Christmas K-9 Protectors, page 10
She searched his gaze and felt something deep and beyond words well up in her heart. “I’d like that, very much.”
Was he saying what she hoped he was?
“I’ve presumed you knew how I felt for far too long when I should’ve just come out and said it,” he said gruffly. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. You impress me every day with your drive and your heart. You’re the only person I’ve ever imagined spending my life with.”
I love you, Ian, and I have for so long. The words filled her heart but something stopped her lips from saying it.
“Turns out there was a reward for finding the ring that Aurora and I dropped off at the mall the other day,” he said. “It wasn’t huge, but it was enough for me to get you something.”
He dropped her hands, reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. He opened it. A delicate band of woven yellow and white gold lay inside. Ian knelt on one knee.
“This is my promise to you that one day you’ll be my wife,” he said, “and that no matter the doubts I have about me or how I second-guess myself, I will always love you, be true to you and come home to you. Will you marry me and be mine, Tala? This Christmas and forever?”
A sob choked in her throat. “I love you, too, Ian. I always have.”
Hope filled his gaze. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes!” Tears and laughter mingled on her lips as he gently pulled her glove off and slipped the ring onto her finger. “I’ll marry you and spend the rest of my life with you.”
Then Ian leaped to his feet and pulled her into his chest. “I’ll get you a better engagement ring when I can.”
“This is perfect,” she said. “This is all I need.”
Because it was Ian and they were together, and he’d promised that no matter what, he’d always love her. She kissed his lips, he kissed her back, and she knew the man she’d waited her whole life for would be by her side forever.
* * *
Dear Reader,
This is the third K-9 Christmas novella I’ve written and I absolutely love the joy they bring to my holidays. I hope you’ve gotten as much happiness out of the stories about Aurora, Liberty and Garfunkel that I have.
It’s been a different Christmas for me this year because I wasn’t able to see friends I usually celebrate with. The amazing owner of the salon I go to is running a gift-giving drive for seniors in our community who do not have families. I’ve also been chatting online with a reader who’s spending her Christmas alone in the hospital.
My prayer is that whatever Christmas holds for you this year, you’ll be surrounded by people who care for you, and find the peace and joy of knowing you are loved and have a purpose.
Thank you, as always, for your letters and messages. I really love receiving them. As always you can reach me on Facebook and Twitter at @maggiekblack or email me through my website at maggiekblack.com.
Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing this journey with me,
Mags
Alaskan Christmas Chase
Lenora Worth
Dedicated to the people of Alaska, and the amazing history of that beautiful land.
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
—Psalms 139:12
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Dear Reader
ONE
Besides working with the Alaska K-9 Unit, the only thing Eli Partridge and Mallory Haru had in common was that they both wore glasses and worked more than they socialized.
Which was why Eli had been willing when Colonel Lorenza Gallo had suggested he help Mallory, a criminal psychologist, with a K-9 she’d worked to rehabilitate. Koko, a big lovable Malinois, had been injured and traumatized a few months ago while on a drug bust deep in the Alaskan wilderness area near Girdwood. His human partner had taken a job in California after he was released from the hospital, so that left Koko without a handler. But he’d get a new partner once he was clear for law enforcement again.
“I’m so excited, Eli,” Mallory had told him two days ago, when he’d asked her about Koko and suggested she bring the dog here where it was quiet and off the beaten path. “I work with human members on the team, but I also love helping traumatized dogs. I begged Colonel Lorenza to let me work with Koko. He needs to find his confidence and go back to being a good K-9, and that means more therapy—the kind I can give him. But I need your input.”
How could he refuse the woman he’d had a little bit of a crush on since the first day he’d met her? Mallory was gorgeous, divorced and about four years older than Eli. They worked closely together at times, and sometimes they didn’t always agree, but tonight would be the first time Mallory had ever reached out to him in a personal way.
“It’s not a date,” he told himself as he roamed the small cabin he’d bought a couple of years ago. His place backed up to the Chugach State Park, where he liked to hike and camp out whenever he had time off.
Fluffing pillows and making sure the floors were clean and his gym clothes had been washed and put away, he checked the roaring fire, then glanced out the window. A December snowstorm had created a near whiteout, but Mallory was born in Alaska. She knew these back roads better than most. Her sturdy Jeep would have no problem making the trip across town.
Eli stirred the chili he’d prepared and opened the fridge to make sure the cheese dip would be firm. Then he looked at the white spruce he’d cut down this afternoon and hurriedly decorated with his nerdy comic book hero ornaments along with the obligatory lights and other Christmas baubles. He’d placed the tiny angel ornament his godmother had given him last Christmas on the top of the four-foot-high tree.
“Thank you, Bettina. You know how much this angel ornament means to me,” he whispered, remembering the good times they’d had.
Her house was just around the bend from this cabin. He’d been watching it while she’d been battling cancer.
Bettina had told him to get on with his life. I know you’re afraid of marriage after witnessing your parents go at each other, but one day you’ll find a woman who appreciates you and loves you, she had advised. When you’re ready, you’ll find her.
Bettina was in hospice and had almost died, but she’d had a turnaround the doctors called miraculous and was holding her own for now.
He wasn’t sure he’d ever be ready for a wife and family. But he was ready to get to know Mallory away from work. Still, what if he messed things up? What if he made things awkward like he’d done in high school and college? Then he’d lose her as a friend. While they worked in different parts of the building, him being a tech expert and her being a psychologist, they ran into each other when dealing with certain cases. He always enjoyed their talks—okay, arguments and heavy discussions—whether about work or his Transformers collection. He liked being around Mallory. He just wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to take the next step with anyone, not after the mess of a marriage his parents had back in Oregon. When he heard a motor shutting down outside, he headed to the window. Mallory’s black Jeep hulked in the snow like a robotic creature ready to pounce. He watched as she coaxed Koko out of the kennel. The big dog hurled down onto the packed snow and barked.
“I don’t blame you, boy,” Eli said, opening the door. “Hi, Mallory.” Koko still got that sad look in his eyes at times, but Mallory had helped with his trauma.
Mallory glanced behind her and then hurried up to the porch, her black puffer coat covering her from her neck to her knees where bright blue snow boots took over. Before Eli could say another word, she grabbed his hand and tugged him inside.
Then she slammed the door and whirled to stare at him, panic glimmering in her beautiful brown eyes. “Someone was following me, Eli. They tried to run me off the road.”
Eli checked her over while alarms sounded inside his head. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said. Then she commanded the dog to sit. “Koko barked warnings. That’s all well and good, but I had to keep driving. He sensed something was off. That’s at least progress on his recovery.”
So like Mallory to focus on her patient’s needs, instead of worrying about almost being driven into a snowbank by another vehicle.
She bent to pet the furry dog. “You’re a good boy, Koko. I believe you’ve still got what it takes.”
Eli kneeled to praise the dog, knowing how important praise and play toys were in getting the K-9 back into action. “Way to go, Koko.”
Koko’s eyes widened and his ears perked up.
Eli’s radar perked up, too. Who would want to harm Mallory? Giving her a once-over, he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m shaken, but better now. I guess I’m being paranoid,” she said. “My ex-husband and I aren’t exactly friendly, and it would be so like him to get drunk and try to mess with me.”
Being so close to Mallory made Eli even more nervous than the fidgety dog between them. Her inky, chin-length, chunky hair and her dark eyes contrasted with her pale, glowing complexion. He smiled at her and she smiled back. She wore a pure red lipstick that gave her street cred for sure.
He needed to get it together. The howling wind and falling snow had him listening for the dings and crashes coming from outside. “Tell me more about this vehicle that bumped you. Could the driver have lost control?”
“The first time, yes,” she said, her expression somber now. “But by the third bump, I decided he was after me.”
“He? You saw the driver?”
“It was hard to see, so I can’t be sure. I don’t know what I did to provoke this.”
Before he could respond, a gunshot rang out and a nearby window shattered, sending glass shards across the room like falling icicles. Without thinking, he shoved Mallory down and covered her with his body.
Koko barked at the door, growling and pawing. The big boy still had trouble following commands, but he was good at barking warnings.
Eli glanced down at Mallory. Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilated, her breathing fast. “He must have followed me here.”
Eli had to register what had just happened, while he savored holding her in his arms. “You weren’t kidding, were you?”
TWO
Mallory pushed at her bangs and made sure her glasses still worked. “I never kid about such things.”
Why did every relationship she tried to develop always go oh-so-wrong? Well, this wasn’t really a new relationship, because she only needed Eli’s observations and opinion. They worked together and he was available and knowledgeable. The tech guru was great with the K-9s, and Koko needed every bit of praise and reentry training he could get.
She’d agreed to collaborate with Eli after Colonel Gallo had suggested this meeting. Besides, Mallory was conscious of the chemistry that seemed to sizzle whenever she and Eli were together, and she saw this as a way to break the awkwardness caused by that awareness. A sensation she’d tried to ignore because she liked Eli—as a friend. Nothing more could happen between them. She’d worked too hard to get over her ex-husband to turn around and fall for a coworker. She’d married Ned in haste and regretted it almost immediately. Never again would she let another person make her doubt herself or her work.
Bottom line? Eli was great as a coworker and friend, and she wanted to keep it that way. But being tapped by a massive truck on an icy road and then getting shot at, not so great.
Eli motioned for her to scoot over toward the kitchen counter where they’d be safe behind the wide, thick structure. “We need to stay away from windows.”
“I didn’t bring a gun.” She knew that sounded silly. “I have a permit and I’ve been through training, but I rarely carry my official weapon.”
Eli crawled to a cabinet and opened a drawer. “I have one right here. I don’t carry it much, either, but I did train with the K-9 handlers when I first came here. I wanted to understand things better. They worked with me on weaponry. I can shoot when I need to. Only, I’ve never needed to—yet.”
Eli was like her—studious and more of a nerd than an officer of the law. But they’d both worked hard to be a part of the K-9 unit. She didn’t want to be put to the test like this, on a snowy December night when they were all alone with an unknown assailant and a K-9 in need of a lot of TLC.
“Have you ever been shot at before?” she asked, thankful the shooter had missed them.
“No,” he admitted, that shyness she liked coming over his face. “You?”
She shook her head. “Who would do this?”
“You mentioned your ex?”
“He did carry. He had all sorts of guns—both legal and illegal—it turns out. One of the many reasons I left him.”
“Do you think he could be out there? Is he the jealous type?”
“Yes, and yes.” She couldn’t lie. Ned had turned out to be a big disappointment. An outdoorsman who took things to extremes and only wanted to discuss guns and conspiracy theories instead of marriage and commitments. “But...I heard he moved to Juneau to work on a trail crew.”
“Good to know,” Eli said as he checked his weapon and loaded the fifteen-round magazine into the semiautomatic pistol. He scooted back toward her and then looked at her, his dark blue eyes full of an earnest light that had always drawn her to him. Not how she wanted their first away-from-work-but-still-work evening to go. But then, Eli didn’t have a clue about her or her feelings, and technically, this was truly work-related.
A crash sounded outside, causing Koko to go wild, barking and snarling at the door.
“Koko acts as if he’s picked up a familiar scent,” she said, wondering if the dog recognized the person outside, and trying not to panic. But her heart raced, all the same.
Then another noise pierced the air, like glass breaking out farther away from the house.
“What was that?” she asked Eli, her pulse trying to catch up with her heart. Even though they worked in a dangerous profession, she’d never felt threatened like this before.
Eli whispered, “Could be the wind, or we have someone snooping around. I’m guessing it’s not the wind. I’m going out back to see who it is.”
“Is that a good idea?”
She didn’t want him to go out in the storm and get shot. Koko might be of some help, but it was too soon to see if her many hours of therapy with the dog had accomplished anything.
“You have a better idea?” he asked. Then he sniffed. “The chili I made is probably scorching right now.”
He’d made chili. She loved chili. He knew that because they’d talked about it last week.
“No, I don’t have any ideas,” she replied to his question. “Maybe I cut them off when I almost missed the turn, and now they want to retaliate?”
“I have to check it out,” he said. “This place is so isolated—one reason I keep a weapon close.”
“So, what’s your plan?” she asked now, training overtaking fear. “I was almost run down, someone shot through the window and we keep hearing things. I think we’re in trouble.”
“I’m fully aware of that,” he replied. “Which is why I have to go and check outside.”
“Then I’m going with you,” she said. “Koko can at least sniff and bark.”
“Are you sure Koko is ready for this?”
“Part of the therapy and training,” she answered. “He’s improved so much over the last few weeks. The team trusts me with him—as a temporary handler—because they’ve tried all the right stuff. He runs through his paces with flying colors, but emotionally, he needs someone like me to understand him.”
If only she could understand her own wayward emotions. They could be in deep trouble, but regardless, she felt safe with Eli.
“Okay, we’ll take him with us—to warn us—if nothing else. He’s got his official vest on, so that’s good.”
Koko’s dark eyes brightened, and his ears perked up. “See, he knows we’re discussing him,” she said. “Koko, we need you.”
The Malinois danced around her, thinking it was playtime. He lived for his chew toy and didn’t realize it was part of his training. “I think he’s in agreement on that.”
Eli’s doubtful expression didn’t give her much hope. His frown was adorable, but also determined. Pushing at his thick, shaggy hair, he said, “You two stay with me, understand?”
“Yessir,” she said with a mock salute, trying to be brave. “You’re bossy.”
“No, I’m concerned. Someone followed you here and then shot at us, so we’re in trouble. Especially if they’re still snooping around.”
Mallory took a deep breath, hoping she could stop shaking. “You’re right. We should call for backup.”
“Not yet,” he said. “I’m trained and I have good reflexes.”
“Right.” She looked him over. He was in good shape. She’d seen him in the workout room, and she’d felt his biceps when he’d gallantly pushed her to the floor and protected her. But he didn’t have much street action. Neither did she. “But we still need backup.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
