Christmas Peril and Yuletide Abduction by Margaret Daley

Author:Margaret Daley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-07-19T22:51:14+00:00

Chapter Two

Josh stopped by the bakery and purchased coffee and breakfast sandwiches before heading to the hotel. He still couldn’t believe he was turning to Elise for help. He’d wrestled with the decision all night and was still having trouble reconciling the image he’d carried in his mind all these years of the girl responsible for his brother’s death with the flesh-and-blood woman who’d appeared out of nowhere yesterday.

It had been a difficult enough decision to seek out the FBI for help in finding Candace given his distrust for any of the three-letter government agencies after his army-ranger squad was betrayed by a CIA-vetted translator, but he’d had to concede that finding his niece outweighed his dislike for the agency. He needed FBI resources.

He needed Elise.

She was up and dressed when she answered his knock, having traded the secondhand scrubs for slacks and a white blouse. He was stunned at first glance. He’d seen her yesterday probably at her worst and she’d been beautiful, but now... His heart kicked an extra beat as he stepped in and closed the door.

He held up the paper bag in his hand, glad to have something to distract him from his own racing heartbeat. “I brought breakfast.”

Her face paled at the sight of the sandwiches, and only then did he notice the draw of weariness beneath her flawless hair and makeup. Yesterday’s ordeals had indeed taken their toll on her. “Thank you, but I don’t think I could eat anything.”

He placed the bags on a round table by the window, pulled out a cup of coffee and gave it to her. She cupped it in her hand, took a whiff and smiled a big wide smile that caused his heart to hitch again.

“Thank you. This is just what I need this morning.”

“Rough night?”

“You could say that.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have left the hospital.”

She glanced up at him, her eyes full of determination and persistence. “I’m fine. Besides, your niece might not have time for me to lie in a hospital bed.”

He could see she needed a day or two to recover from her injuries, but it was obvious she wasn’t going to take it, and he couldn’t deny he was glad. At least someone was taking Candace’s disappearance seriously.

“I need to go to the police station and get a copy of their missing persons file then find somewhere to purchase a new laptop. My partner is overnighting me a copy of the files that were stolen.” She pulled on her suit coat, stumbling backward as she did. She glanced up at him, her reassuring smile as shaky as her balance. “I’m okay.”

It was obvious to him she wasn’t, but he needed her to be and he was prepared to do whatever it took to keep her going. “There’s an office-supply store on the highway where you can buy a laptop. I’ll drive you.”

“That’s not necessary,” she said, but after fumbling a few moments with the buttons on her jacket, she gave a weary sigh and resignation colored her tone.

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