Snowfall on Haven Point

by RaeAnne Thayne

  “Listen, I know you’ve already taken on far more than I should ask, but I need another favor.”

  “You got it,” Ruben said instantly.

  “My plan is to be back before Christmas, but if I’m not, can you look out for Jackie?”

  Ruben frowned. “Our Jackie? Why? What’s up?”

  The department knew about her divorce and a select few knew Jeremy struggled with drugs and petty crime and had been in and out of rehab. “She’s going through a rough time right now. You know how tough the holidays can be, especially when you’ve got family trouble.”

  “Oh yeah. They don’t call it the hell-idays for nothing.”

  “She seems upset. Maybe even clinically depressed. If I were here all day, every day, I could probably wriggle it out of her and make sure she gets help. Or maybe not, since I gather she’s trying to put on a happy face on my account. Just keep an eye out, offer a listening ear.”

  “You got it.” Ruben rose. “Anything else?”

  “You’ve done more than enough. When I’m back, I plan to make you take some of those vacation days you’ve been accruing.”

  “Can’t wait.” The deputy headed for the door, but when he opened it, he nearly bumped into the soft, pretty woman standing on the other side.

  “Oh. Sorry.”

  Marsh felt a hard little kick in his chest at the sight of Andie, cheeks pink from the cold and a cute little powder blue scarf twisted around her neck.

  “I’m the one who’s sorry,” Ruben said. “Should have been watching where I was going. Are you all right, ma’am?”

  “I’m fine, Deputy Morales. How are you?”

  “Please. Call me Ruben. You must be the sheriff’s ride.”

  Before his eyes, he saw Ruben again start putting out the vibe, smiling down at Andie like she was some delicious piece of Christmas candy he couldn’t wait to pop into his mouth.

  She seemed oblivious. “I am,” she said. “It was no trouble, though. I needed to come into Shelter Springs anyway.”

  “I hope the sheriff knows how lucky he is to have such a nice neighbor. We’re all very grateful to you for the good care you’re taking of him.”

  Andie shot a glance in his direction and he was almost certain he saw color climb her cheeks again. “He hasn’t let me do much. I was rather amazed he allowed me to drive him here today at all instead of climbing behind the wheel himself, using one of his crutches to hit the gas.”

  Ruben’s laugh was full and rich and as annoying as hell. “You know him well.”

  Again, she darted a quick, sidelong look at Marshall but said nothing.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be out on patrol?” Marshall said, with no subtlety whatsoever, when Ruben seemed content to stand there the rest of the day gazing down at the lovely widow.

  “Yeah. You’re right.” His smile was filled with appreciative warmth. “I hope I see you around again.”

  “Good to see you, Ruben. Be careful out there.”

  He waved and took off and Andie moved farther into Marsh’s office.

  “You could have texted me you were in the parking lot. I would have come out.”

  “Or better still, I could have just honked the horn, like a teenage boy picking up a date,” she said drily.

  “That would have worked, too.”

  She rolled her eyes as he pulled himself up on the crutches and started gathering his laptop and the other things he wanted to take home.

  “I know you said you didn’t want to look weak in front of your deputies, but I thought if you did need something carried out, you would prefer my help over having to ask someone from your staff.”

  She was right, he realized. He couldn’t do something as simple as carrying a lousy box of files on his own.

  He hated this helplessness. He was going to be on the crutches for several more weeks and he didn’t know how the hell he was going to survive it.

  “I guess you’ve got a point,” he said gruffly.

  One thing he liked about Andrea Montgomery, she didn’t gloat. She simply smiled. “What do you need me to carry, then?”

  He gestured to the cardboard box. “Just that box on top of the pile. I figured I would go through some of the department’s coldest cases while I’ve got time on my hands.”

  “That sounds interesting.”

  “A little more challenging for my brain than soap operas and game shows, anyway.”

  “Are you ready, then?”

  “Just need my jacket.”

  “I’ll grab it for you.” She moved to the coatrack, where he’d hung his blazer. She pulled it off the hanger, then carried it back to him. When she handed it to him, he tried not to notice the soft, flowery scent of her.

  “Thanks.”

  Trying to balance on the crutches while slipping his arms through the sleeves of a jacket was tricky. Again to her credit, Andie didn’t step in to help, she simply waited until he was done, then slipped the laptop bag over her shoulder and scooped up the box of files.

  “Anything else?”

  “That should do it. Let’s go.”

  * * *

  HE FOUND THIS EXCRUCIATING.

  Andie could tell by the sheriff’s body language how much he hated having to depend on her for anything, even something as inconsequential as carrying a box of files. His mouth was set in a hard line and he moved swiftly through the office, stopping only briefly to speak with a couple of deputies who seemed to be comparing notes over a map of the county.

  She had complete sympathy for him. When she sprained her ankle earlier in the summer, she had been astonished at how difficult every single thing became, from grocery shopping to fixing her hair to going out to the mailbox.

  She walked slowly, matching her pace to his. When they finally reached her SUV, that mouth was set even tighter, with lines radiating out. She shifted the box to one hand so she could open the passenger door for him, then quickly set the files and the laptop bag in the backseat while he maneuvered his way inside.

  While she knew it was dangerous to spend more time with him, she also sensed he wasn’t eager to return to the enclosed space of his home. Fresh air and sunshine could only be beneficial.

  “Why don’t we grab a bite to eat while we’re out?” she suggested after starting the engine but before she backed out of the parking space. “We can grab something to-go here in Shelter Springs and then have lunch at one of the scenic pullouts between here and Haven Point, overlooking the lake and the Redemptions.”

  He looked startled at the suggestion but quickly warmed to it. “That sounds really nice, actually.”

  “Any favorite places in Shelter Springs? I’ll admit, I’m not very familiar with the culinary offerings.”

  He mulled the question for only a moment. “There’s a great sandwich shop a couple blocks from here. Ali’s. He’s a fresh sandwich genius and he has a drive-up window. I usually stop at least once or twice a week.”

  “That sounds perfect. Just tell me how to get there.”

  After he pointed her in the right direction, she pulled up to the window. Ali himself took their order and greeted Marshall like an old friend.

  “What happened to you, Sheriff?” he exclaimed across Andie when he spotted the crutches and the orthopedic boot. His friendly, weathered face wrinkled with concern.

  “It’s a long story. Once I’m back at work, I’ll try to stop in and tell you all about it.”

  “At least you’ve got a beautiful woman to take care of you, right? Hello, my new friend. I’m Ali Bhattacharya.”

  Andie was completely charmed by the man, who looked to be in his early seventies. “Hello, Mr. Bhattacharya.”

  “My new friends call me Ali. Or darling. Whatever you prefer.”

  “Stop flirting, Ali,�
�� Marshall growled. “We just need a couple of sandwiches.”

  “Always so serious, this one. No time for fun or beautiful women. Fine. What do you want?”

  “I’ll have a club with your spicy mayo and a water.” He turned to her. “What about you?”

  “Turkey. No cheese. Also water.”

  “You got it. Two minutes flat.”

  Mr. Bhattacharya bustled away and returned in the promised time with two bags overflowing with food. “Here you go. I threw in some of the orange nankhatai biscuits my friend the sheriff likes.”

  “Thank you,” she said. She tried to hand him her debit card, but he shook his head.

  “No, no. On the house.”

  “You know I can’t take free food from you, Ali,” Marshall said. “It’s against department rules.”

  “You did not take any free food. It is a gift for your beautiful woman, as I am sure she has earned it and more, having to take care of a grouch like you.”

  Andie couldn’t help but laugh. “He obviously knows you well,” she said. “Thank you for the lunch,” she added to Ali. “I will pay you twice the next time.”

  The man’s booming laugh followed them as she pulled forward and out of the drive-up.

  “That was fun.”

  “Ali is a character,” Marshall said. “He came to Shelter Springs twenty years ago after his wife and only son died in a car accident in India and has been here ever since. He’s always been very kind to everyone at the sheriff’s department.”

  She had a feeling by their brief interaction that the man was particularly fond of Marshall.

  “Where would you like to eat?” she asked.

  “Your idea of one of the lakeside pullouts was a good one.”

  Traffic in Shelter Springs was light as she drove through town on the way back to Haven Point. Not long after, she found the perfect spot, a picnic area with a lovely view. The road crew had cleared the snow off the small stretch of pavement, though Lake Haven in the wintertime wasn’t exactly picnic-friendly.

  She parked overlooking the lake and for a moment she simply enjoyed the view.

  Lake Haven was beautiful in the summer, when the evergreen forests were green and lush, but the winter was simply stunning, especially the vivid contrast between the lake’s unearthly blue and the sparkling white of the new snow.

  They ate in silence in the car for a moment, both absorbed by the food and the peaceful surroundings.

  “You’re right. Ali is a genius. This is delicious.”

  “I was more hungry than I realized.”

  She had to smile at that. “You sound like Will. He’ll insist he’s not hungry, that he couldn’t eat a bite, but as soon as I put food in front of him, he wolfs it down like he hasn’t had a meal in days.”

  “He’s a funny kid.”

  “I think so.”

  He took another bite and washed it down with his water. “This was a good idea. Lunch with a view, I mean.”

  “I’m glad. Anytime you need to go for a drive, let me know. Even fifteen or twenty minutes can give your spirits a lift.”

  “That’s kind of you to offer, but I’m sure you’ve got enough to do, with Christmas just around the corner.”

  The sunshine beamed in through the windshield and she fought the urge to stretch out in it like their shy new cat. “Not really. I will still have to wrap the few things I bought today, but other than that, everything’s basically done. It had better be, since I started in September.”

  “You really get into this whole holiday thing, don’t you? The presents, the decorating, the baking. All of it.”

  She shrugged, a little embarrassed “I just want my children to enjoy the magic, especially this year in a new house and new town. The last few haven’t been the greatest, so I vowed this year I would give them the joy-filled, meaningful Christmas I always wanted, no matter what.”

  He looked out at the water. “I guess that’s what makes good parents,” he said after a moment. “You have to be willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to do what’s best for your children.”

  She thought she heard a low undertone of sadness in his voice, just a hint, but it was enough for her to take a closer look. In profile, his features were hard, set, his mouth a firm line. She had noticed that reaction before when they talked about children and she wondered at it.

  “The challenge is figuring out what that is. What’s best for your children, I mean. And our idea of what’s best for them isn’t always what they want or need.”

  His jaw tightened. “How do you figure it out? How do you make those tough calls, especially when what you might want and what they might need aren’t the same thing?”

  It seemed an odd question from a single man with no family, but the intensity of it warranted an honest answer.

  “The moment I gave birth to Chloe, what I wanted in the moment no longer mattered. It couldn’t be the driving force of my life any longer. She was. She became the most important thing, then Will after her. Every choice I make as a parent, I have to ask myself if this will help them grow up to be kind, compassionate, decent human beings who contribute to society.”

  “No pressure, right?”

  “Parenting is all about pressure—and most of the time I feel like I’m making things up as I go along.”

  He seemed to absorb that and grew pensive again, gazing once more at the water and a small flock of Canada geese skimming past.

  Vague impressions she had gathered throughout the last week seemed to coalesce in her mind as she sifted through his words.

  She decided to take a wild guess that still somehow seemed right on the mark. “Is your child a boy or a girl?” she asked.

  Marshall swiveled to stare at her, his mouth agape and shock flaring in blue eyes that appeared the same shade as that stunning lake.

  “What? Why would you ask that?”

  He didn’t immediately tell her he had neither, she couldn’t help but notice. “It was just a guess. I’m right, though, aren’t I?”

  He turned back to the water, his features stony. She could feel the tension rippling off him just like the water behind that small group of geese and regret pinched at her.

  On impulse, she reached out and touched his arm, a gesture of apology and comfort. “You don’t have to answer. I’m sorry. That was intrusive and rude.”

  His gaze shifted to her hand on the arm of his blazer. When he looked up, his eyes were murky with turmoil. Indecision? Regret? She couldn’t tell.

  “I have a son,” he finally said, his voice hesitant. “He’s thirteen now and has no idea I’m his father.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  SHE HELD HER BREATH, struck by not only his words but the pain she clearly sensed behind them.

  He had a son. Thirteen years old.

  A son who didn’t know Marshall was his father. He was a serious man who took his responsibilities very seriously. He took cold cases home with him to study while on sick leave for a broken leg! She couldn’t imagine that he would have refused to take responsibility for a child.

  “How long have you known about your...son? Did his mother not tell you she was pregnant?” It was the only explanation that made sense.

  He had the distinct look of a man who regretted opening his mouth. “I wish I could take that easy way out. I knew. She—the mother—contacted me when she was six months along and told me about the baby but claimed she didn’t think it was mine. In the same breath she asked me to sign away all paternal rights, just in case.

  “And you agreed?”

  He flashed her a look as if searching for condemnation, but she purposely kept her features as bland as her voice.

  She wasn’t naive or stupid. She knew about extenuating circumstances, about one-night stands and relationships that
didn’t work out.

  At the same time, she had been a child of a single mother, never given the chance to know anything about her own father. A little corner of her heart would always ache from the loss.

  “I didn’t want to. I refused the first and second time. We could wait until a DNA test to make any decisions, I said.”

  “You didn’t wait?”

  He sighed. “It felt like an impossible situation. I was twenty-one years old and deployed in Iraq. All the communication between us was via email when I could manage it and a few hurried satellite phone conversations. She happened to be a few weeks away from marrying a man who thought the baby was his. Apparently they were engaged when we were...together, which I swear I didn’t know. She thought the baby was his, too, but if there was a chance, even a slim one, she wanted me to sign away any future rights before they were married. She wanted everything neat and clean. That’s just how she was.”

  If the woman wanted neat and clean, maybe she shouldn’t have slept with one man when she was engaged to another, Andie thought caustically.

  “She didn’t come out and say it, but I knew she didn’t want me showing up one day after I got back to the States and messing up her happy little family.”

  What kind of woman would pressure a man serving his country in dangerous conditions to give up rights to a child he might have helped create?

  “She and I, uh, didn’t really have a relationship. Just a quick fling. I was stationed in San Diego and a couple buddies and I went out one night. In one of those weird coincidences, I happened to bump into her at a bar. She was from Lake Haven, though several years older than me. I’ll admit, I was a little homesick and nervous about shipping out and we just...hooked up for a crazy long weekend. It wasn’t anything serious and we both knew it. Hell, it obviously wasn’t serious, since she never got around to telling me about her rich, important fiancé until six months later.”

  Andie was beginning to seriously dislike the woman.

  “I figured I’d never see her again, you know? Unless we happened to bump into each other at Lake Haven Days, anyway.”