Christmas Confidential

by Marilyn Pappano; Linda Conrad

  “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 and 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 h
er, 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.

  He pushed her into the car, never stopping until she went over the center console and landed in the passenger seat. Not her idea of a good time.

  “Give me the keys. Hurry up.” He climbed behind the wheel and held out his hand.

  He had a lot of nerve. “This is my—”

  “Someone. Is. Shooting at us!”

  “Seriously?” She twisted to look around.

  The pinging sound of something metallic hitting the fender close by her head finally got her attention. Throwing her keys at Gage, she ducked down below the side window.

  “Buckle in,” he said when her old hatchback came to life and he rammed it in gear.

  She worked hard dragging the chest restraint over her body and locking down the buckle while still managing to stay hidden under the window of the careening car. But she accomplished it all as Gage raced out of the parking lot, driving like a maniac.

  Muttering cuss words under his breath, he downshifted and made a quick right turn on to a side street. He gave the rearview mirror a quick check and then turned left at the next block. She could swear her ancient little four-wheel drive hatchback took the corner on two wheels.

  “Are they following us?” She found herself practically screaming to be heard over the whine of the engine. “My car won’t stand a lot of this kind of treatment.”

  Gage slowed at a stop sign and turned to her. “I saw a couple of guys get into a black pickup and start to follow us. But I think I lost them. Where are we?”

  She glanced up through the windshield of the idling car to get her bearings. “On the east side of town. This little tourist trap only has about twenty streets total. Will they come looking for us, do you think?” Oops. She’d forgotten all about the phony Irish accent.

  He didn’t seem to notice. “That depends on why they were shooting at us. But generally when someone takes shots at you, it’s meant to either scare or kill. If they wanted to kill us, they won’t stop looking until they find us.”

  Swallowing hard, she fought the shakes that threatened to bounce her right out of her seat. “We need to hide, then.”

  “Or run, yeah, I agree.” He took his foot off the brake, pressed on the clutch and eased out onto a busier street.

  “Why?” She was fast becoming sick to her stomach.

  “Why what? Why would someone shoot at us?”

  Still fighting the nausea, she nodded without saying a word.

  He set his jaw and his knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. “I haven’t the foggiest idea. But people don’t just go around shooting at
other people at six in the morning for no reason. They had to have followed us or else how would they have known where to find us? Which means they’ve been stalking one of us. And if they went to all that trouble, they’ll keep looking until they find us again.”

  “But...” Her mind raced as she tried to stem the panic. “We must hide the car.”

  “I have a better idea.” He swung the wheel and made a U-turn in the middle of the block. “As long as we stay out of their sight until we get there, my hotel has an underground parking garage. That’s the best place I can think of to hide the car for now. Unless you have somewhere else in mind?”

  Shaking her head, she sank back down in the seat as far as possible. She didn’t want to hide. She needed to get the heck out of town. But Gage couldn’t know her true intentions. He would just follow her. And she couldn’t let him do that.

  Glancing over at him, she saw the deep concentration clearly set across his features. How had he become involved in her life again so fast? And why now?

  Maybe at the hotel she’d find a way to sneak away from him, leave her car and take the town shopping shuttle back to Brendan’s. He would trade cars with her temporarily so she could make her way out of town yet today.

  Yes, that was the plan. All she needed to do was wait for her opportunity. And not say too much to Gage in the meantime. He had a way of making her say—and do—things she never would have done before him.

  The larger streets of town started filling up with cars and taxis as the sun finally rose over the eastern mountain peaks. That should warm the air. But nothing could warm her insides. She was in a frozen panic. Wrapping her arms around her upper body to stem the chills, she prayed they would reach the hotel without being spotted.

  In the next block, Gage suddenly dragged at the wheel and took a quick left into a back alley. There was barely room enough to navigate through the tiny space.

  “What’s going on?” she demanded. “We’ve only one long block to go before we arrive at the hotel.”

  “I saw the same truck again.” He slowed and stopped in a deep shadow behind a three-story building. “I hope they didn’t spot us.”