Rookie K-9 Unit Christmas

by Valerie Hansen

  “I love you, too,” Josie said, grinning against the headache that threatened to explode. “I need me some of your mama’s good strong coffee.”

  “She’s making pancakes and sausages,” Ricky said.

  Josie wondered if she’d be able to eat a bite. Her whole body ached from tossing and turning, and her eyes burned from lack of sleep.

  Two of the boys whizzed by, loaded with electronic devices.

  “They are so lame,” Bryson, the oldest, said from his perch at the big kitchen island. He looked up at Josie with earnest eyes. “I like Maisy. She’s cool.”

  That got Josie’s attention. “Are you two friends?”

  “I see her at school and...at the day care.”

  Josie tried not to show her interest. “She’s a sweet little girl.”

  Bryson shrugged. “Yeah, she’s okay.”

  He got up and headed for the den, nonchalance written all over his face.

  “I think he has a crush on Maisy,” Marilyn whispered as she handed Josie a cup of coffee. “How’d you sleep, honey?”

  “Not so good,” Josie replied. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  “If it’s too much stress, it might be a good idea to cancel the party.”

  Josie had thought about this and prayed all night. “How can we risk the children’s safety for a party? It wouldn’t be right.”

  “Maybe the threats will stop,” her aunt said. “They shot at you when you were with a police officer.”

  “But they wrote on the fence. Bold. And Dalton thinks they’ll keep at it.”

  “You and Dalton—”

  “Are just friends,” Josie said, the coffee warming her insides. “He expects me to take good care of Maisy while she’s at the day care, and based on a conversation we had last night, I’m afraid he thinks I can’t do that now.”

  “I’m sure he’s worried,” Marilyn said. She dished up fluffy pancakes and dashed each with red and green candy sprinkles. “Boys, your breakfast is ready.”

  “Where’s Daddy?” Andy asked as he slammed up onto a barstool.

  “Checking on things at the garage before he comes back to take you all Christmas shopping.”

  Josie enjoyed the extra time with her cousins and nibbled on a pancake and had a bite of sausage. When her cell rang, she got up and gave her aunt an apologetic shrug. Then she hurried to the enclosed porch on the back of the sprawling house.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi,” Dalton said. “Listen, can we meet for coffee or something?”

  * * *

  She sighed and stared out at the backyard where her uncle Jack had built an impressive treehouse around a towering pine tree. Maybe if she and Dalton had a conversation away from everything and everyone, they’d be able to communicate regarding Maisy’s well-being. She had to be sure. “Where do you want to meet?”

  “How about the Cactus Café? They have pretty good coffee.”

  “Okay, I’ll meet you there in about half an hour.”

  When she turned, her aunt was standing in the doorway. “Dalton?”

  “Yes. He wants to meet for coffee. To discuss things.”

  “Uh-huh. Well, that’s good. Do you need a ride?”

  “No. I’ll take your car if you don’t mind.”

  “Text me when you get there,” Marilyn said. Then she heard a crash in the kitchen followed by “Mom’s gonna be mad.”

  Marilyn groaned and hurried to check on her boys.

  * * *

  Josie’s nerves tightened when she rode by the day care. Slowing, she checked the front for any signs of an intruder, but was relieved to see a police car sitting in the parking lot.

  Then she checked her rearview mirror to make sure no one was following her. It was a cold wintry Saturday with light traffic. Safe so far.

  When she pulled up to the Cactus Café, she saw Dalton and Luna waiting patiently by the older-model police car he’d been temporarily issued.

  “Where’s Maisy?” she asked when she got out of the car.

  “A friend invited her to a Christmas party at the church, so she decided to go,” he said. “So much for my plans to spend some quality time with her. But at least it gives me some time to talk to you privately right now.”

  She nodded, wondering what was coming. “I’m sure being with other kids her age at church will do her good,” Josie said. Then she stopped short, a hand to her mouth. “And I told myself I wouldn’t give unsolicited advice to you anymore.”

  He shook his head and glanced around the parking lot. “About that, I really am sorry...” Lifting away from his car, he added, “Last night was tough all the way around.”

  Feeling contrite for doubting him, she said, “Buy me a cup of coffee, Officer, and you can tell me all about it.”

  * * *

  Relieved that Josie was willing to listen to his excuses for being so rude, Dalton found them a booth and ordered two coffees and a couple of cinnamon rolls. “You were right. Maisy is holding a lot of anxiety inside that brain of hers.”

  “I’m sorry,” Josie said. “I was trying to help, and I made things worse.”

  “No, you opened my eyes to what was right in front of me. I know she’s still grieving. We both are. But Maisy has it in her head that neither of us did enough to save her mother. Hard to swallow and really hard to explain to a child.”

  “I can’t imagine how tough it must be. It’s horrible to lose a loved one, but for a child to lose a parent, it must be a hundred times worse. I didn’t want to interfere, and when she’d say something random to me, I thought if I listened to her, it would help.”

  “What exactly did she say to you?”

  Josie took a sip of her coffee, her eyes full of sympathy.

  “The other day while you were checking outside she said it was up to her to take care of you.”

  “Wow.” Dalton’s heart cracked a little more. “That’s a big responsibility for such a little girl. But it makes sense now that I know she felt responsible for her mother’s death.”

  “Exactly.” She took in a deep breath. “I wanted to talk to you about it, but all of these weird things keep happening and...I couldn’t find the right time.”

  “And I’m too stubborn to listen to someone who’s with my daughter practically every day. I’m sorry.”

  Her forgiving eyes gave him hope. “You have a lot on your mind, so don’t apologize.”

  Dalton pointed to the cinnamon rolls. “Peace offering?” She smiled, and his heart rolled over and started a fast beat.

  “I nibbled at a pancake at my aunt’s house. I couldn’t eat when I first got up, so now I’m hungry.”

  “Have at it,” he said, relief washing over him.

  “Now that we’ve settled that,” she said between bites, “I want to hear if the chief’s call had anything to do with my stalker. Whitney said she’d fill you in on last night’s intruder.”

  “She did,” he said. “I don’t like it.”

  “What are you not telling me, Dalton?”

  “Eat up,” he said, amazed at her intuitive nature. “Let’s enjoy this quiet time together before we step back into the fray.”

  He didn’t want to ruin the moment with the information the chief had given him. He’d tell her about that later.

  And he didn’t want to tell her that he’d done a thorough search regarding her mother-in-law. A search that had revealed some very surprising news.

  TEN

  They walked around a trail that wound through a small park near the town center, the sun warm on their skin even with the frosty temperature. Bright lights twinkled on the lamp posts scattered throughout the walkway, and red bows adorned an open-air square pergola near a small man-made brook. A decorated tree sparkling with co
lorful lights completed the festive atmosphere.

  Josie’s mood had changed now that she understood what had happened last night. Maybe she’d been right to blurt out her concerns regarding Maisy, since it had forced Dalton to have that talk with his daughter.

  But now, she was itching to find out what was going on in his mind. Something had him stewing.

  “A storm is coming in the next few days,” Dalton said, his hand light on Luna’s leash. “We might get snow for Christmas.”

  Josie grinned and shot him a quick glance. “That would make Maisy happy.”

  He turned to stare at her. “And what would make you happy?”

  Surprised at the intensity of that question, Josie drew back. “Honestly, right now I’d like to feel safe again. I thought I was building a good life here. I work hard, and I love what I do. I don’t want to disappoint anyone, and I don’t want to be forced to leave a place I’ve come to love.”

  He studied her, his eyes moving over her in a way that left her soul stripped of any facades. “You won’t have to leave. I’ll make sure of that.”

  “I hope I can make sure of that, too. I hope my reputation will hold through all of this.”

  He lifted her chin with his thumb. “So if everything were okay? I mean, if none of this was happening and I called you out of the blue to go to dinner, how would that make you feel?”

  Josie stared up at him and saw the burning question in his gray eyes. Was he asking her permission to...take things to a new level between them? She wouldn’t lie to him, so she took a deep breath and gathered her courage. “That would make me feel very happy, Officer West.”

  He leaned toward her, his expression full of determination and demand. The pines swayed in a soft wind, causing her blue scarf to lift and flow out around her shoulders. While the air around them was crisp, the warmth in his eyes made her feel safe and comfortable. Too comfortable. But the longing in her soul couldn’t be denied.

  Josie waited, wondering how his lips would feel on hers.

  “And how would you feel if I told you I’d like to kiss you?”

  Her whole system buzzed to life. “I...I...uh...think I’d like that, too.”

  He moved closer and touched his lips to hers in a sweet, slow exploration that made Josie blush all the way to her toes.

  Satisfied, he stepped back and gave her a smile that sizzled her bootstraps. “Okay, then.”

  Regaining her momentum, she asked, “Are you finished...interrogating me?”

  “Not quite, but it’s a start.”

  He guided her, holding a hand on her elbow. “But now we can talk about your situation. I don’t know who’s sending you the threatening messages, but I can tell you one thing for sure, Josie. It’s not your mother-in-law.”

  * * *

  Dalton saw the shock registering on her face. Pointing to a bench, he guided her over and waited for her to sit down.

  “What did you find out?” she asked, her hands twisting against her knit scarf. “And why didn’t you lead with this?”

  “First, I did a search and made some calls from home this morning and, second, we needed a break from all that.” His gaze moved over her face and settled on her lips. “And I don’t regret that decision.”

  She met his gaze, her expression full of apprehension and caution. “Okay. Go on.”

  “According to the people I talked to in Pine Cone this morning, your mother-in-law, Janine Callahan, had a stroke and she’s been in an assisted living facility for at least six months.”

  Josie put a hand to her lips. “I had no idea. I didn’t keep in touch.”

  Dalton nodded. “Understandable, but this means we can rule her out. She can barely speak, according to the woman I talked to in the sheriff’s department.”

  “Did you tell this woman why you were calling?”

  “I was discreet,” he said. “I know what I’m doing.”

  Josie sank back on the bench. “Poor Janine.”

  “That leaves the brother. He moves around a lot. He’s not in Louisiana, though.”

  “I can’t see Randall going to all this trouble.”

  “Well, somebody is. I checked out your husband’s coworkers, too. Two of them still work at the refinery and have solid alibis. The third one, Perry Wilcox, is no longer employed there. I’m still trying to locate him.”

  “Wow, you’ve sure been busy.”

  He stood. “Yep. I have to go and pick up Maisy. I’ll walk you to your aunt’s car.” Offering her a hand, he held Luna’s leash and waited for Josie to turn back toward the town center. “This was nice.”

  “Yes. And you were right. I needed some downtime.” She gave him a serious look. “What do you recommend I do about the party? The children have been anticipating it for weeks, and the parents need me to be there while they finish up work and shopping before the holidays. But I don’t want to endanger anyone.”

  Dalton thought about his conversation with Whitney.

  “I’ll clear it with the chief to have myself and some other officer on the premises for the next three days.”

  “You’d do that?”

  He saw the hope in her eyes. “I’ll make it happen. And I think I know a way.” He reiterated what he and Whitney planned—keep a K-9 officer on the premises at least for the next few days. “I think you need to alert the parents that you’ve received some concerning mail. Reassure them that you’ll have protection for the near future.”

  She stopped at the end of the path. “Thank you, Dalton. I’ve relied on your advice throughout this nightmare, and I’ll never forget how you’ve helped me.”

  “Hey, it’s my job,” he said, but when he saw the disappointment in her eyes, he tugged her close. “And you, Josie. It’s you, too.” Deciding to lay it all on the line, he added, “I was worried about Maisy, but she loves you, and I think you’ve been a good influence over her. I was worried about work, but that will take care of itself. I was still grieving but...that won’t bring back my wife. I need to move on with my life, and...I’d be crazy if I didn’t let you know that...I’d like to have you in my life. We don’t have to rush anything but we at least should...try.”

  He watched as tears misted in her eyes. “Are you sure about that, Dalton? You’re not fixating on me, are you? You and Maisy have been through a lot. I need you to be sure. And we haven’t even talked about you leaving after Christmas.”

  “I’m pretty sure,” he said, knowing his heart. “I knew it the minute I met you. It’s not a fix. It’s real. I’d like to see what happens with us. I don’t have to take the assignment in Flagstaff.”

  She looked awestruck. “Really? But how can you be so sure about me?”

  “Really. You were holding a little newborn baby. I saw the tenderness in your expression.”

  “Dalton.”

  His name on her lips in that sweet way told him she felt the same. But he had to ask. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m beginning to hope,” she said. “But—”

  “But we have to get past this thing and decide what happens next, right?”

  “Right.” She pulled away and glanced toward her car. “I hope we’ll figure this out soon and then—”

  She stopped and pointed. “Dalton.”

  The sweetness in her voice had changed to distress.

  He turned and checked her car.

  A flat tire on the front left side and a message scrawled in red on her windshield.

  Sacrifices and burnt offerings.

  Dalton let out a breath. “How did he manage this in broad daylight?”

  Josie stood staring at her car. Then her words sent a chill rushing through Dalton.

  “That’s taken from Exodus. A sacrifice to the Lord, according to Moses.”

  The sound of gunshots hit t
he air. One, two, rapid and sure. Dalton tugged Josie to the ground and held his body over hers. “I think he’s trying to make you the sacrifice,” he said in Josie’s ear, his gun drawn.

  * * *

  “Finally, somebody saw something,” Dalton said as he got back inside his patrol car where Josie was waiting.

  Thankfully, there had been a witness. A woman getting out of her car across from the restaurant had noticed the guy leaving the message, and she’d ducked down when he raised the rifle and started firing. Dalton had seen her watching after the patrol cars had zoomed in, and when he’d questioned her, she’d delivered a good description.

  “And she got a good a glimpse of him driving away in a dark-colored sedan,” Josie said.

  “A man with a beard, skinny and wearing sunshades.”

  Josie kept staring out into the parking lot. “A man who managed to slash a tire and leave me another cryptic message. A man who obviously carries a big knife or something that can penetrate a tire and a gun that he knows how to use.”

  That concerned Dalton more than he wanted to let on. This person was getting closer with each act. And carrying yet another weapon that he could use on Josie.

  “And he also left a can of spray paint that we’re having analyzed. So we have a full report, and an eyewitness who caught him in the act and watched him drive away.”

  Josie got out of the car and tugged at her scarf. “But she didn’t see the license plate number. And I don’t know anyone who fits that description. Randall Callahan is hefty and short. It can’t be him.”

  Dalton wanted to make her see how the evidence was stacking up. “She said skinny, not tall. Maybe Randall lost weight.”

  “But how can we prove it’s him?”

  “I’m running checks to find his last known location, and we’ll go from there,” Dalton said. “The rest is paperwork and making sure we have all the accurate information, which we do. I’m still trying to locate Perry Wilcox, too.”

  “Okay.”

  Dalton and a bystander had changed the flat tire and put on the spare. They’d searched around the slashed tire but hadn’t produced any evidence. A team was searching the parking lot for anything they could send to ballistics. Dalton wasn’t holding his breath on finding any DNA or prints. But Luna had alerted and followed the scent two parking spaces over, near a trash bin. She’d emitted the same low growl he’d witnessed when they’d found the old, abandoned car.