by Terri Reed
“It’s a family recipe,” she said. “Highly guarded.”
He grinned. “Ha! A challenge. I’ll ferret out the secret.”
The front legs of Tyler’s chair dropped to the floor. Tension radiated off him in waves as he shot to his feet. “Someone’s here.”
A knock at the back door punctuated his words.
Wow, how’d he know that?
“Rob!” Colin cried, jumping out of his chair and racing to the door.
“Colin, wait!” Heather hurried after him.
Nathanial snagged Colin by the waist and lifted him off his feet. “Slow up there, speedy.”
Heather hadn’t even seen the man rise out of his seat, let alone beat her son to the door. He carried him to the living room. Within seconds, Nathanial had her son laughing hysterically as the man acted out a story.
Tyler moved to her side while Blake disappeared from the room like a puff of smoke.
Heather frowned at Tyler. “It’s Rob Zane. He’s a longtime employee.”
No doubt he suspected Rob was in on the drug ring, but, then again, she figured Tyler would suspect everyone on the farm.
She hated the thought that one of the farm’s employees could be involved in smuggling drugs and threatening her, let alone her brother’s death.
Especially the man her parents had trusted completely. She wasn’t about to drag Rob into the danger surrounding the farm.
Unless he was already mixed up in it.
The thought shook her to the core.
No. She wouldn’t, couldn’t, believe such a thing. Despite how uncomfortable he made her feel at times, Rob was a God-fearing man. Or at least he had been once. He’d been a friend of her parents for as long as she could remember. Despite the unsubstantiated suspicions that he’d been responsible for the fire that had claimed his family, he deserved the benefit of the doubt from Heather. Didn’t he?
“Heather?” Rob called, sounding worried.
“I have to answer the door,” she said to Tyler. “My parents trust him.”
Though his expression wasn’t pleased, Tyler gave her a sharp nod. His hand rested on his holstered weapon.
Heather opened the door. “Rob, we weren’t expecting you this early.”
He tried to peer around her. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
Was his concern real or a ploy to garner her trust? She stared at the man who’d become a surrogate grandfather to Colin after her parents were killed and searched for the answer to her question. In all honesty, she didn’t know that much about Rob, but she had always trusted him with her son whenever they’d come home for a visit.
Now she wasn’t sure who she could trust.
FOUR
“I thought I saw someone through the window, and I wanted to make sure you were all right,” Rob said.
Tyler tensed, and his “something’s hinky” senses went wild. Rob had been watching the house? Why?
Needing to establish his cover sooner rather than later, Tyler stepped out from behind the door. The man standing on the other side of the door was average in height and build with blond hair. He wore corduroy pants and a thick jean jacket over a black turtleneck and he leaned heavily on a cane.
Horrible scars twisted the flesh of his hands and one side of his face. Empathy crimped Tyler’s gut. He’d read in the dossier about the tragedy the man had suffered, but seeing the evidence... Tyler could only imagine the agony Rob had endured, both physically and emotionally. Enough to need illegal drugs to dull the pain?
“Robbie!” Colin reentered the kitchen at a run and charged at them. Afraid the boy would bowl Rob over—he appeared unsteady on his cane—Tyler snagged Colin with one arm and lifted him to settle him on his hip. Glancing over his shoulder, Tyler saw Nathanial slip out the front door on Blake’s heels.
“Mr. Tyler, this is Mr. Robbie. He takes care of the Christmas Village.” Colin patted Tyler’s chest, having no idea of the turmoil he was causing inside Tyler. Holding the boy in his arms as if he were the child’s parent made Tyler’s heart ache in ways he’d never experienced. “Mr. Tyler’s a friend of—”
“Mine,” Heather interjected, cutting off her son’s words. “My new business partner, to be exact.”
Appreciating Heather’s quick thinking, Tyler held out his hand to the other man. “Hello, Rob. I’m Tyler.”
The man’s shrewd gaze bounced between Tyler and Heather and back again. After a long moment, Rob grasped Tyler’s hand. “Tyler, nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
“Partner?” Rob released Tyler’s hand to stare at Heather.
A slight grimace pulled at the corners of her mouth. “Uh, yes.”
They hadn’t had time to come up with a proper explanation, so Tyler had to wing it. “I’m here to help Heather at this difficult time. More in a business advisory capacity than an operational partner.”
“Ah.” Obviously troubled, Rob slanted one brow upward at Heather. “I’m glad to see you’re all right. Since you have company, I’ll make myself scarce. When you’re ready, I’ll be in the village.”
“Me, too!” Colin cried, launching himself toward Rob. Tyler held on fast.
“We will go to the village after you’re dressed.” Heather lifted Colin out of Tyler’s arms and set the boy’s feet on the floor. As soon as he touched down, he darted off, running through the kitchen. The echo of his feet pounding up the stairs rang through the house.
Rob’s deep chuckle drew Tyler’s attention.
“That child never walks. He always runs.” Rob shifted on his cane with a wince.
“So I’ve noticed,” Tyler confessed.
“We’ll come help in the village a little later,” Heather told Rob.
He nodded and turned to leave, but he drew up short at the sight of Blake and Nathanial standing side by side at the end of the walkway.
Tyler had to admit they made a daunting pair. Big and brawny, the two men blocked the path. Tyler cut Heather a pointed look.
Understanding widened her eyes, and she nodded. “I forgot to mention,” she said, drawing Rob’s attention back to her. “I hired two more hands since we’re short-staffed.” She motioned to the two men. “This is Blake and Nathanial.”
Nathanial stepped forward and gave Rob a charming smile. “Hello. I’m Nathanial. It’s nice to be working with you.”
Rob shook his hand without comment.
Blake remained stoic as he shook Rob’s hand. “Blake.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Rob murmured.
“Rob, would you show the men to the empty cabin?” Heather asked. “And then introduce them to Don.” To Tyler she said, “He’s our unofficial foreman now that Seth is gone.” Her voice broke as she said her brother’s name. Tyler felt the stab of her grief like a sharp-tipped knife to the chest.
Rob nodded. “Of course. This way.” He hobbled away from the house.
Blake saluted Tyler. He inclined his head, acknowledging the agent’s communication. Their undercover operation was under way.
Shutting the door, Tyler said, “I’ll join the guys later.”
“The cabin’s barely big enough for two,” she said. “I was thinking you’d be more comfortable in the carriage house. It’s where we keep the sleigh. There’s an upstairs apartment with running water and a kitchenette.”
He’d seen the detached garage last night. Staying there would allow him to be close enough to quickly reach her and Colin if they needed him. “That would work.”
Colin rushed back to the kitchen and skidded to a stop beside Tyler. “Where’s Rob?”
Colin had pulled on a pair of sweatpants that were inside out and backward with the tag sticking out like a flag. He’d missed a few buttons on the plaid flannel shirt, no doubt in to
o much of a hurry to be careful. Tyler pressed his lips together to keep from smiling.
Heather bent down to talk to him. “He’s showing Blake and Nathanial to their cabin.”
“But we were going to decorate and change the lightbulbs at the village,” Colin complained.
“And we will. Later.” Heather rose and began clearing the table. She moved with fluid grace like a dancer. Tyler wondered if she had some training. She carried herself with an elegance that fascinated him.
Colin tugged on Tyler’s hand, drawing his attention away from Heather.
“Are you coming to the village with us?” Colin craned his neck to look up at Tyler.
Swallowing back the tenderness swamping him at having the boy’s hand clutching his, Tyler said, “We should help your mother clean up.”
“Okay.” Colin let go of his hand to grab a plate and then danced away from the dining table.
“Carefully,” Heather called just as the clatter of the plate hitting the sink mocked her warning. She cringed.
“Sorry.” Colin raced back to Tyler’s side. “I cleaned up. Can we go now? I want to help decorate.”
“There’s more to do, honey,” Heather said to Colin.
Needing to appease his curiosity, Tyler finally asked, “What’s the Christmas Village?”
Heather smiled at Tyler as she washed a dish. “Exactly what it sounds like. We have a gift shop, bakery, a toy shop, a model train depot and, of course, Santa’s house.”
“And the nativity! With baby Jesus and real animals,” Colin piped up as he stood on a chair to reach the empty bacon plate.
Tyler rushed to steady the chair before it tipped over. “Well, I definitely want to see this place.”
There was a lot about this farm he couldn’t wait to see. But, he reminded himself not for the first time, he wasn’t here on a social visit. He needed to stay focused on the objective. Protect Heather and her son while finding Seth’s killer and stopping the drug flow in and out of the farm. And that big Christmas Village meant lots of places to hide a journal.
Colin hopped down and took the plate to his mother.
“Did you brush your teeth?” she asked him.
He scuffed the toe in the hardwood floor. “No.”
“Upstairs, buddy,” Heather directed Colin. “Sixty seconds, uppers and lowers.”
Colin huffed out a frustrated-sounding breath and took off like a rocket, disappearing up the staircase. It was a surprise his socked feet didn’t slip out from beneath him.
Tyler picked up a towel and dried the dishes Heather set on the drain board. “So tell me about Rob.” Though he’d read the dossier on the employee, he wanted to hear the man’s history from Heather.
“He’s been a part of our family since I was a kid. He served on the worship team at church. My mom was one of the singers on the team.” She sighed, a sad sound that made Tyler’s chest ache. “There was a house fire fifteen years ago. The ceiling fell on him, breaking his leg in multiple places. His wife and infant son didn’t survive the flames.”
Empathy twisted in Tyler’s gut. “That’s awful. Did they discover the cause of the fire?”
Tyler had read the police report and knew Rob was suspected of purposely starting the flames that had engulfed his house and killed his wife and son. But Tyler wanted to hear Heather’s take on the tragedy.
“A plastic bag too close to a space heater. A tragic accident.” She wiped her hands on a dish towel and stared out the little window over the sink.
A motor started up, though Tyler couldn’t see the machinery. Outside the farm was stirring.
“He and his wife were very active in our church,” Heather continued. “But after the fire he had a crisis of faith.”
“It’s hard to go through something like that and not wonder where God was.” Tyler understood questioning God in such dire circumstances. He’d done his fair share of asking God why when he was a kid. Why wasn’t Tyler important enough to keep his mother from using drugs? Why was he taken away from his grandparents? Why wasn’t there enough food to eat?
If not for his grandparents’ steadfast faith, Tyler doubted he’d have any faith now.
Heather turned to study him. “You believe in God?”
“Yes. Though it’s hard at times in this line of work to not question God.”
“You must see the worst in humanity.”
“My fair share, anyway. But without faith, I don’t know that I could do this job. I have to believe that people can be redeemed, saved from their own folly.” Unfortunately, his mother hadn’t wanted to give up her addiction. Not for him, not for God. “That is, if they choose to,” he amended. “Not everyone does.”
A thoughtful expression settled on her face. “After Rob recovered and was released from the hospital, my parents brought him to live here. He’s been the caretaker of the village ever since. He likes to do something different every year so people will return. Colin’s fascinated with the whole thing, just as Seth and I were as kids.”
“It sounds special.”
“Very special,” she said. “We open for business the day after Thanksgiving. I usually look forward to the first day of the season.” Her shoulders sagged. “But with Seth gone...”
She was hurting, and there was nothing Tyler could do to ease her pain except find the people responsible for her brother’s death. To do that he had to find the journal. Her words sank in, and alarm bells went off in his head. “Wait a sec. You mean you still plan to open the farm for business?”
Lifting her chin, she met his gaze with a direct look. “Yes, I do. We have trees that are being harvested as we speak. There are people counting on us for their paycheck.”
He shook his head. “Opening up the farm to strangers is asking for trouble.”
Her eyes narrowed. “But you and your men will be here, right?”
“Yes. But that’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point?”
“That anyone coming or going from the farm would have access to whoever is peddling the drugs, and we’d have no way of watching every person.”
“Then we both better pray you find the drugs before 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning.”
Beautiful and stubborn. A potent combination. “Heather, be reasonable. Last night someone called and threatened you.”
She scrunched up her nose in a cute way that distracted him for a moment. “You know, it was more of a warning than a threat. But now that you’re here, Colin and I will be safe.”
Tyler scrubbed a hand over his jaw. How was he going to convince her that she needed to postpone opening day of the Christmas tree farm? He understood her obligations to the employees. He weighed his options. If he shut the farm down to search for the journal, they potentially could lose the opportunity to catch the drug traffickers. If he let things unfold organically while searching covertly, then he and the guys had a better chance of apprehending the culprits.
“You have to promise me you’ll be careful,” he said.
Her smile was victorious. “Of course.”
A chime filled the house in the tune of “Jingle Bells.” Tyler cringed. “What is that?”
“The front doorbell.” Heather headed for the living room.
Tyler caught her by the arm. “Another unexpected guest?”
She shrugged. “People come and go all the time.”
Not liking the sound of that, Tyler took a position next to Heather out of direct sight of the door, then gave her a nod.
She opened the door and was nearly bowled over as a woman barged past her.
Tyler tucked Heather protectively behind him.
The woman stopped in the living room with her back to them and put her face in her hands and sobbed. She was petite, with shoulder-length blond hair and a bright p
ink coat wrapped around her slight frame.
Heather skirted out from behind him to gather the other woman in her arms. Tyler got antsy looking at the two women. Was a cry fest about to ensue?
“I know, Liv,” cooed Heather with a soft soothing tone. “I know.”
“I just can’t believe he’s gone,” the woman said, her voice muffled by her manicured hands.
Ah, this must be Seth’s fiancée. Seth had mentioned her, saying she was the reason he stayed clean. And why he couldn’t continue letting the drugs go through the farm. They were getting married, and he hadn’t wanted to do anything that would jeopardize their future. Unfortunately, doing the right thing had had dire consequences for Seth. Guilt bubbled inside Tyler.
Liv’s sobs subsided, and she lifted her tear-streaked face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how hard coming here would be.”
Heather patted her shoulder. Her pretty hazel eyes darkened with sadness. “It’s okay, Liv. It’s hard for me, too.”
Glancing around, Liv asked, “Where’s Colin? I could use a hug from him.”
“He’s upstairs brushing his teeth.”
Disappointment marched across Liv’s face before she turned her dark-eyed gaze on Tyler. Something close to wariness flashed in her eyes and echoed in her voice. “Who are you?”
“A friend,” Heather said before he could reply. “Tyler Griffin. This is Olivia Dorsett, Seth’s fiancée.”
Liv sniffled and didn’t extend her hand. “Nice to meet you, Tyler.” She turned to Heather and dropped her voice a little. “I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”
“We’re not dating,” Tyler said firmly. “We’re business partners.”
Liv’s eyes widened. Was that disapproval? “I see.” She dug in her purse for a tissue and blew her nose.
“Liv, why are you here?” Heather asked gently. “I thought you were going to visit your family in California.”
She sniffed again. “I couldn’t face all their sympathy, so I canceled the trip.”
So Liv was in town? An idea formed in Tyler’s mind.
Liv dug into her purse and produced a brochure. “Besides, I wanted to talk to you about a memorial service for Seth. Mr. Sanders at the mortuary recommended it as a way for people to say goodbye.”
