Page 24 of A Colby Christmas Rescue

“I certainly did. Jamie...”

She heard the worry in her grandmother’s voice. “Really, Grandmother, I’m fine.”

“Please be careful. I wish there was more we could do.”

“Knowing that you’re standing by is enough.”

They talked a few minutes more before Jamie was able to say goodbye. She so loved her grandparents. Victoria was the epitome of all that Jamie believed was right in this world. She hoped to be able to accomplish just a fraction of what her grandmother had done with her life. Her grandfather too.

“What’s the ETA on the food?” She tucked her cell phone away.

“Should be here any minute.” Abi searched her face, her eyes. “I find it difficult to believe your grandparents aren’t up to something. But I haven’t picked up on any chatter from the Colby Agency.”

“They would never do anything that might endanger Luke or me.”

“You’re lucky to have people who care about you that way.”

She felt like that was an opening, but decided not to take it. “I’ll find Poe. Let him know the food will be here soon.”

Giving Abi her back, she hurried from the room and up the stairs. She found Poe in his room, staring out the window toward the home of Dr. Quentin Case.

“Abi says the food will be here soon.”

Poe glanced at her, then waited for her to join him at the window. “I can’t figure out what he thinks he’s accomplishing by keeping everything a secret until the last minute. You know there’s a reason that we’re not going to like.”

“I know.” She leaned one shoulder against the window frame. “The only reason to do that is if he thinks I’ll have an issue with the proposed execution of the op.”

“The house is right there.” He nodded in the direction of the mansion in the valley below. “Why not just spell it out now? It’s not like we can’t put together a number of scenarios in our heads. We’ve done this sort of thing too many times.”

“Maybe he’s worried we’ll give him the slip and share the details with the police or with someone else who can stop him.” This wasn’t the sort of global issue the IOA dealt with, but they would certainly not hesitate to send an extraction team to recover two of their agents. Except contacting anyone at all was a risk she wasn’t willing to take. Luke’s life hung in the balance.

“Unless,” Poe countered, “the employer is Abi himself.”

Now this was an avenue she had not considered. “You may be right.” Wow. She knew Abi’s family. There was his father. His mother. No siblings. No spouse as far as she knew.

“Whatever he’s planning,” Poe said, drawing her attention back to him, “I don’t want you taking the risk too far. You have to protect yourself, Jamie.”

She frowned. “Why would I not protect myself? It’s the first rule of any op. You can’t complete it if you’re down for the count.”

Poe laughed. “You always do that. Deflect. I just don’t want you to throw caution to wind for this guy. He’s not worth it, Jamie. He’s using you and Luke.”

Yeah. She recognized Poe was right on that one. “I’m aware.”

He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re important to me, Jamie. Our work is sometimes dangerous—maybe not so much when we’re plucking Santas from trouble.”

She laughed. “Even Santa needs rescuing sometimes.”

“True. Just be careful. I don’t trust this guy at all.”

She hugged him. Closed her eyes and inhaled deeply of his unique scent. “Don’t worry. I plan on taking you home for Christmas when this is finished.”

She’d made that decision the moment this whole thing started. She wanted her family to know this man. The realization surprised her a little...but in a good way.

10:00 p.m.

JAMIESTOODONthe patio and stared toward the Case home. The place was lit up like an airfield. If the family had company tonight, it wasn’t obvious. No cars parked in the front cobblestoned parking area. Even from here she could see the massive fountain with its flickering lights that sat in the middle of that parking area.

According to Google, the house where Dr. Case lived had only been built two years ago to the tune of several million dollars. He’d built the house even before perfecting the surgical procedure that had put him on the map. He had two children. A son who had started Harvard this past fall. And a daughter who was only ten years old. His wife wrote children’s books and spent a lot of time volunteering. Good for her. She was also a nurse, but she donated her time to a clinic in downtown Nashville.

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