Christmas Under Fire

by Michelle Karl

  Aaron shook his head. “No. Her cousin—who lives here in Fort Mason—seems to think that Tricia might have driven south to visit her boyfriend for the holidays, based on a cryptic text message she received a few hours ago. But everyone else associated with her doesn’t even recall her mentioning a boyfriend, and it’s odd that she’d skip out on clients the day before the tree lighting, when the spa is charging a premium for their services. And without telling anybody. That’s as far as we’ve gotten with it, but the boyfriend angle is something the Fort St. Jacob team can help us work on with social media.”

  Boyfriend! The woman certainly hadn’t acted as though she was attached to anyone, especially not with the probing questions about Aaron and the way she’d kept trying to move closer to him, to touch his arms, shoulders, anywhere she could reach.

  “Aaron, I honestly doubt she has a boyfriend.” Cally sighed and plunged ahead, unsure how he’d react to her suspicions. “Not based on how I’ve watched her act around you.” Her jaw tightened.

  “I think you’re right,” Aaron said. “I know we men can be clueless sometimes, but Tricia hasn’t exactly been subtle about her continued affections. I have a hard time believing she has anything to do with these attacks against you, though...”

  His eyes grew unfocused as he retreated inward.

  “What is it?” Cally prodded. She reached out to touch his arm, but pulled away when she realized what she was doing. Why had she done that? Since when was she the one to reach out physically to another person? She was still trying to figure out what had gotten into her last night when she’d asked him to sit with her. He’d given her a lengthy side hug, providing the comfort she’d needed after an emotionally and physically exhausting day.

  It had been a long time since she’d felt comfortable enough around someone else to be close to them by choice.

  She kept her voice even and low to ask her next question. “Has Tricia done anything like this before?”

  “Actually, yes.” Aaron folded his arms across his chest with a heavy exhale. “A few years ago, I attended a church barbecue where I met someone. This person had recently moved to the area to take a job at the spa—an aesthetician position. We went out for coffee and had a really nice time...and a few days later, I learned that she’d been fired from the new job. I don’t recall the reason Tricia gave for letting her go, but it was pretty ridiculous. I mean, it’s not easy to entice people to take jobs up here—Fort Mason is literally in the middle of nowhere—so to fire a perfectly capable employee out of jealousy... It takes a special kind of delusion to do that. But firing someone and firing at someone are two completely separate issues.”

  Cally had to agree. “As awful as that is, and while it can’t be denied that people in love will sometimes go to extremes to get what they want, I don’t want to think the worst of her—I don’t know her that well.” She clasped her hands in front of her lips, trying to give shape to an idea bouncing around inside her head. “Aaron, what if she didn’t run off or go into hiding because she thinks the RCMP are on to her? You said yourself, these culprits seem to know my every move and are likely watching the police station somehow. The break-in they tried yesterday didn’t go as planned. What if...what if the people after me saw her leaving the station, followed her and nabbed her for information?”

  Aaron’s eyes widened for a split second before his shoulders drooped. “And the boyfriend story, it could be a coded message, a cry for help, since I’d see the lie immediately.” He pulled the radio off his belt. “That’s a very astute theory, and one we can’t rule out. Though I don’t know why she wouldn’t have sent the message directly to me, if that was the case. Or maybe she thought I’d ignore it or delete it. I wasn’t exactly patient with her while she was here, but I’ll speak to Hatch and ask if he saw anything unusual when he was with her.”

  That didn’t solve the main problem, however, and Cally was feeling increasingly sick to her stomach. They’d finally figured out one last safe place for her to stay in town, and now she didn’t even have that. It wasn’t Ellen’s fault for telling Tricia—she hadn’t known the details of what was happening—but it complicated matters further.

  “Does this mean I’m going to have to spend another night in the police station? And my uncle, as well?”

  Aaron grimaced. “As much as I want to say no, I think I’d better call my parents and let them know not to—”

  The station lights flickered and died. The hum of the station’s backup generator went silent, and the warm air that had been directed into the room through the heat register overhead stopped blowing. Cally’s heart sank even further.

  “Great. Does that mean the power is gone for good?”

  Aaron groaned and covered his face with one hand. “Why, Lord?” he muttered, before responding to Cally. “Yes, it does. The BC Hydro repair crew is here now, working to restore power to the grid—it needs to be up and running for the tree lighting, obviously—but since the station is at the edge of town, we’re usually one of the last places on the grid to come back online.”

  Cally sidled up to a window to check outside. As it had in the days since her arrival, daylight was fading fast. “How long, do you think?”

  “No way to know,” Aaron said. “Could be an hour, could be six hours. We don’t have another generator to run, which means...well, it means emergency protocol. Our RCMP base of operations needs to move elsewhere, so I’m going to have to commandeer either the community hall or another building with power, and take some of our computers and radios over there. I’ll have to lock down this building, which means you can’t stay here.”

  Cally’s throat tightened. Please, Lord. I know we haven’t talked much and You probably don’t even want to hear from me, but please. Extend some grace.

  “Does this mean I’m going to your parents’ place after all?”

  Aaron nodded as a knock sounded on the back door. “I guess it does. Let’s pray we can pull this transfer off without the wrong people noticing.”

  She zipped up her winter coat and slid on her gloves, trying not to think about what might happen if this plan went sideways. “Way ahead of you.”

  THIRTEEN

  Aaron opened the back door to let his father inside. His parents’ car was pulled up close enough to it that the passenger door could be opened for Cally to slip inside without being seen.

  “Hey, Dad. Thanks again for doing this. You have power at the house?”

  His father patted his son on the shoulder. “Of course, of course. Full power isn’t up yet, but I’m told it’ll be on within the hour or so. Our generator has plenty of juice left. I heard a thump. Did yours just conk out?”

  “It did. Dad, this is Cally. Cally, this is my dad, the original Officer Thrace.”

  Cally came forward, and the appropriate introductions were made. Aaron felt queasy at the reality of involving his parents in a dangerous situation, but his father could handle it. Possibly better than he could. Will Thrace hadn’t become a decorated officer for nothing.

  “I’ll come over as soon as Hatch arrives to relieve me,” Aaron said, watching Cally ready herself to crawl into the back seat. A blanket lay folded in the center, the same gray color as the cushion fabric, to help camouflage her presence.

  “Are you sure that’s wise?” Concern filled every inch of Cally’s face, and for some reason, it warmed Aaron from the inside. She cares.

  “We’ll do our base of operations switch first, then I’ll be over. Should be around dinnertime, so it won’t look suspicious for me to show up. I’d like to meet your uncle and do my own security sweep.”

  “My own son doesn’t trust me,” his father grumbled, but the comment held a teasing tone. “I know, I know. You have papers to fill out, personal reports, all that. I might miss being on the job sometimes, but that’s one part of retirement I truly enjoy. Less paperwork.”

  Aaron touched Ca
lly’s sleeve. “Be careful. Stay low. I’ll see you soon. And Leo should be dropping your uncle off there soon if he hasn’t already.”

  Cally’s worry shifted to a reserved smile. “Thanks.”

  He waited for her to turn around, to leave, but she remained motionless. When had they moved so close to each other? He could see the dark flecks in her eyes, every beautiful, black eyelash...

  His father cleared his throat.

  And then Cally slipped away to hide inside his parents’ car, on the way to greater safety than he could provide for the time being.

  Distracted and frustrated, he gathered up the necessary items to bring to another location—a building with lights on, at the very least. He’d be out of daylight and in total darkness inside the station within the hour.

  He was zipping up a laptop bag at the front desk when he heard it—a rattling at the front doors. It sounded like someone was shaking the locked handles.

  Aaron dropped into a crouch at the side of the desk as a shadowy shape released the handles and vanished around the edge of the building. Aaron’s pulse sped up as he radioed his team.

  “Potential intruder. Lights are out. Make it snappy, Hatch.” The back door rattled. Then a side door.

  The intruder was trying all the entrances. Were they truly that desperate that they’d attempt to break into a police station with armed officers?

  One armed officer, he admitted. And one who’s been bested by their opponent so far. Of course that would give a criminal a sense of confidence, regardless of whether that confidence was justified.

  For a brief moment, Aaron considered opening the door and taking on his opponent—but what if things went wrong again? What if this time, it ended even worse for him?

  His hand, which had been reaching for a side door that hadn’t yet been tested by the intruder, pulled back.

  I can’t let that happen. For Cally’s sake. She has endured enough loss already. I’ll tackle this once I have backup.

  The sound of breaking glass came from the other side of the building—and then a siren whooped as red and blue lights flashed outside to illuminate a thin, spry figure sprinting across police property. Aaron burst out of the building, weapon at the ready, but it was too late. The figure had vanished.

  “Want me to go after him, boss?” Hatch climbed out of his vehicle, hand on his weapon.

  “Yes, go.”

  Hatch climbed back into the vehicle and took off.

  Had the individual figured out that the police station’s power was completely out? It explained the boldness of the intrusion. But it also meant the person likely now knew the station had been abandoned.

  Would the intruder deduce where Cally had gone, or had the culprit already known their plans and tried to enter the station in an attempt to reach her before she changed locations?

  Aaron didn’t want to waste time trying to determine the intruder’s motivation... All he knew was that he needed to reach Cally before the attacker struck again.

  * * *

  Cally watched out the corner of the living room window at Aaron’s parents’ home, peeking through the gauzy fabric curtain. Their dog, the friendly German shepherd that Aaron had mentioned, sat beside her with her head shoved under Cally’s fingers, begging for ear scratches. A patrol car pulled up to the driveway, and she was surprised to realize she recognized Aaron by his profile alone. Her heart spun in a quick circle as he exited the vehicle.

  Why is this happening, God? All of it?

  Aaron sauntered up the path, feigning a casual visit, but Cally didn’t miss the tension in his neck and shoulders.

  “Callandra,” her uncle said, calling from the couch, “come have a seat and relax. Surely this isn’t all as bad as you’ve said.”

  Her uncle Zarek had been dropped off by Leo at the Thrace home a few minutes before her, and while she’d tried her best to communicate the extent of the danger she’d faced for the past several days, he was having a difficult time fully comprehending the scenario he’d brought himself into.

  “I’ve told you, it is. It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with you—believe me, I’d rather have you here than anyone else in the family—but it’s not safe. The best thing you could do to look out for me would be to charter a flight back first thing in the morning and spend some time at home appeasing my mother. Let her know I’m fine. You’ve seen me, the police are dealing with the situation and it’s going to be okay.”

  But even as she said the words, she wasn’t sure she believed them herself.

  The front door opened, and Aaron came inside. She heard him stomping the snow off his boots down in the stairwell.

  “If that’s so, why are you pacing around like a nervous kitten? Sit down, relax. Aren’t you boiling in that heavy sweater?” Uncle Zarek sighed pointedly. “Take it off, get comfortable. Tell you what, why don’t we take a photo together to send your mom. That might calm her nerves a bit.”

  “Actually,” Aaron said, entering the room, “I’m going to suggest we all move out of the living room, away from open windows. The basement and spare room on the south side of the house should be fine—just don’t put yourself in direct line of sight to the outdoors.”

  The Thrace parents, who’d been elsewhere in the house, joined the trio in the living room. Cally backed away from the window immediately. “Why? I thought the whole point was that I’d be safe here. Has something happened?”

  “Yes.” Aaron looked like he wanted to say more, but spied the newcomer in the room for the first time. “Hi, you must be Zarek, Cally’s uncle? I’m Aaron Thrace, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.” The two men shook hands before Aaron continued. “Someone just tried to break into the police station. They didn’t make it inside, but the intruder definitely knows the station is currently without power. At this point, we have to assume the individual has figured out there’s no one left inside the station.”

  “So why are you here?” Aaron’s father huffed. “Go after him!”

  “First, I’ve been thinking about this, and...it might not have been a ‘him.’ Based on body type, we can’t say if the person was male or female. Second, Hatch is on it. I sent him in pursuit. Third—” Aaron whipped his gaze around to lock eyes with Cally. Her heart did another pirouette as he took a step toward her. “I didn’t want to leave you all alone.”

  “I’m not alone,” she said, but could barely muster more than a whisper. His obvious concern for her was...alarming.

  But not unwelcome.

  And even after everything that had happened, that was the strangest part of it all.

  At Aaron’s insistence, his parents collected blankets, pillows and an air mattress, and set them up in the basement along with a pull-out couch. Apparently their basement guest room had recently been converted to a storage space, for which they apologized profusely before being shooed away by Aaron.

  “Take the pullout, Uncle,” Cally said, seeing the layout. “I’ll use the air mattress, no problem.” Uncle Zarek tried to insist otherwise, but Cally wouldn’t let him win this one—she was younger, and her body could handle another night of rough sleep better than his. As she carefully set up the air mattress in a corner, she heard Aaron standing on the flight of stairs to the basement, trying to convince his parents to stay downstairs instead of returning to their own room for the night. It sounded as though his father was determined to remain upstairs. After several minutes, Aaron joined her and Uncle Zarek, looking flustered.

  “They’re staying upstairs. I can’t convince them otherwise.” He pointed to the small rectangular windows at the top of the basement wall, above the couch. “These windows are frosted, so as long as you don’t open them, no one will know you’re inside. Keep the lights off—use your phone flashlights if you need to, please. And if by chance there is trouble, I want you both to go to the furnace room and stay there until I’ve given an all clear
that it’s safe to come out.”

  “And what will you be doing?” Cally asked. “You can’t spend another night awake. You’ve hardly slept the past two nights as it is.”

  And it showed, regardless of how much he protested. His eyes were bloodshot with dark circles underneath. He was going to such lengths for her, and she couldn’t help feeling she wasn’t worth it. That the risk and personal cost were too great.

  Aaron shrugged. “I’m doing my job. I can rest when it’s over.”

  His job. Of course. “It’ll look great on your record if you can catch this attacker and make the town safe again by Christmas or sooner, I get that. But if you get sick or exhaustion causes you to get injured in the meantime, is that worth the risk?”

  He sat down on the stairs and pressed the thumb and forefinger of his right hand into the corners of his eyes. “I was hoping that the risk would be worth a promotion, but that’s not exactly looking promising anymore. I don’t think I’ll have this resolved by the tree lighting, and I can’t apologize enough for that. I really wanted to make that happen for you.”

  She wasn’t sure whether to feel grateful or guilty. “Is my being here costing you the chance of advancement in your job? Is that what’s going on?”

  He pulled his hand away and sat upright so fast she flinched back. “No! Of course not. That’s not what I meant. I doubt I’d have even been considered a possibility for advancement in the first place if you hadn’t decided to stay in Fort Mason—well, maybe eventually, but...you know what, none of this is coming out correctly.”

  If the situation wasn’t so serious, Cally would have giggled at the sudden, perplexed anguish on his face. It was strangely endearing. “I think that might have something to do with the lack of sleep.”