Debby Giusti - Holiday Defenders

“Where are we?” she asked, breathing in the cold mountain air.

Her gaze fell again over the wooden A-frame with its expansive windows and welcoming front porch. The majestic valley spanned out below them, wrapped in snow that reflected the light of the moon.

Everything was clearly visible at this elevation—the constellations, the North Star and the moon shining down like a giant lamp in the night sky.

She turned back to Nick. “Is this where you grew up?”

He nodded. “My dad’s cabin.”

“But—” She glanced again at the sturdy structure, so pleasing to the eye and in perfect balance with the natural setting. Years earlier, she had visited Nick’s childhood home with Zack. In her mind, it would always remain a dilapidated shack, surrounded by clutter and as tired and listless as Nick’s father had been.

“You must have hired a builder.”

“I did the work myself, piecemeal, over the years, when I was home on leave.”

“Where did you get the building supplies?” It couldn’t have been in Lassiter. In all that time, she had never seen him, or even heard word of him coming to town.

“I found what I needed in Cambridge, on the other side of the mountain.”

She glanced again at the fine craftsmanship of the structure, marveling at Nick’s ability. “I...I didn’t know you were a builder.”

He laughed, the sound filling the night. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Lizzie.”

It’s Elizabeth now, she thought, but she failed to correct him. For some reason, Lizzie sounded right coming from Nick.

A cold wind blew, and she cuddled Joey closer. “We need to get the children inside.”

Nick reached for the totes and laptop before heading toward the house. After climbing the stairs, he stamped his feet and keyed open the door.

“Watch your step.” He took her elbow and helped her up the slippery stairs.

“Will they follow us here?”

“I hope not, but we still need to be cautious. Let’s get the children settled and then try to uncover who your brother was meeting. That might help us determine who’s after us and why. Once we get information, we can contact the authorities outside the local area. Zack told me not to trust the Lassiter police. If there are dirty cops, there’s no telling how they’ll manipulate our story to make it fit their own needs.”

“Zack called the guy a whistleblower.”

“Good to know. Our job is to find out what secrets he planned to share that got him killed.”

Nick held open the door. She slipped inside, noting the massive stone fireplace on the far side of the room. The faint scent of tomatoes and green peppers hung in the air as if he’d cooked Italian hours earlier.

She glanced down at her watch. Quarter past midnight.

Nick must have driven around on back roads for some time, trying to elude the killers. He had remained vigilant while she snoozed.

Shame on her for not staying alert to protect the children, yet nothing gave her pause to worry about her own safety where Nick was concerned. Quite the opposite; she’d felt an immediate sense of relief when he’d touched her arm and guided her away from the window after they’d spotted the van parked in front of Zack’s house.

She shivered inadvertently, thinking of what could have happened if Nick hadn’t arrived in time. He’d left her hanging in the past, but he’d come back at the perfect moment.

To protect Zack’s kids. No reason to think it had anything to do with her. And even if it did, she’d never be foolish enough to trust him with her heart again. He would keep them safe, and that was all.

“Cold?” he asked. Concern filled his gaze. “I’ll turn up the heat.” After adjusting the thermostat, he pointed to the overhead loft. “My bedroom’s upstairs. The kids can sleep there.”

She followed him along the circular stairway, marveling at the breathtaking view out the floor-to-ceiling windows. The cabin contained a mix of sleek modern furnishings interspersed with a few antiques. All quality pieces and so unlike anything she thought the former Nick would have purchased. Tonight, she saw Nick in a new light and realized she didn’t know anything about the man he had become.

The only thing she didn’t see, which gave her pause, was a Christmas tree or any other holiday decorations.

Upon entering his bedroom, Nick laid Mary Grace on his king-size bed and, without prompting, slipped off her coat. The child snuggled under the thick comforter and crisp sheets.

Liz settled Joey on the opposite side of the bed. Just as Nick had done, she removed the little one’s jacket and pulled the covers over his shoulders, grateful both children were in their pajamas. Hopefully, they would sleep until morning.

Or until something—or someone—disrupted their slumber.

“Please, Lord, keep them safe.” She pressed a kiss on first Joey’s and then Mary Grace’s forehead.

Nick stood at the foot of the bed. “They’ll be okay for the night,” he assured her.

She nodded, not wanting to give voice to her own concerns. Everything had happened too quickly. Not that many hours ago, the children had been in their own beds dreaming of Christmas.

Then Zack had called, and their peace and security had vanished like the wind that was starting to gain strength outside.

“Let’s go downstairs,” Nick suggested. “I’ll fix coffee. Are you hungry?”

“No, but coffee sounds good.” She followed him to the first floor and watched as he filled the water reservoir and basket. The rich scent of the ground beans filled the kitchen area.

While the coffee brewed, he used a remote control to lower the blinds that covered the huge windows. “They’ll block out the indoor light so no one suspects we’re here. Zack and I were inseparable in high school. Memories linger in small towns. Someone might make the connection.”

The tightness in his voice made a chill scurry along her spine.

“I’d build a fire except smoke coming out the chimney would signal that the house is occupied.”

He wasn’t taking chances. The cabin was isolated, tucked high on the mountain. They were well hidden, unless someone knew where to look.

“I suggest we both take the batteries out of our cell phones.”

Elizabeth bristled at the suggestion. “But what if Zack tries to call me?”

“We can activate your cell every few hours and check for incoming calls.”

She glanced down at her BlackBerry. “You think someone will trace us through our phones?”

Nick nodded. “It’s possible. I’ve got a burner phone that can’t be traced. We’ll use that if we need to make any calls.”

“Let me try to contact Zack first.” Elizabeth punched his number on speed dial.

“Don’t worry,” she said when the call went to voice mail. “The children and I are being well protected.” Hopefully he’d know that Nick was keeping them safe.

After disconnecting, she turned off the device and removed the battery. Nick did the same to his cell and tucked his smartphone and the throwaway model in his pocket.

Grabbing binoculars off a nearby shelf, he peered through a small side window. “I can see almost the entire stretch of access road. The snow’s already covered our tire tracks, which helps. Hopefully we’ll spot any unwelcome visitors in time to react.”

“Which means we’re safe.”

He nodded. “At least for now.”

She stepped closer and glanced out the same window. Once again, the view of the snow-covered terrain bathed in the iridescent glow of the moon’s reflection took her breath away.

“Everything looks so peaceful.”

He nodded. “That’s what I like about the mountain. I relax completely when I’m here.”

“Are you stationed close by?”