Page 61 of Steers and Stowaways
A tall, skinny teenager was standing on the other side. His cheeks were red from the cold, and the FBI supervisor hovering at his side was beaming a smile bright enough to compete with the sunrise.
“Chip!” Mallory screamed his name, waking the kittens and making them meow in alarm, as she flew to the door with her arms outstretched.
With Pete Flournoy’s encouraging nod, Chip Silva eagerly stepped across the threshold to envelop her in a bear hug. “Hey, sis!” He snickered at her outfit. “Nice PJs.”
“I know. Tucker already told me.” She laughed and cried all over him, making him grin bashfully. “This is the best Christmas ever! Kittens and a brother. It seriously doesn’t get any better than this!”
“Welcome home, Chip!” Tucker swung his hand around Mallory.
Chip shook it, looking a little overwhelmed. “Are y’allsure about this? The rest of the world ain’t exactly beating down jail cell doors to spring out jacked-up teenagers.”
“We’re sure.” Mallory was beside herself with joy. “You give us any trouble, and you’ll be mucking out stalls until the end of your days,” she warned playfully.
“Thank you.”Tucker gestured for Pete to come inside, but his former regional manager shook his head.
“Gotta keep moving.”
“Understood.” Tucker propped a hand against the door jamb. “Thanks again for making this happen.” He’d been hoping, but it was Christmas Day. Pete could’ve just as easily cancelled on him.
“My pleasure. The FBI is grateful for your service.” Pete half turned away from him. “If you change your mind about coming back…” He left the words hanging between them in the biting wind sweeping across the front porch.
“I’m honored you said that, sir, but…” Tucker shook his head as he angled his head at Mallory and Chip. His life was here now. “My family needs me.” It made his heart swell to call them that.
“Yeah, yeah. I get it,” Pete drawled. “Speaking of family, I’ve gotta flight to catch.”
“Home?” Tucker could hardly believe the man had gone this far out of his way to deliver Chip to Heart Lake in time for Christmas.
“To Paris, actually.” Pete made a rueful sound. “Got a kid studying art over there who’s expecting me before nightfall.”
“Wow! Paris. Safe travels, sir.” Tucker knew next tonothing about the guy’s personal life.Whew! Paris.It was a long way to go.
“Thanks.” Pete gave him a two-fingered salute and took off.
Tucker watched him jog down the porch steps and hop into the passenger side of an unmarked black SUV. The driver gunned the motor and roared down the driveway, skidding a little in the snow.
Tucker bolted the door shut and turned around. “So, uh…” He faced Mallory and Chip, who were chatting animatedly about college, of all things.
“Just as soon as you earn your GED,” she jabbered excitedly.
“Homework shwomework,” Tucker scoffed, jumping with both feet into the conversation. “I’ve got something a lot more fun to show you.” He walked down the hallway, beckoning for them to follow.
Fortunately, Mallory had been so busy tending to the herd while Evans Ranch was between ranch hands she hadn’t darkened the door of the guest room in days.
Heart Lake,here I come.
A.J. Pike set his G.P.S. for the cozy small town in the foothills of the Christmas Mountains, sensing he was closer than ever to making an arrest. The dirty deputy he’d been tracking for over a year seemed to think that giving up his badge and renting a lake house was the perfect way to lie low.
A.J. couldn’t wait to prove him wrong…and hopefully recover the latest stash of diamonds the scoundrel had stolen. Through some careful negotiating, and no small amount of finagling, A.J. was renting a studio apartment over the garage two doors down from the man who thought he was lying low. A.J. had also secured a job as a mechanic at the shop a few blocks past the lake.
In a few hours from now, he was going to be all over his target like white on rice. The only downside was that the man he was about to place in handcuffs was the brother of the woman A.J. was dating.
No, not just dating. A.J. was in love for the first time in his life. He was daydreaming about ring shopping and getting down on one knee. But only if their relationship survived what was coming.
Please, God. We need a miracle.
Eh, who was he trying to kid? He needed a whole string of miracles. Maybe the fact that it was Christmas would give him a small advantage in the miracle department.
White snowflakes fluttered down onto the windshield of his pickup like icy little morsels of hope. He held off turning on his windshield wipers as long as he could. Eventually, though, he had to turn them on.
