Kade and Steve parked the snowmobiles outside Louis Farmer’s barn and thanked him. Bree carried her son through the snow to the Jeep. She knew she could put him down and let him walk, but she couldn’t bear to let go of him. If God hadn’t sent Samson at the right time, they would all be dead. There was no doubt in her mind that once Palmer realized Davy was missing, he would have tracked down Davy and Naomi and killed them too.
Steve and Kade both offered to carry Davy for her, but she refused. She wanted to get him home and pore over every inch of him to make sure he was all right. His good arm clung tightly to her neck, and she breathed in his little boy scent with a joy so overpowering she thought her heart would burst.
He was several pounds heavier and a bit taller; otherwise, he hadn’t really changed in the year they’d been separated. But Bree knew he had undergone psychological changes after the ordeal he’d been through. She would ask the pastor at Rock Harbor Community Church if he could recommend a good counselor.
She couldn’t seem to shut off the tap of tears. The rest of the family would be overjoyed. Bree could only imagine Anu’s and Hilary’s reactions. The whole town had mourned with her; now they would all share her joy. Her happiness was tinged with sorrow for what Rob and Fay had gone through. And what Lily and the girls would go through in the years to come.
They reached the Jeep, and she buckled Davy in with the seat belt beside her in the back. Kade drove, with Naomi in the passenger seat and Rachel in the back with Bree and Davy. Steve had offered to help Mason transport Palmer.
Davy leaned his head against Bree and fell asleep before they reached the main access road. Bree curled her arm around him and pulled him close. She’d nearly lost him a second time. Anu and Naomi said coincidence was how a nonbeliever explained God’s hand in the world. Now she knew there was no such thing as coincidence. God moved in the world as he saw fit.
They reached the edge of town, and Bree asked Kade to drive straight to Anu’s store. Hilary should be there today too. “Lay on the horn and drive slow,” she told him.
Kade grinned and obliged. Bree felt like a queen as they rode toward Nicholls’s. She lowered the window and shouted into the air, “He’s alive! He’s alive!” The horn blared in cadence to her shouts.
Davy woke up at the commotion, and she pulled him onto her lap. “Wave, Davy, wave,” she whispered.
Folks came to their doors to see what the disturbance was about. “Davy’s alive!” she yelled again.
Davy peeked over the side of the window and waved. “Do I know them?” he asked.
“They know you,” she assured him. Some ran after the car when they recognized Davy, and by the time the Jeep reached the store, the crowd had grown to the status of a parade.
The Jeep rolled to a stop outside Nicholls’s Finnish Imports. Bree threw open the door and scrambled out with Davy in her arms as Anu and Hilary came to the door.
“What is going on?” Anu said.
“I’ve found him. It’s Davy! He’s alive!” Bree said through sobs.
Disbelief and shock rippled over Anu’s face. Tears began to stream over her cheeks as her expression registered recognition. “Davy?” She closed her eyes then opened them again.
Hilary dropped the white vase she held, and it shattered on the sidewalk. She put her hands to her cheeks and began to weep. Stumbling over the broken pottery, she and Anu ran toward the Jeep.
Bree rushed to meet them. “Remember Grammy, sweetheart? And Aunt Hilary?”
Shyly, Davy nodded. “Grammy gave me Pooky,” he said.
The color washed out of Anu’s cheeks until she was as pale as the pieces of pottery littering the sidewalk. “It is my Davy,” she whispered. She held out her arms, and her grandson looked at Bree then stepped into them.
Anu hugged him for several long moments before she gently passed him to Hilary. Around them, the townspeople murmured, and Bree saw many wiping tears from their cheeks.
Hilary kissed Davy. “Remember me and Uncle Mason?” she asked.
Davy regarded her for several seconds then nodded. “You have a train in the garage,” he said. “I saw Uncle Mason. He arrested Uncle Palmer.”
Hilary gasped and looked to Bree. Bree nodded and made a shushing motion.
“That’s right,” Hilary said. “You and Uncle Mason put the train together.”
Davy twisted in Hilary’s arms, and he looked through the crowd until his gaze found his mother. “Mommy,” he called.
Bree knew she would never tire of hearing that word. She went to him, and he reached for her. She pulled him close, and he wrapped his legs around her and put his head on her shoulder.
“I’m tired, Mommy,” he said.
“We’ll go home soon,” she promised. Home. Their lighthouse would be a real home again. The thought brought tears flooding back to Bree’s eyes. Though she hated to let go of Davy, she passed him to Naomi and asked her to take him into the store to see if he needed to potty. Quickly she told Hilary and Anu how she’d found Davy.
“Mason has taken Palmer into custody. He killed Fay.” She paused. “And Rob.”
Hilary gasped and put her hand to her mouth. Her wide eyes filled with horror. “What are you saying?” she whispered. Beside her, Anu swayed, and Hilary put an arm around her mother.
“Palmer found gold in the mine.” Bree quickly explained Palmer’s schemes.
“Poor Lily,” Anu murmured.
The women fell silent. The past months of wrestling with Rob’s infidelity had given Bree a taste of what Lily would go through, except Bree had been fortunate to discover her husband really was the honorable man she’d married. Lily would have no such comfort.
Naomi brought Davy back outside, and the family and townspeople milled around, talking and rejoicing with them.
The crowd finally began to disperse, and Bree was ready to head back to the house when Mason showed up. He got out of the vehicle the grimness around his mouth easing when he saw Bree with Davy in her arms. “This makes everything worthwhile.” He took Davy in his arms, and the little boy patted his face. Mason’s eyes welled up with tears.
“What about Palmer?”
Mason handed Davy back to Bree. “In jail and in shock. I hate to have to tell Lily,” he said in a low voice. “I need to find out what this woman knows,” he nodded toward Rachel.
“I was just heading home. You can question her there.”
While the happy reunions were going on, Rachel Marks had sat motionless in the backseat of the Jeep. Her stony face stared straight ahead, but Bree was sure the woman wasn’t as stoic as she seemed. She’d seen the emotion in Rachel’s face when she proclaimed her love for Davy.
Kade moved to Bree’s side. “Davy’s tired, and you’re exhausted,” he said. “Let’s get you home.”
“Come with me?” she whispered. He nodded and pressed her hand. She felt the promise in it. The future seemed as bright as the sun bouncing off Lake Superior.
Naomi kissed Bree on the cheek. “Just drop me by my place. I want to tell Mother and then call Donovan and the kids. Emily and Timmy will be so excited to know they can play with Davy anytime.”
They piled into the Jeep, and Mason followed in his SUV. Bree dropped Naomi off at the Blue Bonnet then parked in front of the lighthouse. Exhausted from the day, Davy had fallen asleep again, so Bree carried him, eagerly guarded by Samson, up the stairs to his room.
“I’m making coffee,” Kade called up after her.
She was so glad he’d come with her. She needed him here, and he’d sensed it. Standing at the door to Davy’s room, she realized the room was stripped of his possessions, so she carried him to her bed. She would restore his room before he awakened.
Rachel and Mason were in the parlor when she went downstairs. Rachel stood against one wall with her hands behind her. She pressed herself against the plaster as though she wished she could sink right into it, and Bree felt a twinge of pity for the woman.
“The coffee will be ready in a few minutes,” Kade said. He came to stand behind her and put his arms around her waist. She leaned back against him, thankful for his strength.
“Do you want to press charges?” Mason asked Bree.
What could Bree say to that? While she hated that the woman had kept her son from her, Bree was grateful she had saved Davy’s life.
Mason waited, and fear replaced the stoicism on Rachel’s face.
Bree shook her head. “I’m not going to press charges, Mason. Davy is alive. I can thank her for that. God must have sent her to him.”
Tears welled in Rachel’s eyes, and she dropped her head. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Mason nodded then questioned the woman about what she’d seen, scribbling notes. “I’m going to need an address where I can reach you when Palmer’s case comes to trial.”
Rachel gave him her brother’s address in Chicago. “Can I go now?” she asked.
Mason nodded. She walked to the foyer and looked longingly up the steps. “Could I see Sa—Davy, one more time?”
Bree hesitated and turned to look up into Kade’s eyes. “What could it hurt?” he said softly.
Davy was sleeping anyway. She reluctantly left the warmth of Kade’s arms to lead the way to her bedroom. Samson lay on the floor beside the bed, and Bree knew it would be many days before the dog let the little boy out of his sight.
Davy lay on her Ohio star quilt with one arm flung out to the side. It was a pose he’d adopted as an infant, and tears clogged Bree’s throat to see it again.
Rachel clutched the doorjamb as she watched the sleeping child for a few moments. “Thank you, ma’am,” she said. “If he ever asks about me, would you tell him I love him very much? I wouldn’t want him to think I deserted him.”
Bree nodded. She touched Rachel’s arm. “Before you go—I want to thank you for burying my husband.” Her grieving for him would begin again, as it must. He hadn’t betrayed her, after all. It was going to be hard to forgive herself for the way she’d screamed at him, the accusations she’d flung.
“I knew the boy would want his father buried.”
“Thank you then from both of us,” Bree said. “And thank you for caring for my son.”
“You won’t forget to tell him what I said?” Rachel’s faded blue eyes swam with tears and a resignation that tugged at Bree’s sympathy.
“I’ll tell him,” Bree said. She escorted Rachel down the steps. “Mason, could you run her to the bus stop? It’s a long walk to Ontonagon.”
Mason nodded. “Let me get my coat.” He motioned for Bree to follow him to the living room.
Bree followed him. “What’s wrong?”
“You sure that was wise?” Mason asked.
“I couldn’t put the woman who saved Davy’s life in jail,” she said softly. “And I feel so bad for Lily and the girls. They’ll be devastated. I need to go to her.”
He pressed her arm. “You’ve got a little boy to enjoy right now. Give Lily a chance to absorb the blow. She might blame you at first.”
He rejoined Rachel in the entryway, and they left.
“It’s been quite a day,” Kade said. “Ready for some coffee?”
Bree followed him to the kitchen. The coffee aroma made her stomach rumble. “We haven’t eaten all day,” she said.
“I thought I’d whip us up something. You’re all done in.” He handed her a cup of coffee. She took a gulp, and the hot liquid began to warm the places that were still chilled.
“First, I need to make up Davy’s bed,” she said. “Unpack his things. I’d packed them all away.”
“I’ll help you,” Kade said. He carried the boxes to Davy’s room.
Bree took great joy in making Davy’s bed and putting away his toys while Kade hung the curtains back on the windows.
“I have something else I want to do,” Kade said. “Come with me.” He led her up the stairs to the light tower. The Fresnel lens glittered in the bright moonlight. “I came by with my electrical kit this morning, but you’d already left. The door was unlocked, so I went ahead and hooked up the electricity to the light.” He reached over and flipped a switch.
Light flooded the tower then began to strobe out over the water. Bree let out a cry of delight. She turned to Kade and stepped into his arms.
“You light up everything around you just like this tower,” he whispered into her hair. “I’m thankful God brought you into my life.” His lips brushed hers in a feathery kiss full of promise.
Then his cell phone trilled.
He sighed and dug it out. “Hello.” He listened without interruption. “I’ll be right there,” he said. He clicked off the cell phone. “It’s Lauri. Her car died over by the high school. I’d better go get her.”
“Come by in the morning for breakfast.”
He smiled and brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “You’re really something, Bree Nicholls.”
“So are you, Ranger Matthews.” She pressed her cheek against his hand. “See you tomorrow.”
“I’ll let myself out. The rest of the family will be descending any minute, so take advantage of your time with Davy.” He hugged her and quickly walked toward the steps. She followed him as far as the second-floor landing, then waved as he went on down to the front door.
Back in Davy’s room, Bree had just placed the last of his books on a shelf when she heard the patter of his feet down the hall. The click of Samson’s nails on the hardwood floor accompanied him.
“Mommy?” He stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes. As his gaze wandered around the room, his eyes widened. “I forgot about my room.”
She held out her arms, and he ran to her. “I kind of forgot you too, Mommy. Why did I forget?”
“You’d been hurt, sweetie.” She smoothed the hair back from his forehead. “We have lots of time for you to remember everything.”
“I’m glad to be home, Mommy.” His small face sobered. “Can we go get Daddy and bring him home too?”
Bree’s exhilaration faded. “Do you remember the crash, sweetheart? The plane crash.”
Davy’s eyes grew wide, and he nodded slowly. His green eyes filled with tears. “The plane hit the trees. Daddy yelled.”
Bree struggled with the tears that burned in her eyes. “Daddy was hurt really bad. He can’t be with us anymore. He would if he could.”
Davy buried his head in her lap and wept. “I miss Daddy. She said he was in heaven. Can we go to heaven to see him?”
The floodgates of Bree’s tears opened, and she wrapped her arms around her son. Their tears mingled as she cried for her lost husband in a way she’d never been able to before. Her stomach knotted with pain as she wept for the years they could have spent together watching Davy grow up, and for the male role model Davy would never have. Soon she would bring Rob home too, to rest in the Rock Harbor Cemetery with his grandparents.
Davy’s tears finally stopped, and Bree’s as well. She gathered him into her arms. “We’ll see Daddy again someday, but not for a long time. Daddy wants you to grow up to be a fine man, one with integrity and the same kind of strength and honor he had. Someday I’ll tell you all about what kind of man your daddy was. All that matters now is that God brought you home, where you belong. Let’s thank him for that.”
“We have to thank Sam too.” Davy reached out and patted the dog. Samson’s tail swished eagerly at the attention.
Bree petted the dog. Her own personal “hound” had followed a bit of heavenly intervention and found Davy. He would always be her earthly reminder of how God had searched for her and found her, even as she wandered in her own wilderness.