Daddy's Christmas Miracle: Santa in a Stetson

WHILE COLT WAITED for the detective in Salt Lake to call him back, he went up to Allie’s bedroom. He’d already given the police a description of what she was wearing when she’d left for school, including her backpack. Colt hoped that a thorough search of her room might reveal a clue to help him out. Anything …

She always stashed her money from odd jobs and babysitting in a drawstring purse hanging in the closet. None was there. Naturally she’d used it to buy her bus ticket. To his dismay, he found her cell phone in the bottom drawer of her dresser. She’d turned it off, killing that one glimmer of hope she might call him.

His daughter had been planning this for a long time. The pit in his stomach yawned wide.

Expecting to hear from the detective, he was ready to answer when his cell phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and clicked on. “Detective Martinez?”

“No,” sounded a female voice. “Are you Mr. Brenner?”

He blinked. “Who’s this?” Colt knew he sounded terse, but couldn’t help it.

“I’m Katy McFarland.” Katy was the nickname she used with young people. “The first thing you need to know is that your daughter Allie is fine, but she’s asleep right now. She gave me your phone number so I could call you.”

Adrenaline gushed through his veins. “Where is she?” he cried out. “Who are you?”

“I’m a medical caseworker for North Avenues Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was called in when your daughter was brought here around four-thirty this afternoon. She became dizzy after getting off the Greyhound bus. A passerby saw her on the ground and called 911. There was no ID on her. An ambulance picked her up and brought her to the E.R. Your daughter has the H1N1 virus, but it’s not a serious case.”

Colt staggered to the bed and sank down.

“She’s really all right?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you, but I have to tell you her biggest fear is that you won’t be able to forgive her for what she did. In case you didn’t know it, she worships the ground you walk on, so that makes a girl nervous to disappoint the most wonderful father in the whole world.”

She’d imitated Allie’s way of speaking to perfection, charming Colt, who was close to speechless at this point. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

“You just did, so don’t think about it anymore. We’ve got her on an IV to treat her flu symptoms. If she continues to improve, she can probably be released tomorrow provided she gets nursing care at home for another day.”

Colt jumped to his feet. “My son was the one who figured out she’d taken the bus somewhere. The police are attempting to locate her in Salt Lake right now. Matt and I will fly to Salt Lake on the earliest flight out of Bozeman in the morning. We want to be with her until she’s out of the woods.”

“You don’t need to do that. To be frank, your daughter didn’t want to stay here tonight. She has begged me to let her go home tomorrow. In the event that she’s well enough, I’ve made arrangements through the hospital to fly her to Bozeman by private charter in the afternoon. I’ll accompany her and take care of her for another day until she’s up and around.”

“I can’t let you do that.”

“It’s my job.”

“No one has a job like that,” he argued. “No wonder our hospitals are in financial trouble.”

“The patient advocacy department is funded by a private donor, so it’s not a concern. More importantly, your daughter made a deal with me. She would tell me your name and let me call you if I nursed her till she was better. We shook on it.”

Good grief.

Allie, Allie. What was going on inside her? After a certain age, she’d only wanted Noreen around and Colt hadn’t hired another nanny. Yet in her vulnerability today, she’d reached out to a stranger. Why?

Colt wanted to ask this woman if she knew what had driven Allie to do what she did, but now wasn’t the time. It was enough to know his daughter was safe in a hospital, getting treated for the flu of all things.

He took a deep breath. “How soon can I talk to her?”

“As soon as she’s awake. Housekeeping has brought me a cot so I can stay with her tonight. If she should wake up, I’ll let her use my phone to call you. Otherwise, call my number in the morning and I’ll put her on.”

He pursed his lips. “I may phone you before that to find out if you’re real or if I’m having an out-of-body experience.”

She laughed quietly. A husky kind of laugh that resonated inside him. “There’s nothing more terrifying than not knowing where your child is. Until you can hug her and kiss her, I know you won’t quite believe you have her back.”

Whoever this woman was, she could read minds. It gave him goose flesh. “Ms. McFarland?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Brenner. We’ll talk in the morning. Good night.”

She hung up first, leaving him dazed.

When he gathered his wits, he left the room and walked down the hall past the guest bedroom to Matt’s room. His son had fallen asleep, but after what they’d been through, he decided to wake him up.

“Matt?” he called softly to him.

He made a sound and turned toward him. “Is it time to go?”

Colt sat down on the side of the bed. “We don’t have to go anywhere. Your sister’s been found.” In the next few minutes, he told him about the phone call.

Matt reached over and hugged him. “Do you think I’ll catch it?”

He hadn’t seen that question coming. “I don’t know. Let’s not worry about that now. Go back to sleep.”

“They’re really going to fly her home?”

“That’s what the nurse said.”

“Whoa. Well, good night, Dad.” Matt laid back down and punched his pillow to get it in the right position.

Colt eyed his son for a moment. The biggest care on Matt’s mind now was whether he would come down with the virus. Would that the flu was all that plagued Colt. Unfortunately for him, this new knowledge was only the tip of an enormous iceberg.

After leaving Matt’s bedroom, he headed for his study again. He called both detectives and left messages that Allie had been found. Following that, he e-mailed the Wagners to tell them the good news. There was no one else to inform.

Wired and restless, he went to the kitchen to make himself some coffee. Caffeine was the last thing he needed, but it was the only drink he wanted.

His premonition that something was wrong with Allie had borne fruit. Two times he’d experienced this. Both times there’d been bad news. He dreaded the thought of it ever happening again. His heart might not be able to take it a third time.

Noreen was going to be surprised when another woman besides herself would be waiting on Allie. Colt had gotten the surprise of his life when a Ms. McFarland, rather than the detective, had phoned to let him know his daughter was in hospital. Sick, but safe.

The woman had sent an essence through the phone line he couldn’t describe. He had to confess that his curiosity had been aroused. For several reasons, he knew it would be a long time before tomorrow afternoon rolled around.

Colt wasn’t sure he could wait. If he talked to Allie in the morning and didn’t hear improvement, then he’d fly to Salt Lake with Matt as planned.

KATHRYN HAD SET her watch alarm for six-thirty. After she got up from the cot, she checked her patient’s vital signs. Everything looked good. Her temperature was down to ninety-nine. While Allie still slept, she stepped outside to use the restroom and freshen up. She ordered breakfast trays for both of them, then put on a new surgical mask.

As she reached the room, the E.R. doctor was just coming out. “She’s doing fine. Keep her on the IV until you’re ready to transport her.”