by Laura Scott
Noelle just hoped Adam’s mother didn’t want to talk to her about her son.
Walking through the dimly lit warehouse, she realized just how vast the space was. A shiver ran down her spine, warning her of something but she couldn’t tell if it was a police thing or something in her heart. She ran her hand over the back of Liberty’s neck. The dog was tense.
Okay, so it wasn’t just her.
Help me, Lord. I don’t want to be that rookie who calls the higher-ups just because I arranged to meet a nice lady who had quite an ordeal earlier tonight.
Then again, better safe than sorry. She texted Raymond.
Hey, do you have a second? Irene Jolly asked me to meet at her office to talk about something personal. I told her not to go there alone and that I’d meet her at home. But she didn’t respond. I’m not sure if she got my text and maybe I’m just being overcautious. But something feels off.
A light flickered on ahead and above her, sending a soft golden glow over the warehouse. Noelle looked up to see the offices. They were a freestanding two-story block of rooms in the middle of the warehouse. The room that was now lit up was on the second floor. A person was silhouetted behind the shades.
Her phone buzzed. It was Irene.
I’m in my office. Can you see me?
The person behind the blinds waved. Noelle waved back and then texted, I can see you!
Noelle turned and walked toward the glowing light ahead. Liberty whimpered slightly. Okay, so Noelle might be relieved, but it seemed her partner was still sure something was wrong. She stopped and turned to Liberty. The dog’s ears were perked up and her snout was practically straining as she sniffed the air.
“You smell something?” Noelle asked. “Okay. Show me. Let’s go.”
Liberty barked, a short, sharp sound like a starting pistol. Then she tugged on the leash, taking off running in between a row of toys to her right, as Noelle jogged after her. Her heartbeat quickened. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Then Liberty stopped short in front of a shelf and Noelle looked up to see row upon row of FlupperPups. Her heart stopped. No, it couldn’t be. The Jollys’ warehouse had been cleared of anything suspicious—including all FlupperPups.
She looked at Liberty. “Are you sure?”
Liberty barked again and pointed her nose to one specific FlupperPup that sat almost at her eye level, as if to say, This one Noelle! Check this one!
It was a black lab with a red bow. Noelle reached for it, picked it up and shook it slightly. It rattled. She prayed.
Help me, Lord. What’s going on? What have I found?
She set the dog down as her phone buzzed in her pocket with a call. She glanced at the screen. It was Raymond. She answered.
“Just who I need to talk to right now,” she said. “I’ve got a situation on my hands. I’m at Jolly Charity headquarters but Liberty alerted to something. She followed the scent and led me to what I’m pretty sure is another FlupperPup full of MDMA pills. Now, I’m not on duty, I’m actually on leave, but I picked it up, and judging by the weight distribution and rattling, there are definitely pills inside. Plus, Liberty is convinced and her nose is never wrong.”
Raymond took in a sharp breath.
“Rewind a second.” His voice was sharp and urgent. “Irene Jolly contacted you and asked you to meet her at her warehouse?”
“Yes,” she confirmed. “We’ve developed a bit of a friendship. Cookies and an invitation to Christmas dinner, that kind of thing. She said she wanted to talk to me about something personal. I’m sorry if I should’ve cleared it with someone. But I thought the Jollys’ warehouse and offices had been swept by the K-9 team and were found clean.”
“They were,” Raymond said, his voice tight and urgent. “But the Jolly family and staff have not been given clearance to reenter the property until the twenty-sixth.”
“So Irene shouldn’t be here,” Noelle said.
“No one should be there,” Raymond said. “And there definitely shouldn’t be any FlupperPups testing positive for MDMA.”
So, what was it doing here? What had she just walked into?
“What do I do?” Noelle asked.
“Stay there,” Raymond said. She could tell by the jangle of keys and dog tags he was already heading to the door and taking Abby with him. “Secure the package. Wait for me outside. And if you see anyone, call me.”
“Drop the phone. Now!” The voice was loud, male and cold, and seemed to echo in the warehouse around her. She looked up. A heavyset man in a puffy jacket was standing at the end of the row. He was in his late fifties with graying dark hair and it took her a moment to recognize him from the case files.
It was Lou Shmit, the owner of Dotty’s Toys.
There was nowhere to hide. He was too far away to disarm.
“Get down on the ground,” Lou said. He aimed the red dot on the scope of his most certainly illegal semi-automatic right between Liberty’s eyes. “Right now. Or I’ll kill you both before you can even flinch.”
* * *
Adam drove as quickly as he safely could through New York’s dark and snowy streets. Something was wrong. He didn’t know what. All he knew was a sense of urgency was beating through his heart too loudly to ignore. Why had Noelle gone to the warehouse alone?
Would she have called him first if he hadn’t pushed her out of his life?
Lord, please make sure she is all right.
His phone rang from a number he didn’t recognize.
He answered using his truck’s hands-free. “Hello. Adam Jolly here.”
“Mr. Jolly. This is Officer Raymond Morrow.”
“Where’s Noelle?” Adam asked. “What’s going on? Is she okay?” Traffic grew thick ahead. “Why is she at my charity’s headquarters?”
“She said your mother texted and asked to meet her there.”
He took a sharp breath. “That wasn’t my mom. Irene is home. She said she lost her phone earlier today, and I’m guessing it was stolen or pickpocketed. I don’t know.”
He heard what sounded like Officer Morrow praying under his breath and typing at the same time.
Adam prayed too. The fear grew deeper as the snow thickened outside his vehicle.
“I’ve already called it in and I’m on the way to your headquarters,” Raymond said.
“I’m on my way there too,” Adam said.
“As a civilian, I have to advise you to let police handle this.”
“Got it,” Adam said. “I’ll be there in two.”
“Again, keep a safe distance. Should be there in eight.”
Adam turned another tight corner, cut through the narrow gap between two buildings and then his own warehouse came into view. He pulled into the parking lot. The warehouse’s loading bay door began to open. Then a white van shot through so quickly the roof bashed hard against the raising door, denting the door and scuffing the van.
“Morrow!” he shouted into the phone. “We have a situation!”
He sped toward the van, locking it in his sights. He was going to ram it. He had to. He couldn’t let it make it out of the parking lot. Not if there was even the smallest possibility Noelle was trapped inside.
The van swerved and as he watched the back door swung open and a mass of blond fur flew out, tumbling and rolling in the snow.
It was Liberty!
Someone had thrown her from the van, and he was about to drive right into her.
“Help me, Lord!” He shouted a prayer, hit the brakes and swerved hard, skidding across the icy ground, just feet away from where the dog had been tossed into the snow. The truck stopped and Adam looked up to see Liberty pulling herself up to her feet. The dog’s legs tensed, as if ready to sprint after the departing van, and dispelled any doubt he had that Noelle was inside. He threw the driver’s side door open.
“Liberty!” Adam shouted and pa
tted the side of his seat. “Come on! Get in! We’ll chase Noelle together!”
Liberty turned and ran for him. Her coat was dirty from the snow and she seemed to be limping slightly. But as he bent down to pick her up, Liberty leaped, bouncing off his legs and landing in the passenger seat. Okay, then. He slammed the door. Liberty’s snout brushed his jaw as if thanking him, and then she barked as if ordering him to drive.
“Yeah, I got it.” He looked up to where the van was merging into traffic ahead. “That van’s got Noelle and we’re going to get her back.”
He put the truck in Drive and sped after the van, shouting details to Officer Morrow about the vehicle’s make and model, damage from the door, license plate, the direction it was heading, that Adam now had Liberty—and the fact he was certain Noelle was inside the van.
The van had merged into traffic and seemed to be heading toward the docks. Adam kept it in his sights, cutting through parking lots and driving over curbs to keep from losing it. The van’s driver grew more reckless, surging over barriers, running red lights and darting down one-way streets the wrong way. He could hear Liberty barking encouragement in his ear and Officer Morrow telling him law enforcement would intercept the van ahead. Adam clenched his jaw and prayed as he inched closer and closer.
He wouldn’t let it out of his sight. He would not let it get away.
Then the van swerved into an industrial parking lot, vast and empty, dotted with piles of snow left from a snowplow.
It was time. Adam shifted gear, hit the accelerator and sped toward the van, forcing the speedometer higher and higher, as he waited for the exact right moment. Then he struck, smashing into the corner of the van’s bumper and sending it spinning to the right, flying across the ice and into a snowbank in a perfectly controlled crash, with the precision of a hockey player smacking the puck into the net. The sound of smashing metal filled the air. A plume of snow and dirt rose above the van.
Adam fumbled for his seat belt, leaped from his vehicle and ran across the lot with Liberty by his side.
A gunshot rang out inside the van.
Adam stopped short, his hand instinctively grabbing Liberty’s collar and pulling her to his side. Panicked prayers filled his heart, choking his ability to breathe.
Noelle! Please, Lord, I need her to be okay.
The van’s back door fell open and Noelle leaped out into the snow, landing on the balls of her feet. Her hair fell in a tangled mess around her face. Her clothes were battered and torn. A smoking semi-automatic was clutched in her hand. But as her eyes locked on his, the strength and determination in their green depths took his breath away. His own name moved silently on her lips.
“Adam, it’s Lou,” Noelle said, as she found her voice. “Lou Shmit. He’s injured in the van and handcuffed. It’s over.”
Questions tumbled through his mind as he ran for her, hearing Liberty’s urgent woof as the dog outpaced him. Police sirens filled the air. Liberty reached Noelle first, barely giving her time to set the weapon down before Liberty leaped into her arms, the dog’s paws landing on her shoulders.
Noelle hugged her partner. Adam reached Noelle and to his surprise Noelle threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. And for one long moment, he let himself hold her, feeling her heart beating against his as he breathed her in.
“It was Lou Shmit this whole time,” Noelle said. “He’s the mysterious new drug lord. He kidnapped me in the warehouse, hoping he could force me to tell him how to get around the K-9 dogs’ capabilities. I managed to kick one of the back doors open and told Liberty to jump but then the door swung shut and I was stuck. When you forced us to crash, I got free, wrestled him for the gun and shot him in the leg. He’ll be okay.”
“But are you okay?” he asked.
“I am.” She nodded and he felt her hair brush his face, before she pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “Thank you for saving my life.”
“It was a team effort—”
“Your mom—”
“She’s home safe. Someone took her phone. We’re not even sure when. Likely pickpocketed or stolen by one of the dealers at the event earlier tonight—”
Police vehicles and ambulances surged around them. The cavalry had arrived. Her hand brushed the side of his face and he felt hundreds of words he wanted to speak fill his mind. He wanted to tell her he was sorry and how scared he’d been at the thought of losing her. Instead, he pushed his cell phone into her hands.
“It’s Officer Morrow,” he said. “We’ve been on the phone.”
“Thank you,” she said and took the phone.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
“Tell me later,” she said. “When we have the time to just sit and talk, away from all this.” Then she leaned forward and her lips brushed his cheek in a kiss. “And tell your mother I’m coming for Christmas lunch.”
Then she pressed the phone to her ear and he turned toward the emergency vehicles.
EIGHT
It was Christmas Day and the late morning sunshine filtered through the snow that fell faint and dazzling like glitter outside the Jolly family home. Adam was in the living room, tidying the brightly colored wrapping paper scattered around the floor from where it had fallen when they’d opened presents. The smell of turkey and gravy cooking came from the kitchen, along with the happy voices of his parents and Matty.
He and Noelle had barely spoken and hadn’t had a moment alone since the emergency vehicles had converged on the scene of the crash the night before. He’d given multiple statements to police, seen Lou rolled away, ranting angrily on a stretcher, and even relented to a quick look over by a paramedic himself. Then he’d headed home where two hours of gift wrapping had awaited him. He’d told his parents Noelle and Liberty were coming for Christmas, placed the presents under the tree and reassured his mom that she had indeed set the cinnamon buns for breakfast to bake in the bread maker overnight. Then he’d finally tumbled into bed shortly after midnight only to be woken up by an excited Matty bouncing on his bed at six in the morning. There’d then been Christmas stockings and warm cinnamon buns with butter, followed by family church and opening presents.
Yet, somehow, it hadn’t quite felt like Christmas, until the moment he heard the crunch of tires in the snow outside his house and looked out to see Noelle and Liberty walking up the driveway. He watched as Noelle whispered something in Liberty’s ear and then he opened the door, Liberty barreling through.
“Matty’s in the kitchen!” he told Liberty, as her snout brushed his leg briefly, before bounding past him into the kitchen where Matty greeted her with glee.
Then Adam slid his feet into his boots and stepped outside to meet Noelle. There was a familiar-shaped and gift-wrapped box in her hands. His eyebrows rose. “You brought a FlupperPup?”
“It’s for Matty,” she said. “I know Irene already got him one, but I thought these two could be friends. It’s a yellow Lab. I used some black fabric paint to paint a black smudge on her ear to match Liberty’s.”
Gratitude surged in Adam’s heart. How had he possibly met a woman as amazing and thoughtful as her?
“He’ll love it,” Adam said. “It’s perfect. You’re...you’re perfect.”
He hesitated, feeling his arms ache to hug her, but not wanting to squish the package in her hands.
“I need to tell you that we found one more drug-filled FlupperPup,” she said. “It was in Quentin’s apartment. You were right that he had nothing to do with Lou Shmit’s drug-smuggling enterprise. It just happened to be the only FlupperPup in the toy shipment for your first event on the twenty-third. When he saw how Matty made a beeline for it and picked it up, Quentin set it aside, to ask you if he could give it to him. Then he forgot about it. I think he’s planning on calling you later, but didn’t want to interrupt Christmas morning. But that explains the mystery of why Liberty sensed trace amounts of drugs on Ma
tty at the mall.”
“I’m really thankful that Liberty did,” he said. “I shudder to think what would’ve happened to all of us if she hadn’t led you to us.”
A smile filled her face. “I’m really thankful too.”
His hand slid down and squeezed her free one.
“Come inside,” he said. “Everyone’s looking forward to seeing you, lunch will be ready soon and we have cinnamon buns left over from breakfast if you can’t wait.”
Besides, he’d been in such a hurry to greet her he’d forgotten to put on his coat.
“One moment,” she said. “You said a lot of words to me yesterday and I have something I want to say to you.”
She took a deep breath and he felt something tighten in his chest.
“I like you, Adam,” she said. “I really, really like you. I get why you’re scared because this is all new to me too. I’ve never met someone I felt this way about before. Which is why...”
Her words trailed off and she took a deep breath, her eyes closing as if she were praying silently. Then she opened them again and took another step toward him until he could feel the warmth of her against his chest.
“Which is why I want us to be friends, just for a while,” she said. “I want to get to know your parents and your son. I want to get to know you and I want you to get to know me, until we’re both ready for something more.”
Something rumbled deep in his chest. He looked down at their linked hands. Then his other hand brushed her cheek.
“There’s nothing I want more for Christmas,” he said, “than to get to know you better.”
“Me too,” she said softly.
* * *
Two months later, faded red and pink construction paper Valentine hearts covered his living room mantel where the Christmas garland had been. Adam stood at the front window and watched as Matty and Liberty charged around the melted remnants of their Christmas snowmen, skidding on the tufts of grass from the first thaw of spring, which Adam knew would be covered up soon enough by a fresh burst of snow.
