The Gift (The Protectors Book 6)

by Leeanna Morgan

  Pat made the phone call, and after more than a few minutes of waiting, Hannah called him back. She was at her friend Holly’s home.

  After he’d told her what was happening, he breathed a sigh of relief. She’d stay with Holly until he called her.

  Next time, if he had the same bad feeling, he’d make sure no one left the ranch.

  ***

  Hannah took two baskets of gifts from the back seat of her truck. She followed her sister across Pat’s front yard, stepping carefully through the ankle-deep snow.

  “Are you sure we’ve brought enough food?” Claire asked for the tenth time. “A cheesecake and a few dozen gingerbread men don’t seem enough.”

  “Mrs. Bennett has been baking all week. She didn’t want us to bring anything else.” Hannah looked at her sister. “Are you okay?”

  Telling her sister what had happened at Pat’s ranch had triggered unhappy memories of their own childhood. Their mom had always left them notes before she’d vanished. Depending on how sober she’d been, the letters were either easy to understand or a babbling mess of emotions.

  Even though they were sisters, they had different ways of dealing with stress. Hannah walked, Claire baked. Her sister’s questions about the food they were taking was her way of saying she was worried.

  Before Hannah could reassure Claire that everything would be all right, Pat’s front door opened. A young girl with frizzy red hair and freckles stood on the porch. She looked at Claire and frowned. “Are you Hannah?”

  Claire shook her head. “I’m Claire.”

  The little girl turned to someone inside the house. “It’s Claire and another lady,” she yelled. “Is it all right to let them come inside?”

  Brett rushed to the front door. “It’s okay, Laura. Hannah is the other lady.”

  “Oh, that’s all right, then. Welcome to the McConachie ranch.” When she smiled, she reminded Hannah of Thomas.

  “Laura is one of Thomas’ four sisters,” Brett explained. “She knew you were coming, but she wasn’t supposed to open the door without an adult beside her.”

  Laura bit her bottom lip. “Sorry, Mr. Forster.”

  “That’s okay. But we don’t need to answer the door again. Everyone is here who should be here.”

  “All right.”

  Hannah handed one of her baskets to Brett. “How are Dave and his family?”

  “They’re better than I thought they’d be. It isn’t the first time Dave’s dad has tried something like this. Come inside.”

  Laura held open the door. “Are you sisters?”

  Hannah smiled at the curious expression on Laura’s face. “We are. I’m the youngest.”

  “Me, too. Lily, Lavender, and Lacey are my sisters. Mom had a thing for the letter L. Except Thomas didn’t want to be called by his real name. He wanted to be different.”

  “Don’t tell them that,” Thomas wailed from the hallway. “I’m allowed to call myself whatever I like.”

  Laura didn’t look as though she agreed with him. “It’s not fair that you can change your name and I can’t.”

  “That’s because you’re only eight years old,” Thomas said smugly.

  Brett rested his hand on Thomas’ shoulder. “Mrs. Bennett wants someone to finish setting the table. How about you and Laura help her?”

  Laura didn’t wait for her brother. She raced down the hallway turning into the dining room before Thomas had taken more than a few steps.

  Hannah smiled. “Does she always have that much energy?”

  “That’s nothing,” Brett said. “Wait until you meet her sisters.”

  Claire left their basket of food on the hall table while she took off her jacket. “Something smells lovely.”

  Brett hung Claire’s jacket on the coat stand and helped Hannah with hers. “It’s Mrs. Bennett’s roast turkey. It’s the best I’ve ever tasted.”

  By the time he’d finished introducing them to Dave and Thomas’ families, Hannah felt a lot better. Cathy, Thomas’ mom, was lovely, and her children were bubbly and bright. Dave’s mom and brothers were quiet and reserved. They’d been through so much that Hannah’s heart went out to them.

  “Happy Christmas, Hannah,” Pat said as he gave her a hug. “It hasn’t been the relaxed start to the day that we wanted, but thank you for having lunch with us.”

  “You can’t help what happened.”

  Pat nodded. “Ida loved the album you made of her paintings.”

  “I’m glad. A friend helped with the layout.”

  “You both did a great job.” Pat pointed across the room. “While Claire’s speaking to Dave’s mom, why don’t we say hello to Mary-Beth?”

  Hannah followed Pat across the room.

  Mary-Beth was sitting beside the Christmas tree, watching the toy train zoom around the tracks.

  “Are you having fun?” she asked Mary-Beth.

  “Hi, Hannah. We are.” She smiled at a young boy kneeling on the floor. “This is Jeremiah, one of Dave’s brothers.”

  The shy smile on the young boy’s face was sweet.

  “Hi. I’m Hannah. Do you like the train?”

  “It’s great. Mr. McConachie’s son used to play with the train when he was my age.”

  Pat ruffled Jeremiah’s hair. “What else did we used to do?”

  “Eat cookies.”

  “Would you like to visit Mrs. Bennett with me? She might have some of her special Christmas cookies in the kitchen.”

  Jeremiah didn’t need to be asked twice. He wrapped his small hand around Pat’s and walked out of the living room.

  Mary-Beth sighed. “I wish all of life’s problems could be solved with cookies.”

  “So do I. Were the police here for very long?”

  “Just long enough to take Dave’s computer away. They’ll try to see where the email came from but, apart from that, there’s not a lot they can do.” Mary-Beth patted the seat beside her. “Come and sit with me. I want to hear all about the arts residency in Vancouver. Brett said it’s a wonderful opportunity.”

  “He did?”

  Mary-Beth nodded. “He also said you’d be gone for twelve months.”

  “I’d fly back to Bozeman for the summer vacation but, other than that, I’d be based in Vancouver.”

  “How does your sister feel about you living so far away?”

  Hannah glanced at Claire. “She wants me to do the residency. It won’t be easy finding someone to help run our business, but we’ve got plenty of time to find the right person.”

  Mary-Beth sighed. “I wish my brother was as supportive.”

  “Are you still thinking about going to Vancouver with your boyfriend?”

  “I am, but Brett doesn’t want me to leave.”

  “Has he told you that?”

  “Not in those exact words, but every time I mention it he changes the subject.”

  Hannah smiled. “He loves you. Just give him time to get used to the idea.”

  “Like you are?”

  Her smile disappeared. “I haven’t decided what I’m doing.”

  Mary-Beth’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? How many residency positions are available at the university each year?”

  “Eight.”

  “And how many artists apply?”

  Hannah frowned. “About three hundred.”

  “It’s a no-brainer. You have to go to Vancouver.”

  Brett stopped in front of them and cleared his throat. “You’re supposed to be enjoying Christmas, Mary-Beth, not encouraging Hannah to leave.”

  “I’m a great multitasker,” Mary-Beth said sweetly. “I wish you were more like Claire. She’s practically pushing Hannah out the door.”

  Hannah’s mouth dropped open. “I didn’t say that. Claire will support whatever decision I make.”

  “Exactly.” Mary-Beth sent her brother an exaggerated glare. “You should talk to Claire while she’s here. Her generous nature might rub off on you.”

  Brett scowled at his sister. “Some
days I wonder why I love you so much.”

  “It’s because you’re so alike,” Pat said as he stood beside Brett. “You always have been. Mrs. Bennett told me that lunch is ten minutes away.”

  Brett left his glass on a table. “I promised I’d carve the turkey. I’ll see everyone at the dinner table.”

  “And I’ll make sure all the children are here,” Mary-Beth said. “I saw Laura and Lavender disappear upstairs.”

  After Mary-Beth had left, Pat held out his arm to Hannah. “You should sit beside Brett at the dining table. He’s going to need your support.”

  Hannah smiled. “He must be used to Mary-Beth by now.”

  “He is, but with the two of you planning a move to Vancouver, he’s feeling a little overwhelmed.”

  “Are you sure? He doesn’t look overwhelmed.”

  “He’s good at hiding his feelings.”

  Pat’s words stayed with Hannah throughout lunch. She watched Brett as he helped the younger children. He made sure Thomas and Dave’s moms were enjoying themselves and made Claire feel welcome.

  By the end of lunch, she still couldn’t tell if he was feeling overwhelmed, but she did know one thing. He was a good man. Maybe too good to leave while she worked at a university in Canada.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Brett ducked to avoid the snowball heading toward his head. “This isn’t a good idea.”

  Hannah hid behind him. “It’s better than being cooped up inside. Watch out!”

  Another snowball flew toward them. He grabbed hold of Hannah’s waist, pulling her out of danger. Mary-Beth was enjoying herself more than she should have been.

  He knelt on the ground and started making his own stash of snowballs. If no one was willing to listen to him, he’d make the most of being outside.

  “Use these.” Hannah passed him two snowballs. “Dave and Thomas are under fire from their brothers and sisters.”

  Hannah lobbed three snowballs in quick succession toward Thomas’ sisters. “Woo-hoo! I got them.”

  Unsurprisingly, Laura recovered the fastest. Brett had never met a little girl like her. She was calm under pressure, fearless, and full of energy.

  Another snowball rocketed toward him. He moved fast, barely avoiding the cold missile. “That’s it. Mary-Beth is in serious trouble.” He loaded his pockets with the snowballs he’d made.

  Hannah laughed and handed him more ammunition. “You’d better take these, too.”

  “You make a great wingman.”

  “I’ve had lots of practice with Claire.”

  Another snowball exploded against the arm of his jacket. “I’ll see you soon.” He ran across no man’s land, dodging another three snowballs before getting close to his sister.

  Mary-Beth, knowing exactly what he was up to, met him in the middle of the yard. With more speed than accuracy, she unleashed a flurry of snowballs.

  He ducked and made a dive for her feet.

  But she knew how to look after herself. Mary-Beth jumped out of his way and grabbed two handfuls of snow. Before he had time to move, she squished the cold snow into his face and down his jacket.

  Sensing an easy victory, the other kids fired snowballs at him.

  After being pummeled with cold snow, he held up his hands. “I give in.”

  Mary-Beth threw her arms in the air. “We won!”

  A chorus of cheers rang across Pat’s front yard.

  Brett got to his feet before anyone decided to throw more snow.

  His sister took one look at him and grinned. “You’ve lost your touch. Last year you would have buried me under a mound of snow.”

  “You had a lucky escape. I’m on my best behavior today.”

  “Because of Hannah?”

  He didn’t reply.

  “Now you know how I feel.”

  Laura ran toward them. “Can we make snow angels?”

  “Sure,” Mary-Beth said. “I know the best place to make them.”

  Brett watched his sister lead a group of the girls toward the barn.

  Hannah stood beside him. “Everyone’s happy.”

  He looked around the yard. Pat and Claire were adding a carrot nose to the snowman they’d been creating. Thomas was talking non-stop with his mom, and Dave’s little brothers were following him across the yard toward Pat. Anyone arriving on the ranch wouldn’t know how stressful it had been earlier in the morning.

  “You were right.” He held Hannah’s hand and walked toward the barn. “Spending time outside has been good for everyone.”

  “Mrs. Bennett will appreciate the peace and quiet. She was so patient with Laura and her sisters. Decorating a gingerbread house can be messy at the best of times, but she made it fun and messy.”

  “Thomas’ sisters are a handful, but it probably reminded her of spending time with her granddaughters.”

  Hannah looked at the clear blue sky. “Why didn’t she spend Christmas with her family this year?”

  “One of her daughters flew to Canada to have Christmas with her husband’s family. Her other daughter is living in Russia.”

  “Wow. That’s not something you hear every day. It must be nice when they’re all together.”

  Brett nodded. “Mrs. Bennett’s planning a summer vacation with everyone. What on earth is Mary-Beth doing?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Brett increased his pace. “She’s found something.”

  He ran past the barn, stopping in front of some tall pine trees.

  Mary-Beth pointed to the ground. “Someone has lost their wallet. I didn’t want to touch it in case it belongs to the person who sent the email.”

  Hannah pulled a bunch of tissues out of her pocket. “Use these.”

  Brett knelt on the snow and flicked open the wallet. A Montana driver’s license showed the picture of a man about his age. “We should call the police. I don’t recognize the man’s name or face.”

  It wasn’t until he looked up that he realized Thomas’ sisters were staring at him. He didn’t know if their mom had told them anything about this morning, but he didn’t want them to worry.

  He forced a smile onto his face. “Before we do that, I’ve got a feeling Mrs. Bennett has dessert waiting for us.”

  Mary-Beth stepped away from the wallet and smiled at the girls. “Let’s race back to the kitchen. Are you ready?”

  “Yes!” they yelled in unison.

  “Let’s go.” And before he could thank her, Mary-Beth was sprinting across the yard.

  He took a deep breath. “I’m going to miss her when she leaves.”

  Hannah sighed. “She’ll miss you, too.”

  He wanted to ask Hannah if she’d miss him when she went to Vancouver, because he knew, without a doubt, that she’d leave. She had too much talent not to go, too much of her life ahead of her to stay in Bozeman.

  He slowly picked up the wallet. “The police report number is in Pat’s house. Do you want to come with me?”

  Hannah shook her head. “I’ll see what Claire and Pat are doing.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Go and call the police. The sooner they find the person who left their wallet here, the better everyone will be.”

  Brett knew she wasn’t okay. She was worried about something and there were plenty of things it could be. “I’ll find you after I’ve called the police.”

  She nodded and walked toward her sister.

  All he wanted to do was follow her, ask her to stay, and spend the rest of his life making her happy. But that was about as likely as getting a heatwave in the middle of winter.

  ***

  Long after Hannah and Claire had gone home and everyone was in bed, Brett walked into the kitchen. He rinsed his coffee mug and placed it in the dishwasher.

  Dave and his family were staying at the ranch tonight. Thomas, worried about being on his own, had opted to join them. For the first time in many years, each room in Pat’s home was filled to capacity.

  It had been a tough day for ev
eryone. The only good thing about the day was that Pat had been so distracted, he hadn’t had time to miss Stevie. But the police still hadn’t found the person who owned the wallet and Dave’s dad was being uncooperative. Something had to change. Dave and his family were so stressed that Brett didn’t think they’d ever feel safe again.

  He wandered into the living room. Beneath the Christmas tree, Pat’s toy train sat silently on its tracks. The engine’s deep, emerald green paint gleamed under the Christmas lights, promising more fun in the morning for Dave’s brothers.

  Brett checked the doors and windows. He turned off the lights and walked into the entranceway. Like Thomas, he’d decided to sleep in Pat’s home. He wanted to be close to everyone, to make sure nothing happened.

  The security system was turned on and the downstairs area was dark and silent. He climbed the stairs, knowing that he needed to at least try to get some sleep.

  He looked around the open space at the top of the stairs. Over the last two weeks, the landing had alternated between being a sitting area and an art studio. Tonight, it would be his temporary bedroom.

  He touched the table Hannah had used for her paints and brushes. He didn’t know much about art, but he thought her painting was amazing. Her landscape wouldn’t have looked out of place amongst the paintings Ida had collected.

  He pulled off his sweater and socks, leaving on the rest of his clothes in case he needed to make a quick exit. He hoped nothing happened but, after today, anything was possible.

  He reached above his head and switched off the light. The old wooden house creaked under the weight of fresh snow. The wind, almost nonexistent during the day, whistled along the gables, hinting at the storm they would battle tomorrow.

  He pulled his blankets higher, then frowned. Something wasn’t right. He stayed where he was, listening for anything out of the ordinary. Apart from someone talking in their sleep, no one was making any noise.

  His hand knocked the light switch, throwing the dark landing into a haze of brilliance. He squinted, not sure what he’d missed, but knowing he’d overlooked something.

  His eyes skimmed across the landing, shooting back to an empty space on one wall. He was sure there’d been a painting there yesterday.