The Rancher's Holiday Hope. Brenda Minton

shudder.

      Cautious, she stepped into the entry and looked around. When she saw nothing suspicious, she moved to close the doors but before she could reach them a sound behind her had her spinning to meet whoever had entered the building.

      Overhead the helicopter still hovered. She caught sight of it out of the corner of her eye. And standing in front of her, a very real little girl.

      The girl couldn’t have been more than eight. The dog next to her was older. The shepherd had grayed the way an old man would and the look in his expressive brown eyes said he knew he had to protect the small person at his side.

      “Hello. Can I help you?” Sierra asked as her heart thudded in time with the beat of the rotors.

      She sounded calm. She took some pride in that. She focused on breathing and what she knew to be reality. The helicopter wasn’t an enemy attacking. Her brain was telling her to flee, to grab the child and run. That was the wrong response. But knowing didn’t stop the panic, the urge toward fight or flight.

      If she did what her brain wanted, everyone would think she had finally lost it.

      She somehow managed a smile for the child who continued to stare at her, blond hair a tangled mess around a rosy-cheeked face.

      “Do you have a name?” The words came out hoarse, not soft and soothing. Her friend Kylie West often used those words on frightened children but somehow Kylie always seemed to calm.

      With the question, the child backed away, proving that Sierra didn’t have the touch when it came to children.

      She tried again. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

      The little girl didn’t seem convinced, even with a softened tone of voice.

      “My name is Sierra. I work here. How did you get here?”

      The child looked down at her dog.

      “Did he bring you?”

      No response. Sierra closed her eyes just briefly. When she opened them, the child had started to inch along the wall. Sierra squatted, putting herself at the little girl’s eye level. The helicopter had landed. She could see it in the open lawn. Her heart rate slowly returned to normal, as if catching the rhythm of the slowing rotors.

      “I’m not going to hurt you or let anyone else hurt you.” Sierra hoped the promise made sense.

      The little girl ran to her, wrapping thin arms around her neck as the doors to the chapel opened. A less than clean face snuggled against Sierra’s shoulder. The child smelled of the outdoors, as if the wind, soil and dog had invaded every pore. Why did children have to smell so bad?

      Another wrong thought. The child needed protection. From the man walking through the door? He was tall, dark and not smiling. Handsome. Mind-bogglingly handsome. He had lean features with dark eyes that set her nerves on edge. Definitely not her type. It was more comfortable to think of him as the angry stranger. And his anger seemed to be directed at the child. The dog at her side growled.

      The man stopped, removed his cowboy hat and proceeded forward with a calm demeanor. Calm on the surface but with power radiating beneath that outward facade. Sierra didn’t know who he was but she found herself wishing she’d taken the child and hidden from him.

      “Linnie, we’ve been looking for you.” He spoke with a quiet voice, one that he probably thought would calm the child.

      The child—Linnie—shook her head and didn’t look up. Her face stayed buried in Sierra’s shoulder.

      “Your mom is worried sick,” he continued.

      Sierra felt little arms tighten around her neck. She tried to extricate herself from the vise grip but Linnie wouldn’t let go.

      “Linnie, your mom called for us to help find you.”

      The child’s body went limp and she curled against Sierra. “Mommy,” she whimpered.

      “Maybe I should ask who you are?” Sierra said, lifting the child as she stood up. The dog stayed close, his growl keeping the cowboy with the chocolate-brown curls at a distance.

      Sierra fought the urge to fall apart. He was too dark, too imposing, and the helicopter had already started unraveling her emotions. She backed toward her office door.

      “You’re not going to take that child,” he warned. His voice was low, authoritative. He wasn’t used to being questioned.

      “I’m not taking her. I’m keeping her safe.”

      “From me?” He laughed. “I’m the person searching for her. We spotted her from the air as she headed this way.”

      “And I’m her new best friend.”

      “The police are helping us search.” His voice remained quiet, soothing, but she heard the edge of impatience. “I’ll call the sheriff and he can explain the situation to you.”

      “You go ahead. I’m not giving her up until I know she’s safe.”

      “Suit yourself. But if you have a blanket, she’s probably cold. And hungry. She wandered off yesterday evening. She’d been playing in her backyard with the dog and must have decided to go exploring. Her name is Linnie.”

      Sierra glanced down at the child in her arms. “I’ll take her to my office.”

      “Do I look like someone who would kidnap a child? Whisk her away in my helicopter?” the stranger said.

      “It’s a crazy world,” Sierra responded as she moved away with Linnie clinging to her neck.

      “Yes, it is.” He followed her into her office.

      Sierra held the little girl in one arm while she poured hot water into a cup that she’d prepared with her favorite herbal tea. The aroma filled the air, fruity and light.

      “This will warm you up. And I have donuts.” She handed one to the girl clinging to her for all she was worth. A dirty hand released its hold on Sierra’s neck and grabbed the powdered-sugar-covered donut.

      Sierra heard the crunch of tires on gravel and moved to the window as Linnie made short work of her breakfast. A county deputy had pulled up out front. She ignored the man still standing at the door to her office, watching her.

      The officer got out of his car, spoke into his radio and then headed for the front door of the building. Sierra made quick eye contact with the cowboy who’d invaded her space. He gave her an “I told you so” look before stepping into the entryway to greet the deputy.

      “We’ve found her. If you could convince the woman inside to hand her over to us,” he said as he led the officer through the door of her office.

      “Sierra, looks like you found our missing child.” Deputy Coleson smiled first at Sierra and then at the child in her arms. “Linnie, your momma is worried sick.”

      Silent tears began to slide down Linnie’s cheeks.

      “Do you want me to take you to her?” Deputy Coleson offered. “She’s waiting at the police station in Hope.”

      Linnie nodded but she gave a quick look at Sierra, as if asking permission.

      “You go with him and he’ll take you to your mommy.”

      The child sniffled and held her hand out. Sierra gave her two more donuts and then escorted her to the officer’s side.

      “I’m sorry, Jeff, I just didn’t know what to do.” Sierra didn’t know how to explain. “Better cautious now than regretful later.”

      “You’re fine, Sierra. I doubt there’s a woman alive who would turn her over without asking questions first. Linnie’s mom will be thankful that you found her and kept her safe.”

      “Who is her mom?” Sierra asked as they headed for the front doors of the chapel.

      “Patsy