Holiday Defenders : Mission: Christmas Rescuespecial Ops Christmashomefront Holiday Hero (9781460341254) Read online

  TWO

  Nick could barely take his eyes off Lizzie’s reflection in the rearview mirror. She’d grown even more beautiful over the years, but it hadn’t been her pretty face that took him by surprise earlier.

  Rather it had been the look in her blue eyes that cut him to the core when she’d opened the door at Zack’s house. Betrayal and abandonment flashed across her face for an instant before she’d raised her chin and glared at him with accusation.

  As much as he wanted to explain what had happened ten years ago, he had to focus on the children’s and Lizzie’s safety first. They could delve into past issues after the danger was over.

  When Zack called, he’d been on the run and worried about his family. Without a moment’s hesitation, Nick had raced down the mountain to his old friend’s house.

  The two guys had reconnected a number of times over the years when Nick came back to Tennessee on leave, always meeting at Nick’s mountain cabin, on Nick’s turf. He’d never gone back to Lassiter. Never would have, if not for Zack’s plea for help.

  Nick couldn’t say no to his old friend, especially when he’d learned Lizzie was in danger along with two adorable kids. The promise Nick had made to Lizzie’s father, Judge Tate, years earlier, that he would never step foot in Lassiter again—a promise that Lizzie never knew about, made under duress—wasn’t as important as keeping the three of them safe.

  “Where are you taking us?” she asked from the rear.

  He glanced again at her reflection. Long honey-brown hair, arched brows, full lips and crystalline eyes he’d seen too many times in his dreams.

  “We’re going someplace safe.”

  “I need to know where,” she insisted, her voice raised ever so slightly.

  He lowered his gaze to the little guy strapped in beside her who still clutched the stuffed lamb in his arms. Long, thick lashes drooped over his full cheeks.

  Nick raised a finger to his lips. “Shhh. Someone’s falling asleep.”

  Lizzie glanced at the boy. The strain that furrowed her brow eased, and a hint of a smile teased her lips.

  “His name’s Joey,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

  “I seem to recall Nick telling me that big sister is named Mary.”

  Turning to her niece, Lizzie stroked her fingers through the child’s curly hair and gave her a reassuring smile.

  The little one smiled back. With her bow-shaped mouth, upturned nose, golden hair and blue eyes, she’d steal many a boy’s heart when she grew up.

  “My name’s Mary Grace,” she informed him without hesitation. “Aunt Lizzie calls me Sunshine ’cause I brighten her day. I’m six years old.”

  Nick inwardly chuckled. Little Miss Sunshine was cute as a button. “You’re so grown up. I’m sure you help your dad around the house.”

  “Daddy says I need to help take care of Joey, too.”

  “Because he’s younger or because he’s your brother?” Nick played along and paired his seriousness to hers.

  “No.” She shook her head emphatically. “’Cause he doesn’t talk.”

  Nick threw a questioning glance at Lizzie, who remained silent.

  “Joey hasn’t talked since Mama died,” Mary Grace explained.

  Nick felt a stab of remorse at the children’s pain. How could a so-called loving God allow their mother to be taken?

  Nick’s own dad had died some years earlier. After three deployments with the military, Nick had been up close and personal with death, but what rocked him to the core was senseless loss of life, like Zack’s wife.

  And Jeff.

  His army buddy shouldn’t have died. If only Nick hadn’t—

  “Aunt Lizzie, where’s Baby Jesus?” Mary Grace asked, her eyes suddenly wide with concern.

  “Here, honey.” Lizzie unzipped the tote she’d packed for the children and removed the Nativity play set.

  Mary Grace tugged on the Velcro fasteners and pulled out Mary, Joseph and the infant babe, along with a lopsided donkey and a two-humped camel. With a contented sigh, she rested her head on the back of her car seat.

  Once the child was asleep, Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder at the road behind them. “Any chance we’re being followed?”

  Nick studied the darkness. “I’ve kept to the side roads and doubled back a few times. So far I haven’t seen anyone on our tail.”

  Seemingly satisfied, Lizzie settled into the seat and glanced at Joey to ensure he was asleep, before she lifted her gaze. “I’m worried about Zack.”

  Nick was, as well, but he wouldn’t tell her. She needed something to hold on to, something that provided hope.

  “Your brother’s been snooping into other people’s business since before we graduated high school. He’ll be okay.”

  She rubbed her arms and stared out the passenger-side window. “You don’t understand. He’s placed himself in danger too many times since Annabelle died. Sometimes I think he’s running away from her death, trying to overfill his life so he doesn’t have time to remember how good it was when she was alive.”

  Nick could relate. He’d run away from Lassiter and the townsfolk who never let him forget his father was a failure, and who seemed convinced that Nick was following in his dad’s footsteps. Back then, no one believed in Nick. No one except Zack and Lizzie.

  “Your brother has never worried about danger,” Nick said, unwilling to dwell on his own past failures. The army had changed him, thankfully for the better.

  “Maybe not, but Zack needs to be careful, especially with two young children.”

  She was right, of course. “Tough break to lose a spouse. Cancer, right?”

  She nodded. “Thirteen months ago. Everything happened fast. Annabelle was fine one minute and gone the next.”

  A weight settled on Nick’s shoulders. He knew too well how quickly life could change.

  “But then...” Lizzie stared at him from the backseat. “I’m sure you understand about leaving without notice.”

  Her words were a stab to his heart. His gaze locked on hers for a long moment but then broke away. They both knew the history of their past. No reason to bring it up again. She’d moved on. So had he.

  Headlights pulled his focus to the road behind them. A vehicle moving quickly. He swallowed down a rise of concern.

  “We’re being followed.”

  She glanced over her shoulder.

  “Get down, Lizzie,” he warned.

  Slipping lower in her seat, she placed her hands protectively on the children.

  “Is it a van?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t tell.”

  They crested a hill. On the far side of the ridge, he cut the lights and made a sharp turn onto a smaller two-lane that led into a warehouse parking area. Doyle Manufacturing. The largest employer in the county. Nick braked to a stop behind a tractor trailer and killed the engine.

  “What are we doing?” she whispered.

  “Hiding.” He peered past the semi to the main road. “I want to see who’s behind us.”

  Headlights crested the hill at a rapid speed. The vehicle came into view. A utility van.

  Nick’s gut tightened.

  “It’s them, isn’t it?” Lizzie had unbuckled her seat belt and scooted forward in her seat.

  Her closeness affected him. For a long moment, he closed his eyes and tried to shrug off the sensations playing havoc with his emotions. Steeling himself, he blinked his eyes open and started the engine.

  “At least we know which direction they’re headed,” he said, hoping to reassure her.

  With a sigh, Lizzie buckled her seat belt. “I don’t like this, Nick.”

  “Everything’s going to be okay.” Of course, he hoped it would be, but his internal warning radar was on high alert
. Something very wrong was happening in Lassiter, Tennessee.

  Pulling onto the two-lane, he steered away from the main road the van had traveled. Staring into the darkness, he saw the faint outline of the mountain ahead in the distance.

  The killers wouldn’t follow them there, especially not on a snowy night. At least, that’s what Nick hoped.

  If he were a praying man, he’d ask for the Lord’s protection. Regrettably, he couldn’t rely on God. He couldn’t rely on anyone or anything except his own instincts to keep Liz and the children safe.

  He glanced back. Her head rested on the seat, and her eyes were downcast. Perhaps she was praying.

  Lizzie didn’t realize the pain he had endured when he’d left Lassiter. In hindsight, her father had been right years ago. Lizzie deserved better than a nineteen-year-old punk aimlessly drifting through life. Nick may have done well in the military, but she still deserved more than he could offer. When this was over, he’d remove himself from her life once again. But in the meantime, he’d do whatever it took to keep her safe.

  THREE

  Liz’s eyes flew open when the car braked to a stop. She glanced first at Nick and then at the expansive A-frame rising up at the end of the driveway. How long had she been asleep?

  Nick stepped from the car, opened the back door and leaned over Mary Grace, which put him much too close. Liz unbuckled her seat belt, needing to distance herself from the man who made her equilibrium falter.

  Inwardly she chastised herself, ashamed at her own inability to stay awake earlier. Violent men were after them, yet she’d closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. What if Nick hadn’t been a trusted friend of Zack’s and someone suspect instead. Would she have dropped her guard then?

  Nick unclasped the harness buckle on Mary Grace’s car seat and, with strong, powerful arms, lifted the sleeping child into his embrace. For half a second, Liz remembered after prom when they had stood on her front porch, saying good-night, wrapped in each other’s arms.

  Enough nonsense. She hurriedly unlatched Joey’s harness and carried the child out the door Nick held open.

  “Where are we?” she asked, breathing in the cold mountain air.

  Her gaze fell again over the wooden A-frame with its expansive windows and welcoming front porch. The majestic valley spanned out below them, wrapped in snow that reflected the light of the moon.

  Everything was clearly visible at this elevation—the constellations, the North Star and the moon shining down like a giant lamp in the night sky.

  She turned back to Nick. “Is this where you grew up?”

  He nodded. “My dad’s cabin.”

  “But—” She glanced again at the sturdy structure, so pleasing to the eye and in perfect balance with the natural setting. Years earlier, she had visited Nick’s childhood home with Zack. In her mind, it would always remain a dilapidated shack, surrounded by clutter and as tired and listless as Nick’s father had been.

  “You must have hired a builder.”

  “I did the work myself, piecemeal, over the years, when I was home on leave.”

  “Where did you get the building supplies?” It couldn’t have been in Lassiter. In all that time, she had never seen him, or even heard word of him coming to town.

  “I found what I needed in Cambridge, on the other side of the mountain.”

  She glanced again at the fine craftsmanship of the structure, marveling at Nick’s ability. “I...I didn’t know you were a builder.”

  He laughed, the sound filling the night. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Lizzie.”

  It’s Elizabeth now, she thought, but she failed to correct him. For some reason, Lizzie sounded right coming from Nick.

  A cold wind blew, and she cuddled Joey closer. “We need to get the children inside.”

  Nick reached for the totes and laptop before heading toward the house. After climbing the stairs, he stamped his feet and keyed open the door.

  “Watch your step.” He took her elbow and helped her up the slippery stairs.

  “Will they follow us here?”

  “I hope not, but we still need to be cautious. Let’s get the children settled and then try to uncover who your brother was meeting. That might help us determine who’s after us and why. Once we get information, we can contact the authorities outside the local area. Zack told me not to trust the Lassiter police. If there are dirty cops, there’s no telling how they’ll manipulate our story to make it fit their own needs.”

  “Zack called the guy a whistleblower.”

  “Good to know. Our job is to find out what secrets he planned to share that got him killed.”

  Nick held open the door. She slipped inside, noting the massive stone fireplace on the far side of the room. The faint scent of tomatoes and green peppers hung in the air as if he’d cooked Italian hours earlier.

  She glanced down at her watch. Quarter past midnight.

  Nick must have driven around on back roads for some time, trying to elude the killers. He had remained vigilant while she snoozed.

  Shame on her for not staying alert to protect the children, yet nothing gave her pause to worry about her own safety where Nick was concerned. Quite the opposite; she’d felt an immediate sense of relief when he’d touched her arm and guided her away from the window after they’d spotted the van parked in front of Zack’s house.

  She shivered inadvertently, thinking of what could have happened if Nick hadn’t arrived in time. He’d left her hanging in the past, but he’d come back at the perfect moment.

  To protect Zack’s kids. No reason to think it had anything to do with her. And even if it did, she’d never be foolish enough to trust him with her heart again. He would keep them safe, and that was all.

  “Cold?” he asked. Concern filled his gaze. “I’ll turn up the heat.” After adjusting the thermostat, he pointed to the overhead loft. “My bedroom’s upstairs. The kids can sleep there.”

  She followed him along the circular stairway, marveling at the breathtaking view out the floor-to-ceiling windows. The cabin contained a mix of sleek modern furnishings interspersed with a few antiques. All quality pieces and so unlike anything she thought the former Nick would have purchased. Tonight, she saw Nick in a new light and realized she didn’t know anything about the man he had become.

  The only thing she didn’t see, which gave her pause, was a Christmas tree or any other holiday decorations.

  Upon entering his bedroom, Nick laid Mary Grace on his king-size bed and, without prompting, slipped off her coat. The child snuggled under the thick comforter and crisp sheets.

  Liz settled Joey on the opposite side of the bed. Just as Nick had done, she removed the little one’s jacket and pulled the covers over his shoulders, grateful both children were in their pajamas. Hopefully, they would sleep until morning.

  Or until something—or someone—disrupted their slumber.

  “Please, Lord, keep them safe.” She pressed a kiss on first Joey’s and then Mary Grace’s forehead.

  Nick stood at the foot of the bed. “They’ll be okay for the night,” he assured her.

  She nodded, not wanting to give voice to her own concerns. Everything had happened too quickly. Not that many hours ago, the children had been in their own beds dreaming of Christmas.

  Then Zack had called, and their peace and security had vanished like the wind that was starting to gain strength outside.

  “Let’s go downstairs,” Nick suggested. “I’ll fix coffee. Are you hungry?”

  “No, but coffee sounds good.” She followed him to the first floor and watched as he filled the water reservoir and basket. The rich scent of the ground beans filled the kitchen area.

  While the coffee brewed, he used a remote control to lower the blinds that covered the huge windows. “They’ll block out the
indoor light so no one suspects we’re here. Zack and I were inseparable in high school. Memories linger in small towns. Someone might make the connection.”

  The tightness in his voice made a chill scurry along her spine.

  “I’d build a fire except smoke coming out the chimney would signal that the house is occupied.”

  He wasn’t taking chances. The cabin was isolated, tucked high on the mountain. They were well hidden, unless someone knew where to look.

  “I suggest we both take the batteries out of our cell phones.”

  Elizabeth bristled at the suggestion. “But what if Zack tries to call me?”

  “We can activate your cell every few hours and check for incoming calls.”

  She glanced down at her BlackBerry. “You think someone will trace us through our phones?”

  Nick nodded. “It’s possible. I’ve got a burner phone that can’t be traced. We’ll use that if we need to make any calls.”

  “Let me try to contact Zack first.” Elizabeth punched his number on speed dial.

  “Don’t worry,” she said when the call went to voice mail. “The children and I are being well protected.” Hopefully he’d know that Nick was keeping them safe.

  After disconnecting, she turned off the device and removed the battery. Nick did the same to his cell and tucked his smartphone and the throwaway model in his pocket.

  Grabbing binoculars off a nearby shelf, he peered through a small side window. “I can see almost the entire stretch of access road. The snow’s already covered our tire tracks, which helps. Hopefully we’ll spot any unwelcome visitors in time to react.”

  “Which means we’re safe.”

  He nodded. “At least for now.”

  She stepped closer and glanced out the same window. Once again, the view of the snow-covered terrain bathed in the iridescent glow of the moon’s reflection took her breath away.

  “Everything looks so peaceful.”

  He nodded. “That’s what I like about the mountain. I relax completely when I’m here.”

  “Are you stationed close by?”