The Christmas Guest

by Becky Harmon

  Regan had texted Nate before her shower, giving him the house number. She also told him that she had not seen anyone else in the house. When she exited the shower she had a response. Sarah Whitman owns the house. Regan sighed. Sarah was a Whitman. She should have realized that. She pulled on the tank top and fastened her holster over it. She knew it would chafe under her arms but she couldn’t wear it over the sweatshirt or leave it in the bedroom. She absolutely was not putting any of her dirty clothes back on. Well, except her underwear of course. Going commando in another woman’s sweats was not cool.

  She did a quick search of the bedroom across the hall and the laundry room. Not seeing anyone else or any additional exits, she made her way to the front of the house. Stepping into the living room, she noticed the huge fireplace had a pile of wood and kindling already stacked in it. She walked over and found the matches on the ledge above the hearth. She touched the flame to the kindling and watched the fire spread through the wood.

  “Thank you.” A soft voice said from behind her.

  Regan turned to face Sarah. In the glow of the fire, the light danced across her wavy hair and Regan had to fight the urge to tuck a loose strand behind her ear. Sarah’s face showed surprise as she looked at Regan and Regan could feel her façade slipping. “I clean up well?”

  “Yes.” Sarah cleared her throat. “I mean…you look warmer.”

  Regan smiled. “One of the hazards of living on the street this time of year. You never feel warm.” She crossed her arms over her chest, resisting the urge to step toward Sarah. “Thank you for the blanket today.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Regan could feel the penetration of Sarah’s eyes as they studied her face. Sarah was seeing more than Regan wanted her to and she knew she was in danger of confessing the truth. She needed to quickly come up with a convincing story for why she was living on the street before Sarah began asking questions. Regan broke their eye contact and took a step back.

  Sarah motioned toward the couch. “Have a seat and I’ll bring in dinner.”

  Regan ran her hands across the soft leather of the burgundy couch. Sarah’s appearance, her car, and her house definitely showed good taste but also screamed big money. She knew she needed to stop thinking about the woman and focus on looking for anything that pointed to her being involved in the murders. Regan ran through the minimal evidence in her head and looked around the room.

  She located a coat rack by the front door and easily found a camel colored coat, hanging in plain view. She pulled a small evidence bag from a pocket in her pistol harness and brushed a sleeve, dropping any loose samples inside before stuffing it into her pocket. She was having a hard time believing Sarah was involved but she was here to work and not fantasize about this intriguing woman. As she stepped back into the living room, a picture on the mantel caught her eye and she moved closer. An older gentleman and a much younger version of Sarah stood in front of Whitman’s Department Store.

  “That was my grandfather,” Sarah said, stepping into the room with a tray full of food.

  Regan crossed the room and helped her place the tray on the coffee table. When she straightened she was surprised to see Sarah studying her again.

  “Your limp is gone?”

  “Oh…yeah, the warmth helps it,” Regan faltered.

  Sarah nodded and took a seat.

  Damn. She really was going to give herself away if she didn’t stop forgetting who she was supposed to be. She watched Sarah divide the bowls and plates between them. She wasn’t sure she could keep this charade going much longer. Not when every part of her longed to be honest with this woman.

  * * *

  Sarah watched Regan inhale the first half of her sandwich, barely stopping to chew. There was still something bothering her about all of this. Yes, she found Regan attractive but that wasn’t all that kept creeping into her thoughts. The physical condition of Regan didn’t match someone who lived on the street. A body like that required hours of working out each day. Why would someone pretend to be a homeless person? It was clear to Sarah that Regan had been truly living on the street for several days at least. The ratty coat and dirty jeans smelled like the street.

  “You’re not eating.”

  Sarah blinked her eyes, focusing on Regan. “I’m sorry. I was lost in my thoughts.”

  “You had a stressful day at work?”

  Sarah was surprised at the sincerity in Regan’s voice. “I did.”

  “You look more relaxed this evening than you did this morning, though.”

  “I am.”

  “And yet,” Regan said between bites, “now you’re frowning.”

  Sarah chuckled. “So I am. I was trying to figure things out here. Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

  Regan looked up from her dinner, making eye contact with Sarah for the first time since she had begun eating. She shrugged.

  Sarah surged forward. “Why are you living on the street?”

  Regan hesitated and Sarah immediately regretted her intrusive words. “I’m sorry. It’s truly none of my business. You just seem so together. Not lost or searching as I would imagine a homeless person to be.”

  * * *

  Regan looked into the residue of the creamy red soup, searching for the right words. She didn’t want to lie to Sarah. “Sometimes things happen that force us into situations we don’t expect.” Regan glanced back up at Sarah to see if she would let it pass with such a vague answer. When Sarah didn’t say anything, Regan quickly changed the subject. “This is soup is amazing. What did you put in it?”

  “I use almond milk instead of water. It makes it creamier and I like the nutty tomato taste.”

  They both glanced at Sarah’s untouched bowl. Sarah stood, picking up Regan’s empty bowl. “Let me get you some more.”

  Regan leaned back on the sofa. She had evaded the first personal question but how many more would there be. She could say she was tired and rush off to bed. After all it was almost ten p.m.

  Sarah put the fresh bowl of soup in front of Regan and sat down beside her. They ate in silence until the food was gone. Sarah waved off Regan’s attempt to help her with the dishes so she remained in the living room planning her escape to the bedroom. When Sarah returned, Regan watched her lay another log on the fire before sitting down beside her on the couch.

  “The best part of winter is a fire in the fireplace.”

  Regan nodded. Though she knew she should head to bed she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to get to know more about Sarah. “Are you the last of the Whitmans?”

  Sarah nodded. “Well, the last of the Whitmans who are interested in running the store. I have a brother who lives in Miami but I don’t see him much. He doesn’t like the cold weather. My grandfather passed away while I was in college and I moved back here to help my father run the store as soon as I graduated.”

  “He passed away two years ago, right?” Regan smiled at the surprised look on Sarah’s face. “I remember reading that in the newspaper.”

  “He did.”

  Regan watched the sadness cross her face and she reached over gently touching her cheek. She knew she shouldn’t but she couldn’t stop herself. Sarah tilted her head into Regan’s hand and Regan stroked her thumb across the soft skin. Sarah’s light brown eyes had a dreamy look and Regan knew she could kiss her. She wanted to kiss her. Holding Sarah’s face steady, she leaned toward her until their lips met. Sarah responded immediately and Regan deepened the kiss, teasing Sarah’s tongue with her own.

  The phone in Regan’s sock vibrated, causing her to sit back in surprise. It took her a minute to realize it was her phone and not Sarah causing the pulsing in her body. Regan stood. Only Nate would use this number and he would only contact her if it was important.

  “Bathroom,” Regan said over her shoulder as she bolted from the room.

  She closed the bathroom door and hit speed dial.

  “We got him, Regan!”

  Regan held the phone away from her
face as Nate screamed in her ear.

  “We got him! We got him! We got him!

  “Stop screaming and tell me what happened.”

  “I pulled four female officers and placed them in the alleys surrounding yours. They each had a GPS panic button in case he attacked and he did. We closed in on him quick and he couldn’t get back to his car. He’s on foot now and I just heard the chief call in the dogs.”

  “Wow. No one was hurt, right?”

  “Everyone is fine.”

  “What about his accomplice?”

  “No accomplice. The camel hair came from his mother. He uses her car to transport the women. We have the car and there is a ton of evidence in it. He’s going down.”

  “Pick me up in five.”

  “Okay.”

  Regan leaned against the sink. What could she tell Sarah? She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay and keep kissing her but based on what she said when she stepped out this door she might never get to kiss her again. She didn’t have time for a long explanation. She would have to trust her to understand. And to give her a second chance.

  Chapter Five

  Sarah cradled her head in her hands. What had she done? She had never seen someone run away from her so fast. She couldn’t believe she had let that happen. She had never acted so inappropriate in her life. She needed to convince Regan she was sorry and then she would lock herself in her room for the rest of the night. Sarah walked down the hallway to the spare bedroom. The door stood open so she stepped inside. The bathroom door was closed but Sarah could hear Regan’s voice talking inside. She stepped forward and tapped lightly on the door.

  “Regan?”

  No response.

  “Regan. I’m very sorry. Please come out so we can talk.”

  Sarah watched the door slowly open and Regan stepped out.

  “You don’t need to apologize. Everything is fine but I have to leave.” Regan slid the sweat pants down her legs and over her feet before dropping them on the floor.

  Sarah was again captivated by Regan’s muscular body. She watched the black boy boxers disappear beneath dirt-stained jeans.

  “I could wash those for you.” Sarah’s voice grew softer. “I should have washed them for you earlier.” Her eyes widened as Regan turned her back and reached for the bottom of the sweatshirt. “Please, Regan. Don’t do this.” She stepped in front of Regan and grasped her arm.

  “I have to leave.”

  “Okay, but keep the sweatshirt.” Sarah released her arm and stepped back. “Take the pants too. It’s so cold outside.”

  Sarah backed up until she reached the doorway. She could feel the frame cutting into her shoulder as she pushed against it. She didn’t know how this pleasant night had turned so bad. Regan’s eyes avoided contact with her and she didn’t know how to reach her. She stood back watching as Regan finished dressing and then crossed to the door. She only hesitated for a second before sprinting down the hall. Sarah heard the front door slam shut behind her as she slid to the floor in confusion.

  * * *

  Regan’s heart ached at the pain in Sarah’s eyes but she didn’t have time to explain everything right now. A partial explanation would only make things worse and Nate was already waiting at the curb. She crossed the yard and slid into the passenger seat.

  He bumped her shoulder with his fist before throwing the car into gear and squealing out. “The dogs are on his trail. Do you want to head over there or back to the station?”

  “Let’s go there. I want to monitor the search on the ground.”

  “Right.” Nate glanced at her. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine.” She wouldn’t discuss how she was feeling with Nate but she already knew she had made a mistake. She should have tried to explain things to Sarah. She leaned her head against the back of the seat. What have I done? She pushed her feelings for Sarah to the back of her mind and turned up the volume on the police radio mounted on the dash.

  Nate spoke in between the radio transmissions. “The lab rushed the fibers from the car through and it matches our victims. This is definitely our guy.”

  They listened in silence as the officers pursuing their suspect searched each grid.

  “What’s his name?”

  “Eric Meadows.” Nate glanced at her. “Do you recognize the name?”

  “No. Should I?”

  “His mother was questioned after the first murder because her car had been spotted in the vicinity, but as far as I know his name never made it into any reports.”

  “I wonder what reason his mother gave for her car being in the area.” Regan picked up her phone and dialed.

  “Good question,” Nate said.

  “Hey, can you check something for me?” Regan asked when her call was connected.

  “We’re a little busy down here. Manhunt and all,” the desk sergeant said.

  Regan ignored his sarcasm and proceeded with her request. “What was the excuse Meadow’s mother used for her car being seen in the vicinity of the first murder?”

  “Hold on. I’ll look.”

  Regan could tell she had piqued his interest as he worked quickly to answer her question.

  “Well, she didn’t rat out her son, if that’s what you were looking for.”

  “I figured that since his name wasn’t on our interview list. What did she say?”

  “She claimed she didn’t remember why she was in that area. Old age and all.”

  “Let’s get a search warrant for her place, too.” Regan disconnected the call without a goodbye.

  “Maybe mom’s been protecting him for a while,” Nate suggested.

  Regan nodded. She pulled the chain with her badge on it from under her clothes as Nate slammed the car to a stop beside the flashing lights of multiple police cars. Regan stepped into the tent that had been set up for the search team. Crossing to the large map, she traced the path Meadows had taken since the attempted attack. He was being pushed into a funnel that would corner him in an alley where the police units were closing in.

  Nate stepped beside her and Regan tapped the alley on the map. “I want to be here.”

  “Let’s go.”

  This was their case and Regan didn’t have to explain to Nate why she wanted to be present when Meadows was arrested. They had been chasing him for months now and she wanted to see it with her own eyes. She wanted to see the defeat in his eyes when he knew there was nowhere else to run.

  The radio crackled with another sighting as the noose was pulled tighter around Meadows’s neck. Thoughts of Sarah played at the corners of Regan’s mind and she fought to push them back. Her heart thudded at the feel of her lips on Sarah’s. The softness of Sarah’s skin under her fingertips.

  “They got him!” Nate’s jubilant voice broke into Regan’s thoughts.

  Regan opened her door as Nate slid the car to a stop and they both ran toward the scene. Regan stopped as the arresting officers pulled Meadows to his feet. She widened her stance, putting her hands on her hips. This man was the reason she had spent countless nights living on the street and way too many hours staring at the crime scene photographs showing his brutal work. It was her job to make him pay for the lives of the women who could no longer speak. Regan forced herself to watch him as the officers led him past her and placed him in the cruiser. When the car pulled away, Regan turned to locate Nate. She approached him quickly.

  “Station?” he asked.

  “I need to make another stop first. Can I borrow your car?”

  Nate frowned. “Do you need me, too? Where are you going?”

  Regan took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second. “Thanks, but I need to do this on my own.”

  Nate handed her the keys. “See you at the station.”

  She watched Nate glance back at her several times as he joined the other officers heading back to the station. She could explain things to him later but right now she had to make things right with Sarah. Regan let the blue lights flash as she drove to Sarah’s house. S
he didn’t know exactly what she was going to say but she knew she needed to say something before any more time passed.

  * * *

  Sarah filled her wineglass again and stared into the fire. The last twenty-four hours had been an emotional roller coaster. The decisions she had made at the store yesterday had seemed right at the time but now she was doubting herself. What if she destroyed Whitman’s? This store had been a part of her life. It was a part of her. And then Regan. Sarah knew now Regan was more than she appeared. She wasn’t sure what type of scam Regan was working but it was definitely not something Sarah wanted to be a part of. While they had been talking in front of the fire, Regan had seemed so sincere and caring. And then there was the kiss. Oh, the kiss. Sarah had never felt anything like that in her entire life. The electricity that had shot through her entire body had made her long for more. She had felt a connection until the moment Regan had walked out.

  Sarah stood and carried her wineglass to the kitchen. She had mourned over Regan for too long already. A woman she barely knew didn’t deserve so much energy. Hopefully sleep would come quickly. Sarah locked the front door as she passed it but turned back as the flashing blue lights streaked through her living room before going dark. She crossed to the door and peeked out the small window. Regan was climbing out of a sedan parked at the curb. Sarah watched her approach the door and then hesitate before knocking.

  Though she was expecting it, Sarah jumped when the doorbell echoed through the house. She leaned her back against the door. She was not going to open the door or her life to Regan again. Sarah closed her eyes as the doorbell continued to echo in between Regan’s repeated knocking.

  “Go away Regan,” Sarah whispered.

  After several minutes the knocking stopped and Sarah waited for the doorbell to ring again. The silence was unnerving and she turned, peeking out the small window again. Regan’s face stared back at her.

  “Sarah, open the door, please. I need to talk to you.”