by T. F. Walsh
By the time Nikki woke up, the room was empty. It seemed unusually dark until she remembered the wood covering the windows. She turned over, saw the indentation in the pillow, and frowned. She’d had another of her nightmares, one she couldn’t remember beyond the fact it had left her emotionally drained. This wasn’t the first night he’d held her in his arms until she fell asleep once more. She was grateful he never mentioned that fact nor the dreams the next day. She didn’t want to dwell on those terrifying events, and he was just being a friend by helping her through them.
A momentary twinge of pain in her finger made her wince, and she caught a vague memory of a finger sitting on the gray floor, but the image vanished quickly. No other memories had returned to her the way they had when she’d first seen Jason’s painting. He wanted her to sign it for him, and she would as soon as she had the right brush and paint to do so.
She stretched and pushed off the blankets. Mandy’s cot was empty, the covers pulled up indicating someone other than Cassie had tidied it. She sat on the side of the bed. She was getting stronger every day.
She stood and went to take a shower. The ability to do so was something she’d never take for granted again. Clean and dressed in a blue track suit, her feet in the leather moccasins Jason had brought her from Boulder, she pushed her walker into the main living area. Mandy’s chatter from the kitchen told her where she’d find the others, but she was surprised to see only Jason and Mandy at the table playing cards.
“Go fish,” Mandy said and giggled.
“Where’s everybody?”
“Mommy! You’re awake.” The puppy jumped up at Mandy’s words and ran over to her jumping up and down, begging her to pick him up. She did and scratched the small animal between the ears.
“Good morning, sweetheart. Is there coffee?”
“Coming right up. To answer your question, Cassie’s still upstairs resting. We didn’t expect you up so early. It’s not even eight. Angie and Troy are asleep, and Nathan’s checking the fuel in the generator. We lost power around five. By the way, I think we might have a pro here. Mandy’s beating the pants off me at cards.”
Nikki winked. “I think she has incredible luck.” She sat at the end of the table, and Jason placed a cup of coffee, doctored the way she liked it, in front of her.
“Breakfast is simple this morning. Cassie made muffins, and we’ve got cereal.”
“I don’t like cereal,” Mandy screwed up her face, “especially not the bird seed kind with the warmed up milk that Daddy made us eat.”
Nikki shivered. Indistinct images of Sam yelling at her because of the children filled her mind. She shook the thoughts away. “Bird seed cereal sounds yummy, but I’ll pass, too. Assuming you have something other than that, what’s on the menu?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea.” Jason walked over to the pantry and opened the door. “I can see instant oatmeal, some stuff with raisins in it, and another with marshmallows.”
“I’ll have instant oatmeal, but I’m pretty sure Mandy will have the marshmallow one.”
“You remembered!” Mandy giggled and whispered, “It was a secret.”
What kind of hellhole had home been if she’d had to hide the kids’ cereal?
“No, sweetie, I didn’t remember, I just guessed.”
“You’re a good guesser, Mommy.”
Nikki smiled, set Danny on the floor, and turned to Jason who was putting the oatmeal in the microwave. “How bad is the storm?”
“We’ve got about a foot on the ground now, and the forecast calls for another sixteen inches. Schools are closed, secondary roads aren’t plowed, and the authorities are asking people to stay put. Power lines are down in a few areas, and they’ll stay down until the storm’s over. On the bright side, it’s twenty-five degrees outside. When this lets up, we’ve got first class snowman-making weather. ”
Mandy clapped her hands. “Can Mommy come out and build a snowman, too?”
“That’ll be up to Cassie and Nathan.” They make the decisions where your mom’s concerned.”
Nikki doubted she’d have the strength to play in the snow nor the coordination to stay upright.
“Tell you what. You can have a snowman making competition, and I’ll be the judge.”
“That works for me.” Jason placed the hot cereal on the table in front of her. “Now, eat up, ladies. It’s going to be a long day.”
• • •
The snow continued to fall throughout the day. Nikki sat next to Mandy watching another princess movie on the computer. The laptop’s battery was strong and movies would keep the child occupied. As much as she might want to play in the snow, there was no way Jason would allow her outside until well after the storm let up. They’d have to do a thorough perimeter sweep. No one on the protection detail would get much sleep until this was over. The only consolation to weather like this was that it was as bad for the enemy as it was for them.
Jason bent slightly to whisper in Nikki’s ear. “Can you come into the other room? The munchkin will be okay with Cassie. I got a call from Brad a little while ago.”
She frowned. “Bad news?”
He indicated Mandy, and Nikki nodded. She rose, making her way to the walker.
“Here, let me carry you. You’ve been on your feet all day. I’m sure you’re tired.”
“I haven’t been the one outside shoveling a path to the garage every hour.”
“I’ve only done it twice.” He picked her up and carried her into his small office where he set her down on the chair, while he sat on the edge of the desk. He’d have liked to have sat with her on his lap, but if he was going to let this friendship of theirs change, he’d have to do it slowly.
She placed her left hand on the desk and looked up at him. He could read the anxiety in her eyes and didn’t know if what he was going to tell her would make things better or worse.
He placed his hand on hers and felt her tremble slightly as she had when he’d pulled her into his arms last night. He wished he could make those horrible nightmares go away. Maybe once this threat was over, she’d feel safe again, and they’d ease up and give her some peace. Something about last night’s dream had been different. Before she’d been frightened, but this time, she’d been upset. He wondered if perhaps the nightmare had been about the attack, but all she remembered was something shining brightly and roses. The roses could be a memory—the sight of the petals in the blood had haunted him often enough, but the shiny object was a mystery.
He’d lain beside her and cradled her until she’d fallen asleep, and he’d eventually drifted off. His wrist alarm had awakened him at six, and he’d had the hard-on-from-Hell. Thank God Nikki had stayed asleep.
“Are you going to tell me something, or are you just going to stare at my hand?” She laughed softly, but her nervousness was evident.
“Sorry, I was wool gathering. You know the team’s been looking into Thomas Lincoln’s business activities. It seems that not all his business partners are as squeaky clean as they seem. When you peel back the rind, you find the fruit’s a little rotten. Thomas has invested heavily in manufacturing in Mexico with a company that’s apparently a front for the Ortega crime syndicate. Ortega’s had dealings with the Scarletti family. We think that’s why your father was convinced there wasn’t anything to worry about. Why would his business partners want to hurt his daughter? And remember to him and them, you’re still his daughter. On the other hand, he could have asked if there was a contract and been told, no.”
Nikki’s brow was furrowed and she chewed her lower lip, a gesture Jason realized she made when she was nervous. “Then The Butcher isn’t after me? Thomas was right? All of this was for nothing?”
Jason nodded. “It doesn’t look as if Vincent Scarletti could’ve ordered it. He’s in the hospital, and Luciano Melvici has taken over the reins of the organization. The last thing the new capo wants is Interpol breathing down his neck. He’s made it clear that he didn’t order this assassination, but h
is sources confirmed The Butcher was hired for the deed. They don’t know by whom.”
“If it isn’t the mob, who wants us dead?”
Jason read confusion and fear on her face. He squeezed her hand to offer comfort. “I wish I knew the answer to that question.”
“What about the ring?”
“We haven’t given up on it yet. That ring had to be made by someone, and I still think it’s the key to this whole thing.”
Jason saw Nikki tremble and stood, pulling her up as he did. His arms enfolded her and he held her tightly to his chest.
“Don’t worry. Nothing’s changed. You’re as safe today as you were yesterday. I won’t let The Butcher get to you. Scarletti may not have ordered the hit, but someone did.” He pressed his lips against her brow. She didn’t pull away.
Chapter Fifteen
Nikki stood at the window, watching Mandy and Jason make snow angels in the freshly fallen snow. Despite everything, she loved it here in the mountains and would stay here for the rest of her days if she could. If things were different between her and Jason, she could see them coming back regularly. She couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to celebrate Christmas with a tall tree in front of the windows where the ceiling was open to the A-frame’s top rafters. She closed her eyes and imagined the scent of fresh pine and sugar cookies. Is it so wrong to want those kinds of memories?
She glanced in front of the fireplace where an exhausted Danny lay in his basket. The puppy had tried valiantly to keep up with his mistress, but after ten minutes, Jason had brought the poor thing to the door.
“I think this little guy needs to stay inside,” he’d laughed. “We’ll lose him in the drifts.”
She’d carried the family’s newest member to his blanket, and he hadn’t budged since.
She’d awakened with a headache this morning. It had taken two analgesics to ease the pain. Nathan had checked her over carefully, but she knew the reason for her discomfort. She’d had another of her vicious nightmares last night, and even though Jason had held her almost all night long, she’d been afraid to close her eyes. She remembered some of the images vividly; in fact, she couldn’t get them out of her mind.
There were two hideous monsters—a bald one she saw clearly and a shadowy faceless demon who seemed to shift in size. She glanced down at the drawing she’d just completed, unsure of what was part of the dream and what came from the information about that night Jason had told her. One creature stood in a pool of blood, and the body on the floor at his feet had to be her son Danny. The creature’s face was badly scarred, and he wore a diamond earring. Hatred distorted the face—hers or the monster’s she didn’t know. The other figure resembled the Grim Reaper.
She shoved the sketch back into her art pad and placed it on a high shelf where Mandy wouldn’t see it. She’d show the picture to Jason tonight after the child was asleep.
Mandy had given up on the snow angels and was in the process of burying Jason. Nathan was out there, too, checking the generator. Angie and Troy were checking the perimeter. The storm might have passed, but they were still without power. The devices Troy’s man had planted needed to be checked to make sure they still worked.
“I see they’re having fun.” Cassie handed her a cup of hot chocolate.
Nikki sniffed the air appreciatively. “What smells so good?”
“Chocolate chip cookies. Baking takes my mind off being stuck here. Jason said it’s okay since power should be restored shortly.”
“I know what you mean. I drew a bit. Cabin fever, I guess. I can’t wait to get outside, too.”
“Nathan thinks you can go out for a short time tomorrow if the wind eases up and the sun’s out. Can I see your drawing?” She pointed to the painting above the fireplace. “You’re an incredibly talented artist. I look at it, and I swear I can hear the surf hitting the rocks.”
Nikki reached for the sketch pad, hiding the image of demons between the back pages, and instead opened the tablet to the one she’d made earlier of Mandy and Jason building snow people. They’d made three of them—each one smaller than the previous one. Nathan had been sent in for the necessary accoutrements—carrots for noses, buttons from Cassie’s sewing box for eyes, and red yarn for mouths.
“This is beautiful,” Cassie said admiring the sketch. “I can’t believe how well you captured the emotions on their faces. I love the sappy smiles on the snowmen. Jason’s quite a guy, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is. I owe him my life and Mandy’s. We’ve become friends. I hope we can keep it up after this is over.”
Cassie chuckled softly. “I think you guys have a lot more going here than friendship. He’s great daddy material.” She put up her hand to stop Nikki from commenting. “I know, this isn’t the time or the place, and you’re newly widowed whether you remember your husband or not. Even after this threat is over, you’ll have a lot to deal with in the next few months—I heard you guys talking about Thomas Lincoln. Man, I didn’t like that guy from the moment I saw him. You’re going to need someone to help you get through all that, and I think Jason’s the right person for the task. I heard him tell Nathan he had vacation time coming to him when this was over, and he might stay in Larosa for a while. You did say you were going back to your home there, didn’t you?”
Nikki nodded.
“People are brought together by all sorts of things. Just because a horrible thing brought you into one another’s lives, doesn’t mean something good can’t come of it. I think you two make a great team, and Mandy likes him. If kids and dogs like a guy, he’s got to be a keeper.”
Cassie hadn’t said anything she hadn’t thought herself, but she wasn’t sure Jason wanted their relationship to change. Mandy had already broached the daddy question at bedtime a couple of nights ago.
“Mommy, since my old daddy is in Heaven, can Jason be my new daddy?”
Nikki had felt her cheeks heat. Jason, still standing in the room waiting to help her back to the sofa, had cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Honey, getting a new daddy is a little more complicated than getting a puppy. One special thing at a time, okay?” she’d said before Jason could comment, afraid in the moment he’d say something to hurt the child.
Which was actually rather silly of her. Jason had been extremely kind, caring, and patient with the little girl who could be quite dictatorial at times.
Before Mandy could comment on her strange answer, the puppy had yipped, as if saying good night, jumped off Nikki’s lap, and settled into his bed. Mandy had fallen asleep before Nikki had read more than a few pages of the bedtime story her daughter had chosen.
“She’s a great kid,” Jason had said as he settled Nikki on the sofa once more. “She’s got quite the imagination.”
“I’m sorry if her question upset you.”
“It didn’t upset me. I was afraid it had upset you.” He’d handed her a glass of wine and they’d watched a movie, but Nikki had been unable to concentrate on the story, her mind focused on Mandy’s question and Jason’s comment.
“I think Jason’s had enough of being buried,” Cassie said bringing her back to the present and what was happening outside. He was covered in sticky snow from head to toe. It clung to his jacket, pants, and knitted cap. He must have called it quits when Mandy had tried to bury his head. She sighed. Was that how the thought of a deeper relationship made him feel—smothered? Trapped? Buried alive? She shuddered.
Jason shook the snow off himself, flinging it at Mandy in the process, as if tossing mini snowballs. The sight pulled Nikki out of her retrospective mood, and she laughed. He noticed her and Cassie standing in the window and tossed a fistful of snow at them. Nikki ducked playfully and turned away.
“Come on. We can make hot chocolate for the Abominable Snowman and his companion. Are those cookies ready?” Nikki moved toward the kitchen area, Cassie following in her wake.
The sound of the back door opening told her they’d made it inside. The kettle whistled, and Nikki tu
rned off the burner. She filled two mugs with water and hot chocolate mix. By the time Mandy and Jason got undressed and hung everything up, the chocolate would be cool enough to drink. She reached into the tin of miniature marshmallows and added a few to each cup.
Mandy raced into the room, her cheeks red from the outdoors.
“I had the best time, Mommy. Did you see what I made?”
“I did. Those are some of the nicest snowmen I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s us. That’s Jason, you, and me. He’s the biggest one.”
Nikki laughed. “I can see the resemblance now that you mention it. You’re certainly an accomplished snowman maker. The little one looks just like you.”
In truth, all the creations were identical except for the size of the snowballs used, the length of carrot serving as a nose, and the different colored knit caps and scarves.
“You did a wonderful job. I’ll bet you’ll be hungry come suppertime.”
“I’m hungry now, and I smell cookies,” she giggled.
“Only two. I don’t want you to spoil your supper.”
“Do I get some, too?” Jason asked coming into the kitchen. His cheeks were as rosy as Mandy’s and he’d never looked better. Desire pooled in Nikki’s stomach.
“I think you earned your share.” Nikki looked away to hide the heat in her cheeks, and Cassie’s words came back to her. She glanced over her shoulder at the little girl and the man sitting side by side, chocolate and marshmallow foam decorating their upper lips. With their similar coloring, they could pass for father and daughter. The thought unnerved her.
“Did you like our snow angels?” Mandy asked, sneaking a third cookie off the plate.
“I did, and so did Cassie. You make lovely angels. I also saw you burying Jason in the snow. I’m glad you had fun, sweetie.”
Jason tugged gently on Mandy’s pigtail. “You can bury me any day, munchkin. Just remember to dig me out again.” The words and the gesture went straight to Nikki’s heart.
• • •
Jason was finishing his second cup of cocoa when his cell phone rang, startling them all. He looked at the caller ID and stood.
