Killer Christmas Evidence, page 19
“Understood. I’ll relay the info to Rachel and Peter.”
“Thanks.”
“How about you?” Doug asked.
“Freezing. I need a cup of hot coffee, or three, and a warm shower, but I’ll survive.”
“I hear what you’re not saying.”
Yeah, his partner read him like no other on most days. An annoying little habit of Doug’s.
“We’ll see you in a couple of minutes.” The dockmaster had taken back the radio.
“Copy that. Be there as soon as I can.” A few minutes later, Kyle maneuvered the boat to the dock and shut off the engine.
Doug jumped on board and tossed the rope to the dockmaster, who tied off the boat.
Kyle lifted Cassidy into his arms.
She moaned, but her eyes remained closed.
“I’ve got you, Cass. You’ll be warm soon.” He tucked her next to his chest and stepped onto the dock, praying his legs didn’t give out.
The paramedics met him at the end of the wooden planks.
Peter maneuvered the gurney around. “Here.” He helped Kyle secure Cassidy. “You look like you can use medical too.”
“Focus on her. I’ll be fine.” He’d require a change of clothes sooner versus later, but he wanted all the attention on Cassidy.
Rachel shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Right.” She assisted Peter in rolling the gurney to the ambulance and sliding it into the back. Rachel climbed in. Her hands moved at a rapid rate connecting monitors and inserting an IV.
Peter closed the doors and placed a hand on Kyle’s shoulder. “We’ll take good care of her.” The paramedic jutted his chin at him. “Get dry before you end up in the ambulance beside her.”
Kyle stood stock still as the medic unit pulled from the parking lot, taking the woman he was falling in love with.
“She’s in good hands.” Doug draped the blanket that Kyle had dropped over his shoulders. “And don’t forget, she’s a fighter. That’ll help.”
“What if I didn’t get to her in time, and she has permanent damage from her near drowning?” He tugged the blanket tighter. The weight of depression pressed down on him. What if he lost her too?
Doug placed a hand on Kyle’s back. “Who’s in control?”
“God.” He knew the answer, but what if he didn’t like the outcome?
FIFTEEN
When Kyle rescued Cassidy from the icy grave and drove her to the dock, she’d lain on the bench. Her teeth had chattered to the point she thought they might crack, and her skin burned from the frigid water.
Funny how cold and hot had a similar effect if extreme enough.
The ambulance bumped on the road, sending a zing of pain through her. She whimpered.
“Cassidy?”
She opened her eyes and squinted at Rachel.
“There you are.” The paramedic adjusted the IV and lifted Cassidy’s wrist. “I’ll clean these up and see what the damage is.”
Too tired to speak, Cassidy met the woman’s gaze and nodded.
“You know, the guys always demand lollipops.” Rachel wetted gauze and wiped at the cuts left by the flex-cuffs. “It’s become a running joke, but I think they’re just little boys at heart. They certainly act like it at times. And make the worst patients.” The paramedic lowered Cassidy’s arm and lifted the other.
Rachel’s soft tones lulled Cassidy into a sense of safety and calm. Before she knew it, the woman had completed her task. “You did that on purpose?” Cassidy’s voice came out as a whisper.
“Guilty. It’s easier if you aren’t focused on what I’m doing.” The paramedic grinned. “Most people don’t catch on to my methods.” Rachel added another blanket. “You’re doing fine. Go ahead and relax. They’ll stabilize your temperature at the hospital, and you’ll be up and going in no time.”
Cassidy wanted to respond—she really did—but the cold had zapped her energy. She closed her eyes and let herself drift to sleep.
Once at the hospital, the heated blankets weighed down on her sensitive skin, and the doctors ran warmed saline through her IV. Not exactly painful, but close. Grateful for the assist in raising her core temperature, she’d endured the odd sensation. But would be glad when it was finally over.
When she’d arrived, the doctor told her that Kyle had saved her life by doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. She had no recollection of his efforts. Probably a good thing. The idea of swimming even in warm water made her heart skip a beat.
Several hours later, in her private room, Cassidy tugged the blanket closer to her chin. The doctor had admitted her overnight for observation. She’d balked at the idea but, in the end, had given up and complied.
She lifted a coffee mug from the roller table and took a sip. The nurse had stopped the heated saline that helped maintain her core temperature a while back and had brought her hot beverages instead. The warm liquids helped, but she’d had enough that if she got up and walked around, she’d slosh.
“Knock, knock.” Kyle peeked in. “May I come in?”
She motioned for him to join her. “You look better than when I last saw you.”
“Back at ya. But yeah, a hot shower and dry clothes will do that.” He sat in the easy chair near her bed and scooted closer. “Did the sheriff come and take your statement.”
“About thirty minutes ago.” She ran her finger along the rim of her cup. “Did they catch Robert?”
Kyle smiled. “He’s in custody as we speak.”
“Is he talking?”
“Oh yeah. Once the sheriff explained they found his stash of trophies from his victims, Robert told his attorney to leave and confessed to all the crimes you indicated and a few more. Being left out of his friends’ start-up company and then tossed out of the company he’d worked for triggered his rage and his need to eliminate people in power positions. After he failed to kill Morrison in the hit-and-run, he blackmailed the man to keep him silent. Morrison never went to the police because he was afraid Hansen would somehow implicate him or finish his attempt to kill him off. And since Hansen is something of a tech expert, he was able to hide the 4Gen Tech business partners from the search engines to hide his connection to the victims.
“Seems the man is rather proud of himself. Between our statements from today, his confession of the murders and blackmailing Morrison, plus the evidence collected from his home, Robert Hansen is going away for a very long time.”
“You mean I’m finally safe?” Cassidy asked.
Kyle reached over and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “Yes.”
She swiped at the single tear trickling down her cheek. “I thought I’d be relieved. Satisfied maybe, once I knew the truth about Laura. But I feel hollow inside.” More like an abyss in her chest. Her cousin had held her hand during her hospital stay while Cassidy recovered from her burns and the loss of Amber. She missed them both so much.
He reached between the bed rails and laced his fingers with hers. “It’s hard. You think the truth will fix your broken heart, but it doesn’t. Only time will soothe the pain, but I don’t think it ever goes away.”
She had forgotten Kyle had suffered the loss of his parents and previous partner, and more recently, his fiancée. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that.”
He shrugged. “I’m glad I had God to lean on. If not, I’d be a mess.” Kyle ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled. “Okay, more of a mess.”
She squeezed his hand. “I should have let myself remember, but I held back. And because of that, it all came crashing down.”
“I may have overreacted.”
“Really?” Cassidy tilted her head and smirked.
“Brat.” He hadn’t teased her in so long, it felt like an old friend coming home.
Did she dare speak the truth? If her experience had taught her anything, it was to take a risk with her heart and let God take care of the rest. “Kyle, I...”
“Before you say anything. I have a confession.” He closed his eyes. The creases in his forehead deepened.
When he opened them, Cassidy struggled to breathe. The warmth of his gaze set her heart racing. Could he feel the same as she did?
“I blamed you for Amber’s death from the beginning. It was easier than facing my own guilt. I was wrong. I should have been there for you.” Kyle rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “Cassidy, I... I’m falling in love with you. Part of me feels guilty. It’s only been nine months since Amber died. But I can’t deny what’s in here.” He tapped his chest.
Cassidy swallowed the lump building in her throat. She, too, felt something more sparking between them and understood the guilt.
“We had a great friendship before, and now that some maniac isn’t after you, I’m curious if you’re interested in more.” His knee bounced at a rapid rate.
“Kyle.”
He pulled his hand away, but she tugged him back. Poor guy thought she planned to turn him down. She’d better get the words out before he got the wrong idea.
“Let me finish.” She smiled at him, attempting to relieve his worry. “I think more would be wonderful. I’ve liked you for a long time—as a friend. But when trouble came our way, I saw deep into your heart. I knew I wanted to be with you. Only I hesitated because of Amber.”
“We both are adjusting to a world without her. But as Judith practically knocked me over the head with, it’s okay to keep Amber close in our hearts. Share the memories. And move on together.” He blew out a breath. His shoulders relaxed. “What do you say we start with today and see what tomorrow brings.”
Cassidy knew Amber would want them both to be happy. That’s the kind of friend she was. “Judith is a wise woman. I’d like that very much.”
He stood and leaned over the bed rail, his brown eyes searching, asking for permission.
She nodded and closed the distance.
His lips touched hers in the sweetest kiss of promise she’d ever experienced.
Her heart exploded with hope of a future with him.
* * *
A crisp cool Christmas morning breeze, the perfect backdrop for visiting Amber’s grave.
Kyle and Cassidy had joined his friends at the Christmas Eve service the night before. He’d felt more at peace than he had in a long time.
He held a wreath in one hand and clutched Cassidy’s hand with the other. He had a hard time believing she wanted to explore a future with him after his jerk attitude toward her when Amber died.
His heart had taken the first steps to healing, and Cassidy played a big part in that.
As they approached Amber’s gravesite, his stomach tightened. “Is it me, or is this awkward?”
Cassidy chuckled. “Maybe a bit.”
“Phew, glad it’s not just me.” He joined her laughter.
Silence grew between them as they stepped closer to the grave.
The dried leaves crunched beneath his boots. The air smelled of coming snow. A sad smile tugged at his lips.
After his parents had died on Christmas Eve, he’d struggled through the season. He’d avoided decorating and refused to attend Christmas Eve church services for the first few years. Not that he’d walked away from God. More like he hadn’t wanted to endure the reminder of what he’d lost. It was hard to celebrate his Savior and grieve his parents at the same time.
Eventually, the pain faded. When he’d met Amber, she and Cassidy had taken it upon themselves to create happy memories. And that they had. An amazing friendship had connected the three of them.
He squeezed Cassidy’s hand. Over the past few days, she’d helped him experience a renewed love for Christmas and the hope the day symbolized. Now, she stood beside him, giving him her strength. He’d like to think he did the same for her.
The gray granite headstone rose above the ground like a beacon. Etched in the stone: “Amber Sue Lofton. Precious daughter, fiancée and friend.”
Emotion clogged his throat. He’d visited before, but today was different. Thanks to the woman next to him, his heart had started to heal.
Kyle came not to say goodbye but to let go of the past.
Cassidy released his hand and placed a potted poinsettia next to the grave. “She loved you, Kyle. So much she’d planned to talk you into getting married on Christmas Day.”
A squeak escaped his lips. “Christmas Day?”
“Yes. She wanted to replace the pain of your parents’ death with your wedding day, but she hesitated. I convinced her it was the perfect plan.”
When had she decided that? “Amber never said anything.”
“Because she died that day.”
“Oh, Cassidy.” He might have been engaged to Amber, but Cassidy had found a way to speak to his heart. “Thank you. It means a lot even though it didn’t happen.”
He knelt on the damp ground, picked a few twigs from the front of the grave and tossed them aside. With trembling hands, he placed the Christmas wreath against the headstone and stood. “It was her favorite time of year.”
“It’s perfect.” Cassidy slipped her arm around his waist and tugged him close.
Kyle rested his cheek on the top of her head. “Do you think she’s okay that we’re together?” He felt her body shake. Was she laughing or crying? He pulled away and turned her to face him. “Cassidy?”
She shook her head. “You’ll never believe me.”
He tucked a flyaway strand behind her ear. “Tell me.”
“One night, when we were being particularly morbid after a tough case, she said that if anything happened to her, she wanted both of us to be happy.” She shrugged. “And what better way than together.” Cassidy pinched her lips, but her shoulders shook.
“What’s so funny about that?”
“Other than she followed it up with a teasing ‘until then, you can’t have him. He’s mine.’ Of course, I had no intention of even thinking in that direction. We were friends, but only friends.” She faked a shudder and peered up at him. “It would have been like kissing my brother. No thank you.”
He rolled his eyes, but laughter bubbled inside. Yeah, he agreed. He’d only had eyes for Amber. But that was then. “And now?”
She rose on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss on his lips. “I think I’ll stick around to see what happens.”
“Good.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
When he let go, he stepped closer to Amber’s grave and placed a hand on the cold stone. I loved you from the first time I saw you, Amber. You’ll always have a place in my heart, but it’s time to let you go and move on with my life. He glanced back at Cassidy and back to the headstone. I’ll take good care of her.
Cassidy tilted her head. “Ready?”
“More than.” He moved next to her and took her hand. His heart, lighter than it had been in nine months. It would take time, but the future with Cassidy lay like a golden path in front of him.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked the text message and smiled.
Cassidy bumped him. “Are you going to share?”
“It’s Jason. Melanie’s in labor.”
Cassidy squealed. “A Christmas baby.”
“Want to go stalk the hospital hallways?”
“Yes, please.” She smiled.
Even though they had hours to wait, he and Cassidy hurried to the new truck he’d purchased two days ago.
Only God would construct such a turning point for him on Christmas Day. Peace about the past, a job he loved with great friends and a new opportunity with the woman next to him. And he couldn’t forget the new life ready to make an appearance in the world.
God, thank You seems so inadequate. But thank You from the bottom of my heart.
EPILOGUE
New Year’s Eve
The Christmas lights twinkled on the tree branches in the dimly lit room. Cassidy sat on the couch with Melanie and Jason’s new baby girl snuggled in her arms. Her heart exploded with happiness. Life couldn’t get much better than this.
The living room remained quiet, but raucous laughter and shenanigans happened not far away in the kitchen and family room at the back of the house.
Kyle leaned in and brushed a hand over the top of the baby’s head. “She’s beautiful.”
Cassidy ran the back of her fingers down the newborn’s cheek. The softness turned her insides to jelly. Maybe someday she’d have one of her own. Cassidy released a contented sigh. “I love her name.”
“Me too. Noelle is perfect.”
“She’s our own little Christmas and all the hope that comes with it.” Kyle stretched his arm across the back of the couch.
A week had passed, and Cassidy spent every day with Kyle. Their relationship had grown in the short time, but they both agreed to take it slow. She knew he needed time and was willing to give it to him.
“This is quite the date.”
He chuckled. “I promised you a wild New Year’s Eve five-year-old style.”
“That you did. Dennis and Charlotte’s girls are a riot. And the dogs... I don’t know how they do it.”
“With a lot of patience and love.” Dennis’s soft voice came from behind.
Cassidy leaned her head back and watched him move to the recliner. “Dennis, you are the most chill man I’ve ever met.”
Kyle snorted.
Dennis pinned him with a playful glare. “Keep it to yourself, Howard.”
She loved being around this group of friends.
“Are you ever going to share?” Dennis gestured to Noelle.
“Maybe.” She smiled but didn’t move to hand off the baby.
“That’s what I thought.” Dennis raised an eyebrow asking her a silent question.
She shook her head.
Kyle’s gaze drifted between them. “What are you two up to?”
Excitement flowed through her, yet she hesitated. With their relationship so new, how would he react to her news? Dennis assured her that everything would be fine. But would it?
