Page 20 of Ghosts From Christmas Past

“You’ve got this?” he asked.

Sam nodded. “Yeah, sure. Where are you taking her?”

“The one place I hope she’ll be safe. Let me know when you have anything, no matter how small it seems.” With another glance around the room, Dylan left his deputy to handle the canvassing and went to find Charlie.

He knocked on the door. Seconds passed. The door unlocked, and Paul appeared before him. The lines around the doctor’s mouth relaxed when he spotted Dylan.

“Come in. I am glad to see you.” He moved aside and Dylan stepped into the room, spotted Charlie, and went over to where she sat. He knelt beside her. “Are you okay?” Seeing the tears in her eyes, Dylan tugged her close and rested his cheek against hers. “It’s over. He’s gone.” She trembled like a kitten during a storm. He’d protect her no matter what. Even if it cost him his life.

Charlie dragged in a shuddering breath and pushed away. He let her go. “What if he comes back?” she asked without looking away.

He brushed back her hair. “It doesn’t matter because I’m moving you. It’s not safe for you to stay here any longer.” Dylan looked past her to the doctor. “Is she strong enough to leave?”

Dr. Montgomery slowly nodded. “But I would ask that you keep in touch with me. If anything changes, Charlie, please call me right away.”

She reached for Dylan’s hand before answering. “I will.”

Dylan kissed her head. “Stay here with the doctor. I’ll collect your things and then we’ll leave.” He rose, but she clutched his hand. The fear on her face was a stark reminder that they had just begun to unravel the truth behind what happened that Christmas long ago. And if this were a taste of what lay ahead, he was terrified neither he nor Charlie would be able to survive it.

Chapter Six

Through the years, he’d caught glimpses of her whenever possible. She rested in her peaceful world much like Sleeping Beauty, forever entombed in the past.

Until now.

Now, he didn’t have a choice. He’d have to find a way to end her before she remembered what he’d done.

As the night settled around him, he glanced up at the increasing snowfall. This land—these mountains—were in his blood. Had belonged to his people for centuries. To hers. She’d been like him. They shared a proud heritage. He assumed she felt the same way until she told him she’d married someone else. Every time he thought about her betrayal, rage burned in his whole being. If he succeeded, Charlie would never belong to anyone but him.

Once more he drove past her house, but he didn’t stop. Too risky. They were watching the place now after his last visit, yet coming here brought it all back. The good and the bad. His hopes for a future with her. Everything he wanted when he’d gone to see her that day. Only she’d dashed all his dreams. Destroyed him in a single sentence.Them. He could still see her smiling with that dreamy look on her face, and in a flash, his world disintegrated.

But his Sleeping Beauty was no longer sleeping, and she was about to ruin everything.

???

The wide-open spaces of the Wyoming ranchland spread out before them. Despite the darkness, the silhouettes of the mountains stood like old friends in the distance. Familiar and welcoming.

Dylan glanced her way. “You okay?” He’d kept a careful eye on her since they left Whispering Pines.

Charlie forced a smile. “Yes, I’m okay.” But she wasn’t. Far from it. All she could think about was the man outside her room. “What happens next?” she asked because she needed to be part of every decision about her safety. Dylan told her she’d once been fearless. It was time to reclaim that part of her past.

“Well, for one, we keep you out of sight. You should be safe at the ranch. I’ll be with you at all times, and Sam and Jesse will take turns watching the place as well.”

She slowly nodded. “But what do we do to catch the man?”

He smiled and cast her an approving look. “Hopefully, crime scene will be able to give us something to help identify him, but I don’t plan on waiting. I’m going to have Stella—she’s our dispatcher—try to locate Ronald Dennis right away. He’s the one who was stalking you.”

“Our classmate?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I want to find him. Also, I’ll have Jesse track down the homeless man who worked for your father before his death. If he’s anywhere near the area, we’ll bring him in for questioning.”

She pulled in a steadying breath. Though she was still terrified by what happened at Whispering Pines and what lay hidden in her memories, she wouldn’t let that fear overwhelm her. Fighting back was the only way to reclaim her life.

Dylan slowed the cruiser and turned into a gated drive. He rolled the window down and punched in some numbers. The gate swung open. With a final glance around the darkened countryside, he eased through the opening, waiting until the gate closed to proceed.

The drive weaved through a pasture dotted with cattle. Dylan had told her his family had been ranchers in this area for many years.

They entered a wooded area beyond the pasture that continued until the house appeared through the trees.

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