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The room fell into silence as everyone contemplated the meaning.
Ellie continued, “Agent Fox has established a cover for the two of us to make contact with this group.”
“What can we do to help?” Deputy Landrum asked.
“The sheriff is working the tips that come in and his people are searching vacant properties in the county,” Ellie said. “Deputy Eastwood is monitoring activity at the Trumans. Just be ready if we call for backup.”
Captain Hale raised a finger. “Ms.Juniper’s lawyer arranged for her to be released.”
Bryce cleared his throat. “I’ll have one of my deputies tail her,” he said. “If she had something to do with a child kidnapping ring, we’ll nail her ass.”
Ellie was surprised at the adamant tone of his voice and that he’d saidwe. Was it possible he was becoming a team player?
He didn’t smell like whiskey today either. Maybe learning he had a daughter was making a difference in his life.
“Time to get back to work, everyone,” Ellie said. “It’s only three days until Christmas. Let’s bring Ava home in time to see Santa.”
Seventy
Somewhere on the AT
She arranged all the Santas around the living room, lining them on the fireplace mantle and on the corner table. She and Piper had started collecting the Santas when the little girl was one and she’d seen her first one in the store. Piper had giggled every time she talked about Santa’s big belly. Once she’d even stuffed a pillow under her pajama top and run around belting out, “Ho, ho, ho.” Another time she’d sketched him getting stuck in the chimney.
A lot of young kids were scared of Santa, but Piper was trusting and raced to have her turn, climbing up and giggling as she listed all the gifts she wanted.
Today, when she’d looked into Ava’s eyes, she’d seen a little bit of Piper there and had wanted to wrap her in her arms and rock her like a baby. But Ava was as skittish as the colt she’d tried to ride when she was small herself.
She would get used to life here, though, just as Kaylee and Becky had. Soon she’d come to call her Mommy and laugh as they decorated cookies together and turn to her for help with her schoolwork.
She should have taken her sooner. Waiting till so close to the holiday made the transition harder. But she’d been watching Ava for weeks and that woman Lara was always around, practically clinging to her. She’d heard Lara and her useless husband arguing and yelling about who would watch Ava.
They didn’t deserve to have Ava. Especially when she belonged toher.
She hung the girls’ stockings, then decided Ava should decorate her own, so she laid it on the craft table for her.
She placed the three-foot Santa by the fireplace, then went to the girls’ room. She’d made Piper’s favorite lunch, macaroni and cheese, and couldn’t wait to see Ava’s face light up when she saw it.
She unlocked the door and found Kaylee at the table still drawing while Ava watched, hugging Kaylee’s stuffed dog to her chest.
“Lunch is ready, girls, I made your favorite.” She beamed at them. “Then you can decorate your stocking, Ava, to add to the family mantle and both of you can work on the gingerbread houses.”
Kaylee stood and took Ava’s hand and led her to the door. Ava looked up at her with those big serious eyes, the windows to the soul, and she brushed her hand over the little girl’s hair. Her hair was all wrong but in time she would fix that. Soon Ava would forget all about her other life and learn to love her just the way Piper did.
Seventy-One
Ava didn’t want to go with the lady, but her stomach growled, and she hadn’t eaten since she got to this place. Kaylee tugged at her hand. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
Ava’s body stiffened, her legs like wood as she let Kaylee pull her along into the hall and down the stairs. The walls were bare, and it seemed like the walk lasted forever and ever, just like the drive into the mountains when the woman had brought her here. Finally, Ava stepped into a big kitchen next to the living room, where a fake Christmas tree stood with silver and red and blue ornaments.
“Isn’t this the most perfect tree?” The lady’s voice sounded like a bird chirping.
Ava blinked hard. No. It was all wrong. It looked fancy, like something you’d see in the store when Mommy told her not to touch things. “See the sign, sweetie,” Mommy had said. “It says if you break it you buy it.” Ava had hung onto Mommy’s hand then, careful not to touch the glass balls.
She’d been so glad when they got home. They’d painted reindeer ornaments with a silly squiggly nose and button eyes. She lost one of the tiny buttons, but Mommy had said it didn’t matter, and let her dig in her button box and she picked a bigger one. It didn’t match the other eye, but Mommy said that was okay. “He’s the most special reindeer because he’s different,” Mommy said. Then Mommy hugged her.
“See, I have everything ready,” the lady said.
Ava gave a tiny nod. There were Graham crackers, candies, sprinkles and icing for the gingerbread houses on the counter. Tears burned Ava’s throat. She was not a crybaby. But she’d cried and cried ever since she got here.
