Christmas Under Fire. Michelle Karl

would be examining the crime scene would find something to lead them to the culprit. Trying to steal someone’s belongings was one thing, but despite the reassurances he’d tried to offer up, he couldn’t rule out the attack as an attempted abduction, either. Either way, he refused to let the act go unpunished.

      I won’t let anything happen to you, he thought. Whatever it takes, I’ll keep you safe.

       THREE

      About an hour later, Cally climbed out of the second patrol car she’d ridden in that afternoon. In front of her was a cozy-looking cabin—more of a small house, really—which Ellen had promised would be “modern enough to have central heating, but rural enough to leave the doors unlocked at night.” Cally imagined it’d look even better in daylight.

      “Let me take a look around for you first,” Aaron said, jogging past her and up the front steps. He opened the door—which was unlocked, as Ellen had predicted—and disappeared inside. Leo, Aaron’s brother and fellow RCMP officer, grinned as he rounded the car to stand alongside her.

      “If you need anything at any time, call him, okay? He’s very good at his job, and he’ll be upset if he hears you hesitated to ask.” Leo scratched the back of his neck. “Plus, he’s like...one of two officers on duty this week. I’m going down to Fort St. Jacob for my final tux fitting, and our youngest brother is teaching a training course with his wife in Vancouver until the end of the semester. They’ll be back next week in time for the wedding.”

      “Congratulations,” Cally said, and despite her own heartbreak, she meant it. “I wish we’d had our first meeting under better circumstances, but I have no doubt now that Ellen has found a good man who can keep up with her. But how is it that there are so few officers on duty? Doesn’t the town need you?”

      Leo shook his head. “Not particularly. We have a lot of seasonal residents during the spring and summer, so the population of Fort Mason and other small places up north tends to drop during the darkest and coldest winter months—December through February, usually—so the need isn’t as great. Even then, few folks venture outside their homes. With only six hours of daylight right now and temperatures averaging negative twenty degrees Celsius for the next few months, the only time you’ll see a lot of people at once is during the annual tree lighting ceremony in the middle of town on Saturday. We bring in extra officers, have a giant snowball fight, make maple taffy in the snow. There’s a skating rink, too... It’s great, you’ll love it. People from all over the area come here to attend, sometimes driving hours just to see it. Ah, he’s back.”

      Aaron sauntered down the steps toward them, house key in his outstretched hand. “All clear. Listen, I’m going to be at the station for the rest of the day, but is there anything we can get for you first? The fridge inside is stocked with some basics, but I’m happy to have food, supplies, toiletries or whatever you need brought over. We don’t have a lot at this time of year, but we’ll make it work.”

      “I’m sure I’ll be fine. Do you normally leave houses unlocked around here?”

      Aaron shrugged. “It’s a small town. No one really locks their doors.”

      “But what about the thefts you mentioned?”

      “Fort St. Jacob’s problem, not Fort Mason’s,” Leo interrupted. “Not to brag about our small town being better than that one—”

      “—which we grew up in—” Aaron raised an eyebrow at his brother.

      “—but especially at this time of year, anyone comes into town who’s a stranger, we’ll know about it. Everyone here is your neighbor. We all have to band together and be there for each other in a place as far north as this during the winter. It’s not unusual for folks to lend each other blankets or food or even a warm bed if a furnace conks out, for example. This town is full of good people.”

      “I’m glad to hear it.” Cally looked sideways at Aaron as his brother walked away to return to the patrol car. “Thanks again for being there for me today. I’m still feeling a little rattled, but I’m sure it’s nothing a good night’s sleep can’t take care of. Not that it’s nighttime yet.”

      Aaron smiled. “Did I overhear Leo explaining how we only have six hours of daylight right now? It tricks the brain into thinking you’re tired early and can be hard to get used to. On the other hand, there’s a good possibility you might get to see the northern lights while you’re visiting, especially if we get a night with clear skies. Anyway, like I said, you need anything, call. There’s a list of emergency contacts by the landline inside, including the direct line to my personal cell. Call any time of the day or night.”

      He climbed into the patrol car with his brother and waved as they pulled away. Cally waved back, feeling a pang of loneliness at being left by herself. She needed to get over that. She’d actually come up to the remote wilderness a few days early, before her scheduled girls’ day with Ellen at a nearby spa—a place that Ellen insisted was the only reason tourists visited this part of the province during the winter months. She’d told herself she needed to gather her bearings and spend some time in quiet contemplation without a million voices in her ears.

      But now that she had nothing but the silence she’d craved, the world seemed strange and empty.

      And, despite herself, she really hadn’t minded when Aaron was a part of it.

      She willed herself to enter the house and explore the place she’d be living in for the next few weeks. Aaron hadn’t been kidding when he’d said the fridge was stocked. She made herself a quick dinner, trying to enjoy the peace and quiet that she’d wanted so badly. But rather than sink into the moment, she felt uneasy—not relaxed at all.

      With a sigh of frustration, she dumped her dishes in the sink and headed to the front door to search her purse for an aspirin. Maybe treating her headache would help her to settle into the place and feel less anxious about being alone after what had happened in the airport. However, her purse wasn’t by the door. Nor was it with her suitcase, or hung up with her winter coat.

      Did I leave it in the patrol car? She tried to visualize the ride to the cabin. She was quite sure she’d taken her purse with her when she’d switched patrol cars...but she couldn’t remember grabbing it when she’d arrived.

      And as much as she didn’t want to burden Aaron after everything he’d already done for her, the plain fact was that her purse held her passport and travel documents, which she couldn’t afford to lose.

      She picked up the landline receiver to call him, trying to infuse her voice with an apologetic timbre when he answered. “Hi, Officer Thrace? It’s Cally. I’m so sorry to bother you again, but I think I might have left my purse in the patrol car that brought me to the house. My passport and wallet are inside, so—”

      “No need to apologize—I understand the importance,” he said. “I’ll go out and look for it. Hang tight. If it’s out there, I’ll bring it back to you right away.”

      She hung up and sank into the couch cushions, feeling grateful and a mite bewildered at his kindness.

       I’m not quite ready to talk to You again, God, but...if this is Your doing, thank You.

      Her eyelids began to flutter, exhaustion from the day beginning to creep in. It was still early evening, but she thought that once she had her purse back, she might grab a cozy mystery novel from the living room shelf and head to bed early.

      Several minutes passed—or maybe more, it was hard to tell due to the perpetual darkness outside—before Cally heard footsteps heading up the driveway. That was quick, she thought, pleased and surprised.

      She pushed up off the couch and headed to the front door as the doorknob began to turn. It was strange that Aaron hadn’t knocked first, but maybe he didn’t want to disturb her in case she’d fallen asleep again, like she had in the back of his