Christmas Confidential: Holiday Protector

by Marilyn Pappano

  The snow had stopped falling right after midnight, but temperatures dropped precipitously over the past few hours. Daybreak’s lavender light diffused his view of the back door to the jewelry shop. He could see well enough, though. If the person coming down the alley was the half owner of the store, the one he’d been waiting hours to see, she’d be within his view in a few seconds.

  Flexing his fingers against the cold, Gage held his breath. A master at waiting under difficult circumstances, surveillance was his middle name.

  Investigation was another one of his better talents. It hadn’t taken more than a few hours last night to come up with verification that a woman named Elana Kelly owned half interest in the jewelry store. That fact had been noted as part of the tax record. But there didn’t seem to be any address listed for her.

  He’d also found a recent photo from an article in the local weekly featuring the artists and craftsmen around Piñon Lake. However, her photo was not of her face like those of the other artists. Her picture showed only her hands holding the brooch, the one designed like the Bar-C brand, and a necklace she’d made to go with it. Those hands, still the ones he’d dreamed of, gave her away without him seeing her face. This was the woman he sought.

  The article went on to say she’d come to the town of Piñon Lake four years ago with her infant daughter and they’d been welcomed into the artistic community here. The idea of a baby threw him, so he spent the next few hours trying to find records on the birth of a child with that last name anywhere in California during that time frame. And came up with nada. Then he expanded the search to look for any trace of Elana Kelly anywhere in the world before she came here. He found a few by that name but none close in age.

  Finding nothing threw big red flags up in his mind. He was good at internet research. Real good. If he couldn’t find anything, it was because there was nothing there to find. Whoever this woman was, she had not come into this world as Elana Kelly.

  So who was she? Part of a witness protection program? The feds excelled at making up new backgrounds; he knew because his eldest brother had been an agent in the program at one time. But no background info at all seemed odd. Made him wonder if she was running from something—or someone.

  At that fleeting thought, the figure of a woman slowly crept down the alley and stopped at the jewelry store’s door. Her back was to him as she fumbled to put a key in the lock and let herself in. He didn’t get a good look at her face, but she seemed the right size and height.

  He waited for her to go inside and close the door before he dashed across the alley to see if she’d locked it. She hadn’t. Not too smart, lady. Good thing he wasn’t a robber or ready to assault her. This was not the time of day to be leaving yourself or your store vulnerable.

  Turning the knob, he prayed that the old door’s hinges wouldn’t squeak in the cold. Unfortunately, the door didn’t oblige.

  “Stop!” The lights came on and the woman he sought stood three feet away next to a safe.

  And she had a gun pointed straight in his direction. “Don’t make another move, boyo, or I’ll be shooting you with this Taser.”

  Not a gun, then. Still, he didn’t care for the idea of hitting the deck, laid out in the kind of pain he knew those defensive weapons could cause.

  “Easy, darlin’.” He slowly raised his hands above his head. “I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to talk. You left the door open.”

  “And it’s 5:30 a.m., I’m thinking.” The heavy Irish lilt in her voice captured his attention. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Stalking me, are you? I should call the police.”

  He held his breath and waited, pretty sure the cops were the last thing she’d want. For some reason this woman wanted to hide her real identity.

  The next words out of her mouth told him he’d been right. “You said talk? Are you lost, then?”

  She lowered the Taser, which wasn’t particularly bright. But Gage filled his lungs and grinned, trying to make her feel more at ease. Before he could answer, she hastily stuffed her coat pocket with a wad of bills she must’ve taken from the safe, then shut the safe door and set her mouth as if waiting for an explanation.

  Her eyes flared at him and for the moment, it didn’t matter one bit that they were green and not brown.

  “Alicia?”

  “Who?” Quick flashes of hard steel appeared in those darkened pupils of hers. A harsh expression, it disappeared as quickly as it arrived, unnerving him. Such a look would never have appeared in Alicia’s eyes.

  “Alicia. My late wife. Sorry. It’s just you look enough like her that you could be her twin.”

  But as he studied the woman now, he saw the differences. Subtle. A few extra pounds, which looked good on this woman but would have swamped his thin-boned wife. A slightly different angle on the tilt of her chin, making her seem somehow stronger than his Alicia. Those things along with the short red hair, the distinct accent and the hard look in her green eyes combined to stop his heart from racing with hope.

  * * *

  Elana wasn’t at all sure she could pull this off. She was good at lying. Really good. After all, it was her heritage. And she’d gone to a lot of trouble to put together this disguise, even taking the extra step of having a new chin implant done by a plastic surgeon.

  But this was Gage. Her Gage. And her body was already reacting to being this close. Straightening her shoulders, she locked her shaking knees and prepared as if going to battle.

  “The name is Elana Kelly.” Her voice sounded husky and her accent thick, and she hoped that would embellish her disguise. “You said your late wife’s name was Alicia. What is your name, then?”

  “Sorry again. Gage Chance. From Chance, Texas. And before she married me, my wife’s name was Alicia Peters. Are you sure you two aren’t related?”

  “Not that I’ve ever heard, no.” And in fact, Alicia Peters had never been born. That name was just one of several aliases she’d used since starting to run. Actually rather glad to be rid of that name for good, she’d never cared much for it, anyway.

  Gage cocked his head and stared at her. She could feel the sexual tension in every inch of her body. Her face automatically warmed and a tiny drop of sweat rolled down the back of her neck. Good thing she’d inherited her father’s ancestors’ European skin coloring that didn’t show a blush.

  But come to think of it, Gage had always somehow managed to know when he’d gotten to her, despite the embarrassment not showing on her face.

  The damned man gave her another of his sexy grins and the heat increased. Holy Mother of God. She had to get away from him now. Before she fell into his arms and begged him to take her right this instant.

  “This may sound a bit rude, but you seemed so—melancholy. May I ask what happened to your wife?” Now, why had she said that? She needed to get away from him, not keep him talking.

  “Five years ago she drowned—or at least the police presumed her dead—in an icy river.”

  “You’re not so sure of the facts?” And the minute he’d started talking about it, she knew she was in big trouble.

  “I am sure. At least, I was until I saw you.” He shook his head as if to clear the memories. “I searched, swam and dove under the bridge for as long as I could stand it when she disappeared over the edge. But I came up empty. The current was strong that day. I’m a decent swimmer, but it nearly took me, too.”

  Ohmygod. Stifling a gasp, she said, “You jumped into an icy river to save your wife?”

  The shame and horror of what she’d done to him punched her hard in the gut. Her eyes filled with tears, and her throat threatened to close. She couldn’t breathe.

  Thank heaven he turned away before he spoke again. “Not that it accomplished anything more than landing me in the hospital for a week, but yeah. I couldn’t find her. Nothing I did...” His voice trailed off a
nd he hung his head.

  She reached out for him, desperate to apologize. Nearly frantic to take him in her arms and assuage his guilt, she fought her own tears.

  Before she could touch his back, her better sense kicked in. There were many good reasons why she’d left the way she had. And those hadn’t changed over the years. She fisted her hand, returned it to her side and took a step away from him.

  Swallowing down the gigantic lump in her throat, she tried to find her balance. Something. She needed to do something. Or say something that would make him decide he’d been wrong about her and go away.

  He turned around before she had her tears and nerves under control.

  “Don’t waste those tears on me,” he whispered as he came closer. “I’m sorry I lost it like that. I never talk about the drowning. Never. It’s just that you look so danged much like her. I...”

  Say something, you idiot!

  Shaking her head and sliding backward out of his space, she finally managed a coherent sentence. “Your story reminded me of the day my husband died in Iraq, I suppose. His tank unit was crossing a stream when they rolled over a roadside bomb. He drowned, never knowing he’d fathered a child, I’m afraid.”

  Sniffing loudly, she made a big show of wringing her hands and looking distraught.

  Sympathy entered Gage’s beautiful gray eyes and she took a deep breath. Thank goodness he’d bought her story. Now, she had to get away from him as fast as she could.

  “I’d best be leaving now,” she said briskly. “I’m traveling out of town. You just go on about your business. I’m not who you thought I was.”

  His eyes studied her carefully as he spoke. “But I wanted to know about the brooch in the window. You made it, right? Where’d you find that design?”

  Oh, Lord. She’d forgotten all about that piece. “I created it, yes. But I don’t remember finding that design anywhere. It’s reminiscent of an Irish lace pattern my grandmother made.”

  “Well, my family’s ranch has a brand that could be its twin. Seems odd to me that...”

  “You must come from one of those big Western spreads, I’m thinking. Perhaps I saw your brand in a magazine long ago and it stayed buried in my head. I won’t be selling the piece now.”

  With a slow shake of his head he sighed, but the questions still lingered in his expression. “The Bar-C has appeared in several magazine articles over the years. But...”

  A great sadness gradually replaced the wariness in his eyes. “It doesn’t matter if you sell it. I may buy it myself. I’m sorry if I scared you earlier.”

  “Seeing me just brought up all the old memories for you. Completely understandable. But I really must go now.” She brushed past him and was out the back door before either her traitorous body or broken heart could make her change her mind.

  She held the door open, waiting for him to take the hint and walk away. He adjusted the ever-present cowboy hat and stepped out into the alley as she locked the door behind him.

  A question came to her as she eased back and avoided getting too close to his muscled body. If he hadn’t been looking for her, what the heck was he doing in Piñon Lake at this time of year?

  “So, Mr. Chance...”

  “Gage, please.” He moved in on her as she backed herself up against the building.

  “All right, Gage, then.” Placing her purse in front of her chest as though to put away her key, she fended him off. “Uh, are you in Piñon Lake on vacation?”

  “Business. Sort of.”

  “And is your business almost complete? Going home by Christmas, are you?”

  He heaved a heavy sigh, then seemed to catch himself and rolled his shoulders under the heavy coat. “I’ve done what I came for. I’ll be heading back to Texas now.”

  Nodding as though she understood, she tried a smile that only seemed to sear her heart with sadness. She remembered him using that same phrase—Business. Sort of—to describe what he did when he went searching for his lost little sister. So he was still looking. How sad. How terrible for him and his brothers.

  The urge to say something to make him feel better almost finished her off. She couldn’t. Couldn’t let on that she understood the family’s frustration of not knowing what had happened to their sister.

  If he even suspected she knew more about him than she’d let on, he wouldn’t stop. Just like he hadn’t stopped looking for the little girl his family lost so tragically. He would hound her, never letting it rest, until he forced her to admit the truth.

  Chancing a glance into his face, her pulse went wild again. It raced as though they had been kissing. Oh, what she wouldn’t give for another one of his passionate kisses.

  Then she remembered the reason she couldn’t kiss him and it made her stomach roll. Gage must stay safe. That thought was the only thing that had kept her going all this time.

  She bid him goodbye and turned her back, walking down the frozen alley and hopefully out of his life for good. For the real truth was that she loved him. Desperately. And that would never change.

  * * *

  Silently, Gage watched her walk down the alley until her shape was only a shadow in the early morning light. After wallowing in the memories of Alicia’s death and then falling into Elana’s sad tale about her soldier husband’s death, his brain had fogged over in utter misery.

  He needed a drink and wondered if the bars were open yet. But the longer he stood still watching her walk, the more his mind began to clear. She walked with confidence, rather like Alicia. Confusion clogged his mind until curiosity bloomed instead. He didn’t need a drink. He needed to have his head examined.

  He must be losing brain cells. What the hell was the matter with him? Just being in her presence, looking at her, caused him to lose his mind?

  He’d swallowed her story whole. Without a single question about why there was no trace of her or her daughter before she came to Piñon Lake. And why she had never once looked at him, a stranger who’d accosted her in an alley, with any fear in her eyes. He was definitely losing it.

  Suddenly it all seemed like a scam. He’d been had somehow. Who the devil was she really?

  Rushing down the alley after her retreating figure, he made up his mind to chase her to ground like he would

  chase down an errant calf. He would make her tell him the truth. Something, something big and desperate, lay behind those furtive glances and faraway looks. And he was determined to find out what it was.

  Managing to keep her in sight, he followed her through the empty streets of town. At just after dawn, no one else had ventured out in the cold. She was moving fast, but he could have caught up to her anytime he wished.

  Still, he waited. Walked and waited. Building huge possibilities in his mind as he went.

  She was in hiding for reasons that could not be good. Mulling that over, he thought of her child and a knife-sharp pain twisted in his chest. He and Alicia had planned for a baby to come later, but her death put a stop to all those dreams.

  This woman, this Elana Kelly, could not be his Alicia. But the similarities were startling. He suddenly needed to know more about her. Not entirely sure why he felt so determined, he just hated this confused feeling and needed something to make things clearer.

  Moving after her, he felt shaken by the whole episode. By the time she finally reached a nearly empty parking lot at the edge of a residential area, he was running after her on a full head of steam. Answers. She would not get away until he had his answers.

  She stopped beside an old three-door hatchback and dug in her purse like she was looking for keys. Before he made it to the car, she swung the door open and pitched her purse into the front seat.

  “Stop!” Breathing hard from frustration and not from running, he grabbed her by the arm and tried to form words.

  “Hey,” she complained as
she jerked her arm back. “Stop stalking me. Leave me alone.”

  He hung on to her wrist and managed to lower his voice to the threatening purr he knew would keep her still. “Why? Why should I leave you alone? Who are you?”

  Her eyes widened as she stopped struggling and slumped against the still open driver’s side door. “Please...”

  “I’m not leaving until you tell me the truth.” He swallowed and steeled himself against the truth he expected to hear.

  Suddenly she came to life again just when he thought she’d quit.

  “Go away.” Pounding her fists against his chest, she squirmed and twisted while tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

  Not sure why, he only knew that his heart was breaking into a million pieces, watching her fight. This time her fear seemed clear enough. Fear of him. It killed him.

  “Easy.” He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her as a way to keep her quiet. “I won’t hurt you.”

  He wasn’t sure whether she would believe him, but his words apparently sank in as she stopped fighting and rested her head against his chest. It was then that the scent of her finally reached his brain. The musky, clean smell that he’d dreamed about was clearly there. It clung to her and surrounded him with need just as it always had.

  Thousands of memories bombarded him with sensual images of Alicia and him in an embrace exactly like this one. If he didn’t move away from Elana now, he would be kissing her in the next minute.

  Taking her by the shoulders, he gently set her away from him. “Elana, or whoever you are. You have to tell me the truth. I...”

  His words were rudely interrupted by the telltale whoosh of a bullet whizzing by his head. It took him a precious second to react because it had been so sudden and the idea of being under attack came as such a surprise.

  But he didn’t stay still for long. “Someone’s shooting at us. Move! Now!”

  Chapter 3

  “Watch it! I do not appreciate...” Elana couldn’t finish her sentence due to Gage’s rough treatment.