him and he thought he could drown in her sad eyes. “I’m the reason they’ve been following us everywh
ere. I could have gotten you killed.”

  He wanted to reassure her, promise her that no one from school had betrayed her, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t tell her he suspected Ben. He couldn’t risk betraying a marshal if he was wrong. And he couldn’t betray the marshal service if he was right.

  “I’m sworn to protect you. I know the dangers. Think of it this way—at least now we know how they kept finding us.”

  She snuggled in deeper. He wanted to let her stay that way because he liked the feel of her in his arms far more than he should. “We’ll figure it out. It isn’t your fault. Ben should have known better than to give it to you without checking it.” That was all he was going to say about it, but that alone spoke volumes. Ben did know better, which meant odds were it was intentional. A deep sadness stole over him, a feeling of betrayal that went deeper than the mere act. Ben had been his mentor, but more, he’d been his friend. Jackson couldn’t even allow himself to think that his friend would betray him or a witness.

  But if he didn’t think it, he would possibly be putting that same witness in mortal danger. Already he’d endangered her by relying on Ben’s check rather than doing his own.

  “Callie.” She shifted and when she looked up at him, her huge eyes still watery but calmer, he knew he would do anything to save her and it had nothing to do with the job. “We’re going to have to leave. That thing’s on,” he gestured at the tracking device. “They’ll be after us in no time.”

  “But if we leave it here, and they find it, they’ll know we know.”

  “Exactly. So we need a plan.” He walked over to the window and stood staring at the passing traffic as he thought it through. He didn’t want to lose the tracking device. It was potential evidence. But they obviously couldn’t keep it. He needed an answer fast.

  A sound diverted his attention and he looked up in time to see a plane fly overhead. The hotel must be in the flight path. He could see another taking off in the distance.

  A grin stole across his face as he turned to face Callie. “I know what to do.” He strode across the bed to the mangled penguin. “Do you want me to save the stuffed-animal part?”

  She shuddered. “No. That will never bring me anything but sad memories now. Do whatever you want with it.”

  He silently vowed to make it up to her somehow. While he was stuffing the device back into the penguin he gave her something to distract her attention. “Check to see if there’s a binder in the desk. You know, the thing they usually have with all the local information.”

  She went to the desk and flipped through the pages. “Got it.”

  “Is there a phone number for the airport?”

  “What?”

  “Our little friend is going on a trip. Let’s see... Where should we send him?”

  Callie looked confused, but she picked up on his mood and tried to get in the spirit of things. “My class gave him to me because I love to sing. Don’t you think a penguin should be on Broadway?”

  He laughed out loud—a really happy sound after the day they’d had.

  “New York it is! Though he may have to settle for starting Off-Broadway.”

  “Jackson, I really have no clue what you’re talking about. We’re going to put the penguin on a plane? Do we have to buy him a ticket?”

  Jackson laughed. “No, we’re going to ask for a little help from our new friends at the airport.” She still looked confused, so he continued. “If we keep it with us, they’ll just keep following. If we ditch it here, they’ll know we know and they’ll be looking for another way to find us. But if it looks like we’re moving, they’ll follow in the wrong direction. That will buy us time to get away.”

  She took a moment to process his logic. “Okay. But there’s one thing.” She seemed nervous. “If we send this off with someone else, will we be putting them in danger?”

  His smile eased as he considered her question. He didn’t allow himself to dwell on the way his heart expanded at her show of concern for others at a time when she was in danger. “No. It will be okay. They never do anything until they actually see you. If they don’t see you, if you’re not there, it won’t be a danger to anyone else.”

  She looked reluctant. “If you’re sure.”

  He wasn’t sure about anything except the need to get away. “We need to get going. They’re probably on the way here right now. Grab the rest of your stuff.” He opened the door a crack and looked out while she hastily repacked her bag. “All clear. Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  They headed to the elevator, but as they stood waiting, the floor lights showed an elevator coming up. Their eyes met.

  “We’re not taking any chances. Come on.”

  THIRTEEN

  Jackson grabbed her hand and made a dash for the stairway. They ran down a few flights. When Jackson tried the reentry door it was locked. Suddenly they heard voices on the stairs above them.

  “I think they found us,” Callie whispered.

  “Shh. They won’t be sure if they don’t hear us.”

  Footsteps rang out on the steps above. Callie looked at Jackson and mouthed, “Really?”

  They took off down the stairs again. Just three more flights and they’d be at street level.

  A gunshot echoed in the stairwell. The bullet slammed into the wall, too close to Callie’s head for comfort. Jackson reacted instinctively and covered her. He kept her protected by the bulk of his body as they raced down.

  With one flight to go to the street, another bullet whizzed by as they reached the lobby-level door. Jackson tried the door and breathed a ragged sigh of relief to find it unlocked. But the space they exited into was big and open. They’d be sitting ducks the minute their pursuers cleared the door.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Jackson spied the fire-alarm bell. “Come on.” He pulled Callie and reached for the alarm.

  He offered a mental apology to the firemen for what was about to happen. Callie stared at him in disbelief as she watched him break the glass and pull the lever. “This definitely qualifies as an emergency. Hopefully it will slow them down and we can get lost in the crowd.”

  He didn’t wait for her to agree. The alarm rang out, its shrill sound echoing throughout the hotel. There was mass confusion as people came running from every direction. Jackson dragged Callie along, letting them get swept up in the forward rush. He could hear the yelling behind them, but they were soon swallowed up by the crowd.

  Jackson guided Callie around the corner. Everyone else was gathering across the street, but he headed directly toward an office building on the next block. He pulled her to safety in the lobby. A flash of his badge got them through security. Jackson stopped long enough to tell the officer on duty that he was protecting a government witness, and if anyone tried to come in after them, to please detain them.

  They rode the escalator to a first-level lobby, where a crowd of workers had gathered to watch what was going on across the street. Jackson guided Callie to a corner where they could stand behind some plants and look out. He stood closely behind her.

  “There. See them?” Jackson pointed to a few men looking wildly around. One was checking some sort of GPS device. He suddenly turned and pointed at the building they were in.

  Callie looked over her shoulder at Jackson with an expression every bit as disgusted as he felt.

  “There’s a plus side,” he told her. “We have visual confirmation that’s how they were tracking us.”

  “That’s comforting.”

  “Security will keep them for a bit.”

  “You think?” Callie gave a look at their maintenance getup. “Are you sure he believed you?”

  “He will when they try to come through and he sees I was right. Come on. We’ll take the back escalator down and grab a cab to the airport.”

  * * *

>   Airport security didn’t appear exactly thrilled to see them again, but once Jackson explained the situation, the officer agreed to supply packing materials and get the dangerous toy on the next flight back to Texas.

  Jackson addressed the package to headquarters back in San Antonio. “Sorry, fella. No Broadway for you.” Jackson hoped he would have the last laugh because if the men followed it, he’d be sending them right to the marshals’ office.

  But he wasn’t in a laughing mood. That penguin was headed back to the very same marshals’ office that likely harbored a traitor. A very sober Jackson handed over the package.

  * * *

  Jackson’s mood didn’t improve even after they were back on the road. Callie waited for him to say something, but he was unusually quiet. Despite their apparent truce, he held himself aloof.

  His mistrust weighed heavily on her. She cared about him. It mattered that he didn’t believe her. Finally she couldn’t take it anymore. Her voice pierced the stillness. “Do you believe yet that I’m innocent?”

  Jackson glanced over at her from the driver’s seat. “It’s my job to be suspicious.”

  “That’s a cop-out.”

  He seemed stunned that she called him on it. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you can still protect me without doubting me. I’ve given you no reason to think I’m anything other than who I say I am and no reason to believe I was ever any more involved than I said I was.”

  Except that she had hidden the penguin from him. Until he could talk to Ben, he had only her word on things. “Do we have to have this discussion while we’re driving?”

  “Apparently so. We can’t let it continue to stand between us. Or someone probably will get hurt because we’re acting like enemies, not partners.”

  “We’re not partners, Callie. It’s my job to protect you. I’m the marshal and you’re the witness. Not partners.”

  She muttered under her breath.

  “What was that?”

  “Never mind. Jackson, talk to me, please. I don’t understand how you can go from giving me my best Christmas ever to acting like I’m a piece of drug-dealing trash.”