Page 23 of Ghosts From Christmas Past

He nodded and took the ring from her, turning it over in his hand. “Yes. The hospital removed it when you arrived. It was there with you the entire time you stayed there. And when you were moved to the facility, I put it in your drawer because I was hoping once you woke up, you’d—” He didn’t finish.

She was his wife. He loved her and she remembered how much she loved him, but they were far from that young couple who had exchanged vows on Christmas Eve. There was still a piece of her past missing.

Charlie took the ring from him and put it in her palm, closing her fingers over it.

She held Dylan’s eyes. “I know that I love you, but there are so many obstacles that stand in the way.” She smiled sadly. “Until those are removed, I will hold onto this. Because until I can remember what happened in the past, how can we ever expect to have a future?”

???

Sleep proved almost impossible. Memories of Charlie haunted him. Good ones. Terrifying ones. Their kiss reminded him of the ones they’d shared through the years once their friendship turned to love. But when he looked to the future, his heart grew heavy. As much as he wanted them to have the happy ending he’d envisioned for them, nothing was further from the truth right now.

Abandoning sleep entirely, Dylan got up and started the coffee. While he waited, he stared out at the darkness of a new day in the making with a heavy heart. Instead of being happy that Charlie’s memories were coming back, he wondered if those memories might be what ultimately tore them apart.

His ringing cell phone was a welcomed relief from the dark thoughts. Sam wouldn’t be calling at this hour unless he had news.

“What’s going on?” Dylan asked, dread gnawing at his gut.

“The police have spoken to Ronald Dennis’s wife.” Sam waited for a reaction he couldn’t give.

Spoken to Ronald Dennis’s wife? They hadn’t found Dennis. Everything Sam had said so far didn’t ease the knot in his stomach.

“There’s no sign of Dennis?” He had a bad feeling something was coming.

Sam blew out a breath. “None. And according to the wife, Dennis hasn’t been home in several days.”

Ronald Dennis was unaccounted for. “Where is he supposed to be?”

“His wife said he left for a business trip to New York, but his employer has no record of him traveling for them.”

“He lied to his wife,” Dylan said. “What about his vehicle? No sign yet?”

“Not yet.”

“So, he could be anywhere, including here.”

“Exactly. Sorry, Dylan. I realize this isn’t exactly the news we were hoping for, but I did find out something interesting.”

Dylan tried not to get his hopes up. “What is it?”

“Remember that homeless man to whom Barlow gave a job? Well, Jesse was able to locate him. He’s working on a ranch near Crim’s Corner.”

Hm, Crim’s Corner was a small town less than fifty miles from Bitter Creek. Dylan blew out a breath. “That’s close.”

“It is. Jesse and I are going to pick him up at first light.”

“Good.” Dylan’s mind whirled with the news. He wanted to be part of the interview.

“Once we have him at the station, I’ll give you a call. You want to sit in on this one? One of us can stay with Charlie.”

“I do, but I’ll bring her to the station. She’ll be safe there.”

“All right. As soon as we have him, we’ll call.”

With several hours standing between him and answers, Dylan grabbed his Bible and went to his office to gain wisdom from God’s word. He closed the door and placed the Bible on his desk. Then he hit his knees and begged God for help.

“I don’t want to lose her. But I don’t want to hold her back either. Give me the insight to know what she needs from me and not seek only what I want. She’s suffered so much. Charlie deserves Your peace. Your happiness. Help her remember the person responsible for causing so much pain in her life so that she can find her way to the future You want her to have. Amen.”

He remained on his knees, listening to the quiet of the ranch. Hoping for a clear answer from God when on the wind, a noise grabbed his attention. A board on the porch squeaked. Someone was out there.

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