A Knight Before Christmas

by Alicia Dean

  he couldn't take the chance the guy would see them speaking

  to one another.

  Nicolette slowly meandered along the sidewalk in front of

  the shops, and Heath glanced back and forth from her to the

  escalators. Several moments passed before a youngish guy

  carrying a black backpack wandered nonchalantly out the

  door and to the escalators.

  "Nic," Heath whispered into the mic. "I think I see him.

  This guy is about 5'8 and young. Sort of thin with shaggy

  dark hair hanging over his eyes. I know you never got a good

  look at the blackmailer, but does that sound like it could be

  him?"

  "Hold on. I'll head that way and take a look."

  "No!" Heath's heart sped up in panic. "Don't go near him.

  If he spots you, no telling what he'll do. Just tell me if you

  think it sounds like him."

  He watched as she paused indecisively. "I'll be careful."

  227

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  "Jesus Christ, Nic. He's going to see you. I'm too far away

  to do anything if he hurts you. Hell, if nothing else, you'll tip

  him off, and he'll run. Just stay back!"

  "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry."

  She continued toward the lot where she'd parked her Jeep.

  Heath let out a sigh of relief.

  "Thanks," he said.

  "Sure thing." She gave a little wave without looking in his

  direction. "Good luck."

  The suspect was almost to the bottom of the escalator.

  Heath waited until he stepped off, then quickly moved toward

  him, keeping a discreet distance behind. The guy headed

  toward the parking garage. Good. That would be an out of the

  way place to have a little chat without being spotted.

  Heath caught up to him on the second level. Not seeing

  anyone around, he grabbed the guy by one shoulder and

  clamped a hand on his mouth. The guy yelled out, but it was

  muted. Heath dragged him between two SUV's and slammed

  him up against one.

  His eyes rounded. Behind Heath's hand, he mumbled,

  "What the fuck?"

  "I'm going to let go, but if you scream or try to get away,

  I'll hurt you, got it?"

  The guy nodded.

  Heath released his mouth and jerked the backpack off his

  shoulder.

  "What's this about, man?" he asked, his voice frightened,

  but as Heath instructed, he didn't yell. "What are you doing? I

  ain't got nothing in there worth taking, but you can have it."

  228

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  Heath yanked open the zipper and his heart sank into his

  stomach. A couple of textbooks and some paper. A few cans

  of energy drink.

  "School's out for Christmas break," Heath said stupidly. It

  was the only thing he could think of to say. Why was the kid

  carrying textbooks?

  "No shit." His voice was reedy but defiant. "I carry them

  around. Study when I can. College is tough, man."

  He had the wrong guy. Shit. "Sorry. Look. This was a

  mistake. I thought you were someone else." He pulled two

  twenties from his wallet. "I know this doesn't make up for it,

  but here you go."

  The kid took the bills. Fear cleared from his face. "I guess I

  won't call the cops."

  Heath nodded, and the kid scurried away.

  At a run, Heath went back to Dave and Buster's. The lobby

  was crowded with people waiting for a table, but he skirted

  around them and went to the right, into the game room.

  Making a beeline for the Elvis game, he looked beneath it. No

  backpack. He searched the crowd and didn't find anyone

  holding one.

  He went into the bathroom. Two stalls were occupied, but

  he checked each of the empty ones. He cursed when he

  looked into the second. An empty backpack lay on top of the

  toilet seat, unzipped and deflated.

  Heath cursed and snatched it up. The blackmailer had

  obviously taken the cash and stashed it on his person, in a

  heavy coat or another bag. He probably made his escape

  while Heath was chasing the innocent college student.

  229

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  Damn and double damn.

  Heath took the pack with him, hoping but doubting he

  could get some kind of fingerprints or something to lead him

  to the actual blackmailer. He'd have to send it back home to

  Burke, and it would take a little while, if he ever got a good

  print, not to mention a match.

  Dejected, he slid into his car and headed to Nicolette's.

  The detectives were waiting for Nicolette when she arrived

  home. Great.

  As if her nerves weren't strung tight enough from the

  money drop. Another ten thousand dollars gone. But this

  time, at least Heath had been there with her. He'd called her

  while she was on the way home and told her he hadn't gotten

  the guy. That the suspect he spotted wasn't him. Even if it

  had been, then what? They still couldn't turn him over to the

  cops. But if nothing else, Heath would figure out a way to

  stop him, she was sure of it.

  She stepped up onto her porch where Detectives Patella

  and Berry stood.

  "You've been gone a while." Patella smiled and pulled a

  stick of gum from his pocket. He slid it into his mouth and

  chomped down, speaking around it, "We were beginning to

  think you'd skipped town."

  His tone was light, but his eyes were serious.

  "Sorry. I was checking on one of my units." She felt dirty

  and guilty as soon as the lie tumbled free. It was the first

  time she'd lied to the police, yet they still suspected she'd

  killed her husband. "What can I do for you gentleman? You

  were just here a few days ago."

  230

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  "Can we come in?" Detective Berry asked.

  No. "Yes. Sure."

  Nicolette unlocked the door and led the detectives inside.

  She didn't offer them anything to drink or a seat. She didn't

  want them settling in for a lengthy visit, not only because

  they made her nervous, but Heath might arrive any moment.

  She hoped.

  They helped themselves to a seat, each of them settling at

  one end of the couch.

  Patella looked around. "You have a guest staying with

  you?"

  Nicolette frowned. "No. Why would you say that?"

  "Seems like Heath King has been spending a lot of time

  around here. Just thought he was staying with you."

  Nicolette tensed as her suspicions about being watched

  were confirmed. "Are the police spying on me?"

  "Not spying. Keeping an occasional eye out. All part of the

  investigation."

  "Heath is not staying here with me."

  "When we interviewed him, he said he was staying here."

  Patella seemed pleased at catching her in an untruth.

  "Well, yes. He's staying at the empty duplex next door."

  "Ah. Why is that?"

  "He's in town for the holidays, and it's crowded at his

  mother's house. We
're old friends. It gives him a place to stay

  and a chance for us to catch up." Sort of a lie. Mostly a lie.

  "Catch up?" Detective Patella's forehead wrinkled in a

  frown. "Exactly what is the nature of your relationship with

  Heath King? Are you lovers?"

  231

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  Her face flushed, and she told a third lie to the detectives.

  "No. We're not lovers. We're close friends. Nothing more."

  She'd been fooling herself these past few days. No way

  could she and Heath continue their affair. They'd surely be

  caught. A deep, troubling sadness entered her chest. She

  knew what she had to do.

  "Are you being honest with us, Mrs. Morgan?"

  "I am being as honest as I know how. I wish you would

  just leave me alone and find the real killers."

  "Ah, so now you do believe your husband was murdered."

  "I'm not sure. If you believe it, then it's likely true. I just

  mean, if he was killed, I hope you find the killer. Soon."

  "Yeah. We do too."

  They stood. "We'll leave you alone for now, Mrs. Morgan,

  but you be sure to give us a call if you decide to tell us

  something that will help with the investigation. Pass that on

  to Mr. King, too."

  Nicolette opened the door to Heath's knock and stepped

  back to let him in.

  Her mood seemed troubled, subdued. Had something else

  happened, or was it just the unending list of problems she

  was dealing with?

  "Would you like something to drink?" she offered, going to

  the bar.

  "I'll take a beer."

  She handed him a Budweiser and poured a glass of Chablis

  for herself.

  When they were seated, he gave her the details of his

  mistaken identity encounter and finding the empty backpack.

  232

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  She rubbed her forehead and sighed. "I don't think we'll

  ever find him."

  Heath reached out and squeezed her uninjured knee.

  "Don't give up yet. We'll find him."

  "I know you'll do your best." She smiled and took a sip of

  her wine, then moved her knee away from his touch. As small

  as the rejection was, it still caused a shaft of pain to his

  heart. Something had changed between them. He wasn't sure

  if he really expected to continue sleeping with her, but he'd

  hoped.

  "Has something happened?" he asked.

  "What do you mean?"

  "You seem like something's on your mind."

  She barked a humorless laugh and stood, pacing to the

  fireplace. "Yeah. A lot of things."

  He rose and joined her as she stared into the flames. "This

  is different, though. You seem like you want to say

  something."

  She took another sip from the glass, not looking at him.

  "What's happened between us has been amazing."

  "It has. I sense a but in there."

  Now she looked at him, her eyes searching his. Pain and

  uncertainty showed in hers. "I never wanted to ruin our

  friendship."

  He frowned. "Is that what we've done? Ruined our

  friendship?"

  She moved away and stalked to the patio door to look

  outside at the still-falling snow. "You and Louisa are really all

  233

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  I have left. I mean, there's Marla and Donovan, but I haven't

  known them as long as I have you and Louisa."

  Even though she was obviously trying to put distance

  between them, he couldn't help himself. He walked up behind

  her, but resisted the urge to touch. "You've still got me, you

  know. I don't want the sex to ruin that either. You'll always

  have me."

  In the reflection of the glass, her mouth tilted in a wry

  smile. "Even if I told you I couldn't do it anymore? That the

  sex has to stop?"

  Another stab of pain shot through him, this one deeper. It

  wasn't entirely because she said the sex was over, but

  because she thought he would no longer want to be her

  friend.

  "You really think that?" When she didn't answer, he took

  her shoulders and turned her to face him. "Do you really think

  I'm that kind of man?"

  She looked up at him, her eyes misty with unshed tears.

  "Of course not. I don't think that at all." She shook her head

  and wiped a hand over her face. "It's just all such a mess."

  "Did something else happen?"

  "The detectives were here today. They were asking

  questions about us. About our relationship. I had to lie to

  them for the first time, and it made me feel guilty. Almost as

  if I was responsible for Rudy's death."

  "Oh, sweetie." He pulled her against him and hugged her,

  rubbing a hand up and down her back. He tried to ignore the

  surge of sexual desire that washed over him. He needed to

  prove to her that he was still her friend and not some man

  234

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  who just wanted in her pants. "You have nothing to feel guilty

  about. Rudy's been gone for almost a year. Maybe we

  shouldn't have slept together, but it doesn't make you a bad

  person. Doesn't make you responsible for his death."

  She pulled back and smiled up at him. "Of course not. It

  sounds crazy when you put it that way. Damn. It's just that

  my emotions are so raw, so mixed up. I no longer know

  what's right and what's wrong."

  He tilted her chin up and placed a quick, chaste kiss on her

  lips. "Let's just take this one day at a time. You don't have to

  figure everything out right now, okay?"

  "Okay."

  "Let's concentrate on finding out who's doing this to you

  and let the rest take care of itself."

  "Sounds good, but how are we going to do that? We don't

  have a clue."

  Heath released her. "Not yet, but it doesn't mean we won't

  figure it out. Did you give me all of Rudy's papers?"

  "That's everything I have."

  "What about at the office—are there any papers there?"

  "Yes. I left his desk alone. But anything there is probably

  just business. Charity stuff. You want to go through it?"

  Heath shrugged. "It's worth checking into."

  "Okay. Let's go now. I'll let you in, and you can search his

  desk."

  He glanced out the window with a frown. "The weather's

  getting worse. Why don't you give me a key and stay here

  where it's safe and warm."

  "You sure?"

  235

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  "Absolutely."

  "Okay. I'll get you that key."

  She returned in a few moments and handed him a key. "I

  hope you understand why we can't...you know. As much as

  everyone loved Rudy, if they knew about us, they'd hate me."

  "I do understand. We're attracted to one another, but the

  friendship is more important." The words were hard to say,

  but he felt he had to say them to help assuage her guilt. "We

  can't do anything to jeopa
rdize your freedom, or your safety."

  She nodded. "I am attracted to you, and you remind me of

  Rudy." Taking in a deep breath, she said, "I think I was

  lonely, missing him. Maybe I was just trying to fill the

  emptiness he left by making love with you."

  Heath felt like he'd been slammed in the gut with a

  baseball bat. Fill the emptiness, my ass. Maybe he should

  remind her of what she'd said earlier... I don't miss Rudy as

  much now that you're here.

  No. He wouldn't do that. He didn't know if she was putting

  distance between them because she was afraid of what the

  police might learn, or if she truly felt that way. In either case,

  he wouldn't push her. They had too many things to deal with

  right now. Later, though, he'd force her to confront her

  feelings. Find out once and for all if there was hope for a

  future together.

  He'd allow her to play it her way. Not letting the effect of

  her words show in his voice, he nodded. "You're probably

  right."

  He slipped the key in his jeans pocket and turned away

  before she could see the hurt in his eyes. Grabbing his coat,

  236

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  he headed outside. The frigid cold felt oddly similar to the

  spot where his heart once beat inside his chest.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  237

  A Knight Before Christmas

  by Alicia Dean

  Chapter Seventeen

  Heath shivered as he made his way through the dark chill

  to Rudy's office. Behind the closed door, he started with the

  filing cabinet but only found files on the charity.

  Going to the desk, he sat in Rudy's chair and opened the

  top drawer. Nothing but pens and office supplies there. He

  opened the second drawer and found a small paper-clipped

  stack of papers at the back.

  Taking them out, he removed the clip and began thumbing

  through them. Most of them were receipts; restaurants, gas,

  ATM withdrawal slips. All were dated in the months before

  Rudy died. One particular receipt caught Heath's eye. It was

  for a hotel in town and was dated a week before Rudy's

  death. Why would he need a hotel room in town? A hotel

  receipt for a married man spelled cheating. Unless he and

  Nicolette shared the room for a special night out? Heath didn't

  want to consider the thought of his best friend cheating on his