Deadly Noel

by Margaret Daley

  After throwing the truck into reverse, he backed out of the parking space and headed for the Morgan’s estate on the outskirts of town. If it were possible, he would storm into the house, grab Abbey, and escape before he had to say a word to Ruth Morgan. He was afraid of what would come out of his mouth. Rage built each mile closer to the white mansion as he recalled each angry comment, each threat she had issued, especially since Marcie’s disappearance last January.

  At the front door, he paused to calm himself, to tell himself all the reasons he must not let Marcie’s family get to him. Then he rang the bell and waited. His heartbeat quickened its pace with each second that passed.

  A maid opened the door, her eyes growing wide, but she didn’t stop him from entering. Nor did she stand in his way when he heard voices and headed toward the sounds. He came to a halt inside the den. Abbey poured tea for her grandmother as though she went to a girl’s finishing school and Amy Vanderbilt had personally instructed her in what was proper.

  “Sugar?” Abbey held up the bowl.

  Ruth shook her head.

  Abbey spooned some sugar into her cup and stirred, her gaze finally fastening on Gabriel. “Daddy.” She forgot everything her grandmother had taught her and raced unladylike to him, throwing her arms around his waist and hugging him.

  Gabriel tousled her hair. “Are you ready to leave?” He swung his attention to Ruth while he spoke to his daughter.

  The woman with brown hair in a bun pulled herself up to a ramrod stance and managed to look down upon him even though he towered over her by a good foot. “Abigail, please find Sara and tell her to give you some of those special cookies you like so much.”

  Abbey glanced from him to her grandmother, indecision on her face as her teeth dug into her bottom lip. “Daddy?”

  “Go find Sara. I’ll be along in a minute to get you. Ruth and I have a few things to talk about.” He smiled at Abbey as if he had not a care in the world while inside he raged at the woman not ten feet from him.

  When Abbey was gone, Ruth indicated with a wave of her hand for him to be seated across from her. He remained where he was, forcing her to stand, too. She squared her thin shoulders even more, her back stiffening until he thought she would snap in two pieces. That haughty look she reserved for him descended.

  “You are not to take Abbey without my permission. I am still her father.”

  “I have a right to see my granddaughter.”

  “As much as I would like to deny you that, I won’t. Abbey loves you, and I won’t hurt her by using her to get back at you, but you’ll play by my rules.”

  Her piercing ice blue eyes became pinpoints. “Only until we go to court.”

  “You think a judge is going to erase the fact that I’m Abbey’s father?”

  The woman’s eyes frosted. “If there’s justice in this world, yes. I can give her everything. You can’t.” She glanced away a few seconds then brought her glacial gaze back to his face. “But today, I brought Abbey home because I knew you would come for her. We need to talk about my granddaughter.”

  “No, we don’t.” He began to leave before he did something he would regret.

  “Abbey is in danger.”

  Those words stopped him, and he swung back toward the woman.

  “I heard what happened at your ranch yesterday. Abbey has been exposed to the killer. She shouldn’t be at the ranch where he could get to her.”

  “Over my dead body.” If the gun used yesterday hadn’t been the murder weapon, he would think that Ruth Morgan had hired someone to scare Kira and him. She was capable of that, but he didn’t think she was capable of having three women murdered, especially her own daughter.

  “As much as I would like that, I wouldn’t want Abigail to end—” She swallowed, some of the stiffness siphoning from her body. “I never want Abigail to suffer like Marcie did. It’s possible the killer could murder you then her. He might take a fancy to her because she looks so much like…Marcie.”

  The force of her logic struck him. If the killer did that, he would never… “I can protect her.”

  “Can you?” One delicate eyebrow arched.

  “You think you can do better than me?” The scorn he couldn’t keep hidden any longer dripped from his question. He let his look trail down the length of her petite, frail frame. He took a step closer.

  “Yes.”

  “How?”

  “I’ll take her away from here until the killer is caught. I know of a place in Florida on the beach with topnotch security. She’ll love it. It will be an adventure for her, and she’ll be safe because no one else will know about this place. I’d hire a tutor for her until she can return to school here.”

  His need for Abbey in his life urged him to shout, “No. It’s Christmas in a few weeks.”

  “For once, put aside your pride and selfish needs to see what’s best for Abbey. Do you want her to end up like…” Ruth cleared her throat, a glistening sheen in her blue eyes that took the bite out of their coldness, “…like Marcie?”

  What if his ex-mother-in-law took Abbey away, and he never saw her again? What if the killer came after his daughter, and he couldn’t protect her? His life would be over. It was that simple. Nothing, no one could harm his daughter. She was all he really had. He would do anything to see that didn’t happen—even let her grandmother take her to a safe haven. The pain deep inside pushed outward until the constriction in his chest threatened to double him over. His lungs on fire, he couldn’t breathe decently.

  “What will it be?”

  Ruth’s voice penetrated his thought as he struggled with what he knew he had to do. “She can go with you on one condition.”

  Again one of her eyebrows quirked as if she couldn’t believe he dared to lay down conditions to her.

  “My sister must accompany you.”

  “I don’t need another—”

  “If you want Abbey to go, then Jessie has to go, too. There’s no other way I’ll let her be with you. I know Jessie will see that my daughter is returned to me.”

  “Are you implying I would kidnap my own granddaughter?”

  “Yes, if you thought you could get away with it, I think you would just to spite me for marrying Marcie.”

  She pulled herself up straight again, that haughty look on her face. “Very well, I accept your condition. I want to leave this evening.”

  So soon? He wasn’t ready to say good-bye to Abbey. He’d just been released from prison a week ago. Gabriel opened his mouth to protest but didn’t. He had to let her go and immediately, especially after the night before at his ranch. But it hurt as if he’d been shot in the gut and left to bleed out.

  “I’ll be back with her clothes.”

  Chapter Five

  Gabriel stood in the middle of Abbey’s bedroom at the ranch, staring at the suitcase open on her bed. He didn’t want to let her go. A war between his mind and heart stormed inside of him.

  God, what are You doing? I just came back into Abbey’s life. I…

  Nothing else came into his thoughts. He couldn’t even express his feelings to the Lord. He curled his hands then uncurled them over and over. Frozen, unable to think or move, he closed his eyes. Her grandmother had bought most of Abbey’s clothes in the bag when his daughter lived with her. Even her favorite toys were new ones from Ruth. When he came home, all he’d been able to do was shower love on her since he’d returned. What little money he had went to food and keeping the ranch running. And now he wouldn’t even be able to do that.

  The sound of a door slamming penetrated his pity party. He didn’t have a choice. Abbey and Jessie’s well-being was more important than what he felt or wanted.

  Footsteps stomped in the direction of Abbey’s bedroom and came to a stop. He pivoted toward Jessie, framed in the doorway.

  Her glare burned through him. “I don’t want to go with that woman. We’ll be okay. I know how to shoot, and I’ll protect Abbey with my life.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid o
f. I know how you feel about Ruth Morgan, but I can’t send Abbey without you. I don’t trust the woman. I need you and Abbey to be safe. I’m going after this maniac. This past hellish year began because of him.”

  The color drained from his sister’s face. “No. I can’t lose you, too. The Morgan family is responsible for Mama’s death. All they thought about after Marcie’s death was making you pay for being married to her.”

  “Mama had a heart attack.”

  “From the stress. You and I both know that. She wouldn’t take care of herself. She was so despondent, and her sugar and blood pressure levels were off the charts.”

  His mother had never been a strong woman. Gabriel could place as much blame on himself as he could the Morgan family. If he hadn’t married Marcie…He shook his head, stalked to the bed, and closed the suitcase. “We need to go. Where’s your bag?”

  Jessie pressed her mouth into a thin line.

  “You did pack, didn’t you?” He was so tired of fighting. That was all he’d done this past year—actually since a couple of years after his marriage to Marcie. He wanted peace and to be left alone.

  “It’s by the front door.”

  “I’ll call you every day.” He hefted the suitcase and strode into the hallway. “I know this won’t be easy for you, but Abbey does love her grandmother. And in Ruth’s own way, she loves Abbey.”

  “What about you? We can’t lose you. Let the police do their job.”

  Gabriel opened the front door, took Jessie’s piece of luggage, and waited while his sister walked outside. “How has that worked so far? We have three dead women, and they locked me up for a crime I didn’t do. They had their chance.” He swung the suitcases up into the bed of his truck.

  “And you think Chief Shaffer will stand by while you investigate?”

  “I’ll let Kira deal with him.”

  As Gabriel started the engine, Jessie said, “How can you work with her after what she did to you?”

  He’d already asked himself that question while wrestling with his decision to help her or not. “It’s hard to explain. I feel like I have to. We both know Marcie better than anyone else. She was the first victim. That may be important. What caused the killer to start with her?”

  “Aren’t you angry with Kira? Hate her?”

  “Yes and no. I don’t have the mental energy to hate her right now. All I want to do is keep my family safe, and if that means figuring out with her who’s murdering these women, then I’ll do it. I’m not leaving my life in anyone else’s hands ever again.”

  For the next ten minutes, his sister remained quiet. At a stop sign near the estate, Gabriel glanced at her.

  Silent tears ran down her face.

  “Jessie, you’re strong. You’ll hold your own with Ruth.”

  His sister swiped her hands across her cheeks. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you.”

  At the entrance to the Morgan estate, he punched the button to call the main house. While the gates opened, he clasped Jessie’s shoulder. “I’ll be fine. I have the best reason to stay alive. I don’t want Ruth to raise Abbey, especially after how Marcie turned out. Her mother dictated Marcie’s actions most of her life and look what happened.”

  “Sure. I’ll turn off my emotions.” Jessie shrugged away from his touch. “Let’s get this over with. I want to be home before Christmas.”

  “That’s my goal, too.” The holidays without his family would be bleak—like this past year.

  Gabriel parked in front of the mansion and trudged to the entrance with the two pieces of luggage.

  Josh, Marcie’s brother, opened the door and stepped to the side. His gaze bore through Gabriel and lit on Jessie. Josh’s scowl deepened the grooves on his forehead. Gabriel and Jessie entered the large entry hall with a massive staircase.

  In all the years married to Marcie, he’d rarely been to the second floor, but then he’d never been welcomed in the house. “Where’s Abbey?”

  “In the living room with Mother. Now that you’re finally arrived, I’ll let our pilot know we’re leaving.”

  “So you’re going, too?” Gabriel asked, staring at the man’s black eye Gabriel had given him. That was a testament to their relationship from the very beginning.

  Marcie’s brother gave one nod.

  While Josh left, Jessie leaned close to Gabriel. “Oh, joy. He’s going with us.”

  “Shh. Remember Abbey adores her uncle.”

  “Did you when you hit Josh?”

  Gabriel chuckled. “I tried, but I couldn’t stop myself. I have to defend myself.”

  Jessie harrumphed and followed her brother to the living room.

  The second Abbey saw him she leaped to her feet and raced across the enormous room, more like a museum than a home. She threw her arms around Gabriel’s waist. “You’ve got to come, too. I don’t wanna go alone without you.”

  He set the suitcases on the floor then knelt in front of his daughter, forcing a smile to his face while inside he felt anything but happy. “Sweetheart, I wish I could. Someone has to take care of the ranch. That’s why Jessie is going with you. We’ll talk every day.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yes. I’ll want to hear all about what you’re doing.”

  “How long will I be away? It’s gonna be Christmas soon. We’re always together then.” Abbey dropped her head and stared at her hands folded together in front of her.

  “And we will be this year.” Somehow he’d find the killer by then. He couldn’t let Abbey down anymore. “You’ll have a great time at the beach. Look for some shells while there. You could start a collection.”

  His daughter’s shoulder slumped forward. “Please come. I don’t want to leave you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him.

  A heavy sadness jammed his throat, and no amount of swallowing pushed it down. A blurry film covered his eyes as he embraced Abbey as though this was the last time he would see her. He wanted to be the one taking his daughter and sister away, but catching the killer was paramount, and he couldn’t depend on anyone but himself to do it.

  Josh came into the room. “Time to go.”

  Gabriel loosened his embrace and began to stand, but Abbey wouldn’t let go.

  “No! I don’t wanna go.” Tears streaked down his daughter’s face.

  “Honey, I need you to,” he whispered into her ear while giving her one final hug.

  Ruth stood behind Abbey.

  Gabriel’s gaze met the frost in the woman’s eyes. The sight almost changed his mind.

  But then Ruth bent toward his daughter, clasping her shoulder. “You should see what I have planned for you and your aunt. The time will fly by.”

  Abbey turned her head toward her grandmother, whose smile encompassed her whole face. Gabriel used the momentary distraction to pull away from Abbey and nod toward his sister.

  Jessie stepped forward. “I’ve never been to the beach. You’ll have to show me everything, Abbey.”

  While her grandmother and aunt flanked his daughter, Gabriel backed away. “Have fun, sweetheart. I love you.” Then he spun around and hurried across the foyer and out of the mansion.

  Abbey’s cries for him to return ripped his heart in two. But if he went back, he wouldn’t let her go, and then she would be in danger. He was doing the right thing, but if he had to tear this town apart, he would find the killer.

  * * *

  Kira faced the stack of Marcie’s journals and set the one written as a high school senior in a read pile off to the side. She thought it might help if she went through them in chronological order this time rather than how she’d done it when planning her prosecution of Gabriel.

  Marcie’s had written in a journal since she’d been a freshman. Kira had also but not to the extent her friend had, and Kira gave it up after high school. A lot of what Marcie put down had to do with her family, especially about her mother, until her junior year. Then she became enthralled with any guy her mother didn’t like. When
she could finally date at eighteen, she made it a point never to go out with boys acceptable to her mother.

  Eleven months ago, Kira had combed through them, seeing a side of her best friend Kira hadn’t really known until she returned to town. At first, she’d thought the change had come about because of her marriage to Gabriel, but now she didn’t really know. She’d gone through the one dated during her last months in high school, and what she’d finished had a different tone. Now that Kira wasn’t looking for ways to convict Gabriel, the meaning behind the passages weren’t the same as she’d thought last winter.

  A month before graduation, Marcie set her eyes on Gabriel and went after him as though she was a predator homing in on her prey. Subtle changes in her language shifted. She’d been attracted to him because she’d known her mother would never approve. Kira saw traces of evidence that Marcie cared for Gabriel—at least at first. By the summer after graduation, Marcie was really falling in love with him.

  She reached for the next journal written after Kira left for college. The ringing doorbell startled her, and she flinched. She glanced at her watch. Gabriel was late. In fact she’d wondered an hour ago if he’d decided not to help her.

  Clutching the chronicle to her chest, she headed for the entry hall. It was ten o’clock. She leaned toward the peephole, surprised that it was Gabriel. She’d half expected a police officer checking in with her.

  Hurriedly opening the door, she noticed a patrolman striding toward the house. Gabriel locked gazes with her for a few seconds then glanced over his shoulder. The officer increased his pace, and Kira recognized Wally, one of Bill’s cronies.

  She came out onto the porch, putting herself between Gabriel and Wally. “Thanks for stopping by. I’m fine.”

  Wally paused at the bottom of the stairs, his hand resting on his gun at his waist. “Are you sure?” He pinned his stare on Gabriel behind her.

  “I’m very sure. He will be here for a while so you don’t need to come up to the door if you see his truck in the driveway.”

  “I have my orders, ma’am. The chief won’t be too happy if I don’t follow them.”