Christmas Under Fire Read online

  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 back seat, trying to make herself as small a target as possible—but right before the black-clad figure reached the car, he ducked and reappeared in the rear window, racing across the airport’s property before plunging into the tree line of the forest that surrounded the facility.

  Moments later, Cally grimaced at the heavy thud of her suitcase landing in the trunk. She pulled her gaze away from the trees and, out of habit, pressed her hand against the place her locket rested on her sternum. A gift from her uncle Zarek—the only relative who actually bothered to respect her boundaries and who hadn’t treated her as a pariah for marrying Esai—the locket held a precious photo inside of herself and her late husband, one of the few her mother hadn’t destroyed or deleted without permission after Esai’s passing. She couldn’t feel the locket through the numerous layers of heavy winter clothing, but knowing it was there brought her comfort. She closed her eyes for a moment to regather her bearings—and flinched as the patrol car door swung open with a creak.

  “Not exactly the warm Canadian welcome you should have received,” Officer Thrace said, slipping into the driver’s seat. “Ms. Roslin, I’m so sorry that your first moments here were not positive. I assure you that the RCMP will be doing everything we can to figure out who that man is and what he wants, and the airport will undoubtedly be doing a thorough review of their closing procedures. Leaving you inside unattended was unacceptable, and you may be able to file charges, should you so desire.”

  She sighed, trying to release some of the tension in her shoulders. “I’m sure that won’t be necessary, but I appreciate your concern. I’m just glad that we’re all right. Are you okay?”

  He twisted around in his seat to look at her. “I am. I have to call the incident in while we drive, but can you think of any reason why someone would go afte
r you or your belongings? Does anyone know you’re here who might wish you harm?”

  That was the oddest and most incredulous notion so far. “No, I don’t think so. Honestly, Officer, only a couple people know I’m here... I’m actually trying to get away from most of my family, if you can believe it.” She chuckled without humor. “My friend Ellen knows I’m coming to visit, of course, but she’s engaged to an RCMP officer, so I really don’t think there’d be any connection that way.”

  “Ellen Biers, right? Her fiancé is my younger brother.”

  Well, that was news. “Really? Small world.”

  “Small town, more like. Look, if you can’t see a connection, I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s likely that you weren’t specifically targeted, but just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Considering you weren’t noticed and got left behind inside the airport, it’s entirely feasible that someone else could have hidden inside in order to commit a crime of opportunity. We’ve had some issues with theft and illegal weapons up north this year, so my gut reaction is that the individual was likely looking for something valuable to steal. He may have been trying to get a hold of you to snatch your purse or threaten you into handing over cash, valuables, the like. Trying to steal the suitcase seemed like a last-ditch effort from someone truly desperate—in need of money, trying to find something to steal and sell. Either way, like I said, it’s unacceptable, and on behalf of the RCMP and the nation of Canada, I can’t apologize enough.”

  If what had happened hadn’t been so serious, she might have actually laughed in that moment. The man was so sincere and so concerned she almost hated to burst his bubble. “On behalf of, uh...myself, I accept your apology, and remind you that I’m nobody special. I don’t need the nation of Canada’s apology, nice as that is. I’m literally no one of importance, even in my own country—especially in my own country, so I’m honestly still a little baffled as to why I’m receiving a personal escort at all.”

  Not that she was complaining. She was very glad he’d arrived when he did, and he cut a heroic, imposing figure in the shadowy light. She had a feeling that once they had better lighting, she might feel the same way about the rest of his features.

  And then she immediately felt guilty for thinking like that at all.

  Esai had been gone all of eighteen months. That was it, and yet some days it seemed as though she’d been alone for as long as she could remember. The car accident that had taken his life had happened so suddenly and so unexpectedly that some days the lack of closure brought tears to her eyes without warning. Other days, she accepted the events as God’s will. It was hard to balance the two, especially when the rest of her family continued to pelt her with their theories over what had happened in the accident, their opinions on Esai, and worst of all, their patronizing advice regarding Cally’s love life now that she was “free” of him. In the past six months alone, she’d been the victim of no less than two “accidental” blind dates and three “good-natured” interventions. Why couldn’t everyone just leave her be and accept that people processed grief in different ways and at their own pace?

  When, and if, she was ready to love again, she’d know. And not a moment sooner.

  Officer Thrace cleared his throat as he pulled the patrol car onto the road, and she tried to focus on the scenery outside the car window as he called in the incident. Thick flakes of soft snow fluttered past the glass and collected on the ground beside them as they drove.

  He chuckled a few minutes later. “First time seeing snow?”

  Heat rose to her cheeks. “No, but it’s been a very, very long time. Why do you ask?”

  “There’s wonder in your eyes. That twinkle is almost as bright as the snowflakes outside. Just wait until the snow accumulates even higher over the next few days—you’ll get the real northern Canadian experience. Might even get to see some snowmen in the yards if it’s the right kind of fresh snow, or join in on a snowball fight at one of the community events coming up.”

  “There are different kinds of snow?”

  He grinned, putting her at ease. “Just you wait. And for the record, it’s not that it’s necessarily about who you are that you’re getting a personal escort, more about where you’re from and where you’ve chosen to visit. Since you do have that Amar royal family connection on all your official documentation, plus this is a rather remote area and our countries have recently ratified a stronger trade agreement, the RCMP thought it would be wise to give you some, uh...”

  His voice trailed off, but she had a feeling she knew what he’d been about to say. “Special treatment?”

  “Well, yes.”

  “That’s very kind. But not necessary.” The window began to fog up next to her, and she rubbed it with her glove. “Though in retrospect, I do appreciate that you were scheduled to come to the airport. I’m scared to think what might have happened if you hadn’t shown up.”

  He smiled at her through the rearview mirror. “I’d say that’s God’s timing, Ms. Roslin.”

  “Cally,” she said. “Please just call me Cally. I’m here to get away from being Ms. Roslin for a little while, if you don’t mind.”

  The conversation stalled as they drove, the snow falling thicker and faster on the dark road. Cally wondered how Officer Thrace could see anything as he navigated the route—the way the snow came at them, it looked like they were entering warp drive in a spaceship, like in one of those sci-fi movies Esai had loved so much. Her throat tightened at the thought.

  “How far is it to Fort Mason?” she asked to distract herself.

  “During the day and good weather, about thirty minutes. Right now, with the snow coming down the way it is...maybe another forty-five or so, hopefully less. RCMP patrol cars have high-quality snow tires on them. That sound you hear while we’re driving? Those are the chains the detachment has put on around this time of year so we can make it through big storms and deep ice freezes without too much trouble.”

  Snow tires? Chains? Cally wondered what she’d gotten herself into. On the other hand, she’d wanted to get away from her old life. So what better way than to dive into a completely opposite climate, too?

  The quiet in the car, save for the occasional chatter over the police radio, seemed to stretch thin. She didn’t want to interrupt the man while he drove, but at the same time, she still felt jumpy from the attack at the airport and didn’t want to dwell too deeply on those thoughts.

  “Have you been in law enforcement for a long time, Officer Thrace?”

  When he answered, she heard the smile in his voice. “If I’m to call you Cally, you might as well call me Aaron while we’re in conversation. Fair?”

  “Fair.”

  “And yes, I have. My father was in the RCMP and I followed his footsteps. I was part of the Musical Ride in Ottawa for a while—it’s better if I show you what that is rather than explain it, but it’s essentially a part ceremonial, part entertainment event where the participating Mounties dress up in our traditional reds and ride horses in formation. It’s much more impressive than I’m making it sound, I assure you.”

  “It sounds lovely, and I’d be happy to learn more. I love horses, but I’m not much of a rider.” She’d taken lessons as a child, but hadn’t been on a horse more than once or twice since then. Before she could ask what kind of horses the RCMP used, the car slipped sideways with a sudden lurch. She gasped in alarm, but Aaron appeared to be unfazed. “Is this kind of weather normal?”

  “Every winter,” he said. “Some days—some years—it’s worse than others, but the visibility isn’t always this low. And these tires should help to keep us steady—they help grip the road if I need to correct quickly like that. The real danger is potentially not seeing other vehicles as they approach, especially when the space in the lanes is reduced and, like you can probably see outside your window, it’s almost impossible to see the center line.”

  Pot
entially not seeing someone, like the man in the airport...who could be coming after me right now.

  Cally tried to shove the thought away. It was irrational to think anyone was after her, especially after Officer Thrace—no, Aaron—had mentioned the area’s issues with theft. Still, she couldn’t help glancing out the rear window, searching for the glow of headlights or a shadowy movement on the road. How had the culprit gotten away? He’d run into the forest. Had there been a getaway car waiting? Surely he hadn’t just hoofed it through the snow until reaching his destination.

  “When the center lane is obscured, it can be a real challenge to stay positioned on the correct side of the road,” Aaron continued, “though in rarer cases—”

  She turned back around in her seat—and screamed as a massive black shape suddenly materialized in the road ahead of them.

  Aaron shouted and swerved, yanking on the steering wheel so hard that the car slid and spun, the tail end careening sideways. When he tried to correct, the chains gripped hard and the car counterbalanced too far. The car pitched into the ditch, rolled forward and slammed into a tree with a jarring thump.

  The airbag exploded with a bang. Cally’s forehead banged into the seat in front of her, then smacked against the headrest as she was jolted backward. Pain shot through her head for the second time that day. Blackness tried to creep around the edge of her vision but she willed it away, adrenaline keeping her awake as she tried to make sense of the scene outside the car window.

  She blinked away the sparks and moved her limbs carefully, touching her sides and the back of her head to check for injury. To her relief, nothing seemed broken or badly damaged. In the back of her mind, she knew that God had been looking out for them—but thanking God for keeping them from harm seemed like too much.

  He hadn’t been looking out for Esai, after all.

  And then she realized that Aaron hadn’t moved.