The Christmas Rescue

He pulled his scattered thoughts away from dangerous territory. He’d promised her a friendly meal, nothing more.

Brianna chatted throughout dinner, which was nice since Kayla was unusually quiet. Brianna explained all about her school Christmas party and the shopping they’d done earlier that day before going off to visit her dad’s memorial.

Her last comment piqued his interest. This was the first he’d heard of a memorial. He glanced at Kayla, oddly disappointed. He’d heard from Alex how she’d taken Jeremy’s death very hard. She obviously still carried strong feelings for her dead husband even though he’d been gone for two years. He’d been a part of the team that had searched for Jeremy Wilson when his boat hadn’t returned to shore. They’d found him, but too late. “That was a really nice idea, putting up a memorial in your husband’s memory.”

Kayla’s smile was strained. “Actually the memorial was Bill Schroeder’s idea, not mine.”

A prickle of fear raised the hairs on the back of his neck. Bill Schroeder? Had she kept in touch with him over the years? In the months they’d been watching Schroeder, they’d never seen Kayla down by the lakefront near his business. And according to Alex, Kayla hadn’t stayed on close, friendly terms with the guy, either.

But she had been at Pelican Point today. On the same day Bill Schroeder washed up along the lakeshore. Not that he believed she had anything remotely to do with his death.

Still, he didn’t like the strange coincidence. Didn’t like it at all.

Ice formed along the length of his spine. Was it possible Kayla was more closely involved with Bill Schroeder than he’d realized?

TWO

“Did you know him?” Kayla asked abruptly, when Brianna left them alone to greet one of her friends from school dining at a nearby table.

“Who?” he asked, reigning in his chaotic thoughts. “The guy in the water?”

She frowned and nodded. “Yes. I figured you went back to talk to the police because you knew him.”

He hesitated, not sure what to tell her. He wouldn’t lie to her, but at the same time, he wasn’t at liberty to discuss his case. Especially when Kayla happened to know his key suspect on a first name basis. “It’s possible the dead guy could be involved in one of our investigations, but we won’t know for sure until we have positive ID.”

“I see,” she murmured, idly toying with the paper sheath from her straw.

He leaned forward, capturing her gaze with his. “Kayla, I need to ask you something. Just how well do you know Bill Schroeder? I mean, I know he was your husband’s partner in the charter fishing business, but do you still see him? Talk to him?”

She shrugged. “Not really. He did come over about a week and a half ago to show me a picture of Jeremy’s newly erected memorial.”

Ten days ago? Right before the guy disappeared? He tried to sound nonchalant. “Really? What made him think of putting up a memorial after all this time?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure, I asked him that, too, and he told me he’d always planned on doing it, but just hadn’t had made the time. I thought it was a really nice gesture.”

Rafe wished he could be so sure. He wanted to ask more, but knew that if he persisted in asking questions, Kayla would grow suspicious. “A very nice gesture,” he agreed lightly.

Brianna chose that moment to skip back to their table, so he carefully changed the subject. When they’d finished their meal, he boxed up the leftovers and paid the bill.

“Thanks for dinner, Rafe.” Kayla’s smile was lopsided and didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Yeah, thanks for dinner, Mr. Rafe. That was the bestest pizza ever!”

Brianna’s exuberance made him grin. “You’re welcome, mi nina.”

Outside, he slid the leftover pizza box in the front seat of Kayla’s car while she buckled Brianna in the back.

“I’ll follow you home,” he said when Kayla climbed behind the wheel.

“That’s not necessary, Rafe. I appreciate everything you’ve done, but you’ve already gone out of your way for us.”

Her sincere gratitude warmed his heart. Startled by the abrupt stab of longing, he took a step back. “Humor me, okay? It’s on the way home.”

Kayla rolled her eyes. It wasn’t on the way, seven miles in the opposite direction to be exact, but she nodded before closing the door.

Kayla’s bed-and-breakfast was located just a few miles west of town. Her home was nestled deep in the north woods, far from the bright lights of the city. Total darkness surrounded them as they drove down her long, winding driveway.

There was a light on in the kitchen, but the rest of the house was dark. He got out of his jeep and came up beside her as she helped Brianna jump down from her perch in the backseat. “Did you set the security system?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Good.” He took the pizza box from her hands and led the way up to the front door. Her dog, Clyde, must have heard them because he started barking.

The white panel of the security system was easy to see against the dark exterior. But the green light that normally showed the system was turned on wasn’t lit. He frowned. “Are you sure?” he asked sharply. “Because it’s not on now.”

Kayla stared uncertainly at the security panel, searching back through her memory. “I’m almost sure I set the alarm.”

“Okay, take Brianna and go back inside the car and lock the doors,” Rafe commanded. “Give me your keys. I’ll go through the house.”

After everything that had happened, she could only nod, fiercely glad that Rafe had insisted on following her home. “Come on, sweetie,” she said, tugging Brianna close. “Let’s wait for a bit in the car.”

“Why, Mommy? What’s wrong?” Brianna’s green eyes were wide with fear as she sensed the tension between the adults.

“Nothing is wrong,” she reassured her daughter, not wanting Brianna to be afraid in her own home. “Mr. Rafe just wants to make sure everything is fine before we go in.”

“I want Clyde,” Brianna said plaintively.

The sounds of the dog barking actually reassured her. She couldn’t believe someone was hiding inside with Clyde home. The one thing their puppy was really good at was creating a ruckus. “He’s with Mr. Rafe and I’m sure they’ll be out soon.” Kayla watched through the windshield as Rafe flipped on the rest of the lights, making his way through the inside of her spacious home.

She bit her lip, trying to remember. She had set the security system, hadn’t she? She was almost certain she had, but couldn’t be absolutely positive. She’d resented her brother and Rafe for insisting on installing the alarm system nine months ago, but lately she’d been glad to have the extra protection. She’d fallen into the habit of using the security system on those days and nights that she and Brianna were home alone. On the nights they had guests, there was no point in using it because her guests could obviously come and go as they pleased.

The elderly couple who’d been her last guests had left this morning, and she and Brianna had left shortly thereafter. It was possible she’d forgotten to set the security system.

Besides, if someone had breached the system, wouldn’t the police have been notified?

Rafe returned a few minutes later with Clyde, their clumsy puppy, at his heels. She opened the car door when he approached and climbed out.

“I didn’t find any—ah—anything,” he said, with a quick glance at Brianna. She was grateful he hadn’t blurted out how he’d been searching for an intruder. “But you might want to check things out for yourself to make sure nothing has been disturbed.”

“I’m sorry, I must have forgotten to set the alarm,” she said softly.

“Probably,” Rafe agreed. “The system is set up so that it sends an alarm if the wiring is cut.”

That’s what she’d thought. “So the only way someone could get past my system is if they somehow figured out my code.”

Rafe scowled. “Yes. Do you change it every few weeks like I told you to?”

“I’ve changed it,” she said a little defensively, brushing past him to head up to the door. “Maybe not every few weeks, but I have changed it.”