by Kathi Daley
“Okay,” Houston said. “That sounds nice. Should I bring anything?”
“Just your stretchy pants. You’ll be glad you have them when you see all the food Sarge’s making.”
Houston stopped walking in front of a small but perfectly shaped tree. “How about this one?”
“I think that one is lovely.” I stood back as Houston chopped it down. “One down and one to go.” I glanced into the distance. “I seem to remember there being a grove of pretty little trees just over that hill.”
Houston laid the tree he’d just cut on the sled we’d brought. “Lead the way. If we’re lucky, we’ll be home before the sun starts to set.” Houston picked up the rope and began pulling the sled. “I don’t see how I’ll ever get used to these short days.”
“I’m not sure you do. I’ve lived here my whole life and at times, I think I’ll go crazy during the shortest days of the year.”
Houston, the dogs, and I trudged over the little hill. The trees I’d been heading for were right where I remembered, but I noticed something else as well. Sleigh tracks. “You know, the one clue we really haven’t resolved regarding Reggie’s murder are the tracks we found near the body. Shredder and I followed them to a house a couple of miles from the murder site, but no one was home, and then we got the lead that took us to Tinseltown and never followed up on it.”
“I talked to the man who lives in the house at the end of the trail, Gavin White. He was out for a ride on the day before the murder, which would explain the tracks, but he swore he had nothing to do with Reggie’s death.”
My eyes grew big. “The tracks couldn’t have been from the day before. I specifically remember it snowed Monday morning: heavy snow and large flakes. If he was in the area the day before, the tracks would have been covered or at least mostly covered by the time we found them on Monday afternoon.”
Houston took out his ax and went to work on the tree I pointed out before he answered. “Now that you mention the snow, I remember it too. It sounds like another chat with the guy is in order. Let’s take these trees and the dogs back to your place and go over to have a conversation him. I didn’t get the vibe that he was lying when I spoke to him, but I didn’t remember that it snowed, and I definitely don’t have your skill as a lie detector. If he killed Reggie, we can wrap this whole thing up.”
******
After Houston and I left the trees and dogs at my cabin, we went by road to the house Shredder and I had found after following the sled tracks. There was a truck in the drive, so I assumed he was home. My heart quickened just a bit as Houston unsnapped his holster and checked the status of his gun.
“What’s the plan?” I asked.
“I’d like to take a look around, but I don’t have a warrant or a reason to get one, so I can’t force it. I’ll just go to the door and have a conversation with him, see how it goes.” Houston looked at me. “Maybe you should wait here until I can get a feel for how he’ll react to further interrogation.”
I was about to argue but I realized I could take a look in the barn while Houston interviewed him. “Okay,” I said. “Give me a holler if you need me.”
Houston got out and walked to the front door. I slipped out of his SUV and crouched down low. I watched as he went up to the door and knocked. The porch light went on. I stayed where I was until the door opened to reveal a tall, broad-shouldered man. After a few seconds, he opened the door and Houston went inside. As soon as the door closed, I ran across the clearing to the barn. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was looking for, but I hoped something would stand out. I only needed one thing that definitely tied him to Reggie; that should be enough for Houston to get the warrant he needed. Or at least I imagined it would. I didn’t know much about police work.
The corral behind the barn contained four caribou. They appeared to be healthy, well-cared-for animals. I went to the back of the barn, where I found a tarp thrown over two things. Both were sleighs. I didn’t suppose there was any crime in owning two sleighs, but I didn’t remember either sleigh or any of the reindeer being here when Shredder and I looked around. I supposed the owner of the house could have been out with one of the teams because he hadn’t been around either, but I wondered who’d been out in the second sleigh.
I hoped to have more time to look around, but I heard Houston come out of the house only minutes after he’d entered. He paused on the porch to talk to the homeowner, so I hurried back to SUV. When he joined me, I said what was foremost in my mind. “There are two sleighs in the barn and four caribou in the pen. Both the tracks we found when we were looking for Nick and the ones we found near Reggie’s body consisted of a single set of sleigh tracks and prints from two caribou. When Shredder and I were here, the place was empty. Neither sleigh and none of the reindeer were on the property. Assuming the man you just spoke to was out with one team, who was with the other?”
Houston frowned. “Two sleighs. Are you sure?”
“I just saw them with my own eyes.”
“I thought you were going to wait in the vehicle.”
“I lied. Look, I know I didn’t do as you asked, but this might be important. Did you ask him about Nick Clauston?”
“I did, and he said he found him wandering around on Saturday morning. At first, Nick didn’t remember who he was, so White decided to bring him home to try to jog his memory. Once Nick remembered who he was, White gave him a ride back to the inn.”
“Did you ask him why he didn’t call you?”
Houston nodded. “He said initially, he thought Nick might have been on drugs. He didn’t want to get him in trouble; he just wanted to sober him up. Once he realized he had some sort of mental problem, he felt bad for him. When Nick finally remembered he’d been staying at the inn, White thought he’d just drop him off and let him go in on his own. He said Nick was upset, afraid his daughter would be angry for causing him trouble. He knew some family members didn’t deal well with that sort of disease and he wanted to leave the man with some dignity, rather than taking him inside like a disobedient child. He wasn’t anticipating he’d take a seat in the swing, but in the end, it all worked out.”
I took a moment to look at the house. “That shows compassion and sensitivity. Even Nick made it sound as if the man who brought him home was very nice to him. Killing Reggie, however, is not so nice.” I looked toward the barn. “Two sleighs, two men. One nice and one not so nice.”
Houston put his hand on the door handle. “I’ll go find out who the second sleigh belongs to.”
I waited impatiently for Houston to return. I wasn’t good at waiting, and it seemed I’d been doing a lot of it lately. I watched as Houston stood on the porch and chatted with the man. They went inside again. After a few more minutes, Houston stepped back out onto the porch and shook the man’s hand, then headed back to the SUV.
“Well?” I asked.
“White said the second sleigh and the two additional caribou belong to a buddy of his named Joey, who lives north of here. The roof on Joey’s barn caved in, so he’s allowing him to use his barn until it’s fixed. I asked him if the second sleigh had been taken out on Monday. A friend of Joey’s was by to borrow it. White wasn’t home at the time and didn’t even know the friend had borrowed the team until this morning. I asked him if he knew the friend’s name. He didn’t, so he called Joey while I waited. The man who borrowed the team is named Nicolas.”
“Nicolas Askar?” I asked.
Chapter 17
Monday, December 24
After a very long week, I awoke on Christmas Eve morning to a fresh coat of snow and a cabin full of animals, which made me happy. I pulled the covers up to my chin as I contemplated dragging myself out of bed. I knew the animals needed to be tended to, but a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt. The past few days had been hectic and somewhat trying, and I felt as if I deserved to sleep in just a bit on this very special morning.
I rolled over on my side to check on the dogs who slept on the floor next to me, only to find the
room totally devoid of dogs. I frowned. How had they gotten out of the bedroom? And then I smelled the coffee. Jake? We were getting together later and I thought he would have spent the morning with Jordan, but I couldn’t think of anyone else who would simply walk into my cabin and make coffee. Unless…
I slipped my legs over the side of the bed and slid out. I pulled on my robe and slippers and headed out to the living area, to find Shredder sitting on my sofa, sipping coffee with a pile of dogs on either side of him.
“What are you doing here?”
“Merry Christmas to you as well.”
I let out a half laugh. “Merry Christmas, Shredder. And while I’m very happy to see you, I need to know why I’m seeing you. Do you have another mission in Alaska?”
Shredder reached out and scrubbed his hand through Denali’s thick mane. “Not a mission. More like a day off on the way to a new mission.”
I walked into the kitchen and poured my own cup of coffee. “A new mission? Did you wrap up the old one?”
Shredder nodded. “Sort of. I managed to catch up with Rigby, who is in a heap of trouble. He is in custody and will most likely be there for a very long time. I had a chance to speak to him as I escorted him to detention, and he admitted he hired Askar to kill Reggie after Reggie figured out he wasn’t really Eckhart.”
“And Askar?”
“In the wind. Not surprising, given that we gave him a huge head start.”
I sat down on the sofa. “I can’t believe we had him and we let him go.”
“Don’t feel bad. The man is crafty. He gave us Rigby, which sent us off after him and gave Askar a chance to disappear. The fact that he’s crafty is one of the reasons he’s never been brought to justice. I should have known he was behind Reggie’s death when I found out about the accuracy used to slit his throat. Askar is known as an efficient and merciful killer.”
I thought of the sensation I’d shared with Reggie of his last moment. The pain in his throat and his struggle to breath. I supposed there were worse ways to die, but I don’t think I’d label the man’s death as merciful.
“Are you here all day?” I asked, smiling at the look of delight on Denali’s face.
“I should head out this evening. I don’t want to interrupt any plans you might have.”
“I don’t have plans. At least not until I have to leave for dinner at the bar. You can come along if you want.”
Shredder looked like he might actually be considering it, then he shook his head. “I should probably head out before dinner. But I’d love to go for a walk with you and the kids. If you were planning on taking a walk, that is.”
I glanced around the room filled with my furry family. “I take a walk every morning whether I’m in the mood or not. Just let me get dressed.”
******
“I can’t believe how much progress you’ve made with this little guy in just a little over a week,” I said to Harley later that evening, after he showed up at Neverland with Brando. “He really seems to listen to you.”
“It took a day or two, but we managed to come to an understanding. He agreed not to chew on everything in sight and I agreed to let him sleep in the bed with me.”
“Sounds like an agreement that benefits you both. How’s he doing with the bathroom training?”
“He hasn’t had any accidents. I think the guy who dropped him off must have kept him locked up in the house without regular trips outdoors. I haven’t had a single issue in that area.” Harley looked at me with a smile on his face. “I know I said I wasn’t interested in adopting him, but if you and I can work out a few details, I might consider it.”
“That would be great. Whatever you need.”
“I’d like to have you continue to work with both of us on the training, and I’ll need somewhere to leave him when I can’t take him with me when I leave town. I don’t plan to do as many movies or to travel as much, but there will be times when I’ll be on the set for weeks at a time, and having a dog to see to then isn’t always doable.”
I wrapped my arms around Harley’s neck and gave him a hug. “I totally agree to both conditions. Congratulations, Harley. You’re going to be an amazing dad.”
Harley grinned. “You know, part of me has always wanted to be a dad.” He looked down at the puppy, who obviously adored him. “I’m going to take him out before dinner.”
When Harley left, I looked around the room. I felt a warmth in my heart as I took in the perfection of Jake’s decorations, the friends who I considered family, and the dogs who meant so very, very much to me. Life was good. At times, life was hard, but in the end, I decided, it was also perfect.
I was debating the idea of refilling my wineglass when I noticed Houston wandering across the room with a wrapped package in his hand.
“For me?” I asked when he thrust it toward me.
“It’s just a small token. I wanted to thank you for helping me through Christmas. As I’ve indicated, it isn’t my favorite holiday.”
“Bad breakup?” I asked.
He hesitated. He glanced around the room and then back at me. “I don’t like to talk about it, but my mother was murdered on Christmas when I was eight.”
I gasped. “Murdered? What happened?”
“It was Christmas Eve. I’d been put to bed, but I was so excited for Santa to arrive that I snuck downstairs. My dad was a cop and he was working that evening, although Mom had assured me that he’d be home for Christmas morning. Mom was in the kitchen baking pies, so I snuck over to the tree to look at all the brightly wrapped packages. At some point, I heard her come into the room, so I slipped under the tree. I arranged the packages just so. I was pretty sure Mom couldn’t see me. I remember looking up though the branches at the colorful lights. I remember being so happy and so excited.”
So far, Houston’s memory was a lot like mine had been, but I was soon to learn that his deviated at that point.
“There was a sound on the porch,” Houston continued. “At first I thought it might be my dad, but then I realized he always parked around the back and came in through the kitchen. From my hiding place beneath the tree, I watched as my mother went to the door. She opened it and gasped. For a minute, I thought maybe Santa had come early. She seemed so surprised. But then I heard a tiny gasp, which was followed by a tiny little cry as her breath escaped her lips for the very last time.”
I gasped. “Someone killed her right there on the porch?”
Houston nodded. “Someone strangled her. I saw her fall to the ground and I froze. By the time I finally had the presence of mind to climb out from under the tree, she was dead and the person who’d killed her was gone.”
“What did you do?”
“I called my dad. The rest is a blur. My grandmother came and picked me and my sister up. My dad said it would just be for a few days, but we both stayed with her until we went to college.”
“Your dad didn’t want you to come home?”
“He didn’t deal well with what happened. At first, he was driven to find the person who killed my mom and worked around the clock for several years. But when he couldn’t find the person who killed the love of his life, he sort of lost it. He started drinking and eventually lost his job. He died in a car accident when I was sixteen.”
I took Houston’s hand in mine. “I’m so very sorry. Here I’ve been, trying to thrust Christmas on you, when the reason you aren’t a fan of the holiday is so horrific, I don’t even know what to say. I feel awful.”
“Don’t.” Houston squeezed my hand. “What happened was awful, but it was a long time ago. I’ve realized during the past week that it’s time to move on. I can’t change what happened, but I can use my mom’s death to help me to be a better man. I became a cop because of her murder, and as a cop, I’ve done a lot of good. I realized when you brought me that little tree for my office that my mom loved Christmas. It would make her incredibly sad that I stopped celebrating. I guess that little tree gave me the push I needed to deal with my memori
es and move on. It’s what my mom would want for me.”
I put my arms around Houston’s neck and gave him a hard, long hug. “I’m glad the little tree helped. If there’s ever anything I can do for you, if there’s some way I can help, please just let me know.”
“I will,” Houston said. “I still haven’t tracked down my mom’s killer. I’ve had a few false leads over the years that never panned out. I haven’t given up, though, and am still working on it. I have some feelers out, and I feel like I’m getting close. How close, I’m not certain. The leads I’m working on may not go anywhere, but there may come a time I’ll call on you and your superpower to help find the person I’ve spent my entire adult life looking for.”
“If that time comes, I’ll do what I can.”
I looked at the room filled with all the people I loved. These people had helped me heal after my parents’ death and even more so after Val’s. They’d helped me to get my answers and find closure. And damn if I wasn’t going find a way to do the same for Houston. Maybe not today, maybe not even this year. But someday.
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Preview:
Saturday December 15
“Please state your name for the record.” Asked the federal agent who’d identified himself as Agent Stanwell. He wore a white dress shirt, black tie, and a black suit, which seemed to scream authority, yet I still wasn’t sure exactly which branch of the federal government he worked for. My best guess was FBI although I couldn’t quite figure out why an agent of the FBI would ask me to meet him in the suite of his hotel rather than the sheriff’s office where I imagined that Sheriff Salinger was working on the same murder case he was.