Witness in the Dark

by Allison B Hanson

  She would be ready. She just hoped she wouldn’t need to be.

  This cabin was drafty and chilly. Not that she was complaining. They spent evenings in the living room, snuggled up on the sofa in front of a roaring fire, talking, laughing, and kissing.

  She’d rarely been as happy.

  On Christmas Eve, she brought his wrapped present out and set it on the table in the dining room.

  “Can I open it?” he asked, his eyes bright and hopeful.

  “Not until tomorrow.”

  “Then why did you bring it out?”

  She shrugged. “To torment you, mostly.”

  He picked it up and shook it. It rattled nondescriptly. “Hmm. It’s kind of big.”

  “Yeah, well, don’t get too excited. You know where it came from, and how much money I had.”

  “Still, I’m really excited to open it.”

  She grinned. “Good thing tomorrow is Christmas.”

  He wound his arms around her waist and kissed her. “Do I get to unwrap anything tonight?” he asked as he kissed down her neck and ran his fingers up her back.

  God, she loved when he did that. “Have you been naughty or nice?” she murmured.

  “I’ve been very, very naughty, and it’s bound to get worse.”

  “One person’s naughty could be another person’s nice,” she said with a wink, unbuttoning his jeans. With a wicked laugh, she tugged them down right there in the dining room.

  They made good use of the chairs, and the table, then moving to the sofa, and eventually the bed. He touched her in ways she hadn’t even known she liked. When she responded with throaty moans, he made smug little sounds she couldn’t help but love. She fell asleep almost immediately after he’d collapsed next to her.

  “We are really good at this,” she heard him say before she was out.

  It was true. They were very good at it.

  Garrett woke her the next morning by bouncing on the bed.

  “Wake up. It’s Christmas. I want to open my present.” He stopped bouncing only to launch a full-fledged attack of kisses on her face and neck.

  “I should have let you open it last night,” she mumbled into her arm as she tried to hide.

  “Come on. Get up.” He moved from kissing to tickling.

  There was no use fighting it. She knew she wouldn’t win. “Fine. I’m coming.” She looked at the clock. It was only seven. “What good is it to be in protective custody if I can’t even sleep in?” she grumbled as she found some clothes and put them on.

  The smell of coffee and…something else…filled the hall as she headed toward the kitchen and living room. Hmm. Pine?

  She went through the arch into the living room and saw the tree.

  It was beautiful. A small blue spruce with white lights and red glass balls.

  She held back tears as she took in the presents under the tree and Garrett sitting on the floor next to them with a huge smile on his face.

  “How…?”

  “The whole mountain is full of trees. I ordered decorations online, along with a few other things.”

  Under the tree were a few extra packages, wrapped in the same snowman paper as the one for him.

  “I think I’m going to need another pass,” she murmured. The tears were already running over.

  She sat next to him, and he hugged her. “Granted.”

  “Oh, Garrett.”

  “Merry Christmas, Sam,” he said seriously before the smile came back with a vengeance. “Can I open my present now?”

  “Yes.” She wiped her tears away.

  She thought she’d teared up because she was touched by his gesture. But now she realized it was far worse. Because she wished she could spend every Christmas with him from now on, just like this.

  And it wasn’t possible.

  She’d barely gotten the word out before the paper was ripped off and he was laughing.

  “Are you kidding me?” he said, holding up the box. “Risk? I love this game. My best friend had it, and we always played it when I stayed at his house.”

  “I figured you’d like it, since you’re so big on strategy.” She loved seeing him so excited. It was like they were a normal couple for a few moments.

  “Open yours.” He handed over two presents. “Wait. Let me take your picture.” He pulled out his phone and she smiled for the camera in front of the tree. “Okay. This one first,” he instructed as he gestured to the larger of the two packages.

  She opened the gift and found the book she’d been reading before her life got turned upside down.

  “I don’t think you ever got to finish that one, so I thought you might want to, now that we have all this time on our hands.”

  “Thanks. I had wondered how it ended.” She smiled and picked up the other package. Under the paper was a small velvet box. The type that jewelry came in.

  Her heartbeat kicked up as she popped open the lid and looked down at the necklace it held. The aquamarine was very similar to the one she’d had before.

  “I know how sad you were when I took your jewelry away. I felt bad about it.”

  “Don’t be. My mother won that necklace at work. It was just a coincidence that it was my birthstone.”

  He tugged at his bottom lip for a second with a strange look. “Let me help you put it on.” Once the chain was fastened around her neck, he turned back to the tree. “Isn’t it awesome?” The proud look on his face as he sipped his coffee made her day.

  “It’s the prettiest tree I’ve ever had.” Truly, it was.

  “Me, too.”

  She smiled and watched him as he gazed at the tree. He’d said he’d never had a tree before, and she felt lucky to be the one to experience this first one with him.

  Even if it would only be this one time.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  After two ruthless games of Risk, they put the game away so they could set the table for Christmas dinner. Sam couldn’t remember the last time she’d cooked such an extravagant meal, but she loved to cook.

  There wasn’t a mixer or a potato masher in the house, so the mashed potatoes were a bit lumpy. Garrett carried the ham to the table while she followed behind with the green bean casserole, complete with the crunchy stuff on the top.

  When the rolls came out of the oven, she had to look around for a place to put them on the small table. She checked Garrett to see if he was drooling on the ham, but he was watching her, not the food.

  “Come here,” he said before she sat down, and patted his leg. She sat and happily put her arms around his neck. He put his hands on her face and gazed into her eyes. “Thank you.”

  She knew from his expression he was thanking her for much more than dinner or the game.

  She smiled and gave him a lingering kiss. “You’re very welcome.”

  He held her chair and poured the wine before they dug in. He went straight for the potatoes and green beans. She took a roll and passed them. The smile on his face lasted the entire meal, and every time he looked over at the tree.

  Afterward, they played another game of Risk and ate apple pie. Then they snuggled on the sofa to watch movies on DVD.

  After he finished his second piece of pie around ten, she yawned and announced she was going to bed because someone had woken her up too early.

  “This was truly the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” he said, giving her another kiss. “Thank you.”

  “You’ll be eating the leftovers from Christmas dinner for the next week, so I’m glad you liked it.”

  “It wasn’t just the dinner. I never bothered with Christmas before. But from now on, every year I’m going to get a tree, and I’m going to think of you.”

  Tears threatened again as the reality of the situation forced its way into her happy delusion.

  She remembered the rules. No way she could forget. She and Garrett had no future together. She knew that only too well. Once he delivered her safely to the trial, they would never see each other again.

  But it was
just…more painful when he quantified it. By saying it out loud. Next Christmas, their time together would be a memory and nothing more.

  “Sam—”

  “I’m really tired. Thank you for such a nice Christmas,” she choked out as she fled to the safety of the bedroom. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she looked up at the ceiling to keep them from falling.

  She knew this was how it worked with him.

  How it had to be.

  Temporary.

  They’d had such a wonderful day, but his last words had brought everything into vivid perspective. They were supposed to be having fun while this lasted. It was supposed to be casual between them. She had told him she could handle it. But as she crawled into bed, she surely wasn’t handling it.

  She heard his footsteps in the hall as he went in his room. A moment later he came out, and her door creaked open. Since arriving, they had slept together in his room. It was no surprise he came looking for her when he didn’t find her in his bed.

  Without a word, he crawled into bed with her. She moved under his arm and rested her head on his chest. She fit against him like she’d been born to sleep by his side. But apparently that wasn’t true.

  They weren’t meant to be together. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be a federal marshal, and she wouldn’t be a protected witness running for her life.

  “Are you mad at me?” he asked quietly.

  She shook her head. “No. Definitely not.”

  “What’s bothering you?”

  “Just thinking about my mom,” she said. Not entirely true, but it wasn’t a lie, either. The whole time she’d prepared their meal, she’d been remembering other Christmases and spending the day in the kitchen with her mother.

  “We used to dance and sing Christmas carols. She would tell me stories about my dad. He liked Christmas.”

  “Really?” Garrett seemed surprised by that revelation.

  “Who knows?” She shrugged. “I never met him. He died before I was born. But I used to have a photo of them together. He was bent down by her stomach. It would have been the Christmas before he died. My mom was pregnant with me. He looked so happy to be my dad.”

  Garrett’s arms felt a bit stiff as he murmured, “I’m sorry.”

  She sighed. “You know what’s really stupid?” she whispered.

  If possible, his body grew even more tense as he waited silently for her answer.

  “Everything I chose to do—the classes I took, the plans I made—all of it was to make my dad proud of me.”

  She heard Garrett swallow. “That’s not stupid at all. I know your father would be very, very proud of you.” He kissed her hair, sounding so sure.

  “You think so?”

  “I know I’m proud of you.” He leaned back on the pillows and brushed her hair from her face.

  Emotions rushed through her whole body. Oh, God. She needed to tell him the whole truth. About what she was feeling.

  “At one point, I felt like seeing that murder, and everything that came after, was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. I didn’t want to run for my life and hide. I didn’t want to give up my friends and my plans. To become someone different. But now I feel like I don’t want this to end. Ever. I know we agreed this thing between us is just casual, and temporary…but that’s how I feel. I don’t want to give you up.”

  He kissed her forehead, and the tip of her nose, and her lips.

  “I certainly wouldn’t mind if the DA took his sweet time getting his case together,” Garrett said as he moved to her neck. “I mean, a guy needs to take his job seriously.” He pulled her shirt up. “He can’t cut corners.” His hand moved up her bare back. “He needs to be thorough,” he murmured against her lips, then kissed her deeply. “I don’t want this to end, either,” he whispered. “That’s how I feel, too.”

  The next morning, she woke up alone. She could hear him in the kitchen—the clink of bowls and the pouring of cereal.

  She smiled as she rolled out of bed to get ready for the day. A day they would spend throwing each other around on the training mat, or watching movies, or playing a game.

  Just being together.

  She looked down at her ring. In a lot of ways, this felt how she thought a real honeymoon might feel. Lots of happy smiles and sex.

  She dried off and came out of her bathroom wrapped only in a towel. She was, of course, carrying her gun. She was not to go anywhere without it, as per Garrett’s orders.

  Her clothes were thrown on the bed. But standing between her and the bed was…

  An intruder.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Garrett was shocked into action at the sound of Sam’s scream. Moving on instinct, he pulled his gun from his side holster and burst into her room.

  She stood there in nothing but a towel, water dripping off the ends of her hair onto her shoulders, abject fear in her big, round eyes.

  A quick survey of the room came up with no danger until…he noticed where she was pointing. He moved around the bed, and spotted the biggest spider he’d ever seen outside of a zoo.

  “Holy shit!” He gasped and leaped over it to stand in front of her. “Give me something to kill it with.”

  He’d once asked her if she was afraid of spiders, and she’d said no. He wouldn’t judge her too harshly, though. This beast did not qualify as a normal spider. It was a freaking monster.

  He shivered, thinking how it had probably been lurking under the bed while they’d slept. What if it had crawled up onto the bed? Another shiver took over as his own fears came back to haunt him.

  Not many people knew he was terrified of arachnids. Yeah, it was irrational and ridiculous, considering he faced far worse dangers every day without the blink of an eye. It didn’t matter. Terror was terror.

  The creature stepped toward them. He took a swift step backward, wondering how he was going to save her—and himself—from this threat.

  “I have a towel and a gun, Garrett,” she said.

  He took a moment to look her over, a small smile playing at his lips. “Very nice,” he said, but was distracted when the spider made another move toward them. At the speed of light. “Jesus! It’s fast.”

  “Here.” She offered up her gun.

  He just stared at the weapon. “I think shooting it will only piss it off.” Though if he threw the towel over it, he could possibly pistol-whip it to death.

  Plus, then Sam would be naked.

  Win-win.

  Before he could make the suggestion, she jumped inside the bathroom and came out with a tissue.

  “What’s that for?” he asked, looking at it doubtfully.

  “To kill the spider with.”

  Really? Was she crazy?

  He almost choked. “You expect me to get that close to it? To slay the beast with only a flimsy film of paper between me and certain death?”

  A scowl flitted across her face. “What, then?”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of a broadsword. Or a lightsaber. At the very least, a large combat boot.”

  She rolled her eyes. Her sneakers were on the floor by the side of the bed. “Get ready,” she said, and set her gun on the floor.

  He didn’t see that as being a good idea, but following her lead, he holstered his own gun and awaited instructions.

  She flexed her fingers into fists.

  “What are you—”

  In one fluid movement, she leaped over the spider and grabbed the shoe, throwing it to Garrett.

  Oh, shit. He caught it midair and, without giving himself a chance to think better of it, he slammed the shoe down on the horrendous monster. About six times. Maybe eight.

  “Stop. I’m pretty sure it’s dead,” she told him.

  He kept an eye on it for a few more seconds. They’d been known to come back to life. A shudder ran through him.

  “Or maybe it’s not really dead and only faking, so it can go into witness protection,” she joked.

  “You’re hysterical,” he muttered.


  “And you’re my hero.” She folded her hands in front of her, batting her eyelashes at him.

  He rolled his eyes while covertly checking to see if the legs had stopped twitching. When he turned back to her, she was checking him out. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, just his pajama bottoms.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” She smiled and dropped the towel. “And I think I should thank you properly.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  They were a happy couple. At least, Sam thought so. She was certainly happier with Garrett than she’d ever been before in her life.

  For the next month, it was all sex and talking, sex and watching movies, and sex and playing poker…which sometimes led to more sex.

  One afternoon they were snuggling on the sofa, her back against his chest as they watched a movie. She wasn’t really interested in the film. She was enjoying the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her shoulder, and his big arms around her.

  Safe.

  Suddenly, the house alarm sounded. An all-out wailing siren, like a smoke detector on steroids. They were both on their feet instantly, and in motion. She pulled on her shoes and grabbed her gun from the coffee table.

  “Go, Sam. Run,” he shouted at her when her shoes were tied and her jacket was on.

  “I’m ready. Let’s go.” She tucked her gun in her jeans.

  “You go. Alone. I’ll stay here to give you time.”

  “No.”

  “No questions, remember?” He didn’t even look at her as he gathered up guns and checked the ammo.

  “I can help.”

  When he looked back at her, she barely recognized him. He was no longer the man who’d shared her bed each night. He wasn’t the guy who snuggled with her on the sofa and played with her hair.

  He was a hardened federal marshal. She’d forgotten how cold and businesslike he could be when on duty.

  “Sam, for the love of God, get your ass out of here and go to the bunker right this second. And do not come out this time. I mean it!” he yelled, dragged her to the back door, and shoved her out.