Her Mistletoe Miracle

Wingman bounded up, his tongue hanging out. The part Lab, part shepherd, part some unknown breed, nosed Mick’s leg until he crouched to rub the dog’s furry head. “Actually, Stella, I’ve been juggling my finances, hoping I can afford to spend the winter bumming around some island with white sandy beaches, ice-cold margaritas and bikini-clad babes. I’d like you to look after the place. You know, see the pipes don’t break and my planes don’t blow away. Up to now, no one’s had time to scan in all the old accounts or shred the mountains of paperwork Pappy stored in those damned cardboard boxes, either. I’ll pay you to handle everything.”

“I can do that. Are you planning to take the dog?”

Mick let the animal lick his chin. “I wish. But this guy’s a cold-weather mutt. I intend to corner Marlee and Wylie and ask them if I can pay his son to take care of Wingman until I get back in the spring. Last time I visited them for a weekend, I let Dean take care of my dog. Since Jo Beth has Piston, it evened the odds in their ‘yours, mine and ours household.’”

Stella’s dark brown eyes sparkled when she laughed. “You’d do that to your poor sister? Add another creature when she’s dealing with Thanksgiving, Christmas and having a baby? Last time we talked, she said Dean had rescued a half-grown grizzly who’d been shot by a neighboring rancher. That boy already has twin wolf cubs and numerous small animals in various stages of healing.”

“Was Marlee complaining?”

“No. She sounded happy, in fact.”

“Yeah, she does.” Mick straightened and patted the dog. He gazed blankly at the horizon. “I was just thinking, Stella, it’s perfect flying weather. I should shake out the chopper and see if the maintenance I did takes care of the rotor wobble Josh was complaining about. Last week when I flew to Missoula for my last visit with the physical therapist, I picked up some things for the baby. I also bought a few Halloween goodies for Dean and Jo Beth. Maybe I’ll take myself up to the ranger station. See if Wylie can use an extra hand with the addition he’s madly building on their house.”

Stella snapped her fingers. “That’s why I came to find you, Mick. I took a phone order from Trudy Morgenthal at the rangers’ base camp, and the smoke jumpers would also like some supplies delivered no later than tomorrow afternoon.”

Mick’s grease-stained fingers fondled the dog’s silky ear. “I delivered Captain Martin’s winter supplies weeks ago. He said he wouldn’t need anything until spring.”

“I gather this is private supplies for the smoke jumpers. None of them are in your billing system, which brings up the next question. Will you fly out such a small order for cash? Jess Hargitay promised to pay on delivery.”

“I guess. Jess has been with Martin for a few years. Not all the jumpers return each season.” He frowned. “I’ve never known any of them to request private supplies. In fact, I understood they were all leaving next week, except Captain Martin and his assistant.”

“Mr. Hargitay mentioned that a group is planning a farewell climb in Glacier Park. One of the taller peaks, but I don’t recall which. They’ve ordered ready-to-eat meals, long johns and miscellaneous stuff.”

“Huh. Long johns for sure. I see there’s quite a bit of snow up along the ridge.”

“If the report I heard this morning is correct, we’re liable to lose this fine weather soon. They predict we’ll see snow in the valley by early next week.”

Mick laughed. “Stella, you can’t trust the news channel weather staff to get it right. If you want the skinny on the weather, you need to phone the service pilots use.”

She tipped back her head and scanned the sky that was visible through a row of majestic pine trees that blocked north winds from battering the house. “You’re right.” She looked at him again. “So, then, you want me to phone Trudy and this Jess guy and say you’ll take both jobs?”

“Sure. Sounds good. I never turn down an opportunity to earn money. What’s today? Thursday? Ask Trudy if tomorrow’s soon enough to deliver her order. I’ll fly to Kalispell this afternoon and fetch the supplies in the Arrow. At first light tomorrow, I’ll transfer the load to the Huey. That’ll allow me time to phone Wylie and Marlee, and arrange to spend a couple of nights with them.”

“I’ll confirm the times with Trudy ASAP. Unless you want my help in carting that big old ladder back to the work shed.”

“Thanks for the offer, Stella, but my PT said I’m good as new. Maybe better than, what with all the hardware installed in my hip,” Mick said with a wink. He forgot the condition of his hand and raked still-greasy fingers through hair that needed more than a trim, as curls fell over his eyes and skimmed the lower edge of his collar.

“You look kind of shaggy. But unless there’s someone out in the great beyond you want to impress, I’d say you can get by for another week without a barber.”

Again, a clear vision of perky Hana Egan popped into Mick’s mind. Probably because Stella had mentioned Jess Hargitay. Jess gave the impression that he was hot stuff in the eyes of female smoke jumpers. Mick had seen Jess act possessive of several women who’d rotated in and out of the camp. A few years ago he’d heard there were allegations of Jess inappropriately harassing a partner, a female. She quit forestry and Mick heard she’d dropped charges rather than fight a losing battle in court. Mick had seen Jess move on Hana. But maybe she returned his interest. Probably did. Mick’s trips to the camp were sporadic, so it wasn’t as if he knew anything for sure.

“Stella, if Trudy needs her order today, buzz me on the house intercom. I’m going to store the ladder and grease, then go clean up.”

They parted, and Mick returned the ladder to the shed. On his trip to the house, he took out his cell phone and punched in his sister’s number. Her phone rang three times before she answered, and then she sounded out of breath.

“Hey, sis, did I catch you on the run?”

“Mick?” His twin’s voice reflected both surprise and delight. “I had my head in the oven when the phone rang. I stopped to take out two pies before I picked up.”

“You’re baking pies? What’s the occasion?”

“I’ll have you know I cook a lot more since I acquired a family of two hungry males. Thankfully, Rose sent me her favorite recipes,” Marlee said, referring to her former mother-in-law, Rose Stein. Marlee’s marriage to Wylie Ames was his twin’s second marriage. Her first husband had died after a prolonged bout with cancer. She’d had some problems with her ex-mom-in-law. But Marlee had met and overcome all challenges like a champ.

“These pies,” Marlee continued, “are for an end-of-season potluck the park rangers are having on Saturday. I’m so nervous, Mick. Wylie said I shouldn’t be, but this’ll be the first time most of his ranger buddies will have met me and Jo Beth. Bud and Ellen Russell—Bud is Wylie’s closest friend— came by to deliver a wedding gift from the whole crew. Outside of them, I won’t know a single soul at the gathering,” she admitted. “I hope my offerings at the potluck are edible, or the women will feel sorry for Wylie. They’re probably all wondering how he met me, anyway.”

Mick didn’t comment. He was trying to piece together the significance of what his sister had said.

“Mick, are you still there? Is something wrong? Oh, no, don’t tell me the report from your physical therapist was bad? I meant to phone, but we had a lot going on, what with trying to get the addition finished so Rose has a place to sleep when she comes here for Christmas. You know she’s going to help when the baby’s born? And do you remember Emmett Nelson, Rose’s neighbor from San Diego? They’ll be traveling together. I think they’re an item. Are you listening to me, Mick?”

“Yes. I’m fine according to the PT. It’s just…I scheduled a couple of deliveries up your way tomorrow. I figured on spending the weekend with you guys. That was before you mentioned having plans for Saturday. Maybe I’ll swoop in for a minute tomorrow afternoon and drop off the Halloween treats I bought for Dean and Jo Beth.”

“You will not just pop in and out. I have an order sitting at the Kalispell airpark that you can bring. And you’ll stay for the potluck. So, if I don’t pass muster with Wylie’s coworkers, I can hang out with my brother instead of looking like a wallflower.”

“Why wouldn’t you pass muster? Anyway, the only important thing is how much Wylie and Dean love you. Hey, come on! You flew choppers in a war for pity’s sake. Which of the other ranger wives can claim that kind of guts?” He shook his head. “Are you okay, sis? I’ve never known you to be insecure.”

“You never saw me when I was pregnant last time. Feeling frumpy comes with the territory.”

“Hmm, that explains it. I haven’t been around a pregnant woman—except one in that fender bender a couple of weeks ago. She went into labor at the side of the highway near Whitefish. Angel Fleet had me fly her and her husband to Kalispell. He was a basket case. I hope Wylie won’t be like that.”

“He won’t. Wylie delivered Dean. Although, he wants me to stay in town the last weeks. I’d much prefer the local midwife come here. If the weather doesn’t permit that, I’d still be fine with just Wylie and Rose on hand. Out of curiosity, what did the woman have, a boy or a girl?”

“A boy. Cute little dude. The dad acted goofy, tapping on the nursery glass and making goo-goo noises. He gave me a blue bubblegum cigar. I tried to picture myself in his shoes, but I’m positive I would’ve acted way cooler.”

“If you don’t get on the stick and meet a woman, Mick Callen, you won’t ever have kids—and we’ll never know if you’d act cool or not.”

“Yeah, yeah! Time to hang up. I’ve gotta go shower and then fly to Kalispell and collect the orders for delivery tomorrow.”

“If you don’t have to fly on Monday, stay over with us for an extra day. We’d all like that.”

“We’ll see. I’ll toss in a duffle and see what Wylie thinks about me crashing his company barbecue. Isn’t your weather too nippy for a barbecue?”

“The gathering’s always at the park picnic grounds—to celebrate closing the park for the winter. Closing is Sunday. If that storm hanging out in Canada blows down, Trudy Morgenthal says we can eat in the wildlife lecture room at the base ranger camp.”

“Stella heard about that storm. I’ll have to check reports. Maybe I will stay over. How bad are they predicting it’ll be? Nothing like the doozy last June that surprised the heck out of everybody? Never seen such high winds.”

“Nothing so major, thank goodness. Wylie said he’d never seen a storm cause as much damage as that one. I think this forecast is for a few inches of snow, that’s all. The kids have their fingers crossed. Probably because Wylie built them sleds out of scrap lumber.”

“All right! If I wasn’t planning to stay over before, that would’ve tipped the scales. It’s been years since I did any sledding. Expect me around lunchtime tomorrow. I’ll see if your kitchen skills have improved.” Mick clicked off before the sputtering began.

AS MICK FIRED UP the Huey, the breaking dawn gave no indication that the weather wouldn’t be a repeat of the previous day. Streaks of purple, pink and gold edged out the deep gray of a rapidly fading night. And there was little, if any, wind.

The thrill of the promised flight lifted his spirits, even if he’d rather be flying a navy jet than this lumbering chopper. Wingman sat in his makeshift harness, one ear perked up. Mick grinned at the dog and could swear the mutt grinned back. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?” Mick called. The dog raised his head and barked.

As he lifted off, Mick stopped admiring the breaking day and listened carefully for any sign of wobble in the rotors. He much preferred flying fixedwing planes like the Arrow or the Seneca. He’d bought the chopper at an auction to entice his sister back home to Montana from San Diego. She’d flown helicopters in the navy. But if he’d known she was going to meet Wylie Ames, fall in love, and marry the guy within a year of moving back, Mick might have passed on buying the Huey. Except that it’d come in handy on several occasions during his volunteer missions for Angel Fleet. He was getting so he could land the chopper just about anywhere except in heavily treed terrain. For as fast as Montana was being built up, there was still a lot of wilderness left, thank goodness. And like Marlee claimed, the Huey was a reliable workhorse.

He’d been in the air a little under an hour when he spotted the main ranger layout below. Mick had realized yesterday that the supplies he’d picked up for Trudy Morgenthal were mostly for the weekend ranger barbecue, or potluck, whatever they were calling it. He had cartons of paper cups, paper plates, napkins. Trudy had ordered staples to get them through a winter during which no one traveled easily in this part of Glacier Park except by snowshoes or snowmobile.

He landed near the park’s two smaller helicopters. Wingman got antsy waiting for the rotors to stop. Mick saw why. They were being greeted by the house dogs, a German shepherd and a good-size collie. Mick released his dog but attached a leash to his collar.