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“We’ll get something in a little bit.”
“Here visiting?” the attendant asked and slid her cash drawer closed.
“Yes.” Behind Annie the bell over the door jingled, and she automatically turned to see who was entering. For the past two days she’d been constantly looking over her shoulder and checking out all the cars behind her on the highway. She’d never been paranoid before, but fear was taking over her life.
A tall man in a navy-blue police uniform came into the store and grinned at the woman behind the counter. Annie breathed a sigh. Then she remembered Bryan’s warning, and tension whipped through her.
The police officer’s gaze swept the store as though checking to make sure everything was all right before settling first on Jayden then Annie. The sharp, assessing look moved down her length before coming back to her face. A smile crinkled the corners of his cobalt-blue eyes and lit their depths with a glitter. He nodded a greeting toward her.
Uncomfortable with his scrutiny, Annie turned her attention back to the cashier. “I need directions to Sara McLain’s house on Bethlehem Street. Do you know her?” She was over a thousand miles from Crystal Creek. This man had nothing to do with what had happened in Florida.
The older woman glanced behind Annie.
“Maybe I can help you.” The police officer stepped up to the counter a few feet from Annie. “Sara’s a neighbor of mine.”
“Oh, good, you know where she lives. My name is Annie Madison.” Which was true but Madison was her middle name. She’d decided the first night on the road that was the name she would go by as a precaution in case anyone was looking for Annie Coleman.
“I’m Caleb Jackson, the police chief of Christmas.” He offered his hand.
She fit hers in his and shook it. “Nice to meet you. Can you give me directions to Sara’s?” Annie snagged her daughter before she wandered toward another rack with chips. “I’m her cousin.”
“Cousin?” Skepticism sounded in his voice. “She’s always talking about her family. I don’t remember her mentioning you.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen her.” She hated explaining herself to a stranger, but she didn’t need the police chief becoming suspicious.
A grin eased the wariness from his expression. “Sara will be thrilled. She was just talking about how none of her nieces or nephews could come for Christmas. Have you ever been here?”
“Yes, the last time was when I was ten during the holidays, but I don’t remember much about the town, except all the lights downtown and the huge Christmas tree in the park.” She glanced out the large picture window, a blanket of clouds darkening the late afternoon. “I need to talk with Sara this evening and then find a place to stay. My daughter is tired and hungry.” She hoped Sara would let her stay with her, but she hadn’t seen her in years and she might not open her home to her. If that were the case, she didn’t know what she would do. Her money was limited. Fear, always present since she’d last heard from Bryan, wormed its way deeper into her mind.
“Sara fell a few weeks ago. She could use some help around the house, but she hates asking anyone to. Maybe you are an answer to a prayer. I’ll show you where she lives. You can follow me.” He turned to the lady behind the counter. “I just need a cup of your coffee, Marge.”
“Already have it for you.” The woman took the dollar the police chief set on the counter.
“Ready, Mrs. Madison?” He snatched up the cup.
“It’s Ms. Madison. I’m not married.”
She’d never been married. Although Bryan and she had discussed marriage when she discovered she was pregnant in college, she’d decided against it when he was arrested for driving under the influence. Too many red flags kept popping up in their relationship. When she’d met him as a freshman, he was an upperclassman with arresting blue eyes and an easy smile. He’d whisked her off her feet, and she’d given herself to him. She deeply regretted her choice back then, but one good thing had come from it: Jayden.
Taking her daughter’s hand, she started for the door. “I appreciate you showing me where Sara lives. I probably could have wandered around until I stumbled onto Bethlehem. I remember what a big deal the holidays are here in Christmas.”
“Yeah, the town grows at this time of year. We get people from all over Oklahoma and the surrounding states visiting during the season. We go all out.”
“The thing I mainly recall is the festival of lights,” Annie said as she helped Jayden into the back and slipped behind the steering wheel of her ten-year-old Ford Mustang.
“We added fireworks about twelve years ago.” He shut her door and strode toward his police cruiser.
As she followed Caleb Jackson through the town, holiday spirit was evident everywhere she looked. Every street’s name had a Christmas theme: Noel Avenue, Candy Cane Lane, Mistletoe Street, Nativity Road. Usually Christmas had little meaning for her. She only celebrated it for Jayden’s sake.
Although Bryan tried to help as much as he could, it had been a struggle supporting her daughter on an office manager’s salary. She was thankful when she called her employer, Ron Adams, that he’d been understanding about her suddenly taking some time off. She’d been with him for five years, and this was a slow time of the year for his roofing business. She hoped by the first of the year that she could go back to Crystal Creek and her old life. She wanted to believe that Bryan was all right and there had been no reason for her to flee.
Six blocks off the main street through downtown where one store after another dealing with Christmas edged the thoroughfare on both sides, the police chief turned onto Bethlehem. Large houses—some Victorian, all decorated for Christmas—lined the street.
He stopped in front of one of the Victorian homes, painted a powder-blue, with a black wrought-iron fence along the sidewalk. The lot Sara McLain’s place sat on was at least half an acre. In fact, all the houses on the street had sizeable yards. Memories of running and playing on the lawn flashed into her thoughts. She remembered feeling safe here.
Annie stared at the three-story structure with a Christmas tree positioned in the center of a floor-to-ceiling window facing the street. White lights draped the pine with gold bows and white ornaments. “We’re here. Remember, your last name is Madison, honey. It’s important you don’t forget.”
“Why, Mommy?”
She didn’t want to tell her daughter the reason, but she had to say something or she would continue to ask. “That’s our new last name now. We’re on an adventure and in disguise.”
“Oh, great!” Jayden unsnapped her seat belt and hopped from the car, hugging her doll.
As Annie climbed out, she heard Caleb Jackson introduce himself and ask her daughter, “What’s your name?”
Annie stiffened, gripping the door handle.
“Jayden Madison.”
Annie expelled a deep breath and rounded the front of her Mustang. She knew he was a police chief, but the words don’t trust anyone, especially the police had kept her up most of the past two nights, listening to every sound passing her motel room door.
His gaze captured hers. “This is Sara’s.”
“Yeah, I remember playing here, making—” Annie pointed toward a spot in the front yard “—a snowman right there.”
“A snowman. I wanna make one.” Jayden looked up at the sky. “When’s it gonna snow?”
Caleb chuckled. “In Oklahoma, if you don’t like the weather, just stick around a day. It most likely will change. But right now, there isn’t any snow forecasted.”
Jayden’s mouth turned down in a pout. “I was hoping for snow. I’ve never seen any.”
He winked at her little girl. “Maybe while you’re visiting, there will be some.” When he shifted toward Annie, Caleb gestured down the street. “I don’t live far from here. The last house at the end of the block.”
“Thanks for showing us where Sara lived.”
Taking her daughter’s hand, she started to open the gate that led into the front yard, when the police chief reached around her and swung it toward him. His arm brushed up against hers. Jolted by the contact, she stepped back, aware of the man only inches from her. His smile encompassed his whole face and made his eyes gleam.
But she’d learned the hard way to be wary of strangers. Look what happened when she’d given into Bryan and his smooth-talking ways. She would love to trust the police chief with what was going on in her life, but at the moment she didn’t even know what that was. In a tight crunch she would appreciate someone like Caleb Jackson watching out for her. She hoped she never had to find out just how good he would be defending someone. The very thought sent a shiver down her.
“Cold?”
She nodded, although her chill had nothing to do with the weather.
“It’s getting nippy. So, Jayden, you might get that snow after all. I’ve learned not to take the forecasters too seriously.” He mounted the stairs to the porch that wrapped around one side of the house and pressed the bell. “It’ll take Sara a bit to get to the door.” He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. “What do you think of our little town?”
“I’ve never seen so many Christmas decorations in one place.”
He quirked a grin. “Yeah, it does take some getting used to for newcomers. We go all out for a good three months a year. Personally, I like what Christmas stands for. We could use it year round.”
“What? Rampant commercialism?”
He laughed, a warm sound that Annie responded to. “A cynic. Before you pass judgment on the town, you need to experience the holidays here.” He straightened as the door opened. “And I wasn’t talking about the commercialism of Christmas but the celebration of Christ’s birth. It all started something awesome.”
All words fled Annie’s mind at his answer. She hadn’t expected it. But the appearance of her cousin in the entrance gave her a reprieve from making any comment.
A small woman, about five feet, her totally white hair pulled back in a bun, pushed open the screen and smiled at the police chief. “Goodness, I didn’t expect you for another hour, Caleb.”
“I’m not here to fix the leak in the sink, but I’ll be back later to take care of it. Right now I brought you Annie and Jayden Madison.” He gestured to each of them when he said their names.
Sara’s gaze took both she and her child in, a puzzled expression on her face.
“I’m your cousin. Alice’s daughter.” Annie held her breath, hoping Sara remembered.
“Ah, it’s been years since I’ve seen you or your mother. How is Alice?”
“She died seven years ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. We lost touch when y’all moved to Miami.” Her forehead wrinkled in thought, Sara studied Annie with a sharp alertness in her brown eyes. Then she swept her attention to Annie’s daughter. “What an adorable little girl. You and your mother look a lot alike. I think I’ve got photos from her visit when she was a little girl. If I can find them, I’ll show you. “ She grinned at Jayden and stepped to the side. “Come in. It’s getting cold.” After Annie and Jayden entered, Sara asked Caleb, “Coming in?”
“No, I have to get back to the station.” The police chief peered at Annie, who stood next to Sara in the entrance. “Nice meeting y’all.”
When her cousin closed the door, she faced Annie. “Hon, what brought you to Christmas, Oklahoma?”
Annie’s stomach constricted, her grip on her daughter’s hand tightening. She didn’t know how to answer Sara. The woman’s kind eyes made her long to share what happened, but words refused to take hold in Annie’s mind. How could she explain anything to Sara when she herself didn’t understand? This was her problem, not Sara’s. She’d always managed on her own in the past. This would be no different.
Sara waved her hand. “When you’re ready, you’ll tell me.” Then using her cane, she headed toward the room off to the right of the foyer. “Come in, and make yourself at home.”
Annie remained rooted to the floor.
Finally Jayden tugged on her hand. “Mommy, okay?”
Annie blinked and glanced down at her daughter—her whole life. Everything she did she did for Jayden. If they were in danger, she had to protect her daughter at all costs. “Yes, I’m fine. Let’s go see what Miss Sara has to say.”
“We could tell her we’re on an adventure.”
“Let’s keep that a secret between us.” Annie placed her forefinger over her lips.
Jayden pulled her down so she could whisper, “This house is big.”
“Yeah, it is. I bet there are great hiding places in here.” She just hoped she never had to use them.
TWO
As Annie checked the meat loaf and placed the vegetable casserole in the oven, the doorbell rang. Jayden was so absorbed in her new coloring book she didn’t even notice when Annie hurried from the kitchen.
Earlier she and Sara had talked and the older woman had shown Jayden the photos of Annie as a little girl and then given her one to put in her treasure chest. Annie had volunteered to cook dinner. Although Sara was a relative and had opened her home to her gladly, she wouldn’t freeload off her. She was determined to help her cousin as much as possible in exchange for giving her a place where she could decide about her future.
A few seconds later, she swung the door open to the police chief standing on the porch with a puzzled expression creasing his forehead. His gaze locked on hers.
“Did something happen?” she asked, trying not to react to the man. But for some reason her heartbeat accelerated, and it really had nothing to do with the assessing look he sent her. Although no longer in his uniform, the man commanded a person’s attention even wearing jeans and an Oklahoma University sweatshirt.
His features smoothed into a grin. “No, just surprised to find you here.”
“You are? You brought me here.”
“Yeah, I did,” he said in a thoughtful tone. “Your car isn’t out front.”
“I parked it around back by the detached garage.” No sense leaving it on the street for anyone looking for her to find. Little by little she was trying to learn caution, but she’d never even watched a crime show on TV or read a suspense book.
“When I didn’t see it, I thought maybe you’d left.”
“Nope. Sara insisted Jayden and I stay with her through the holidays. Come in.” Annie opened the door wider and stepped to the side. “Sara’s in the living room resting her eyes, she says, but I think she’s really taking a nap.”
Caleb entered with his toolbox. “Ah, in her lounge chair, which she calls her command post.” He sniffed the air. “You’re cooking dinner?”
“Yes, meat loaf.”
“It smells great.” He followed Annie to the kitchen. “What are you coloring, Jayden?” Stopping next to the table, he peered over her daughter’s shoulder. “You like animals?”
“Yes. We were gonna get a puppy for Christmas. I guess we won’t since we’re on an adven—” Jayden’s gaze flew to Annie, and her daughter snapped her mouth closed.
Caleb glanced from her daughter to Annie. For a few seconds his forehead crinkled as though trying to come up with the right question to ask. Then a smile leaked back into his expression as he turned his attention to Jayden. “I have a dog. Ralph is a mutt and loves children. You’ll have to come visit him. He’s deaf, which doesn’t make him a good watchdog, so I’m glad not much happens around here.”
Jayden twisted around in her chair and looked at Annie. “Can I see Ralph? I can finish coloring later.”
Annie laughed. “Honey, I think Mr. Jackson means some other day. He’s here to fix a leak.”
Her daughter’s pout descended. “We aren’t home now for me to get my puppy.”
“We’ll get a puppy later.” When she knew what was going on and she had a game plan. Tomorrow she needed to go somewhere and use a computer. Maybe if she surfed around, she could discover what had happened to Bryan.
“I’ll bring Ralph down tomorrow for you to meet him.” Caleb put his toolbox on the floor in front of the sink. “Will I interfere with you cooking dinner?”
“No, I just finished preparing the meal right before you came. Great timing.”
“I aim to please. Don’t let me stop you from doing whatever you need to do.” He knelt on the floor and opened the cabinet door, then reached in.
Annie sat next to Jayden, trying her best to ignore the police chief’s presence. Taking up the crayon nearest her, she started to color until her daughter said, “A cat isn’t blue.”
Annie glanced down at the paper and noticed what she’d done. “Oh, you’re right. Sorry, honey.”
A commotion behind her drew her attention to Caleb. He took a wrench to the faucet, his movements a study in economical action. Transfixed for a moment, she watched until he peered back at her. One corner of his mouth tilted up, a gleam in his startlingly dark blue eyes. She’d always had a thing for blue eyes. Bryan’s had been—were—blue.
Over the years her ex-boyfriend had schemed to get rich, tired of being poor, not supporting his daughter as he wanted. Going to meet his wealthy father had been his latest ploy to get rich quick. His mother’s death six weeks ago had affected Bryan. Before she’d passed away from a heart attack, he’d thought his father was dead. Not long afterward, he’d discovered he was very much alive and had lots of money. He’d intended to reintroduce himself and benefit from his father’s wealth. He’d never gotten the chance to tell her what had come of that meeting.
“I’m partial to blue,” Caleb said with a wink, drawing Annie back to the present.
Heat scored her cheeks, and she quickly returned to the paper between her and Jayden. This time she noticed the crayon she selected, making sure it was an appropriate color.
