Her Secret Christmas Agent

by Geri Krotow

  He tried not to hate himself as he held on to Nika and willed the EMTs to get to them as soon as possible. The way she was shaking scared him more than any overseas op ever had, more than the threat of losing his professional reputation.

  *

  Nika didn’t think she was in shock, not really, but she couldn’t control the shudders racking her body, so maybe Mitch was right.

  It just felt so damned good here, wrapped next to Mitch, the snowfall quiet around them, keeping the reality of the sirens and chaos that promised at bay. She started to laugh and, just like the shudders, couldn’t stop.

  “What’s so funny, sweetheart?”

  Sweetheart? Mitch Everlock had called her sweetheart? The laughter turned hysterical. A tiny part of her brain that wasn’t frozen told her it wasn’t that funny but, like the chill stealing away her thoughts, she couldn’t stop it.

  “M-M-Mitch, y-y-you are r-r-right.”

  “Shh. Save your energy. You’ll be back to yourself as soon as we get you warmed up.”

  And just like that, her peals of mirth turned to tears. They felt like splinters of ice falling from her eyes and all she could think of was chopping onions, her mother’s homemade beef stew and sadness that she’d never get to make it for Mitch.

  He was right; she was in shock. The tiny bit of her brain that remained detached and sane registered the fact and she tried to pull it together.

  The shock symptoms didn’t last that long, though. As soon as the EMTs arrived she was enveloped in a warming blanket and placed in the heated back of their emergency vehicle. Mitch wavered in and out of her peripheral vision.

  “Sir, you need to stay back until we assess her.”

  “Okay, ma’am, how many fingers?” The EMT waved two fingers and Nika responded accurately. As soon as the warmth reached her fingers and toes she remembered she was supposed to be a student. Her car, no her mother’s car, crap!

  “Mitch—I mean, Mr. Everlock!”

  “I’m right here.” He grinned at the EMT who was eyeing him as if he were a complete perv. “She’s my student.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “What’s going on, folks?” Claudia was at their side, flashing an SVPD badge to the EMTs. “Is she okay?”

  “Yeah. Just a little shock. We should probably run her to the hospital for a thorough checkup.”

  “That’s not necessary.” Nika was not going to go through having to explain to the attending doctor why she had a fake driver’s license, that she was undercover at SVHS. The fewer people who knew, the better.

  “I happen to also be her aunt. I’ll take complete responsibility for her, folks.” Claudia spoke with an easy authority that made so much sense now that Nika knew about Trail Hikers.

  Something that had escaped her thoughts since the crash. Mitch was a Trail Hiker. They really were in this together.

  *

  “Hey, what’s going on?”

  He ignored the query and kept going as shouts and screams erupted around him in the school parking lot. He walked through the chaos, a hoodie covering his head, his face. He was dressed like a teenager and forced himself to walk slowly, to act as if he was unaware of the death he’d hopefully just helped bring about. His New Thought sister had texted him that she’d dropped the rock at the right time and it had hit the right car.

  It was too bad, having to take out that new young girl. Her name was Nika and she was very bright, according to his source. She’d entered SVHS because her parents were relocating to the area. Her parents obviously didn’t know that Silver Valley was a hellhole, a place where the values that mattered were eroding more every day, every hour. He’d saved her from the evil to come and would be rewarded for it in the next life. That’s what Mr. Wise said. Everyone who dies to achieve the spiritual cleansing needed for New Thought is another soul saved from this world’s evils.

  Sirens screeched through the winter air and he got into his car. He left the heater off. The cold kept his thoughts pure, his purpose singular. He left the parking lot the back way and turned toward the outskirts of town. Where he knew home really was—the trailer park development Mr. Wise had prepared for the True Believers, the ones who embraced New Thought. Mr. Wise had chosen him to be the sacred messenger for Silver Valley. He was so grateful, so humbled. He had to make sure he wasn’t proud about it, but he saw no harm in being proud of his methods. Pig’s blood on the Rainbows teacher’s board; his threats to Mitch Everlock had been clever. But the rock through the window and now this rock, his killing rock dropped by another New Thought believer? That would make his message clear. Mr. Wise’s message, the message that came from the One Who Mattered.

  He had to make the people of Silver Valley see the truth. New Thought was the only way. If it meant he had to take all of Silver Valley High School out, he would. First, he’d started with the Rainbows. It might be enough, especially if the new girl wasn’t an issue anymore.

  He hoped she was dead, that the rock had done its job.

  *

  Mitch was relieved beyond measure when Claudia insisted she take Nika to the ER. He followed Claudia’s vehicle in his own, and waited for them both as Nika was triaged and taken into an examination area. He wanted to lie, to tell the hospital staff that he was family, too. But why? To appease his worry? Was it his guilt over nearly making love to her in the open farm field, right after she’d almost lost her life?

  Or was it more?

  He flipped through one of the many worn women’s magazines in the racks on the waiting area wall. He saw none of the words, none of the photographs, as he struggled to keep his deepest truth buried.

  He was falling for Nika.

  *

  Nika’s examination had taken all of an hour, as the West Shore had a new hospital and the sparkling facility was überefficient. Claudia had suggested they all rendezvous at Nika’s within thirty minutes, and plan on eating there. She’d notified Colt and Bryce. Colt was to join them but Bryce had to stay behind in the station to process the evidence from the crash scene.

  Mitch took in the gathering in Nika’s living room as she sat wrapped in a thick faux-mink throw, her gas fireplace giving off a decent amount of heat in the small space. Her Christmas tree was lit and if it hadn’t been for the ugly reason for their meeting, it could have been a pleasant holiday party.

  “I had no idea the clam chowder at Silver Valley Grocer was so delicious.” Claudia finished up a mug and placed it on the coffee table.

  “As a single man I know where to get good, hot food at just about any time of day or night.” Chief Todd practically preened as he passed around a box of chocolate brownie bites. “They also have the best bakery in town.”

  “Anyone need more coffee, tea or cocoa?” Mitch had appointed himself the beverage coordinator, but they all knew he was most concerned about Nika. She looked a lot better than she had right after the accident, but as much as her skin had regained its pinkish hue, the circles under her eyes told the real tale. She’d barely touched her food, and she was the one who’d requested the clam chowder as her favorite. It killed him to not sit next to her and wrap his arm around her to help keep her warm.

  And reassure you, too.

  “I’ll have some.”

  “Me, too.”

  Colt and Claudia waited with Nika while he made the drinks in the kitchen. It would be a long night for the three of them while they got every last detail of what Nika remembered and then transcribed it for Bryce to add to the police report.

  When Mitch came back into the living room Claudia was questioning Nika.

  “Let’s go back a bit, Nika. We’ve all read the initial report. You were getting into the car in the school parking lot.”

  Nika nodded as she stared into the fire. “Yes. It had started to snow and the polar vortex was dropping the temperature by the minute, it seemed. I made a mental note to take it slower going home. My mom’s car is great in snow but not so much against high winds, and I knew they were predicted to come in at an
y point.”

  “Did you see any of the students, teachers, leaving at the same time as you?”

  “No.” She paused, her brow wrinkled. “Wait a minute—I did have a hard time making the left turn onto the pike. Once I did, I tried to get over into the left lane, for when I’d turn to head to the station. I couldn’t get over—I was blocked in, right before I went under the pedestrian bridge. I thought I saw someone, a figure, on the bridge, but it was pretty dark and I only noticed him or her after I saw the rock already falling. To be honest, all I remember after that is seeing the rock smash against the windshield and hearing the crack. The air bags deployed before I saw anything else.”

  Mitch exchanged looks with Claudia and Colt. They all knew that other vehicles to her rear and left would have kept Nika right where the killer wanted her. In the right lane as she passed under the raised sidewalk.

  “Can you remember anything about those vehicles? Their drivers?”

  Nika shook her head. “No, it was already pretty dark and almost impossible to make out who was in any car.”

  “Do we have anything from forensics on Nika’s car yet, Colt?” As Claudia deferred to the police chief, Mitch didn’t miss the unspoken messages that went between them. There was a definite bond there that had nothing to do with Trail Hikers, SVPD or law enforcement at all.

  None of my business. And if he wasn’t so tuned into Nika he might have been more interested in the sparks between the two officials.

  Colt ran his hand over his face. “Nothing. It’s only been a few hours.” As he spoke, his phone vibrated in his hand. “Todd speaking.”

  They all sat straighter, hoping for an opening that would lead to the killer. Mitch used the opportunity to sit beside Nika on the sofa. He squeezed her knee. “You doing okay?”

  She put her small hand over his. “I’m fine. Stop worrying.” Her eyes went to Colt and Claudia before she looked at him. “Thank you.”

  He smiled and turned his hand over to hold hers. If they’d been alone he would have kissed her.

  “Are you sure?” Colt’s face remained impassive but Mitch saw his hands tighten on his mug to match the harshness of his tone.

  Claudia took a sip of her coffee, obviously coming to her own conclusions. As did Mitch. He knew without a doubt that Nika had been targeted. The question was by whom. He knew why—she’d been attending the Rainbows meetings. As a ‘new student’ at SVHS she was an easy target.

  Colt put his phone down. “That was Bryce. You two were correct. You smelled gasoline because your fuel line was cut very slightly to allow for a slow leak.”

  “Couldn’t that have been from the impact of her spinout?” Claudia voiced what Mitch thought, but deep down he knew the answer.

  “Highly unlikely. And if that were the case, the break would have been more rough, a tear. This was a clean cut with a tool of some sort.”

  “So that’s why it exploded.” Nika sounded as if she were still processing the event.

  “There’s more.” Colt scratched the back of his neck with his huge hand. “There was a makeshift bomb, about the size of a large firecracker, under the carriage. The kind that detonates with a cell phone.”

  “Like a terrorist’s?”

  “Yes. But this was more primitive, similar to what we see from homegrown domestic terrorists.”

  “You think it’s the True Believers, don’t you?” Claudia spoke up.

  Colt looked at her. “You’re the expert in this, more than I am. The Feds are being called in. There are already two FBI agents on scene and one at the station. I expect ATF to file a report, too, due to the bomb.”

  “Did the bomb have the capability of harming more than just me?” Nika asked what the rest of them knew. Self-recrimination made Mitch want to hang his head in shame. Nika had been in shock when he’d kissed her. He behaved like a lust-struck animal.

  “No.” Colt and Claudia answered in unison.

  “If it had, the explosion we witnessed would have been far worse.” Mitch spoke up. He hated admitting it to her. “I don’t think we’d have gotten away soon enough.”

  “Mitch is correct. The bomb could have been loaded with enough shrapnel to take out dozens of victims. Goddamned nails from the local hardware store.” Colt looked shaken, but Mitch knew his frustration would turn to anger against the perpetrators.

  Claudia was already there. “These bastards are going to pay.”

  As she spoke, Nika’s phone lit up. Her eyes were round, her brows in a determined line as she read the Caller ID. “It’s Rachel Boyle. She’s calling my student number.” They all knew this meant the call had been routed through the station and would be recorded.

  Claudia nodded at her. “Pick it up. We’ll wait.”

  Chapter 12

  Nika placed her phone on the coffee table and put it on speaker.

  “Hey, Rachel. I put you on speaker because I’m trying to chill out on my bed.” She knew everyone in her living room would stay quiet but didn’t want Rachel to suspect anything if the connection wasn’t as clear.

  “Nika? Is this really you?” A broken, sad voice filled the room.

  “Of course it’s me, silly. Who else would it be?” She offered a quick grin to Claudia, Colt and Mitch as they listened in. Their expressions were rapt, as if she were receiving the codes to a nuclear weapon instead of trying to gain information from an emotionally abused teenager.

  “Oh, my God. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Thank God! I was so worried, Nika. I thought, I thought... I heard you were in an accident today.”

  “I was, but it was just a small fender bender.”

  “Nika, how can you say ‘small’ when I heard that your damned car exploded?”

  “It wasn’t my car, it was my mom’s. And how do you know it exploded?”

  “It was on the news.” Rachel grew silent. “I heard there was a rock thrown at it or something?”

  Nika’s heartbeat felt heavy with dread. She’d really hoped Rachel had nothing to do with the rock-throwing incident, especially her crash. “Where did you hear that, Rachel?”

  Silence.

  “Rachel?”

  A large sniffle, then louder sob broke through the phone connection. “Rachel, tell me what’s wrong. I’m okay, really.” Nika had to give herself credit; she had the wherewithal to still behave as a self-centered teen, as if everything was about her.

  “I’m so glad, Nika. Because my mother told me you were probably dead and it was because you were in the same club as I am and that it was my fault because I encouraged you to join the Rainbows.”

  Could Belinda Boyle be the one behind all the crimes? Nika watched Claudia take notes and knew the thought wasn’t hers alone.

  “Rachel, listen to me. I’ve already told you once. I joined the Rainbows because I support the LGBT cause. I was in the same kind of club back in my old school. You didn’t have to convince me to go to it. I did it all on my own, and would have whether I ever met you or not. The best part of the Rainbows is that I’ve gotten to know you, and Mr. Everlock is helping me to figure out where to go to college next year, too. And why would your mother think someone wanted to hurt me just because I’m in the Rainbows?”

  “You know about what’s going on with Mr. Everlock, right?” Rachel’s voice wobbled. “That he’s been getting harassed since he started the club?”

  Nika looked at Mitch and he nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard a few things, but I thought it was just some creep. Not someone who would do anything to break the law.”

  “Nika, I think you’re in big danger. I can’t explain it, really. It’s my gut feeling. There are a lot of people who don’t like the Rainbows and think it shouldn’t be allowed in Silver Valley High. They think it’s immoral.”

  “That doesn’t make sense, Rachel. A lot of parents support it and make all kinds of treats for us to sell at the bake sales. You said your mom is a little out of it. Maybe she mish
eard something?”

  “No, she didn’t. I was there.”

  “Where?”

  Silence.

  “Where, Rachel?”

  “At the New Thought book study last weekend. I had to go and work in the kitchen, since I won’t agree to joining any of the sessions my mother and the rest of those crazies are part of. They were having a spaghetti dinner. I boiled twenty-five pounds of pasta. While I was cooking I overheard them talking. Well, the loser guy who runs the whole thing, anyway. Mr. Wise. He said they were going to put a stop to anything that encouraged ‘immorality’ in the schools and the Rainbows came up. One of the parents of a Rainbows member was there and asked about it. Said her kid didn’t agree with the group, either.”

  “Which parent, Rachel? Is the kid someone in our class?”

  Silence. Nika looked at everyone else for a signal. No one moved. Like her, they were afraid to spook Rachel. Rachel’s answer might finally give them what they needed.

  A suspect.

  “Rachel?”

  Muffled voices came over the line.

  “Sorry, I’ve got to go.” Rachel spoke quickly before the line was disconnected.

  Nika collapsed back against the sofa. “We were this close, damn it!” She reached for her phone to throw it but Mitch grabbed her wrist.

  “Hey. You did good. We’ve learned a lot.”

  “If nothing else we know the rock from the bridge, the threatening notes, the rock through the window—they are all connected to the True Believers.” Claudia spoke. “We all suspected it but now we know.”

  “But without a name, what good is that? How many people do we think are going to these New Thought gatherings?” Nika looked at Colt.

  He sighed. “Last count, it’s up to fifty, and that means there are at least four times that many in total that have been sucked into its grips. Wise is charismatic and smart. He knows that he won’t get everyone he needs to show up for his brainwashing sermons, but his reach is out there.”

  “So we need a name, to figure out who exactly is doing his dirty work for him.” Nika shook her head. “Damn it, if I’d only made it past the bridge—”