A Christmas Wish Read online

  He took the glass before the water sloshed over the sides. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said in a sing-song voice. “Would you like another gingerbread man?”

  William shook his head. “No, thanks. But I would like to see more of your pictures. Do you have any you can show me?”

  Nora’s smile was instant. “I’ll be back soon.” She raced out of the kitchen and away from the next part of the conversation.

  He took Megan’s glass of water off the counter and handed it to her. “If you’d prefer a cup of coffee, I could make you one.”

  “This will be okay. What do you mean by ‘a chance to be safe’?” she whispered. “Do you think the terrorists will hurt us?”

  William wasn’t sure how to tell Megan the Al-Nusra Nuclei had already threatened them. “One person on Caleb’s team was badly injured after a car accident. The FBI is certain the terrorist group were involved in the incident. Three of the team have moved their families to other locations because of death threats, and Caleb was shot. A few days ago, the same group sent an email to Caleb telling him his sister was next.”

  Megan dropped her head to her chest and took a deep breath. When she looked up, there were tears in her eyes. “Did he know he had a sister?”

  “No.”

  “So there’s still a chance I’m not related to him?”

  “A small chance.”

  Megan stared at her birth certificate. “I’m four years younger than him. If Caleb is my brother, I don’t understand why his parents wouldn’t want me. It doesn’t make sense.”

  “A lot of things in life don’t make sense, but that’s the way they are. Regardless of whether you’re related to Caleb or not, you were adopted. Your birth mother has the same name as Caleb’s mom. Your father wasn’t registered on your birth certificate, but that’s not uncommon.”

  “Are you sure you have the right person? Mom and Dad never told me I was adopted.”

  William’s gaze dropped to the adoption papers. “Do you have any aunts or uncles you could talk to?”

  “My aunt is at work. I’ll call her later tonight.” Megan crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You know more about Caleb’s family than I do. Why do you think I was adopted?”

  William couldn’t hear Nora, and that was a good thing. Megan needed time to come to terms with what the FBI had discovered. “Caleb’s mother was in an abusive relationship. Her husband brutally assaulted her and left her for dead. After she was discharged from the hospital, she filed divorce papers. By the time you were born her husband was in prison and she was officially separated. My guess is that she didn’t want your biological father to find you. Adoption was the only way she could keep you safe.”

  “Has anyone spoken to the woman who is supposed to be my biological mother?”

  And there it was. Out of everything William could tell her, this was the hardest. No one apart from Caleb’s mother knew the truth about Megan’s birth. And she’d gone to her grave with the secrets of the past wrapped tightly around her.

  William studied Megan’s face. Her blue eyes were wary. “The woman who could be your biological mother is dead. She died of cancer two years ago. No one knows where her ex-husband is living. The only way to verify if you are Caleb’s sister is to do a DNA test.”

  “Has Caleb had his DNA tested?”

  William nodded. “He wants to find out the truth as much as you do. Even if we fast-track the test, it will be at least a week before you get the results.”

  “What happens while we’re waiting?”

  “We keep you and Nora safe.”

  Megan frowned. “The project Caleb is working on must be important.”

  “It is. We’ve already spoken to the other people in Caleb’s team and their families. The FBI wants to make sure no one else gets hurt.”

  “How are you going to do that if you don’t know who or where the terrorists are?”

  William knew she wouldn’t like what he had to say next. “You could stay here, but my recommendation is to leave Milwaukee.”

  “I can’t leave. I have a lot of customers who are waiting for their Christmas cakes.”

  “It’s not safe for you here.” He took a photograph out of another folder. “This is the picture the terrorists sent Caleb.”

  Megan looked at the photo. It showed her pushing a cart around a grocery store. Her startled gaze connected with his. “Someone has been following me?”

  William nodded. “They aren’t the only people who have been watching you. After Caleb was shot, we placed agents outside your house day and night.”

  Megan’s mouth dropped open. “I didn’t know they were there.”

  “They did their job well, then.” He leaned forward, hoping Megan realized how important it was for her to leave Milwaukee. “The safe house is in Montana. It will be better than staying here.”

  Megan’s gaze rested on Nora’s paintings.

  He could almost see the cogs of her brain working, trying to figure out what was the best thing to do.

  “Okay.” She sighed. “Nora and I will go to Montana. How do we get there?”

  William let go of the breath he was holding. Even if she didn’t believe it, she’d made the right decision. “We won’t be able to make tonight’s flight, but there’s another one tomorrow morning. If it’s okay with you, I’ll sleep on the sofa. I don’t want to go too far away in case something happens.”

  “I’ve got a spare bedroom. You can use that.” Megan handed him the photo. “How long do you think we’ll be away from Milwaukee?”

  “I don’t know. Depending on what happens, you might be gone for Christmas.”

  Her eyes widened. “What will I tell my friends?”

  “You could tell them you’re taking a vacation, but don’t mention Caleb’s name. From now on, you need to be extremely careful what you say. We don’t know who’s involved in the terrorist group.”

  Nora ran into the kitchen. She took one look at Megan’s face and skidded to a stop. “Are you okay?”

  “I will be soon. Mr. Parker is taking us somewhere special tomorrow. Do you want to help me pack our bags?”

  Nora’s big blue eyes settled on William. “Can I bring my pictures and Dolly, Mr. Parker?”

  “You can bring whatever you like,” he said quietly. “And if it’s okay with your aunt, you can call me William.”

  Nora’s big blue eyes stared up at Megan. “Is it okay?”

  Megan nodded.

  “I can call you William,” Nora said proudly. “Now we’re real friends.”

  Megan looked as though she was about to burst into tears.

  “It will be okay,” he said. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

  The look she sent him wasn’t reassuring. Megan didn’t believe him, and he didn’t blame her.

  Megan placed the phone on its receiver and left her office. That was the last call she had to make to her customers. Most of them were disappointed she wouldn’t be making their Christmas cakes, but Megan couldn’t change what had happened. She only hoped they didn’t think she was unreliable.

  When she’d asked William why they were going to Montana, he’d told her the house was the safest he could find. It was in Sapphire Bay, a small town on the shore of Flathead Lake. Megan hoped the house had central heating. Milwaukee was cold in the winter, but Montana was worse.

  At least the terrorists wouldn’t be able to get to them if the roads were closed and the house was buried under a thick blanket of snow.

  She walked upstairs and peeked inside Nora’s room. Her niece was asleep on the bed, curled in a ball under the blankets. The sound of her gentle breathing made Megan sigh. For such a little girl, a lot had happened in her life.

  As she tiptoed into the room, she lifted Nora’s ski jacket off the dresser, then knelt beside the bed. With gentle fingers, she brushed a strand of blond hair off Nora’s face.

  Next week, her niece would be turning six. Megan’s sister wo
uld have been so proud of Nora. For two short years, Christine had loved her daughter with a depth that Megan hadn’t understood. Now, nearly four years later, she knew just how special the bond between mother and daughter had been, because she felt it too. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to keep their little girl safe.

  She kissed Nora’s cheek and left the room.

  With a heavy heart, she walked into her bedroom and lifted the handle on the last suitcase that needed to go downstairs. As well as winter clothes, Megan had packed her photo albums and a few sentimental items. If someone broke into the house while they were gone, they wouldn’t find the things that meant the world to her.

  She gently slid the suitcase down the stairs and stacked it beside the other bags. Tomorrow would be a big day.

  When she walked into the kitchen, William was making a hot drink.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asked.

  Megan shook her head. “If I have caffeine at this time of the night, I won’t sleep. I’m looking forward to boarding the plane tomorrow.”

  “You aren’t the only one.” William sat on a kitchen stool. “Is Nora still asleep?”

  “She is. It would take a herd of elephants to wake her.” Megan sat beside him. “I don’t know how you can be so calm. I’m terrified someone will hurt us.”

  “We’re doing everything we can to keep you safe.”

  “Is that why you’re still wearing your gun?”

  He nodded. “Have you ever used a gun before?”

  “I went to a shooting range once with my father.” Megan’s throat tightened when she thought about the man she’d called dad. She was still having a hard time believing she was adopted. Why hadn’t her parents told her? It wouldn’t have made any difference to how she felt about them.

  “When we arrive in Sapphire Bay, I’ll give you a lesson on how to use a handgun.”

  If that wasn’t enough to scare Megan, nothing was. “I don’t know if I could shoot another person.”

  “If they were attacking Nora, you might change your mind.”

  She bit her bottom lip and looked at the back door. All the locks had been clicked into place. “What did you do before you were a special agent?”

  “I worked in the Chicago Police Department.”

  “Why did you change jobs?”

  William focused on his cup of coffee. “I wanted to try something different. The FBI was recruiting for more agents, and it seemed like a good fit. I moved to Bozeman a few years ago.”

  “Do you have family there?”

  “No. My closest relatives are in Chicago.”

  “I lived in Dallas for two years.” Megan clamped her lips tight. William already knew that. The profile the FBI had compiled covered every aspect of her life, including the years after she’d graduated from college.

  William’s eyes softened. “We had to look into your past. Someone was leaking information about Caleb’s project to the terrorists. We wanted to make sure it wasn’t you.”

  “I didn’t know anything about the project or even that I had a brother.”

  “We didn’t know that until we spoke to Caleb.”

  Megan frowned. “When did you realize I was adopted?”

  William shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “The timing doesn’t matter. What matters is that you and Nora are safe.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You’ve known I was adopted for a long time. When did the FBI start investigating me?”

  “In October.”

  “A month ago?” she said more loudly than she’d intended. Her gaze shot toward the hallway. Waking Nora wouldn’t help anyone. “What did you expect to find?” she said in a quieter voice.

  “What we didn’t want to find was a terrorist.” William’s cell phone beeped. He read the text message and frowned. “An agent will arrive soon with a DNA kit.”

  Megan rubbed her temples. In two hours, she’d gone from baking Christmas cakes to being a wanted woman on the run from terrorists.

  “How does the DNA kit work?”

  “All you have to do is spit inside a tube. The lab will do the rest.”

  Megan sighed. At least he didn’t want a sample of her blood. Fainting at the sight of the needle would be the perfect ending to a horrible day.

  The next morning, Megan lifted her suitcase onto the conveyor belt at the airport. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

  Nora was awake by six o’clock, so they’d all had breakfast together. They could have been any normal household getting ready for the day—if you ignored the fact that William worked for the FBI and they were about to fly to a town Megan didn’t know existed.

  William looked around the terminal. “Our flight leaves from gate eighteen. Is there anything else you need?”

  Megan shook her head. “We’re okay. I’ll be happier when we’re on the plane.”

  “So will I.”

  As they walked across the concourse, Megan kept a careful eye on the people around them. Even though William was holding Nora’s hand, she wasn’t taking any chances with her niece’s safety.

  Her arm brushed against the sleeve of William’s jacket. His blue jeans and leather jacket blended into the crowd much more than his dark suit would have. If she didn’t know he was a special agent, she would have sworn he was a regular person.

  He pointed to the security checkpoint and told Nora the staff would help her if anything happened to him or Megan.

  Nora didn’t seem worried about the prospect of needing anyone’s help, and that was a good thing.

  Megan moved her carry-on onto her other shoulder. It was busier than she’d thought it would be. Business people, families, and students crammed into every available seat.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Megan glanced at William before looking at the people around them. “Airports are like miniature cities. You could live here if you had to.”

  “It’s just as well that wasn’t an option for us. We’ll find somewhere quiet to sit while we wait for the flight. There are too many people out here.” He looked down at Nora. “Are you doing okay?”

  Her smile was so open and trusting that Megan’s breath caught.

  “I’m doing great.”

  “That’s good to hear. We’d better keep moving. We’re not far from our gate.” William adjusted his grip on Nora’s hand and started walking.

  Megan wondered why he never seemed to smile. She glanced over her shoulder. Maybe he’d seen something she hadn’t. Or maybe he’d gotten as much sleep as she had.

  Nora looked up at Megan. “I need to use the bathroom.”

  William frowned. “There’s some up ahead.”

  When they reached the bathrooms, Megan handed William her carry-on. “We won’t be long.”

  He pointed to a group of chairs that weren’t far away. “I’ll wait for you over there.”

  “Okay.”

  “Wait.” Nora gave William her princess backpack. “Could you look after my bag?”

  Megan didn’t know if William realized the significance of Nora’s question. Her mom had bought her the backpack when she was little. Letting anyone apart from Megan look after it had never happened.

  “Sure. I’ll keep it beside me.”

  Megan squeezed Nora’s hand. “Are you ready to go to the bathroom?”

  Nora peered at the sign opposite them and nodded.

  While they waited in the line, Megan second-guessed everyone she saw. She had no idea what a terrorist looked like, but the most successful ones probably blended in with everyone else. Unfortunately, that worrying thought didn’t make her feel any happier about being away from William.

  After Nora finished, she washed her hands and they left the bathroom. The sooner they arrived in Montana, the happier Megan would be.

  The crowd of people standing in front of them worried her. They hadn’t been there when they’d gone into the bathroom. She wondered if they belonged to a tour group or if the boarding gate for a flight had been chang
ed.

  Nora moved closer, holding Megan’s hand tight.

  Feeling just as uneasy, Megan looked for William, but there were too many people between them to see where he’d gone. She took a few more steps before standing on tiptoes. A hand waved in the air and she felt a lot better.

  William was making his way toward them.

  She wrapped her arm around Nora’s shoulders and pointed to a narrow gap between the crowd of people and the wall. “We’ll walk down there.”

  Nora nodded and followed Megan.

  No one seemed in a hurry to go anywhere. The people stood shoulder to shoulder, listening intently to a person in an airport uniform.

  Megan stopped beside a man who’d moved in front of her. “Excuse me. I need to—”

  The man turned around. There was something about his smile that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

  Without thinking, she turned into his body. With Nora’s hand still in hers, she pushed her into the only gap she could see. “Run to William!”

  Before Megan could step away from the man, he grabbed hold of her arm. She tried yanking herself free but, he held tight, his fingers digging into her skin.

  “Let me go,” she yelled.

  The people around them stared at what was happening. Why weren’t they helping her?

  The man grabbed hold of her hair and pushed something hard into her ribs. “One wrong move and you’re dead. Start walking!”

  The people closest to them screamed. The crowd scattered, shielding themselves from the tall man dragging her along the concourse.

  “William!” Megan cried out as the man tightened his hold. She tried to break free, but his grip was ruthless. Everywhere she looked, people were running, trying to get out of their way.

  Her heart pounded. Nora would be terrified.

  A man stumbled to the ground as he ran for cover. Another woman huddled against the wall with her two children wrapped in her arms.

  Sweat trickled down Megan’s spine. If she didn’t do something soon, she’d never leave the airport alive.

  They turned the corner into a service hallway. Didn’t he know the airport would have cameras on him? Maybe he didn’t care. Maybe he was like a suicide bomber who only wanted his victim dead.