Silent Night

by Colleen Coble

  “Daddy!” Emily dropped the paramedic’s hand and ran to Donovan. He dropped to his knees and folded Emily in his arms.

  “Thank God you’re safe. Where’s your brother?” He gave her a little shake. “What have I told you about wandering off by yourself?”

  Emily gave a little hiccup. “That I was never supposed to leave without an adult. I’m sorry, Daddy.”

  The man looked around wildly. “Where’s your brother?” he repeated. Hilary reached out her hand but let it drop when the distraught father made no move to take it. “Your children are going to be fine, Donovan. Timmy is in the ambulance.”

  Donovan let go of Emily and ran to the ambulance, where he stood watching the paramedics work on his son. An occasional groan issued from Donovan’s mouth. Kade could only imagine how he felt.

  “Daddy’s mad at me,” Emily said, tears making her voice tremble.

  Bree held out her hand. “He’s just worried, sweetheart. Come with me, and let’s see if I can find you a candy bar or something to eat.”

  “I’m not hungry. The witch in the woods gave us some peanut butter sandwiches.”

  Kade frowned. “Who’s that, Emily?” No one had been with the children. His gaze met Bree’s, and he saw the same confusion in her face.

  “The witch in the woods. I was afraid she was going to eat us like the witch in the woods in the Hansel and Gretel story, but she gave us a peanut butter sandwich. Timmy wouldn’t eat his though.”

  “There was no one with you,” Bree said.

  “She ran away when she heard you and the dogs,” Emily said.

  The little girl may be more stressed than they thought. Either that or she had quite an imagination. “Better get her checked out,” Kade mouthed softly to Bree.

  She nodded. “That’s fine, but let’s get you back to town,” Bree said. “You’ll get to ride in the ambulance. Won’t that be fun?”

  Emily’s lip trembled, but she nodded. “Is Timmy going to die?”

  “No, he’ll be okay in a few days. But the doctors are going to want to look at him, and at you, just to make sure you’re okay,” Kade said. He took her other hand, and they led her toward the ambulance.

  Her head haloed by the light from the ambulance, Emily stopped and looked up at Bree. “What’s your dog’s name? Will you bring him to see me?”

  Bree smiled at Emily and touched her head. Kade dropped his gaze and wondered how old her son would be now. As young as she was, he couldn’t have been very old. Sometimes Kade had to admit he wondered how the Almighty chose who to save and who to take.

  Bree nodded at Emily. “This is Samson. Samson, say hello to Emily.” The dog thrust his nose into the little girl’s hand. Emily giggled as the dog licked her face. “We’ll check on you tomorrow,” Bree told her.

  Kade had trouble keeping his eyes off Bree. Though not really beautiful, she was arresting. The cut of her short red hair emphasized the delicate column of her neck and the fine bone structure of her face. Large green eyes that seemed a bit sad tilted up at the corners. It was no wonder, considering what she’d been through, what she was still going through. Though she looked fragile, Kade had seen her heft a heavy backpack with ease and knew she was stronger than she appeared. He guessed her to be a little younger than him, maybe late twenties.

  Within minutes the ambulance, trailed by the kids’ father in the pickup, tore back the way it had come, leaving only dust and the fast-fading echo of the siren in its wake. “I’ll run you home,” Kade told Bree and Naomi. He could see both women visibly wilting. The day had been grueling, even for him, so they had to be exhausted. The dogs lay panting on the side of road, spent as well.

  “My Jeep is at the parking lot,” Bree said.

  “I’ve already arranged for your vehicle to be left at your home,” Kade said. “I’ll take you straight there.”

  Bree stared at him. “Without asking me?”

  He shrugged. “You left the keys in it. I figured you’d be too tired to drive.”

  Bree motioned for Samson to jump into the back of Kade’s pickup. The dog moved slowly on sore feet. Charley followed him. “You were wrong,” she said. Her gaze dropped. “I had things I needed to attend to before going home,” she said softly. She bit her lip like there was more she wanted to say then headed toward the passenger door.

  His lips tightened. She had been no saint today in spite of her success. “And you disobeyed orders!” Kade snapped. Bree just looked at him, and the calm confidence in her face irritated him even more.

  Naomi jumped into the fray. “You have no idea who you’re talking to, do you? Bree and Samson are one of the top search teams in the country—in the world! Those kids would still be out there if we’d followed your orders.”

  “I’ve worked with some bad teams in my time,” he snapped.

  “Well, we aren’t one of them!” Naomi said hotly.

  Kade compressed his lips. This was getting them nowhere. “How about we call a truce? I made a mistake and so did you. Sorry, Miss Nicholls, Miss Heinonen.”

  Naomi opened her mouth, and from the fire in her eyes, Kade expected a scathing reply, but Bree shot her a quelling look and held out her hand. “Truce,” she said. “But it’s Mrs. Nicholls. And the only mistake was yours.”

  He gritted his teeth but held his tongue. “Let’s get you home.” Naomi opened the door and slid in first, then Bree scrunched in beside her. Suddenly anxious to be free of the whole prickly mess, Kade slammed the door behind them and crawled behind the wheel.

  They rode in silence to town. As they rounded the last curve, the twinkling lights of Rock Harbor came into view. Part of the town’s special flavor came from the setting. Surrounded by forests on three sides, it had all the natural beauty anyone could want. Old-growth forests, sparkling lakes where fish thronged, and the brilliant blue of that Big Sea Water called Superior along the west side.

  They drove through town, down Whisper Pike to Houghton Street and past the businesses that comprised Rock Harbor’s downtown. “You’ll have to direct me,” Kade said.

  Bree pointed toward the far light. “The lighthouse is mine. Naomi lives in the Blue Bonnet Bed and Breakfast right beside me—the house that used to belong to Captain Sarasin.”

  Kade knew the house. Built by a famous captain of the area so his wife could watch for his return, it was the last house on Houghton Street before it curved into Negaunee, the road out to the lighthouse. He hadn’t realized it was a bed-and-breakfast until now. He rarely drove to that side of town. The lighthouse was perched just behind it at the end of Negaunee on a sliver of land that bravely faced Superior’s fury.

  “You live in the lighthouse?” he asked. “I haven’t been to town much since I returned two months ago. When

  I was a kid, I used to prowl around that deserted lighthouse. I figured someone had turned it into a museum by now.”

  “It’s not a lighthouse anymore. The Coast Guard replaced it with the offshore automated light years ago,” Bree said. “I’m in the process of restoring it. I’m on the last room now.”

  “How long have you owned it? I figured someone from out of state bought it—someone with more money than sense.” He grinned to take the sting out of the slur.

  “That might have described me and Rob at one time.” Bree laughed. “When we bought it, the chimney had fallen through the roof, and the porch boards were all decayed. Rob had inherited some money from his grandmother and a plane from his uncle. The lighthouse was just another piece of Rob’s dream. Our dream,” she amended.

  “You’ve done most of it yourself,” Naomi said. “I don’t know how you’ve managed all alone.”

  Bree smiled. “I plan to reinstall the Fresnel lens and light the tower, someday.” Her gaze softened and took on a faraway look. “I’d like to think my light might save a ship someday.”

  Kade wondered what had
triggered her obsession with rescuing people. It was admirable, but surely something had caused it. Did it start with the deaths of her husband and son, or had she always been that way?

  Kade stopped in front of the bed-and-breakfast and let Naomi and Charley off. Naomi waved at them from the front porch then went inside. Kade drove on down Negaunee to the lighthouse.

  Gravel crunched beneath the pickup’s tires, and Kade stopped the vehicle in front of the lighthouse. The brick building’s pink paint gleamed in the glare of the porch light, but the light tower was dark. Bree opened the tailgate for Samson and followed him to the front door. Kade lowered the windows. The smell of boat exhaust hung heavy in the moist air blowing in from Lake Superior. A ship’s horn bellowed a lonely note in the middle of the bay. The Ojibwa called the lake Kitchigami, which meant “giver of life,” though right now he felt that meaning was erroneous. It was more a taker of the life he wanted. At one time he thought he’d left this place for good, only to find he was trapped in it as easily as a rabbit in a hunter’s snare.

  The slap of the water against the pier carried across the water. “Thanks again for all your help. I’ll call again if we need assistance.”

  “You’re welcome,” Bree said. “Let’s hope you don’t have more lost campers anytime soon.”

  “We both know that’s not likely,” he said with a wry grin. “People are pretty foolish when it comes to the wilderness. They think diving into the forest is no more dangerous than taking a stroll in the city park.”

  Bree grinned. “I guess I’ll see you around then, Ranger Matthews.”

  “Call me Kade,” he called through the window as he pulled away. The few businesses open in Rock Harbor’s three-block business center spilled enough light onto the sidewalk to make it appear quasi-welcoming. The neon still shimmered above The Coffee Place. He pulled into the café parking lot.

  The rich aroma of espresso took the edge off the day’s frustrations. He’d been as surprised as everyone else in town when The Coffee Place got a newfangled espresso machine. It had proven surprisingly popular with more than just tourists. Milt Granger’s boy, Brad, was behind the counter, but he was too busy talking to a sweet young thing with three studs up each ear lobe to pay much attention to Kade. Kade coughed several times before Brad took his order. Kade finally succeeded in getting his latte and a turkey club sandwich with a piece of chocolate pie.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  Startled, he nearly spilled coffee down the front of his shirt. “Hello, Fay,” he said. Just what he didn’t need. Fay Asters stood behind him with one hand on a slim hip. He pushed out the chair opposite him with his foot. “Have a seat.”

  “You seen Eric around?” she asked, sliding into the chair. Her slim fingers played with her hair then slid down to fidget with the chain around her neck.

  “I’ve told you to stay away from him. He’s trying to straighten his life out. You’ll just muck it up again.” It was hard to keep his gaze from the quick movements of her hands.

  “You’re not his keeper.”

  “No, but thanks to you, he had one of those for three years.” He’d never understood what Eric saw in Fay. Slim to the point that she had none of the womanly curves most men admired, she didn’t even wear makeup unless she was in her femme fatale mode. It must be that innocent, little-girl way she had about her, a facade that hid the truth of her real nature.

  She laughed, a silvery, tinkling sound that drew his gaze to her mouth. Okay, so that was attractive too.

  “If you see Eric, tell him I have important news,” she said.

  She slid away from the table with a grace that reminded Kade of a sleek cat. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop and wondered what he could do to keep her away from Eric. Whatever her news was, it would likely bring trouble.

  The story continues in Without a Trace by Colleen Coble.

  Also by Colleen Coble

  Romantic Suspense

  Rock Harbor Series

  Without a Trace

  Beyond a Doubt

  Into the Deep

  Abomination

  Cry in the Night

  Hope Beach Series

  Tidewater Inn

  Lonestar Series

  Lonestar Sanctuary

  Lonestar Secrets

  Lonestar Homecoming

  Lonestar Angel

  Aloha Reef Series

  Distant Echoes

  Black Sands

  Dangerous Depths

  Midnight Sea

  Novellas included in:

  Smitten

  Secretly Smitten

  Stand-Alones

  Alaska Twilight

  Anathema

  Fire Dancer

  Historical

  Under Texas Stars Series

  Blue Moon Promise

  Safe in His Arms

  Mercy Falls Series

  The Lightkeeper’s Daughter

  The Lightkeeper’s Bride

  The Lightkeeper’s Ball

  About the Author

  RITA-finalist Colleen Coble is the author of several bestselling romantic suspense series, including the Mercy Falls series, the Lonestar series, and the Rock Harbor series.