Holiday Hideout by Lynette Eason

pleasure.”
    Cal’s internal alarm kept nagging him. He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. From his own desk across the room, Eli looked at him. “Problem?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe.”
    “Wanna talk about it?”
    Cal shrugged. “It’s Abby. I’m not sure what her story is and I think I really need to know.” He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
    “You can always do a background check on her.”
    Troubled, Cal nodded. “I know. I’ve considered it. The thing is, I don’t think she’s done anything wrong. I think she’s on the run from someone and I don’t know how to gain her trust. She seems to be pretty comfortable with me until I ask her a personal question.”
    He told Eli about calling Abby’s mother and the cold reception and rejection of Abby. “By her own mother,” he said. “Hard to imagine someone could just turn their back on their own kid like that.” But in his profession, he’d seen his share of rotten parents. Still, it bothered him.
    Eli shook his head. “I know. I can’t think of anything my son would do that would make me disown him.” He grinned. “Of course he’s almost two, so we’ll see.”
    “The terrible twos?”
    “Holly always has an interesting story for me when I get home. That boy is stubborn. He wanted to try and swim in the toilet. Pitched a fit when she wouldn’t let him.”
    Cal choked on a laugh, then grunted. “Comes by it naturally with you two for parents.”
    “You just wait.” Eli narrowed his eyes. “You’ll find out one day.”
    That pronouncement immediately brought to mind Abby in a white dress, a church and a couple of rings.
    And an infant in her arms.
    His heart thundered in his chest and he swallowed hard. Watch out, buddy, you don’t even know this woman’s background and you’re already walking down the aisle and imagining children.
    His cell phone buzzed. Fiona.
    “Hello?”
    “Cal! You’ve got to do something, quick!”
    All senses on alert, he sat straight up. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
    “It’s Abby!” He listened as she spilled some awful nonsense about Abby being a baby killer and Joseph being angry.
    “And she’s on her way to the bus station?”
    Eli listened, gaze sharp, showing a readiness to jump into action should it be needed.
    “I’ll take care of it.” Cal hung up and bolted to his feet. He looked at Eli. “Do that background check, will you?”
    Abby stepped out of Joseph’s truck. She looked at him.
    “It’s not what it sounds like.”
    Joseph’s eyes softened for a moment. “That may be true. But I can’t take that chance. I have to protect my family.”
    “Protect your family from what?”
    Cal’s growl whipped her head around. The thunderous look on his face didn’t look good.
    Abby grabbed her bag from the floor of the cab. “From me.”
    Tossing the bag over her shoulder, she tromped toward the bus station.
    “Abby, wait!” she heard him holler. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and run into his arms. Then she heard him demand, “Joseph, what’s this all about?”
    The hair on the back of her neck rose, and she couldn’t help giving the area around her a glance. Nothing seemed out of place or suspicious, but she couldn’t help wondering if her attacker was somewhere nearby, watching, waiting for her to be all alone.
    Well, he wouldn’t have to wait long.
    A blast of frigid wind compelled her to hurry inside the station. Absently, she noted the snowflakes that had started to fall once again. Big heavy flakes.
    A hand on her arm spun her around just inside the door. “You don’t have to leave,” Cal told her.
    “Yes, I do.” She pulled away from him and walked toward a bench.
    “I saw the letter.” He paused. “I don’t believe a word of it, but I’d like an explanation as to why someone dislikes you so much he’d write it. Don’t you think you owe me that much?”
    Probably. Actually she owed him much more, but she just couldn’t bring herself to