“So,” Bryce said, “what’s this I hear about decorating a Christmas tree?”
Mia’s face brightened. “It’s all ready. Lolly saved the popcorn from last night—well, most of it—and Gage and Jessica are trying really hard not to eat the rest of it.”
Bryce raised a brow. “Just Gage and Jessica?”
“Well... I might be trying pretty hard, too.” Another giggle escaped her.
“Then I guess we need to get down there.”
“Are you going to help?”
“If that’s okay with you.”
“Of course. The more the merrier, my mommy always says.”
He looked up and met her eyes. She tried not to blush, ordered herself not to, but the heat crept into her cheeks anyway.
“Does she, now?”
“Yes, but you have to bring Sasha.”
“Well, then, how can I refuse?”
Apparently, he couldn’t.
Together, the three of them walked over to her parents’ side of the house and found her mother in the kitchen, popping more popcorn. “Hi, Mom, look who’s here to help decorate the tree.”
Her mother turned from the microwave, gasped, and threw her arms open as she hurried to him. “Bryce!”
He hugged her. “Hello, Mrs. Hollis.”
“I’m so glad you’re home.” She leaned back and cupped his cheek as he looked down at her. “And I’m so sorry about Frank.”
“We all are.”
“More popcorn, Mom?” Jade asked.
“The other didn’t last very long.” She let Bryce go and returned to the microwave to pull out a yummy-smelling bag.
“I’m sure it didn’t.” Jade clasped her hands and looked at Mia. “Well, now, how about a little tree decorating?”
“I’ll get Gage and Jessica,” Mia said. “They’re in the playroom.” She darted down the hallway and soon returned with the twins. “This is Bryce,” Mia told them. “He’s Mommy’s friend.”
Gage studied him from under lowered lashes and Jessica frowned at him, but said, “Hi.”
Jade forced some cheer in her voice. “All right, little people, let’s have some fun.” Mia cheered, Gage smiled and Jessica giggled.
Jade led the way into the den, and Mia picked up the remote and aimed it at the stereo system sitting on the bookshelf. Soon, Christmas music filled the house and ornaments hung from the tree. The children’s faces beamed, and Bryce seemed to be enjoying himself.
Even Gage had gotten over his initial shyness and let Bryce lift him to place an ornament on a top branch.
Guilt slammed her that she was enjoying this time with her family while Heather was grieving. She should be there with her. She should be looking for Frank’s killer. She should be doing something.
Bryce caught her eye and she gave him a tight smile. He raised a brow, and then his expression softened. “It’s okay,” he mouthed. Her heart settled a fraction. He was right. These kids needed her, and they deserved a happy Christmas.
When it was done, Jade stepped back to admire their work. “It’s perfect, you guys.”
“Hit the lights, Pop,” Gage said.
The overhead lights went off and the multicolored bulbs covering the tree twinkled merrily.
Jessica walked over to hug her. “Thank you for this,” the child said softly. “Even if this is all there is, it’s already the best Christmas ever.”
Jade’s heart splintered, and she squeezed the little girl to her and kissed the top of her head. “I totally agree with that.” Today had been a teaser, a sampling of what could be. And hit home it was exactly what she wanted. Her gaze went to Bryce, and the longing intensified. “All right, everyone. Dig in to the leftover popcorn.”
Her phone rang as the kids raced to the bowl.
She stepped out into the sunroom for a little privacy. The snow fell on the other side of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and it occurred to her that she was too exposed. If someone were truly trying to kill her, she needed to take more care. She backed into the small alcove where the outdoor storage room was. It faced the house and shielded her from any possible prying eyes. “Hi, Captain.”
“How are you feeling, Jade?”
“Okay.” She just realized she still sounded pretty hoarse. “Not a hundred percent, what with the aches and pains, but I’m all right. What can I do for you?”
“Two things. First, I got a look at that security footage from the shooting. Unfortunately, it doesn’t tell us much. The shooter was thin, and wore a flannel shirt and a green generic ball cap. Looks to be about five-seven or five-eight, but could be a couple of inches taller.”
Or shorter. “So, that’s a dead end.”
“For now.”
“And the second thing?”
“Looks like they’re bringing Swift out of that coma in the morning. If you feel up to it, you want to question him?”
“Of course.”
He paused. “I only met Frank a few times. This isn’t a tiny town where everyone knows everyone, but it’s small enough that I know the majority, and I liked Frank. What was he working on? Do you know?”
“The drug ring, sir. He was trying to figure out who the head person was.” Well, that was true enough. She didn’t see the need in telling him Frank suspected a dirty cop—at least not yet.
“Sounds like he got too close to figuring that out.”
“Yes, sir.”
“CSU couldn’t find a personal laptop, and there wasn’t much on his work computer. His boss said if there was anything on a computer, it would be his personal one. You know where it might be?”
She frowned. He was following this case awfully close. “I don’t kn—Wait a minute. I saw it on that desk in Frank’s den when Bryce and I went looking for him. I even tried to access it, but it was password-protected.”
“I asked Heather and she said she didn’t know where it was. Said Frank must have had it on him when he disappeared.”
“No, that can’t be right. I’ll head over to his house and check.”
“Do that and let me know what you learn from Swift.”
“Will do.”
She hung up and turned to find Bryce watching her through the glass doors. When she returned to the den, she quietly filled him in. “I need to get that laptop. I’m also thinking of going to see Heather.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a great idea. You’ve got security here.”
She bit her lip. True. “All right, then I’m going to ask her to come over here and bring the laptop. She loves the kids. Maybe being around them will... I don’t know...help. Somehow. I can take the laptop in tomorrow on our way to see Swift.”
“It’s worth a shot.” He paused. “And I’d like to go with you in the morning to see Swift.”
Jade frowned. “Why?”
“Because maybe the fact that I kept him alive until the paramedics got there will make a difference in what he tells us.”
“Huh. Good point.”
“Then I can tag along with you?”
“What are you going to do if I say no?”
“Come anyway.”
“That’s what I figured.”
* * *
For the rest of the afternoon, Bryce alternated between watching his phone, checking the windows and playing with the kids—and watching Mia. He’d admit to doing the math in his head and wondering if she could be his. Every so often, he thought he saw a flash of...something...that reminded him of himself.
No, that was crazy. Jade would have told him.
Maybe he should just ask her.
But if Mia wasn’t his, Jade would be horribly offended.
But if she was his...
Why hadn’t Jade told him?
She would have, so obviously Mia wasn’t his.
The turmoil continued to twist inside him
, but he thought he hid it well.
Sasha didn’t seem to be bothered by any kind of anxiety whatsoever. She lounged in front of the fire. Every so often, she’d wander to find the kids, checking to be sure all was well, then return to her spot and settle her nose between her paws.
The snow had stopped for now, but the last update from his weather app said it was supposed to start up again tomorrow.
Jade had slipped into the kitchen a few minutes earlier, and he could hear her on the phone once again. Not wanting to look like he was eavesdropping, but wanting to catch her alone for a few minutes, he slowly made his way into the kitchen.
“All right,” she said. “Thank you for letting me know.” She hung up and dropped her chin to her chest.
“What is it?”
She looked up. “I called Heather and asked her to pick up Frank’s laptop and take it in to the captain.”
“Okay, but that’s not why you’re so pale.”
“The ME beeped in while I was on the phone with Heather. He just...um...finished with... Frank.”
Bryce couldn’t stop the involuntary flinch accompanied by a wave of grief. “And?” he asked.
“And basically, the autopsy confirmed what we already knew. The two gunshots killed him.”
He swallowed and nodded. “What else?”
“There’s no sign of a struggle. No bruises, nothing under his fingernails or on his hands. It’s like he just stood there and let someone pull the trigger.”
“Or he was taken by surprise?”
“Or that. But the bullets went into his chest. He was facing his killer—which, to me, indicates he knew the person.”
“Or at least trusted them.” Bryce shook his head. “We really need to know where he went after he left the church. But we know he made it home because his car is there.”
“Yes, but according to the detectives who’ve been working this, none of the neighbors remember seeing Frank come home. What if whoever killed him drove it there?”
“Then CSU will find something.”
She rubbed hand across her lips and shook her head. “Today’s been great and the kids needed it. If I’m honest, I needed it. My headache has finally eased, and I think my throat is feeling a bit better. Or maybe the ibuprofen is just doing its job, but...”
“But you’re back at it tomorrow,” he finished for her.
“Absolutely. If I didn’t have full confidence in the detectives working the case, I would have been back at it today regardless of my head and throat. But truly, my brain simply won’t stop. I’ve got to figure this out or go crazy.”
He nodded. “Last night, I wrote some stuff down that Frank and I talked about. I keep going back to the day I told him I was coming home.”
“What about it?”
“I sensed some hesitation on his part. Like he wasn’t sure he wanted me to be here.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“I think he was worried I’d come back bitter and angry and disrupt Kristy and the kids’ lives or something. Or maybe yours and Heather’s. Or his and Heather’s. Who knows? Once he realized that wasn’t the case—and he learned I was opening my own private investigation agency—he started acting normal again and wound up asking me if I’d help him with the story he was working on. He figured since no one knew anything about me coming back, I would be the perfect one to do this without arousing suspicion.”
“How did he arrange for you to ride with Dylan?”
“He didn’t. I did.”
She frowned. “But why Dylan?”
“Frank had a list of names and gave them to me. He was looking at four cops in particular. I chose Dylan first because I knew him pretty well and figured once things went well with him, the other officers might not mind having me along so much—or suspect anything out of the ordinary. I just told them I was interested in being a cop and wanted to see how a small-town force worked.” Which actually hadn’t been a complete lie. He had been interested, just aware they’d never hire him because of his leg.
“And you’re just now mentioning this?”
“I wouldn’t have mentioned it at all if Frank wasn’t dead,” he said softly.
“Right.”
“Who are the other three names on the list?”
He pulled the paper from his pocket and handed it to her. She glanced at it and the frown deepened. “You’ve got the captain on here,” she said softly. “My boss.”
“I was going to ask to shadow him next.”
“I know all of them and can’t see any of them being involved in cooperating with this drug ring.”
“I’ve done a little background work on all four of them. To be honest, nothing really set off any alarm bells. I will say that the captain is in some pretty heavy debt from that new house he’s building since he hasn’t sold the old one yet.”
She raised a brow. “He’s building a new house?”
“Yes. A nice big one.”
“Great. But a big house and debt don’t automatically put him in the dirty cop role.”
“I know.”
“But it doesn’t look good.” She sighed. “Still, Captain Colson has a spotless reputation in the department. He worked his way up and is a decorated officer. There’s no way I believe he’s involved.”
Bryce rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t know. All I know is those are the names Frank gave me.”
“Now I really don’t know who to trust.”
“I recommend you keep doing what you’re doing. Talking to who you’re talking to. If you change things now, it could make someone suspicious.”
“Right.”
“I’ll keep digging into the background of the others, too.”
“Mommy!” Mia’s call from the kitchen had Jade pursing her lips.
“That child,” she said. “She only has one volume setting. Loud.”
He smiled. “She’s a great kid. All three of them are.”
“Thanks.” She shook her head. “What is it, Little Bear?”
The sheer love in her eyes sent his stomach twisting into knots. She had a child. And the more he watched them together, Bryce would admit, he was envisioning what it might be like to be a part of that family unit. Having met Mia, the thought wasn’t quite as terrifying as it might have been once upon a time. He cleared his throat and stepped back when Mia burst into the room.
“Lolly and Pop are going out for dinner with friends while they can get through the snow. Can we have pizza for dinner and watch a movie? And can Bryce stay?”
Jade hesitated.
“I’m game if you are,” Bryce said. The words tumbled from his lips before he had time to filter them. What was he doing? She was a mother. He never planned to be a father. The last thing he should be doing is spending time with them. But...he wanted to.
“Ah...sure,” Jade said. “That’s fine, hon.”
Happy squeals filled the room. She darted to Bryce and wrapped her arms around his leg for a hug. “Thank you, Bryce!” Before he could react, she was gone, darting back to the kitchen. “She said yes!”
Bryce shook off the amazing feeling that had come with Mia’s spontaneous affection and wanted to smack himself. He should have left while he had the chance. Now he was committed to spending the evening with Jade and three kids.
Why he found himself smiling, he had no idea.
When thoughts of Frank and the fact that someone might be after Jade for something she knew—but didn’t know she knew—resurfaced, the smile faded, and he placed a hand over his weapon. He didn’t want to use it—but he would if it meant keeping Jade and her family safe.
NINE
Jade stared at the television while her mind whirled. She and Bryce sat on either end of the sofa. Mia had tucked herself up against his side while the twins settled for the beanbags on the floor. Bryce seeme
d quite content to let the little girl snuggle against him, and she caught him casting glances at Mia every so often.
She loved the movie they’d chosen, but she couldn’t seem to focus. Mia’s complete adoration of Bryce threw her. Even the twins had warmed up toward him. When she put the kids to bed, she was going to have to tell him about Mia.
A knock on the door was a welcome distraction. “That’s the pizza!”
The others barely looked away from the screen. Including Bryce. Chuckling, she walked to the door and looked out. And blinked. She threw open the door. “Heather? You came! Get in here out of the cold.”
Once Heather was inside, Jade gathered the woman into a hug. Heather returned it, then stepped back. “I see you’ve got protection out there. What’s going on?”
“Just a precaution.”
While Heather hung her coat on the rack in the corner, Jade explained about the incident at the tree farm.
Her friend gaped. “That’s crazy!”
“Tell me about it. Did you take the laptop over to the captain?”
“No, I couldn’t find it. Which is weird.”
“What’s even more weird is that it was there the day we went looking for him.”
“You went to his house?”
“Bryce and I did. Bryce even suggested Frank’s password would be Heather.”
She huffed a short laugh. “He’d never do something so obvious.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We didn’t figure out the password, but the laptop was there when we left.”
Heather rubbed her head. “I don’t know where it could be, then.” Jade frowned but led her friend into the den. Heather stopped abruptly when she saw the other four.
“Oh no, you didn’t tell me this was like a family night thing. I’m interrupting.” She backed up. “I’m sorry. I’ll just come back later.”
“Absolutely not. We’re going to break out the board games when the movie is over and eat pizza. Join us, please.”
Heather hesitated. Mia got up and ran over to wrap her arms around the woman’s legs. “Stay with us, Aunt Heather. It’ll be fun.”
More hesitation, then Heather sighed and bent to kiss the child’s head. “Well, how can I refuse that?”
Holiday Homecoming Secrets Page 10
