Christmas Bodyguard

by Margaret Daley

  “Ouch.”

  “Why do you say that?” She needed to keep the focus of the conversation on him, not her.

  “Our relationship hasn’t been good lately, and I’m to blame for that.”

  “Have you told her recently that you love her?” As a teen she’d kept hoping to hear those words from her father. He never said them.

  Slade thought for a moment. “No, not nearly enough.”

  “That would be a start.” Elizabeth mounted the first step, still needing that down time to piece together the armor she wore to keep herself apart from others. Obviously she wasn’t doing a good job if Slade could read her like he did.

  When he followed her up the stairs, she sent him a questioning look.

  “There’s no better time than now to talk to Abbey. Mary said dinner will be—” he looked at his watch “—in twenty minutes.”

  At his daughter’s room, he rapped on the door and waited for her to open it. Elizabeth went into her bedroom, but Abbey didn’t appear. After knocking again, he thought a moment about trying the handle. What if something was wrong? Yes, the house was secure, but…

  He grabbed for the knob at the same time Abbey pulled the door open. He quickly dropped his hand to his side.

  She frowned. “I was in the bathroom.”

  Censure in her voice challenged his intentions for being there. “Can I come in?”

  “It’s your house.”

  “It’s yours, too,” he said as he moved into the middle of the room.

  “Not really. If I had a choice, I would be living closer to town, nearer my friends.”

  “I thought you loved this ranch.”

  The frown still firmly fixed on her expression, she plopped down on her bed and sat cross-legged on it. “When I was little, I did. There isn’t much to do here.”

  “You love to ride.”

  She shrugged. “It’s okay.”

  When did this all change? What had he been doing? Working. “Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

  “Because you and Mom loved it here. And now that she’s gone…” Abbey swallowed hard. “I never see you.”

  He took a step toward her. “Honey, I’m sorry. We used to be so close, and I pushed you away after Mom died.”

  She shut her eyes for a long moment. When she reestablished visual contact, tears pooled in her gaze. “Why? I needed you.”

  A huge knot in his throat prevented him from replying for a long moment. He swallowed several times. “I know I let you down. I was too caught up in my own grief to see anyone else’s. I thought if I worked hard I could forget and everything would be all right. It isn’t.”

  He sat on the bed, wanting to draw his daughter into his arms, but she scooted back against the headboard, curling her legs up against her chest and clasping them to her. The barrier might as well be a high, thick, stone wall separating them.

  “If you want to move closer to town when this is all over, we will,” he finally said, not sure how to mend the damage his grief had caused in their relationship.

  “But you love the ranch. It has always been your dream.”

  “But my dreams have changed since I grew up. What I want more than anything now is for us to be a family again.”

  The doubt in her eyes stared back at him. “I want to go down to the barn after dinner to see Sassy. Can I?”

  Had she heard a word he said? “Sure. I need to get out of the house.”

  “Alone.”

  That one word pierced his heart. Nothing he’d said had meant anything to her. “You can’t without Elizabeth, at least.”

  She pinched her lips together, laid her chin on her knees and somehow managed to tug her legs even closer to her chest. “Fine. But just her. I don’t need an entourage everywhere I go.”

  “I’m not an entourage.”

  “If you go, then Joshua does.”

  He shoved to his feet. “Okay. Dinner is about ready.”

  “I’m not hungry. Lily had a sandwich at play practice. I ate half of that.”

  He’d obviously handled this all wrong. How could he fix this? At his work when there was a problem, he came up with a solution and executed it. He strode to the door, opened it and turned back. With the side of her head on her knees, she stared away from him.

  “I love you, Abbey. That will never change.” He waited a moment, hoping to get some kind of reaction from her, if only a look. Nothing.

  He slipped out of her bedroom and quietly closed the door. Had he just made the situation worse? He didn’t know the first thing about raising a teenage girl. A boy he could have related to, since he’d been one once, but Abbey was an enigma.

  Like Elizabeth, he thought with a sigh. His urge to protect the ones he cared about extended to her, but she was determined to need no one. Was it possible to get beneath that tough facade she presented to the world?

  TEN

  Standing backstage watching the play Saturday night, Elizabeth was counting down the minutes until the performance was over and she could get Abbey out of the auditorium. Only five more minutes. On stage, Abbey’s character Laura fell into the arms of her parents, tears running down her face as they welcomed her back home on Christmas eve. The tree behind the trio shone bright with lights and red and green glittering balls against the backdrop of a den, fake bookcases painted on the plywood that included a mantel and blazing fire.

  Elizabeth peeked into the audience and found Slade recording the show. He sat in the front row with Mary, Hilda and her daughter, Kate, Jake, Cindy, Brody and Joshua. They had all come back to the dressing room right before the play to wish Abbey the best. The tension between Abbey and Slade still charged the air as it had all week. Obviously Slade’s talk with his daughter hadn’t gone well last night.

  When the performance ended, the audience came to its feet, the applause deafening. The cast members took their bows in order of importance then left the stage until Abbey, as the lead, was the last one remaining. The people clapped even louder. A huge grin plastered Slade’s face. Brody gave a wolf whistle. Abbey made one bow, then another, as the crowd greeted her with more acclaim. She backed up as though to leave, but her director from the other side of the stage gestured for her to stay and enjoy the ovation.

  Then a young girl walked out on stage and gave Abbey two large bouquets of red roses. Tears in her eyes, she made one final bow and started for the wing where Elizabeth was waiting for her. When Abbey was a few yards away, a brilliant light flash and a popping sound reverberated through the auditorium. Elizabeth charged forward, glimpsing out of the corner of her eye the scenery of the den start to sway.

  Elizabeth seized Abbey, the bouquets of roses scattering everywhere, and threw her toward the wings as the large piece of plywood came crashing down. Elizabeth dove after the teen. The edge of the plywood clipped the back of Elizabeth’s right boot, nearly sending her to her knees. Dust flew up. The thundering noise from the scenery impacting with the floor shuddered through Elizabeth like an earthquake.

  She pushed forward. She had to get to Abbey and get them out of there. Coughs racked her as she reached Abbey, who was clutching the curtain. Paralyzed, the teen stared at the stage where she’d been only seconds before.

  Suddenly on each side of the auditorium near the middle, hissing sounds filled the stunned silence of the audience. Smoke billowed and roiled upward. Screams of panic overruled all common sense.

  A woman shouted, “Fire,” as the director came out with a microphone. The request to “Please exit in an orderly fashion” was ignored by most of the crowd.

  Was it a real fire or just a smoke bomb? Even if it was relatively harmless, Elizabeth had to get Abbey out of there fast. The exits behind the stage were the only option. “Let’s go.” Elizabeth grabbed the girl’s arm and started forward.

  Abbey kept her fingers tightly locked around the dark maroon velvet of the curtain. Elizabeth pried the teen’s grasp loose. She latched on to the girl as they surged through the crowd rushing toward th
e exits.

  Pandemonium continued to reign all around Elizabeth. Frightened actors ran over each other trying to get out. She held Abbey’s arm even tighter and kept panning the area backstage. The press of bodies pinned Slade’s daughter to her. The left exit was too dangerous with almost all the cast and crew trying to get through it.

  “What happened?” Abbey shouted over the noise of chaos.

  “Don’t know. Just keep going. We’ll meet your dad and Joshua at the appointed place by the south doors to the school.” The one they had arranged earlier in case they were ever separated. “Do not leave my side.”

  Elizabeth’s gaze riveted to the other exit door that led to the long hallway, near the drama classroom, that ran behind the stage area. She redirected Abbey toward that exit, constantly on alert for anyone who wasn’t in the play. Ten feet away the lights flickered and the sprinklers came on. Darkness shrouded them, the sounds of screaming piercing the air.

  Joshua followed on Slade’s heels, taking up the rear of their small party as they threaded their way through the crowd jamming the aisles and exits at the back of the auditorium. “We’ll head for the south doors.”

  An hour before coming to the play Joshua and Elizabeth had discussed where to meet if something happened and they got split up, but Slade had hoped this evening wouldn’t come down to them executing the emergency plan. He glanced to each side of the auditorium. A cloud of smoke and dust wafted toward the ceiling and snaked among the rows, working its way toward the middle. Slade held Mary’s arm, trying to keep her close in the mass of people all trying to get out of the auditorium.

  If Elizabeth hadn’t grabbed Abbey and pushed her out of the way, his daughter could have been trapped under the thick piece of scenery, now lying flat. The boom it made still rang through his mind. Abbey’s frozen stance for a precious few seconds before Elizabeth pushed her to safety would stay in his thoughts for a long time.

  Was Abbey all right? Elizabeth? “I can’t do this. Let’s go backstage and try to catch up with them. We can use one of the exits back there.”

  Joshua blocked his way. “No. We need to get out. We don’t know what caused that small explosion that brought down the scenery. Or this smoke.”

  “Exactly. They could be in danger.”

  “Trust Elizabeth. She’ll get Abbey out safely. My job is to get you out in one piece.” Joshua tried to herd Slade in the right direction.

  Slade stood his ground, grasping Mary’s arm tighter than he intended. He thrust his face into the older man’s. “I’m going.”

  Joshua’s eyes glinted fire. “You have more than Abbey to think about.” His attention swept to Mary, then back to Slade. “Elizabeth knows what she’s doing, and I’ve called Captain Dickerson. The police are on the way.”

  “This person is obviously willing to hurt innocent people to get to us.”

  “My point exactly, and standing here arguing about it makes you an open target that much longer.” Joshua’s gaze slid to Mary again. “Or others.”

  Mary shook loose of his hold. “Do what you need to, Slade. I can take care of myself. Jake and Brody are right in front of us.”

  That was all he needed. Slade plunged into the crowd right behind him and hurried toward the stage, aware of Joshua behind him.

  Slade made it to the steps when the lights fluttered off and on. Then off.

  Pitch-blackness surrounded Elizabeth as water from the sprinklers drenched them. The panicky screams of others trying to escape heightened the sense of danger. She tightened her grip on Abbey. “Stay close.”

  “I’m scared.”

  The whimper in the teenage girl’s voice toughened Elizabeth’s resolve to get them out in one piece. Recalling the way this area backstage was set up, she remembered the costume closet two feet to her left, the only door along that wall. There was only one way in. “Let’s go over here,” she whispered close to Abbey’s ear. If it was dark for them, then it probably was for whoever had put this chaotic mess in motion. “We’ll go into the costume closet. Trying to get out of here in the dark would be too dangerous.” And she didn’t want to use her penlight to illuminate their location in case someone was watching and waiting.

  She realized staying could be dangerous, too, but she could protect Abbey better in a stationary location with only one entrance. And she’d been in the costume closet and knew its layout. It would be unlocked because of the play. When she felt the wall, she groped until she found the knob and turned it. The creaking of the door as she opened it sent a cringe through Elizabeth.

  She went in first, pulling Abbey behind her, and felt to the right where she remembered some historical-looking gowns hanging on a rack. The soft feel of velvet grazed her fingertips. She withdrew her penlight and flicked it on. “I want you to stand over here among the costumes.” After Abbey positioned herself behind the row of dresses, Elizabeth arranged them to hide her, then clicked off the small flashlight. She didn’t want anyone to see light from under the door. “Don’t come out no matter what unless I tell you to. Okay?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Abbey, no buts. I’m going to be at the door. No one will get in here without coming through me.”

  “Okay.” Abbey’s voice squeaked.

  Elizabeth planted herself at the door to the side, ready to pounce on anyone who came through it. Lord, please get the lights back on. With one hand on her holster, she withdrew her cell and called Joshua, shielding the phone’s soft glow.

  Right behind Slade on the steps leading to the stage, Joshua pulled out his ringing phone. The light illuminated a small area around him and Slade. Others still in the auditorium were using any means they could—from lighters to cells to penlights—to brighten the dark interior.

  “Joshua, where are you and Slade?”

  “Heading backstage. You two okay? Outside?”

  Slade halted and turned back toward Joshua. “Is that Elizabeth?”

  Joshua nodded.

  “We’re in the costume—hold it. Someone’s trying to get in here.”

  “Elizabeth?” All Joshua heard was muffled sounds as though she’d stuffed her cell in her pocket. “Do you have any idea where the costume closet is?”

  “Why? What’s wrong?” Helplessness roughened Slade’s voice.

  “Elizabeth and Abbey are holed up in it, and someone’s trying to get inside.”

  In the dim light Slade’s expression toughened into a fierce look that chilled even Joshua. “I know where it is. Let’s go.”

  The costume closet door opened slowly, and someone felt around the wall near where Elizabeth was plastered against the bricks. She braced herself for contact and slowly lifted her Glock from its holster.

  “This isn’t the way out,” a young girl said.

  “We’re lost,” another teenager announced somewhere behind the girl. “My cell’s in the dressing room. I can’t see a thing.”

  “No, this is the costume closet. Follow me. I know the way out.” The girl shut the door and the students’ voices faded.

  “Elizabeth?”

  “I’m still here.” She heard sirens in the distance and retrieved her cell.

  “What’s going on?” Abbey asked. “All I remember is a flash of light, a pop and then you’re pushing me toward the curtain. Is the guy after me here?”

  Good question. “I don’t know, so I’m assuming the worst.”

  “The guy is here?”

  “Yep.” She put her phone up to her ear. “Joshua, you there?”

  “We’re coming to get you.”

  “Where are you?”

  “It looks like…”

  Beneath the door a stream of light poured into the closet as the sprinklers shut off. Elizabeth fumbled for the handle and cracked the door open. She blinked at the brightness assaulting her eyes. Through some of the props she spied Slade and Joshua coming toward her. Relief trembled down her until she realized they still weren’t safe. Although she could still hear the sirens, the police weren’t
there yet, and they needed to get out of the building and into the safety of the bulletproof SUV.

  “I called to have the car at the south door. Let’s go.” Joshua motioned toward the exit along the back of the stage area.

  Elizabeth ducked back into the costume closet and said, “Abbey, we need to leave.”

  For a moment, nothing. Alarmed, Elizabeth hurried to where Abbey was behind the rack of dresses. She parted the gowns. The teen stood frozen, her eyes large, her skin pale beneath the stage makeup that had run down her face from the sprinklers.

  “Abbey?” Elizabeth touched her cold hand.

  Slade’s daughter blinked her eyes. “Is it safe now?”

  Elizabeth debated whether to tell her the truth or not. Fear held Abbey immobile and Elizabeth wanted her to leave, but she wouldn’t lie to the girl. She needed Abbey to trust her in all situations. “We’ll be safe when we get outside to the SUV. Ready?”

  Ten seconds passed, then finally Abbey took one step before she froze again. Elizabeth grasped the girl’s clammy hand, hoping to convey some of her warmth to Abbey, and guided the teen toward the door. Abbey’s teeth chattered, and her body trembled.

  When Slade saw his daughter, he folded her against him and murmured, “You’re okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “We need to leave now.” Joshua strode toward the door.

  With a nod of his head, he indicated to Elizabeth to take up the rear, sandwiching Slade and Abbey between them. After checking the long hallway, Joshua waved them forward, and they quickly traversed the length. At the intersection with the main corridor Joshua peeked around the corner, his hand on the weapon at his waist. Elizabeth turned around and faced the way they had come. A movement caught her attention. Tense, putting herself between Slade and Abbey, she put her hand on her Glock.

  Jake poked his head out of the exit, saw them and grinned. “We’ve been searching for y’all.” He emerged from the doorway with Brody and a security guard.

  “Where’s everyone else?” Slade came around Elizabeth.