Page 24 of Ghosts From Christmas Past

Dylan jumped to his feet and grabbed his gun from the desk drawer. He moved through the house extinguishing lights. Charlie’s door remained closed. As much as he wanted to rush out and investigate, he didn’t dare leave Charlie alone with the possibility of the killer lurking outside.

Dylan grabbed his cell phone and called his friend.

Jesse picked up on the first ring. “What’s going on?”

Dylan quickly explained. “I need you here right away.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Come in dark and park away from the house. If he’s still out there, I don’t want him to hear your approach.”

“Roger that.”

Dylan shoved the phone into his pocket and tried to calm the warnings going off in his head.

Inside the house, a door opened. Charlie stepped into the light left by the dying fire in the fireplace. Dylan hurried to her side. He clasped her arms and urged her back into her room.

“Someone’s outside,” he whispered and glanced around the room. The curtains were drawn. Still, if this was the killer outside, he had everything to lose, and Charlie was standing between him and his freedom. Dylan reached for her hand. “Jesse’s on his way now. We’re safe here.” He wasn’t sure which of them he was trying to convince the most.

Charlie’s wide eyes sought his. “He’s not going to stop until he’s finished what he set out to do that day.”

“That’s not going to happen. Ever.” He tugged her into his arms and held her close.

She clung to him, her body shaking. “I’m so afraid, Dylan. What if I can’t ever remember what happened to my parents?”

He brushed back hair from her face and gazed into her eyes. “I promise you will. Already, you’ve remembered a lot of things.”

His heart went crazy at the possibilities when he looked at her. He leaned his head against hers. “We’ll get through this. I’ll be right beside you through it all.”

A soft breath escaped, and she framed his face with her hands. Tears swam in her eyes. “I love you. I’ll always love you.” The words he’d longed to hear were reflected on her face.

“I love you, too, babe. So very much.”

She stood on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his. His arms circled her waist and he kissed her back. His Charlie. She still felt the same way as she did the night he’d kissed her and she became his wife.

From inside his pocket, Dylan’s cell phone shrieked and broke them apart. He held onto her gaze for the longest time. Wished they were beyond the bad parts coming their way and would be able to work on their marriage.

She swallowed before she stepped back, and he dragged the phone from his pocket as if in a daze.

Jesse’s number. “Hey,” Dylan said in a less-than-steady voice.

“I’m out front. I’ve searched around the place. There are footprints everywhere out here.”

“I’m on my way out.” Dylan ended the call without taking his eyes off Charlie. “He’s been here.” He reached for her hand. “Come lock the door behind me. Don’t open it to anyone but me.”

She quickly nodded and walked with him to the door.

“Please be careful.”

Dylan loved that she was worried about him. Despite the nightmare facing them, he smiled because everything she’d said gave him hope. “I will.” He stepped outside where Jesse waited and closed the door. Once the lock was in place, he faced his friend. “How did he get here?”

Jesse clicked on his flashlight and shined it around. “It appeared he walked in.” The light hit a set of footprints. “They head off behind the house.” Dylan followed Jesse off the porch and around the side. “I picked them up in the woods.” Together they entered the trees and followed their path until the footprints stopped.

Jesse pointed to the ground. A four-wheeler had been parked there. “When I arrived, I thought I heard an engine.”

Tire tracks headed away. If the perp kept going in this direction, he’d hit the forest service road a little distance from Dylan’s ranch.

“We need more manpower.” Dylan grabbed his phone and called Sam and explained what happened. “I need you to head to the forest service road and wait.”

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