The Christmas Cradle

by Linda Warren

  Marisa stood in the doorway, her eyes big and troubled.

  “Ms. Marisa Preston?” the man asked.

  “Yes,” she answered in a weak voice.

  The man stepped forward. “I’m Deputy Jimmy Walsh. Are you being held against your will?”

  “Of course not! Why on earth would you think that?”

  “Your family believes Mr. Kincaid kidnapped you and they’re very worried.”

  Mother. She wasn’t going to stop…until Marisa stopped her. The only person who’d ever kidnapped her was her mother. She’d taken away her childhood and now she was trying to destroy what little peace Marisa had managed to find. A white rage filled her.

  “Mr. Kincaid doesn’t even want me here. I came of my own free will, and you can tell my mother—”

  The deputy held up his hand. “I’ve only spoken with your father, so if you’ll get your things, I’ll take you back to Dallas and your family.”

  Her mother could manipulate her father into doing anything. This time she wasn’t giving in. She was fighting back.

  “Are the roads passable?” she asked.

  “The highway department’s been working all night and I managed to get here without too much of a problem.”

  “Then I’ll follow you in my car.”

  “It’d be better if you came with me.”

  “Am I under arrest?”

  His face turned slightly red. “No, ma’am.”

  “Good. Then it’s settled. I’ll drive my own car.” She whirled toward the den.

  “Sorry for the intrusion, Colter,” she heard the deputy say.

  She sank onto the pallet, where she found the corduroy jacket and slipped it on. Ellie stirred and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

  “The lights are on,” she said.

  “Yes,” Marisa answered, looking around for her shoes.

  “Are you leaving?” Ellie asked.

  “Yes. I have to go.”

  “Then Santa didn’t send you.” The forlorn voice bothered Marisa.

  “No. Santa didn’t send me, but here’s an early Christmas present.” She handed her the high heels.

  “Cool.”

  Marisa stood. “Goodbye, Ellie.”

  “‘Bye. You sure you don’t need your shoes? It’s cold.”

  “I have wool socks on, so don’t worry about it.”

  “Okay.” She stroked Sooner. “Can I still come and see Santa?”

  Marisa could feel Colter’s eyes boring into her, but she wasn’t going to disappoint Ellie. She didn’t care how angry he got. “Sure. Anytime you want.”

  Ellie smiled. “Thanks.”

  Marisa picked up her purse and walked toward the back door. Tulley was in the kitchen drinking coffee. “’Bye, Tulley,” she said, but didn’t stop. She had to get away.

  Colter caught her at the door. “Let’s be clear about one thing.”

  She’d had all she could take from him. “No,” she snapped. “I’m not listening to any more of your nastiness or your insults. I made some bad choices—very bad choices—but I had my reasons. Reasons I thought were valid at the time. If you could stop thinking about your pride for one tiny second, you might want to hear those reasons. Until then, I have nothing to say to you.”

  Chapter Five

  Colter walked into the kitchen and flopped down into a chair. Tulley placed a cup of coffee in front of him, but he barely saw it. All he could see was Marisa’s angry face.

  Ellie tottered in on the high heels.

  “Take those shoes off,” he said, more sharply than he’d intended. “We’re sending them back to Ms. Preston.”

  Ellie stuck out her lip. “She gave them to me.”

  “They’re going back.”

  Ellie stepped out of the shoes, picked them up and ran to her room, slamming the door. Sooner barked. The door opened and then slammed again.

  Tulley sat down. “You were a bit rough on her.”

  “I’ll apologize in a minute—after I cool off.” He looked at Tulley. “She lied to me.”

  “About what?”

  “She said she was seventeen in Vegas, not twenty-one.”

  “Yep, that’s a whopper, but I told you she looked too young and inexperienced for Vegas. Back then you weren’t listening to much I had to say.”

  “I wore rose-colored glasses where she was concerned, but they were brutally ripped away and I can see her for the woman she really is.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The young Marisa was weak, but this Marisa seems strong. Remember the time you scratched your arm riding Diablo at the rodeo in Vegas? She almost passed out when I changed the bandage. But yesterday she climbed over the fence, with the horse running wild, to get to you. She even stopped the bleeding. The young Marisa wouldn’t have gone anywhere near that horse and she certainly couldn’t have attended to your leg.”

  “So she’s matured. That doesn’t change anything.”

  “Guess not.”

  “What does she expect from me?”

  “Forgiveness.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I can’t ever forgive her—yet last night, when she fell on the ice, I ran to her without thinking. I could feel her pulling me in with those soft eyes and that sweet smile—just like in Vegas. She was sitting with all those people and the only one I could see was her. That connection was there, and it wouldn’t have mattered if she was seventeen or twenty-one.”

  “Nope. Probably not.”

  Colter took a gulp of coffee, hearing the truth of his words but not wanting to face it. “I can’t believe any of this. Her parents sending the cops out here was the last straw, and it seemed to be for her, too. She was furious when she left, but I hope they convince her to stay away.”

  “That would be best.”

  Colter got to his feet. “I’d better go soothe Ellie’s ruffled feathers.”

  “What would it hurt if she kept the shoes?” Tulley asked. “She’s a little girl, but she’s starting to like big-girl things.”

  “Yeah.” Colter glanced toward Ellie’s room. “She’s growing up too fast and I’m lost when it comes to this girl stuff.”

  “Yep. Ellie’s reminded you of that on more than one occasion.”

  “I thought I could be everything to my daughter, and it hurts that I can’t. She still keeps asking for a mother….”

  “Then let her keep the shoes.” Tulley stood and grabbed his hat. “She’ll feel like a big girl. What harm can it do? That’s my two cents. I’ll check on the horses and be back to fix breakfast.”

  Colter watched him go with a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn’t want any reminders of Marisa in his house—not even a pair of damaged shoes. But it was a little late for such thinking. Marisa had invaded his carefully built world in more ways than he cared to think about.

  AS MARISA FOLLOWED the deputy, her anger mounted. How dare her parents treat her like a child! That was what she’d always been to them—a child who needed protection, guidance and supervision. When her parents separated, the agreement had been that her father would raise Reed and her mother agreed to raise Marisa, and they would do so without interference from each other.

  It had worked, more or less, until her father had come to New York for a visit and found her an emotional wreck. She’d just lost her son and she couldn’t bring herself back from that dark place of grief and intolerable sadness. When her father learned what had happened, he and Vanessa had argued bitterly, but he had ignored Vanessa’s threats and brought Marisa home to Texas to heal.

  She’d had a strained relationship with her mother after that, but they’d reached a degree of understanding. Vanessa was not to meddle again. But Marisa had never been in control of her own life; one or both of her parents had. That was going to change. She’d been thinking about this earlier and now she had to put it into action.

  The deputy didn’t stop at the outskirts of Dallas. He obviously had orders to deliver her, like an expensive p
ackage, to her father. The drive had taken twice as long because of the icy roads, but soon he pulled up to the security gate of the Dalton mansion.

  When he got out and came to her window, she pushed a button to lower it.

  “I’ve been instructed to take you to your father. Could you open the gate, please?”

  “Yes,” she answered with deceptive calm, and punched the code into her remote control. The gates swung open and the deputy ran back to his car.

  She parked behind him in front of the palatial home that had belonged to her grandfather. Normally, she’d drive to the garage, but today she wasn’t planning on staying that long.

  Before the deputy could ring the bell, the door opened and her father stood there. His eyes went immediately to Marisa. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re okay.” He tried to put his arms around her, but she sidestepped him and walked through the foyer into the living room.

  Vanessa ran to her. “Darling, thank God you’re home.” She tried to hug Marisa, but again Marisa moved away.

  They walked into the library and Marisa turned on them.

  “How dare you humiliate me like this. How dare you treat me like a child.”

  “Now, Marisa, we only did what we thought was best for you,” Richard said.

  “Best for me!” She laughed, unable to keep the hysteria out of her voice. “That’s a joke. You’ve never thought about me or my feelings. It’s always what both of you want.”

  “Calm down, sweetheart, and we’ll talk about this rationally,” Richard urged.

  “I’m not calming down or listening to anything else you have to say.”

  “Okay. Okay.” Richard was trying to pacify her. “But, sweetheart, why would you go see that man?”

  Marisa took a step closer to Vanessa and stared her straight in the eye. “Because I wanted to tell him about our son. He has a right to know.”

  Vanessa lifted her chin. “What did he say?”

  “I never had a chance, with the storm and the electricity going out.”

  “So you never told him?” her father asked.

  “No, but it’s just a matter of time. Unless, of course, you have the police tail me everywhere I go.”

  “Doesn’t he have a wife and a little girl?” Vanessa asked as if she hadn’t spoken.

  “He has a little girl, but the wife isn’t there anymore. You probably know that, though, don’t you?”

  Vanessa’s expression barely changed.

  “He wasn’t married when you told me he was. He married Shannon later. You only told me that so I’d get on with the wonderful life you had planned for me.”

  Vanessa lifted her chin again. “Yes, I lied. But the detective said Kincaid was involved with her. That didn’t sound like a man deeply in love. I’d do it again to protect you.”

  “Protect me? From the man I love?”

  Vanessa was obviously shocked.

  “Don’t worry, Mother. I’m so mixed up I don’t know what I feel. But Colter hates me and he doesn’t want me anywhere near his little girl. That should make you happy.”

  “What happened to his wife?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “But he has his daughter?”

  “Yes, and she’s adorable, bright and spunky—everything a child should be. So you see, Colter already has a child and he’s not interested in hearing about the one we lost, but for my own peace of mind I have to tell him.”

  Richard spoke up. “Sweetheart, that’s not wise. I thought you’d let the past go, but you’re still clinging to unreal fantasies about this man.”

  Before Marisa could answer, Reed came in from the kitchen holding a cup of coffee. “Marisa, you’re back,” he said, coming over to her. “You okay?” he asked in a low voice.

  “Yes, I am.”

  He gestured at her feet. “Where are your shoes?”

  “I ruined them in the sleet.” She wasn’t telling them anything else.

  “Other than that, you look fine.” Reed took a sip of coffee.

  “No, she isn’t.” Richard picked up the phone. “I’m calling a therapist and setting up some counseling sessions so you can get this man out of your system. Now, go upstairs and get some rest, and we’ll discuss this again when you’re in a better frame of mind.”

  Marisa was dumbstruck. They hadn’t heard a word she’d said. This was the pattern of her life. They ordered and she obeyed. But not anymore. Not one minute more.

  She raised her head, knowing her eyes were as dark as the secrets in her soul. “I’m going upstairs, but I’m not resting. I’m packing a few things, then I’m leaving for good.”

  Vanessa gasped.

  Richard slammed down the receiver. “What are you talking about? This is your home.”

  “This is my prison,” she said, her eyes not wavering for a second. “And everything here is for show, especially me. I’m a glorified puppet. You pull my strings, Father, and I entertain your business associates, decorate your stores and wear a made-up title. You parade eligible bachelors in front of me, in hopes that a marriage could benefit Dalton’s. As a dutiful daughter, I keep trying to please, but you and Mother have broken me. I don’t even know who I am anymore.” She took a calming breath. “I have to find me.”

  “You’re just upset,” her mother said. “A lot of that’s probably my fault, but Marisa, I’ll be leaving tomorrow for a Christmas cruise to the Greek Isles on Niko’s yacht. Please don’t do anything drastic because you’re angry with me.”

  “I was very angry,” Marisa admitted. “Now I just want some peace, and I have to find that on my own. I hope you’ll both try to understand.” She turned toward the stairs, then stopped. “Have a good trip, Mother.”

  “I forbid this, Marisa,” Richard said, his voice rising.

  “Forbid all you want. I’m leaving.” She ran up the stairs feeling light-headed.

  RICHARD FROWNED at Reed. “Talk her out of this.”

  “How am I supposed to do that?”

  “Any way you can. She’s not leaving this house.”

  “I told you this would happen if you brought her back to Texas,” Vanessa railed. “But no, you wouldn’t listen. You wanted control of both our children, and now you’ve lost her. How does it feel, Richard?”

  “Shut up, Vanessa.”

  “No, I won’t.” Vanessa pointed a finger at him. “You’re the cause of this. If she’d just stayed in New York, like our separation stated, none of this would be happening.”

  “She was a zombie, and I wasn’t leaving her in that condition.”

  “She’d just lost a child,” Vanessa shouted. “That’s a normal reaction for a woman. If you’d left her alone, she would have gone back to her career.”

  “Get out of my face, Vanessa, because I’m not listening to this.”

  “Both of you, take a deep breath,” Reed said, intervening. “I’ll go up and talk to Marisa, but only if you stop shouting.”

  Richard stormed off to his study, and Vanessa sat on the sofa, her lips tight.

  Reed headed upstairs.

  COLTER OPENED Ellie’s door and walked into her room. She was lying on the bed, the shoes in her hand, Sooner at her feet.

  He sat beside her, his back against the headboard. “We need to talk, angelface.”

  Ellie rose to her knees, her eyes red. “Why don’t you like her, Daddy? She’s nice and pretty and—”

  “And what?”

  Ellie fiddled with the shoes. “Nothing.”

  “And Santa might have sent her?”

  Her eyes flew to his. “You know?”

  “Yes.” He touched her cheek. “Ellie, baby, you do understand that there’s only one way you’re going to have a new mother?”

  “You have to get married.” She hung her head.

  “That’s it, and I’m not doing that until I fall in love again.”

  “Like you were with my mother?”

  “Yes.”

  “But you’re getting old and it might not happen.”

&nb
sp; He suppressed a laugh. “Well, then, is it so bad with just you, Tulley and me?”

  “No.”

  “Are you unhappy?”

  “No. I’m happy all the time.”

  “So why do you want a mother?”

  Ellie shrugged. “I could talk to her about things—girl things.”

  He’d heard some of this last night when she’d been whispering to Marisa. “You can talk to me about anything. You do know that, don’t you?”

  “Yeah. But sometimes it’s embarrassing.”

  “If we talk about it, then it won’t be embarrassing.”

  She smiled and dived into his arms. “I love you, Daddy.”

  “I love you, too, angelface.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll do the looking for a mother, okay?”

  Ellie nodded against his chest. “I don’t know why I want a mommy so much. I think about it all the time and I can’t stop. Why do I do that, Daddy?”

  “Oh, baby.” He held her tight, his heart breaking. “I think it’s normal for little girls who don’t have mothers. And there’s a club for kids who only have one parent. It’s called Big Brothers and Big Sisters. How’d you like a Big Sister?”

  A teacher at Ellie’s school had told him about the program after Ellie had gotten several of her classmates involved in her matchmaking schemes. He’d told the teacher he’d think about it, but he hadn’t—until now.

  Ellie lifted her head. “But you said we didn’t need to join.”

  “I’ve changed my mind.”

  “Cool! I’d like a Big Sister.”

  “Then we’ll do it. Now, let’s go have some breakfast.”

  Ellie stared at the shoes with a gloomy expression.

  Colter’s chest tightened. “You can keep the shoes.”

  Ellie threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Daddy, and I’m gonna give you lots of sugar this morning.”

  She kissed his face, and Colter knew he’d do whatever it took to keep her happy. Whatever.

  MARISA GRABBED A SUITCASE and gathered an assortment of clothes, not knowing what she’d need. She didn’t stop to think. She packed quickly before her parents could do something to prevent her from leaving.