They walked around a trail that wound through a small park near the town center, the sun warm on their skin even with the frosty temperature. Bright lights twinkled on the lamp posts scattered throughout the walkway, and red bows adorned an open-air square pergola near a small man-made brook. A decorated tree sparkling with colorful lights completed the festive atmosphere.
Josie’s mood had changed now that she understood what had happened last night. Maybe she’d been right to blurt out her concerns regarding Maisy, since it had forced Dalton to have that talk with his daughter.
But now, she was itching to find out what was going on in his mind. Something had him stewing.
“A storm is coming in the next few days,” Dalton said, his hand light on Luna’s leash. “We might get snow for Christmas.”
Josie grinned and shot him a quick glance. “That would make Maisy happy.”
He turned to stare at her. “And what would make you happy?”
Surprised at the intensity of that question, Josie drew back. “Honestly, right now I’d like to feel safe again. I thought I was building a good life here. I work hard, and I love what I do. I don’t want to disappoint anyone, and I don’t want to be forced to leave a place I’ve come to love.”
He studied her, his eyes moving over her in a way that left her soul stripped of any facades. “You won’t have to leave. I’ll make sure of that.”
“I hope I can make sure of that, too. I hope my reputation will hold through all of this.”
He lifted her chin with his thumb. “So if everything were okay? I mean, if none of this was happening and I called you out of the blue to go to dinner, how would that make you feel?”
Josie stared up at him and saw the burning question in his gray eyes. Was he asking her permission to...take things to a new level between them? She wouldn’t lie to him, so she took a deep breath and gathered her courage. “That would make me feel very happy, Officer West.”
He leaned toward her, his expression full of determination and demand. The pines swayed in a soft wind, causing her blue scarf to lift and flow out around her shoulders. While the air around them was crisp, the warmth in his eyes made her feel safe and comfortable. Too comfortable. But the longing in her soul couldn’t be denied.
Josie waited, wondering how his lips would feel on hers.
“And how would you feel if I told you I’d like to kiss you?”
Her whole system buzzed to life. “I... I...uh...think I’d like that, too.”
He moved closer and touched his lips to hers in a sweet, slow exploration that made Josie blush all the way to her toes.
Satisfied, he stepped back and gave her a smile that sizzled her bootstraps. “Okay, then.”
Regaining her momentum, she asked, “Are you finished...interrogating me?”
“Not quite, but it’s a start.”
He guided her, holding a hand on her elbow. “But now we can talk about your situation. I don’t know who’s sending you the threatening messages, but I can tell you one thing for sure, Josie. It’s not your mother-in-law.”
Dalton saw the shock registering on her face. Pointing to a bench, he guided her over and waited for her to sit down.
“What did you find out?” she asked, her hands twisting against her knit scarf. “And why didn’t you lead with this?”
“First, I did a search and made some calls from home this morning and, second, we needed a break from all that.” His gaze moved over her face and settled on her lips. “And I don’t regret that decision.”
She met his gaze, her expression full of apprehension and caution. “Okay. Go on.”
“According to the people I talked to in Pine Cone this morning, your mother-in-law, Janine Callahan, had a stroke and she’s been in an assisted living facility for at least six months.”
Josie put a hand to her lips. “I had no idea. I didn’t keep in touch.”
Dalton nodded. “Understandable, but this means we can rule her out. She can barely speak, according to the woman I talked to in the sheriff’s department.”
“Did you tell this woman why you were calling?”
“I was discreet,” he said. “I know what I’m doing.”
Josie sank back on the bench. “Poor Janine.”
“That leaves the brother. He moves around a lot. He’s not in Louisiana, though.”
“I can’t see Randall going to all this trouble.”
“Well, somebody is. I checked out your husband’s coworkers, too. Two of them still work at the refinery and have solid alibis. The third one, Perry Wilcox, is no longer employed there. I’m still trying to locate him.”
“Wow, you’ve sure been busy.”
He stood. “Yep. I have to go and pick up Maisy. I’ll walk you to your aunt’s car.” Offering her a hand, he held Luna’s leash and waited for Josie to turn back toward the town center. “This was nice.”
“Yes. And you were right. I needed some downtime.” She gave him a serious look. “What do you recommend I do about the party? The children have been anticipating it for weeks, and the parents need me to be there while they finish up work and shopping before the holidays. But I don’t want to endanger anyone.”
Dalton thought about his conversation with Whitney.
“I’ll clear it with the chief to have myself and some other officer on the premises for the next three days.”
“You’d do that?”
He saw the hope in her eyes. “I’ll make it happen. And I think I know a way.” He reiterated what he and Whitney planned—keep a K-9 officer on the premises at least for the next few days. “I think you need to alert the parents that you’ve received some concerning mail. Reassure them that you’ll have protection for the near future.”
She stopped at the end of the path. “Thank you, Dalton. I’ve relied on your advice throughout this nightmare, and I’ll never forget how you’ve helped me.”
“Hey, it’s my job,” he said, but when he saw the disappointment in her eyes, he tugged her close. “And you, Josie. It’s you, too.” Deciding to lay it all on the line, he added, “I was worried about Maisy, but she loves you, and I think you’ve been a good influence over her. I was worried about work, but that will take care of itself. I was still grieving but...that won’t bring back my wife. I need to move on with my life, and... I’d be crazy if I didn’t let you know that... I’d like to have you in my life. We don’t have to rush anything but we at least should...try.”
He watched as tears misted in her eyes. “Are you sure about that, Dalton? You’re not fixating on me, are you? You and Maisy have been through a lot. I need you to be sure. And we haven’t even talked about you leaving after Christmas.”
“I’m pretty sure,” he said, knowing his heart. “I knew it the minute I met you. It’s not a fix. It’s real. I’d like to see what happens with us. I don’t have to take the assignment in Flagstaff.”
She looked awestruck. “Really? But how can you be so sure about me?”
“Really. You were holding a little newborn baby. I saw the tenderness in your expression.”
“Dalton.”
His name on her lips in that sweet way told him she felt the same. But he had to ask. “Are you sure?”
“I’m beginning to hope,” she said. “But—”
“But we have to get past this thing and decide what happens next, right?”
“Right.” She pulled away and glanced toward her car. “I hope we’ll figure this out soon and then—”
She stopped and pointed. “Dalton.”
The sweetness in her voice had changed to distress.
He turned and checked her car.
A flat tire on the front left side and a message scrawled in red on her windshield.
Sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Dalton let out a breath. “How did he manage this in broad daylight?”
Josie stood staring at her car. Then her words sent a chill rushing through Dalton.
“That’s taken from Exodus. A sacrifice to the Lord, according to Moses.”
The sound of gunshots hit the air. One, two, rapid and sure. Dalton tugged Josie to the ground and held his body over hers. “I think he’s trying to make you the sacrifice,” he said in Josie’s ear, his gun drawn.
“Finally, somebody saw something,” Dalton said as he got back inside his patrol car where Josie was waiting.
Thankfully, there had been a witness. A woman getting out of her car across from the restaurant had noticed the guy leaving the message, and she’d ducked down when he raised the rifle and started firing. Dalton had seen her watching after the patrol cars had zoomed in, and when he’d questioned her, she’d delivered a good description.
“And she got a good a glimpse of him driving away in a dark-colored sedan,” Josie said.
“A man with a beard, skinny and wearing sunshades.”
Josie kept staring out into the parking lot. “A man who managed to slash a tire and leave me another cryptic message. A man who obviously carries a big knife or something that can penetrate a tire and a gun that he knows how to use.”
That concerned Dalton more than he wanted to let on. This person was getting closer with each act. And carrying yet another weapon that he could use on Josie.
“And he also left a can of spray paint that we’re having analyzed. So we have a full report, and an eyewitness who caught him in the act and watched him drive away.”
Josie got out of the car and tugged at her scarf. “But she didn’t see the license plate number. And I don’t know anyone who fits that description. Randall Callahan is hefty and short. It can’t be him.”
Dalton wanted to make her see how the evidence was stacking up. “She said skinny, not tall. Maybe Randall lost weight.”
“But how can we prove it’s him?”
“I’m running checks to find his last known location, and we’ll go from there,” Dalton said. “The rest is paperwork and making sure we have all the accurate information, which we do. I’m still trying to locate Perry Wilcox, too.”
“Okay.”
Dalton and a bystander had changed the flat tire and put on the spare. They’d searched around the slashed tire but hadn’t produced any evidence. A team was searching the parking lot for anything they could send to ballistics. Dalton wasn’t holding his breath on finding any DNA or prints. But Luna had alerted and followed the scent two parking spaces over, near a trash bin. She’d emitted the same low growl he’d witnessed when they’d found the old, abandoned car.
The suspect had waited until midmorning when the restaurant wasn’t so crowded. But the town center buzzed with Christmas shoppers who were so involved in getting things done they’d probably never even noticed him. A quick spray of paint on the windshield and one quick duck in beside her car to cut into the tire. Then he’d waited for the right time to shoot, but he’d missed, thankfully. When Dalton thought of how close he’d come, he felt sick to his stomach.
“He’s been watching you,” Dalton told Josie on the way back to her aunt’s house. He’d insisted on driving her home. He’d call a friend to give him and Luna a ride back to his car.
Josie stared straight ahead. “He had to have followed me this morning, somehow. And I checked and rechecked.”
“It’s a small town, Josie. All he had to do was see your car and give you time to make a turn or two.”
“Which means I’m not safe anywhere,” she said.
Dalton came around the car before she could bolt into the house. “Hey, listen. This is a huge break. He got too close and someone spotted him. We have a description of him and the woman saw him with a rifle. We know it’s a male. He’s gonna slip up, and then we’ll have him.”
“And how long do I have to wait for that, Dalton? How long do I put my life on hold or keep putting my kids in danger?”
“I’ll be right here with you,” Dalton said. “No matter what, Josie. We’re in this together.”
She stared up at him, defeat in her eyes. “I believe you, but... I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
Dalton wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her tight.
Instead, he took her hand in his and guided her up to the porch. “Don’t give up on me, Josie. Remember, no matter what.”