Daddy's Christmas Miracle: Santa in a Stetson. Rebecca Winters

stomach. “When?”

      “About two hours ago. She got separated from her mother at a toy store in the South Towne Mall. It was packed with preseason shoppers. The woman’s in agony.”

      Whitney would be in worse condition if she wasn’t dead already. “Did you contact my mom?”

      “Yes. She’s already on it.”

      That was probably why her mother hadn’t picked up earlier. “I wish I were there to help.” But Allie had needed help, too. She still did, but not the kind Kathryn could provide.

      The teen had serious issues only her father could work on with her once she found the courage to talk to him.

      “You’re just like your sister before she met Jake. She always wished she could be in ten places at once.”

      “She’s still like that inside, but being a wife and mother has changed her life.” Donna had started working for Maggie at the Foundation ten years ago and continued to be a good family friend, as well as an invaluable assistant, to Kathryn. “Keep me posted, will you?”

      “When I hear anything new, I’ll call you. Bye for now.”

      Kathryn hung up. If the little girl wasn’t found, it could mean days, months, even years of unrelieved suffering. But she needed to set that care aside while she dealt with Allie.

      When Kathryn entered the bedroom, the teen was curled up on her side toward the window. Her shoulders were shaking beneath the covers. “Allie?”

      She turned over. Kathryn could tell she was crying and rushed over to her. “Are you feeling worse?”

      “No.”

      “Then what’s wrong?”

      “Everything.”

      Kathryn sank down on the side of the bed next to her, smoothing Allie’s hair off her forehead. “Did you eat dinner?”

      “Half of it.” Half was better than nothing. “Katy? What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

      Where had that question come from? “I’m going to be with my family. What about you?”

      “We’re going to our aunt and uncle’s in Butte to be with our cousins.”

      “That sounds fun.”

      Allie sat up in bed, wiping her eyes. “So you don’t have to work?” Another question that had completely ignored Kathryn’s comment.

      “No.”

      “Then you could go with us, right? Dad said you’d be working with another patient so we couldn’t ask you.”

      Her father had told Allie what any parent would have said in response, but in Colt Brenner’s case there was much more to it than that. “What he meant was, I’d be busy with my work even if I stopped to have dinner with my family, and he’d be right.”

      “You mean you have to be at the hospital on Thanksgiving?”

      “No. I do all kinds of jobs.”

      “Like what?”

      “It’s a long story. Where do you keep your brush? While I do your hair, I’ll tell you.”

      “It’s in the bathroom in the top left drawer.”

      “I’ll be right back.”

      Kathryn slid off the bed and went to fetch it. After she came back, she said, “Turn your back toward me.”

      “Okay.”

      She gathered the glossy skein of hair in her hands and got started.

      “That feels good.”

      “It’s supposed to. Now to answer your question. I help my brother at the halfway house I told you about. Some of the homeless women have children. I do periodic health checks on all of them and work with him and his staff to help the adults find work and housing. Do you remember that brochure I gave you?”

      She nodded.

      “It talked about the McFarland Foundation. In the plaza where my condo is, there’s a whole area on the ground floor where the foundation headquarters are located. My sister used to be in charge of it. Now I am, but of course I have people to help me.

      “As soon as we receive word that a child has gone missing, we assist the police by sending out our own rescue people. We do ground and air searches and have resources to help find people who are lost to their families.

      “When the hospital phoned me about you, it was because the police had brought you into the E.R. as a Jane Doe. That meant you couldn’t be identified yet and could be a possible runaway or kidnap victim who’d either gotten away or had been let go. Every E.R. in every hospital in Salt Lake Valley knows to call the foundation if a Jane or John Doe is brought in.”

      Allie’s turned her head. “Does it happen a lot?”

      “More than you know.”

      “That’s awful.”

      “I agree. After I was reunited with my family, I watched my sister doing all the things I do now. When I lived at Skwars Farm, I used to dream about becoming a doctor, but knew it was only a dream. But after I was found and was able to go to college, I changed my mind about being a doctor.”

      “How come?”

      “Because then I wouldn’t be able to be as free to do everything for the foundation that has to be done. So I became a nurse, but I’m on my own, so to speak.”

      “Is your sister a nurse, too?”

      “No. She’s an attorney who helps people who are trying to avoid bankruptcy.” She was also a crack pilot.

      “Does it make you feel bad you couldn’t do the LSAT like she did?”

      Kathryn broke into laughter. “Heavens, no. For one thing, I never wanted to be a lawyer. For another, I love what I do. As for my sister, she’s superwoman and I adore her.”

      “I wish I had a sister.”

      “You’ve got Matt. That’s even better. Think of all the cute guys he brings around.”

      A little laugh came out of her. “I’m glad you’re my nurse.”

      “So am I.”

      “Your father must make a lot of money to pay for everything.”

      “Our family can thank my great-grandfather John McFarland four greats back for that. He was Utah’s Copper King. He amassed a fortune worth hundreds of millions of dollars that he invested.”

      “I can’t imagine that much money.”

      “Neither can I, Allie. He had mansions in London, France, New York and Salt Lake. My father makes sure it gets spent helping other people.”

      “Like that program you work for?”

      “Exactly.”

      “No wonder you love him so much.”

      “He and my mother work together. They’re awesome,” she said, using the teenage vernacular.

      “So’s my dad.” Suddenly Allie moved so her back rested against the headboard. She drew up her pajama-clad knees and locked her arms around them. “My mom left after Matt and I were born.”

       Ah …

      Kathryn put the brush on the table and sank down on the side of the bed again. “How often do you see her?”

      Allie stared at her out of pained brown eyes. “We’ve never met her.”

      An unseen hand squeezed Kathryn’s heart. Never?

      “Dad met her in Las Vegas when he was a big rodeo champion on the circuit, but they broke up