Cate Nolan - Christmas In Hiding

A sob escaped her lips as she got to the next part. “I stopped in the ladies’ room first.” She looked up at him through tear-drenched eyes. “Do you know how many times I’ve wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t stopped in there first?”

Jackson reached back across the seat and squeezed her hand. Callie realized he had pulled off the road again and was sitting, facing her, giving her his undivided attention.

“I was almost to the patio door when the first shot sounded. I didn’t realize what it was at first, fireworks or something. I wasn’t expecting gunfire. But when I pulled back the door, I was suddenly face-to-face with a man holding a gun. He turned and waved it at me, then blasted it off at Rick.” She twisted the scarf in her hands, wringing it, wrapping it around her hand, over and over. “He fell at my feet.”

Such simple words. He fell at my feet . They didn’t begin to capture how it felt to watch the life flow out of him, to watch as the recognition in his eyes faded away into a blank stare. Chaos had erupted around her, with federal agents bursting in and capturing the gunmen. That was all a hazy memory. She’d had eyes only for Rick. She’d stood there like petrified wood as his blood pooled around the pointy toes of her favorite boots.

Callie ripped the scarf off her hands and yanked the car door open. She had to get out, get away from the memory. She paced along the deserted highway, only vaguely aware of Jackson trailing behind her.

“Callie.”

She turned around. His arms were open, and she fell into them. He wrapped his coat around her and held her close while she cried.

When the sobs finally lessened, she lifted her head. “That’s why I didn’t want to tell you the story tonight. This happens every time. They keep telling me it will get better with time, but it never does.”

FOUR

Jackson awoke to a sound at the door.

He bolted from the bed and grabbed his gun. The sound came again, a soft knock, and he relaxed, realizing it was coming from the connecting door.

After he’d gotten Callie back in the car early this morning, they’d driven another hour before stopping for food and then finally settling into adjoining hotel rooms.

He’d lain awake long hours, replaying the scene she’d described, trying to see through the emotion to the truth. Had it happened as she said, or was she a stellar actress?

The taste of doubt was bitter on his tongue, but Jackson knew the price of false belief was much worse. He wanted to believe her, but if he was going to keep her safe, he had to be completely sure he understood every angle, every dynamic.

He’d finally dozed into a fitful sleep, but based on the slant of sunlight coming through the window, it hadn’t been for very long. He shrugged into his shirt before opening the door.

“What’s up, Callie?”

“Hope I didn’t wake you.”

Her distrust from yesterday appeared to have given way to a reluctant acceptance and friendliness. He supposed he could go along with that. If they were going to spend a week in close quarters, they might as well be friendly.

He yawned. “I wasn’t really sleeping well anyway.”

“Yeah, that was quite the bedtime story I told you.”

Jackson laughed, but the look they shared said they both knew it had kept him awake. “Let’s not talk about that now.” He could offer her that much anyway. “I’ll grab a shower and then we can go get some lunch, okay?”

“Can we walk through the Christmas Fair?”

“The what?”

“While you were sleeping, I read the local paper. Today is their Christmas Fair. It started with a parade earlier this morning, but there are activities all day—caroling, ornament making.” Her head dipped in resignation. “I know we can’t really do any of those things. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t even be thinking about it after what happened yesterday.”

She was right. They’d come a long distance with no sign of a tail, but that didn’t make it playtime.

“I feel like I’ve been either sleeping or running for the past twenty-four hours. The past three months really. It would be so nice to do something normal.”

The shadows under her eyes reminded him of how hard this had been on her. Not as hard as being dead, though.

They’d run in so many circles and switched transportation so many times, it should have been impossible for anyone to have followed them. Jackson wasn’t taking any chances on should haves. Still, her sad eyes tugged at him.

He was known for being overly cautious, but maybe there was no real cause for concern since they’d gotten cleanly away.

“Let me check in with the office. If there’s no indication anyone followed us, then we’ll see. We have to eat.”

“Really?” Callie beamed at him and something inside him lifted. “I know you don’t like it, but...I just really need something normal today, you know?”

He didn’t know. Not really. There wasn’t much about his life that was normal—ever—but he did understand her need. Her life had just been turned on its head a second time. Normalcy was necessary, even if it was an illusion.

Jackson grabbed some fresh clothes and headed into the shower. He needed some time alone to rebuild the professional wall he’d breached when he’d held her in his arms last night. The embrace had been natural, an offer of solace to a fellow human in need. He hadn’t expected to be the one feeling comforted.

An hour later, with the car packed and ready to move at a moment’s notice, Jackson drove them into town. It was his concession to her desire to walk. He’d drive to town, then they could walk and catch a bite to eat. His office said there was no indication of trouble, no evidence they’d been trailed. He guessed they could handle an hour in one small town at Christmas.

There was a huge lunch smorgasbord at the Church Hall and Callie talked him into eating there. Up until yesterday she’d roamed freely around New York City, she reminded him. As Jackson watched her chat with the locals and drink in the festive atmosphere, he decided the change was good for her. She had a knack for making friends and fitting herself in, which would suit her well in witness protection. Whereas he would have stayed back, grabbed a burger at the corner diner and been on his way, she’d jumped right into the thick of the celebration. After the harrowing past twenty-four hours, it was nice to see her relax.

An hour became two, and Jackson was more than ready to move on. “Callie.”

She grinned at him, and it was such a contrast to her frightened, shell-shocked expression of yesterday that he found himself grinning back. But they were still leaving.

As they walked out to the car, she touched his arm to stop him. “Can you give me just five more minutes? There’s something I need to buy. The pastor’s wife told me I can get it in that little shop on the corner.”

“Callie, we really need to get moving.”

Her face fell. Jackson kicked himself. Maybe it was female things she needed.

“Five minutes.”

She ran off, promising to be back in four.

Jackson leaned back against the car and stared at the small shop she’d entered. No female things in there. What could she possibly need from a trinket shop like that?

Whatever it was, she was true to her word. He’d watched the numbers on his phone advance only three minutes when she came dancing out the door.

Jackson grinned looking at her. Ben was right. She was charming when she was happy. He watched her come down the steps of the gift shop, her cheeks rosy from the cold, her lips curved in a smile that hinted of happy secrets.

She started to cross. Instinct had him on alert, so he sensed the car almost before he saw it. He yelled a warning as a dark vehicle came barreling around the corner. Too late he realized it was coming directly between him and Callie. The wheels screeched as the driver skidded to a halt and two men jumped out.