Christmas Under Fire. Michelle Karl

until she’d sat down again, then crossed the darkened concourse’s perimeter. Whoever had attacked her might have simply taken off when their abduction attempt had been thwarted, but the Rocky North Regional Airport wasn’t exactly located in a densely populated area. If anyone had driven off in a vehicle or run across the property to escape, Aaron was likely to spot the retreat. He hadn’t noticed any other cars in the parking lot, though, which meant that her attacker was probably still lurking around a corner, waiting for him and Ms. Roslin to leave first.

      Aaron rested his hand on his Taser but didn’t draw it. Canadian regulations required him to keep his weapons holstered the majority of the time, until he had a perfectly good reason to draw one. And without a blatant threat in front of him, he simply had to pay close attention to his surroundings and be quick on the draw if necessary.

      He leaned against the edge of the window and squinted into the darkness. If he’d known the scene would be so dark, he’d have brought night vision goggles. He thought he might have a pair in the back of his patrol car, but that was on the other side of the terminal concourse. He was unwilling to take his charge outside until he was certain she’d be safe—because even if the culprit had used both hands to grab at Ms. Roslin, it didn’t guarantee that the person wasn’t armed.

      When he didn’t spot any movement outside the windows, he glanced back at the woman. Her slight form was curled into the chair, knees pulled up to her chest and arms wrapped around her shins. She’d bowed her head, and he wondered if she might be praying. His heart tightened at her vulnerability, and he felt a sudden, unwanted tug at his core. To have come so far from home during what should be a joyful time of year, only to be attacked the moment she landed at her destination...well, that was a terrible way to start off a Christmas holiday.

      His briefing on Ms. Roslin’s visit had also mentioned that she was a recent widow, which he suspected might explain why she’d closed herself off so quickly. She was likely feeling frightened and alone. While he could never claim to understand what she’d gone through, the sense of loneliness resonated with him. His youngest brother, Sam, had gotten married earlier in the year, and his other brother Leo’s wedding was scheduled for just a few weeks from now as a Christmas-themed affair. Aaron didn’t even have a date to accompany him to the wedding.

      Not that it bothered him. Much. He had a job to do, and that responsibility came first.

      He checked the washrooms, turning on as many lights as possible as he moved from space to space. Both of the two small lounges designated as flight gates had their doors locked from the inside, so the attacker couldn’t get back into the airport unless he happened to have a key to the main entrance.

      Aaron jogged back to the front doors and gently pushed the right door open. His patrol car sat about ten meters away—not too far, but hopefully at enough of a distance that he’d see anyone running at them with enough time to react. With no movement on either side of the building, and dim outdoor lights illuminating the front walkway under the entrance overhang, he made a decision.

      “Ms. Roslin, I’d like to get you situated inside my patrol car. Are you ready to move?”

      “Yes, please.” She glanced around as though looking for something. “And I realize this might seem like a silly concern, all things considered, but what about my luggage? I don’t mind if someone can bring it along later, but I might need to stop at a store for some basics on the way if that’s all right. And if you think it’s safe to do so.”

      “Where is it? Does it contain anything critical?”

      She pointed to a dark alcove on the other side of the doorway. “It’s standard size, rolling wheels. I have my passport and papers in my purse, but the suitcase has a bottle of melatonin tablets to help me sleep.”

      Not too critical, then. He suspected she’d be able to find melatonin at the pharmacy, so that wasn’t a problem. It’d be an extra layer of complication and a potential risk to bring her suitcase along. However, the airport wouldn’t open again until ten o’clock the next morning, and the backup he’d be calling to check out the crime scene would be coming from Fort St. Jacob, a slightly larger town located a few hours south of Fort Mason. Fort St. Jacob had more RCMP officers in their detachment, and unlike at Fort Mason, half of them hadn’t temporarily left the area for the holidays—but it’d still be a significant burden on their already limited time for one of the Fort St. Jacob officers to bring the suitcase up to Fort Mason.

      He made a decision, found her suitcase and rolled it over. It wasn’t light, but he’d be able to lift it quickly into the patrol car’s trunk. “I’m going to get you into the car first. If I deem it safe after the fact, I’ll load the suitcase. Is that acceptable?”

      “Of course.” Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. In retrospect, he’d been a little harsh with his tone, which was unnecessary. She stood and unzipped the collar of her puffy winter jacket, readjusting a chunky knit scarf and a necklace that had somehow become tangled together in the scuffle, then zipped all her layers back into place.

      “Did you knit your scarf yourself?” He tried to put her at ease, because he needed her to listen. When she nodded, eyes wide at the strangeness of the question in the moment, he knew she was paying attention. “It’s really nice. Okay, we’re about to head outside. Wait for my signal. Stay close. If anything happens, keep behind me.” He ushered her to the door, opened it a crack and looked out a second time. It’d be a great help if you could give me an all clear, God.

      Instead, a light dusting of snow began to fall. As peaceful as gently falling snow looked during the daytime, right now it meant obscured vision in the darkness—for himself and the attacker. It’d be annoying to drive through on the way back to town, but for the moment, he’d have to try using the reduced visibility to his advantage. He unlocked the patrol car remotely, then scanned the area one more time.

      “We go in three, two, one...and move.” With his arm draped over her back, he hurried her toward the car. He surveyed the area as they moved, but they reached the vehicle without incident. He kept watch as she slipped inside. The coast seemed clear, which meant retrieving her suitcase was the right call. “I’m locking this while I get your luggage. I’ll be gone only a few seconds.”

      He shut the car door before he could hear her response and jogged back to the terminal. He opened the airport door just far enough to slide inside, pull the suitcase out and close the doors. Because he didn’t feel comfortable simply driving away with the front doors of the airport unsecured, he took a pair of handcuffs off his belt and clipped them around the handles. It was a pretty shoddy way to secure the place, but it wouldn’t take long for additional RCMP officers to arrive once he called in the incident.

      A rustling nearby made him pause. He squinted into the light around the front entrance. The falling snow—which had already grown denser—in front of the illuminated area made it hard to see into the dark spaces where the light didn’t reach.

      A sense of intuitive dread washed over him, and before his brain and body made the connection, a black shape darted out of the shadows...and headed straight toward him.

       TWO

      Cally muffled her scream with a gloved hand as the black-clad attacker darted out of the shadows toward Officer Thrace. She watched with helpless frustration as the officer withdrew his Taser and dropped into a firing stance, but the assailant changed course and sidestepped him, instead grabbing onto the handle of Cally’s rolling suitcase.

       What on earth...?

      The aggressor must have underestimated the weight of the suitcase, because as soon as he—Cally could only assume the person was a he—wrapped his fingers around the handle, he lurched, momentum coming to a halt. Her breath grew shallow as Aaron jumped at him, looking prepared to wrestle him to the ground, but the man released the handle and bolted instead toward the patrol car.

      Did the man have a weapon after all? She squished into the corner of the