A Family for the Holidays

by Sherri Shackelford

  Caleb rubbed his hands together over the potbellied stove in the corner. “We’d better form a search party. Staying organized is better than flying off in all directions. It’s bad out there, Jake. And it’s only getting worse.”

  The edge in his voice sent a chill of anxiety through Jake. Panicking wasn’t helpful. He had to treat this like any other missing person. Without emotion. Keeping his head was paramount. Otherwise he was no use to anyone.

  “What happened?” Jake asked, softening his voice against Lily’s distress. “How long have they been gone? Where were they headed?”

  “They left almost an hour ago. I was making rolls for dinner. I didn’t realize how much time had passed. Finnick came to visit. They were taking him home.”

  “That’s where we’ll start. The path between the houses.”

  “Yes, except I walked that path already. I didn’t see them.”

  “With this snow, you might have walked right past them. We start with the obvious, then fan out from there.”

  “I was distracted.” She covered her face with her hands and choked off a sob. “I didn’t notice the time. I didn’t notice how bad the snow had gotten or how long they’d been gone.”

  “I’ve been here working. I didn’t notice either.” He rubbed her shoulders, soothing the tense muscles. “You can’t blame yourself.”

  “I most certainly can, and I will.”

  “Let’s not panic yet.” He cupped the back of her head and tucked her against his chest. “There’s every chance they’re already home and wondering where you’ve gone.”

  She hugged him close. “I hope so.” She pushed him away and appeared to gather herself. “We’re wasting time.”

  He sincerely hoped he could be the man she thought him to be. He had to find those children, and quickly. In that moment, he’d risk anything for them.

  “I’ll walk you home and check the house and the surrounding area,” he said. “Then we’ll retrace their steps.”

  Garrett and Caleb waited near the door.

  “We’ll take the opposite direction,” Garrett said. “You’re not as familiar with that area. Take your gun. One shot means you’ve found them and you’re on your way home. Two shots means you need assistance. Be careful out there. In this weather, we risk losing each other, as well.”

  They filed outside and Jake took Lily’s hand. Her fingers trembled and he offered a reassuring squeeze. Snow swirled around them in dense curtains. The visibility was next to zero. Though he had a good sense of direction, Jake found himself squinting for familiar landmarks.

  By the time they reached the house, the empty tree branches overhead were heavy with accumulated snow.

  He stepped onto the porch and Lily tugged her hand free.

  “No.” She shook her head. “I’m coming with you. I’m not waiting inside.”

  He’d move faster without her, but he knew how powerless she felt. “Search the barn. I’ll see if I can find their footsteps.”

  At least she’d have a modicum of shelter.

  “All right.”

  Together they circled around back. He caught sight of faint depressions between the fences of the garden path and held her arm, then pointed.

  “Footprints,” he shouted over the howling wind.

  She nodded her understanding.

  They followed the fading trail. Gathering snow had filled all but the deepest impressions. Upon reaching the barn, Lily grasped the heavy sliding door and tugged. He stepped behind her and reached above her head, easily opening it. They slipped inside and Lily rushed toward the opposite end. Her footsteps echoed through the hollow silence.

  “Nothing,” she said. “They’re not here.”

  Jake knelt and studied the floor. “They were here today. We can assume they left from here.”

  Icy flakes swirled through the half-open door and scattered around the dirt floor.

  He straightened and motioned her over. “Why don’t you wait here? In case they come back.”

  “I can’t.”

  “I had a feeling you’d say that.”

  Outside once more, he searched the hazy horizon. With each step his feet sank up to his ankles. They’d accumulated four inches in less than three hours. At this rate, they’d be snowed in by suppertime. There’d be no walking, let alone searching.

  Tipping back his head, he studied the sky, and his unease intensified. He’d been certain the children were near the house. He lengthened his stride and picked up speed. There was no way of telling how long the snow might last.

  Lily pointed. “This way. This is the path they take to Caleb’s.”

  He followed her a few steps and paused.

  She turned around. “What is it?”

  Tugging his muffler down, he ducked his head. “This is the way they should have gone.” Something nagged at the edges of his consciousness. They’d assumed the children were following a straight line, but what if they’d veered unintentionally? If they’d wandered south, they’d have run into buildings. Which meant they must have wandered north.

  “Let’s check this way.” He indicated the opposite direction. “There’s a copse of trees. They might have mistaken them for buildings in the distance.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “No. But this is the only direction without an obvious landmark.” He grasped her shoulders. “Don’t worry. I won’t rest until they’re home.”

  “I know.”

  She had faith in his abilities. He wouldn’t let her down. He wouldn’t let Sam and Peter down. They separated and continued the search. He battled his rising worry and focused on the horizon. The dark, spindly shape of the trees appeared in the distance. Spotting them as well, he and Lily broke into an awkward run through the drifts.

  When he realized Lily was falling behind, he slowed.

  She waved him forward. “I’m fine. I’ll catch up.”

  Keeping her in sight, he trudged through the snow, his thigh muscles burning with exertion. Something in the copse of trees drew him forward. A sound caught his attention and he halted. Wind whistled through the empty branches overhead. The faint noise filtered through the storm. He turned in the direction and frantically fought through the rising piles.

  A finger of movement separated from the trunk of one of the trees. His heartbeat rocketed. With Lily close on his heels, he ran the distance. He recognized Peter’s familiar red scarf.

  The boy waved his arms.

  Without stopping to think, Jake grasped Peter and crushed the boy against his chest. “Are you all right?”

  “We’re fine now that you’re here. We got lost.”

  Sam stood and he caught her in his opposite arm. Lily reached them and the four embraced in a hug. A sense of relief unlike anything he’d ever known filled him. He wanted to shout his thanks and weep at the same time. Something bumped his leg and he caught sight of the goat, Finnick.

  “Finnick ran off,” Sam explained. “We chased him but then we couldn’t find our way back.”

  “Sam said we should stay put and you’d find us,” Peter exclaimed.

  “She was right.” His eyes burned. “You and Sam did the right thing.”

  They had become a part of his life, a part of his heart and soul. When he thought he’d lost them, his priorities had shifted. There was nothing more important in his life. Why had he ever thought his work important when compared with these three people?

  Nothing else mattered.

  “I have to alert the other men who are searching.” Jake stepped back and pulled his gun from his holster. “Cover your ears.”

  He fired the single shot.

  “I’ll go first,” he said. The snow was rapidly building. “Walk in my steps.”

  He’d forge a trail and make the walking easier. T
he march home went much faster than the search, with Finnick bouncing through the snow behind them as though it was all some sort of game.

  The barn came into sight first. A few more steps and the house appeared in the distance. Light poured from all the windows and smoke puffed from the chimney.

  He opened the door and ushered Lily and the children inside first. Anna, Caleb’s wife, met them in the kitchen.

  “I knew you’d find them. I heard all about the excitement,” she said. “I’ve started a fire and there’s milk heating on the stove. Everyone change into dry clothes and come warm up.”

  Once Samantha and Peter had changed clothes and were bundled by the fire, they cupped their hot milk and regaled Anna with tales of their adventures. Jake glanced around. He hadn’t seen Lily in several minutes. Worried, he knocked softly on her door. When he heard the muffled sobbing, his stomach dropped.

  He knocked harder, opening the unlatched door with the pressure. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not sad.” She sat with tears streaming down her face. “I’m just so relieved.”

  He settled on the bed beside her and tucked her against his side. “It’s all right.”

  “I should be out there comforting them and not sitting in here crying.”

  “They don’t know the danger. For them, they’ve had a great adventure. They’re busy telling Anna about their bravery.”

  She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For helping. For not arguing when I wanted to go along.”

  “You’re gonna be all right, Lily. We all had a scare, but it’s over.”

  He’d changed inside and he didn’t recognize himself anymore. Was he a gunman? A lawman? A husband? Something shifted in his heart, a tight, almost frantic feeling. He couldn’t bear to see her unhappy.

  He sensed a change coming as surely as the winter wind. Just this morning they’d gotten a lead that might bring them closer to finding Emil. He’d been desperate to solve the case and move on. Not anymore.

  He simply wanted another day with Lily, and another, and another, and another. Once he solved the mystery of Emil’s disappearance, he’d lose her forever. He’d lose Sam and Peter. How many more days until the children were reunited with their grandfather? How many days did they have left together before their situation changed? A day, a week, a month?

  The scent of lilacs drifted over him. Lilies and lilacs would always be intertwined for him. Forever with Lily wasn’t nearly long enough.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lily was immediately enchanted by the Elder property. Jake had borrowed a wagon and horses from his uncle for the trip, and Samantha and Peter sat on the bench seat behind her and Jake.

  There was a charming chaos about the ranch. An army of snowmen in all shapes and sizes lined the winding drive leading to the house. Some of the rounded bodies had sticks for arms, and carrots for noses. There were coal eyes and buttons along with red yarn smiling faces. An array of sleds had been stacked by height along the side of the barn. Only a day out from the fresh blanket of snow, footsteps and hoofprints marked nearly every inch of the property as far as the eye could see.

  At least a dozen horses gathered outside a shelter holding bales of hay. Another wagon, almost identical to the one they’d borrowed, was stored near the house. The clatter of wind chimes filled the air. Several of the dangling noise makers lined the porch eves. As she neared the house, Lily noted they were constructed from wires and old silverware.

  Jake grinned at her. “The Elders have four children living at home now. There’s Hazel, who is fifteen, Preston is five, Liam is four, Rose is two and Moira is expecting another this spring.”

  “Oh, my. Moira is a busy woman. Your uncle isn’t much older than you. I can’t believe he has a fifteen-year-old child.”

  “It’s a long story. Moira has a way with children. Hazel is adopted and Preston is staying with them while his mother is away at school. Preston’s mother is a widow. She’s earning her teaching certificate.”

  He guided the wagon nearer the front of the house and pulled back on the reins, then set the break.

  Samantha and Peter scrambled out, climbing down the enormous spoked wheels. Jake held out his arms for Lily. She leaned forward and he wrapped his hands around her waist. He lowered her gently down, and his fingers lingered.

  “Jake,” a familiar voice called. Jake’s uncle appeared on the porch. “You survived the drive out, Mrs. Elder.”

  “I thought we agreed you’d call me Lily.”

  “Of course.”

  A lovely young girl with blond hair stood beside him. “This is my daughter Hazel. Hazel, this is Lily and I don’t need to introduce you to Uncle Jake. Even though Jake is actually my nephew, the girls decided early on that he was their uncle, and the title stuck.”

  “I think that’s charming,” Lily said.

  “It’s so nice to meet you.” Hazel took her hand in a warm grip. “I have to warn you before Preston teases you. We have a dog named Lily.”

  Samantha and Peter giggled.

  “My compliments to whoever named the dog,” Lily said. “I happen to be partial to the name.”

  “That would be me,” Hazel admitted, abashed. “I was enamored of floral names.”

  “You’re in good company,” John added. “She named a dog Rose, as well. That dog went to live with a family in a neighboring town, and they renamed him Buddy. They didn’t think Rose was a very good name for a boy dog.”

  “Preston has never let our Rose forget that she was named after the dog,” Hazel said.

  John threw up his hands. “She was not named after the dog. You named everything on the ranch. I kept over a hundred horses and when she was younger, she named every one. We were bound to name one of the children after one of your animals, because you used up all the names.”

  Clearly this was a good-natured argument the two had often.

  Hazel turned toward Samantha and Peter. “Lily, the dog, has had puppies. Would you like to see them?”

  “Yes!”

  “Please!”

  “If it’s all right with you?” Hazel directed the question toward Lily.

  “Of course.” She waved her fingers at the siblings. “Be good.”

  “We will. We promise.”

  John patted his nephew on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. She’ll look out for them. There’re always children underfoot around here. She’s used to watching out for little ones.”

  “John,” a voice called from the porch. “It’s freezing out here. Bring them inside.”

  “That would be my wife, Moira,” John said.

  Moira was a pretty, petite redhead with laughing eyes. She wore a pale pink gingham dress with an apron knotted over her rounded stomach.

  She waved at them from the porch. “Come in. If Liam is unattended for too long, he climbs the bookcases.”

  The inside of the Elder home was as charmingly cluttered as the outside. Though mostly neat and tidy, clearly the house had been well loved. Rag rugs in all shapes, sizes and patterns had been scattered over the wood floors. There were several mismatched chairs and a settee in the parlor area, each draped with an afghan. Like the area rugs, each of the afghans was unique in color, size and pattern.

  Bookcases flanked the fireplace, filled with as many toys and knickknacks as actual books. A table had been set to one side of the enormous kitchen. There was a bench on one side of the table, and chairs lining the other three edges. Each of the chairs and the bench featured a cushion in a different color of calico.

  The effect should have been overwhelming and jarring, like the hotel parlor in Frozen Oaks. Instead, Lily was absolutely enchanted. There was a warmth and hominess to the house, a sense
of love and peace.

  Another bench had been pulled up to the butcher-block table in the center of the kitchen, and three children merrily played with bits of dough.

  Moira patted each of their heads in turn. “This is Preston, he’s five. This is Liam.”

  “I’m four and almost five!” Liam announced.

  “Yes, you’re four,” Moira repeated. “And this is Rose. She’s our youngest. She’s two.”

  “She’s named after the dog,” Preston declared.

  Rose smiled and nodded. Moira rolled her eyes.

  “That’s all right,” Lily said. “I’m named after the dog, as well. My name is Lily.”

  Having been denied his outraged reaction, Preston shrugged. “Lily just had puppies.”

  “So I heard.”

  “Are you having a baby, Lily?”

  “Preston!” Moira admonished. “That’s not a question you ask a lady.”

  “But momma, you’re having a baby.”

  “Yes. I’m having a baby. But you still don’t ask ladies that question.”

  Lily waved off Moira’s embarrassment. “Sam and Peter are visiting the puppies. They’ll be here soon.”

  “The puppies will be weaned by Christmas. I don’t know what we’ll talk about after they’ve gone to good homes. They consume our days and nights.” Moira barely paused for a breath. “I heard you had some excitement over at your place. Anna mentioned the children wandered off the path during the blizzard.”

  “That was my fault.” Lily grappled with her lingering regret. “I was distracted. I lost track of them.”

  “If I had a nickel for every time I lost one of the children, we’d be dining off golden plates this evening. Even Anna has lost track of her children once or twice, and she’s about as perfect of a person as I’ve met.”

  Lily recalled Anna’s assistance that day. She’d made them dinner and helped with the washing up. “She’s quite nice.”

  “I adore her, but she can be awfully intimidating. Have you seen their home?”

  “Only the parlor.”

  “I’ve never seen a speck of dust in that house. And everything matches. I don’t know how she does it. And her hair is never out of place. Not a strand. I’d hate her if she weren’t so nice.”