19. Losing Touch
CHAPTER 19
Losing Touch
H eath didn’t feel the cold or the wind. The worry shoved out everything else. He tried to corral the anger, then realized that was an impossible task. Instead, he punched in the number he never thought he’d dial again.
It took four rings before his father answered. “Heath.”
Heath drew in a deep breath. “Have you hired someone to target Addy? Have you paid someone to sabotage her car and cause problems with her house?”
“Excuse me?”
The tone was shocked, but his father’s game face was impeccable. He could be playing him.
“Someone has messed with Addy’s heating system and her house and her car. Someone has tried to hurt her, and I want to know if you’re behind it.”
“How dare you accuse me of something like that?”
Heath’s laugh was full of bitterness. “Don’t try to pull that crap with me. You hid my daughter from me for twelve years. You stole my mail and never told me about it. You refused to acknowledge your own granddaughter. Why the hell wouldn’t I suspect you? I’m surprised it took me so many days to even think of it.”
He heard his father drawing in heavy breaths, trying to control his own temper. “I would never hire a thug to harass anyone. I never have, and I’m insulted you would think so.”
He could be insulted all he wanted. “You let them struggle financially and emotionally for a dozen years. You’ve stripped the three of us of the chance to be a family. And you’ve shattered my heart in more ways than I can count. I imagine you can see why I might think you would do something to threaten their safety.”
This silence lasted longer. Heath wished his own fear and his own temper weren’t so high. It was difficult to judge the sincerity of his father’s words through the phone when he was a mess himself.
“I have not hired anyone to harass anyone. I know nothing about what you’re talking about. I’m not behind anything that would endanger you or anyone else.”
Relief coursed through him as Heath realized he believed him. Or did he just want to believe him?
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth? You’ve lied by omission before. Maybe I simply haven’t asked the right question.”
Another long silence. When his father spoke, his voice was heavy. “I know you may not believe me, but I don’t wish harm on either the girl or her mother.”
“You can’t even say their names.”
He heard the breathing again and wished he’d made a video call. Finally, his father spoke again in that same heavy tone. “I don’t wish harm for either Addison or Nina. I’m very sorry that you have reason to believe I could do anything like that. The person who is bothering them has no connection whatsoever with me or anyone in my employ.”
That sounded sincere as well. Could he believe it? He wanted to desperately. He didn’t want to even consider his parents would be behind something like this. “Okay. I’m glad to hear that.”
He started to hang up, but his father said his name softly, so he waited.
“Heath. Can I hire some protection for you? I know a bodyguard firm here in Boston.”
That almost had Heath’s head spinning. “No. I have friends here who are helping.” It took him a few deep breaths of his own to get the next words out. “Thank you for the offer.”
Another silence that seemed to stretch. Finally, his father broke it. “My offer will remain open if you change your mind.”
“Okay. I need to go. Goodbye.” Heath hung up the phone and dropped his head back to let the snow and wind reconnect him back to this world and the life he was building here in Phail.
Was he an idiot for believing his father wasn’t behind this? Would his mother do this without his father being aware of it?
He considered calling her before his father warned her, but he didn’t think he had the stomach to make another call. This one had nearly ripped its lining away.
Parents were supposed to love their kids and their grandkids. They were supposed to support them and do their best to put their kids first.
His parents never had, although they probably thought they did. It was their loss. But their actions had left a huge hole in Heath’s ability to trust them and to trust in general.
Deciding to believe that they weren’t involved until proven otherwise, Heath drew in slow and deliberate breaths. He didn’t want to bring any remnants of the ugly back into the house with him.
The sound of the door opening and closing behind him had him turning around to find Addy all bundled up and heading his way.
In the shadows, her dark eyes were even more beautiful. They were full of concern for him. She stopped a couple of feet away. “I don’t want to intrude, but you looked lost.”
He tried to laugh, but it came out gruff and harsh.
Addy tilted her head, then moved forward to wrap herself around him. She put her head on his chest and squeezed her arms. “Whatever it is, we’ve got your back. We’ll help in any way we can. I love you, Heath, and I don’t want you feeling lost or alone. You’ve got me. You’ve got us. You’re never alone.”
Heath buried his face in her hair, aware their daughter was probably watching them through the window.
He might not have parental support, but he had love and support right here. In his arms, in the house. In the town.
He had every damn thing he needed. And he was going to do everything he could to keep them safe.
A ddy wanted to figure out who was being such a pain in their daily lives. The person had done nothing to hurt her physically, but with everything Heath had been through in the last few weeks, she wanted to have this finished so he could enjoy life for a change.
He’d never had a normal Christmas growing up, and she wanted that desperately for him. She wanted the lights and the scents and the tastes that meant Christmas.
The Ojibwe culture wasn’t Christian, but she’d grown up in several foster homes that were. She’d learned all about the holiday in the schools she’d attended. Many people from different backgrounds and religions had adopted Christmas into their own traditions. Addy had wanted Nina to know the cultures of both her parents. And any traditions that emphasized peace and hope were good ones she would always support.
This year, she wanted to emphasize home and family and comfort, knowing they could all use the reminders of that.
She hadn’t finished her secret project for Nina, but today, the two of them were working on their gift for Heath before Nina went to work with Kimi.
Tonight, they would join the town in one of the new traditions Phail had adopted last year. Movie night at the Saloon. With Phail Bingo cards for silly moments in the film. Tonight was a movie she’d never seen before. The original Miracle on 34 th Street, and she was looking forward to attending as a family.
Nina stood and stretched. “I’m not used to sitting in one place for so long. It’ll be good to move around at Kimi’s. Maybe I’ll try to get Snoops to listen to some commands.”
They both laughed at that. The old donkey was as ornery as they came. He only tolerated humans because they provided his food. “Do you want to bring him some carrots?”
“Good idea. Maybe he won’t try to eat my jacket.”
Addy texted Heath. Taking Nina to Kimi’s for her shift. Will need about twenty minutes to clean up before you arrive. Secret stuff, so don’t arrive early and spoil it.
She added a present and a heart emoji. He’d been working with the guys on brewing a new batch of beer that morning, and she hoped they had another winner. The shed they were using was too small, but at least they could test out small batches of their different hops.
Heath texted back. Dress warm. The wind is crazy out there today. See you soon. He added several heart emojis.
Another shot of warmth filled her. She and Nina had always texted each other their whereabouts and plans. Adding Heath into the mix was easy and comforting. Another person who cared about them. Another person in their circle.
They bundled up in their coats, and she smiled as she spotted Nina checking over Addy’s protective layers to make sure they were adequate. They left Animosh snoozing in the living room. No need to have her brave the cold as well.
The wind was like a wall, and they both squealed as they raced to the car, which was only a few steps away. Wabi was shooting out his best heat, and they sighed happily once they were inside.
She turned to Nina. “Are you sure Kimi needs you there today? You won’t be working outside, will you?”
Nina buckled up. “Kimi’s barn has lots of room for the animals. We’ll all be safe and warm. But some of them get a little nervous when they’re trapped inside, especially the newer ones. I’ll help her keep them all calm and feeling safe.”
The pride in Nina’s voice was another shot of warmth. Her daughter was growing up to be a fantastic person. When she said that out loud, Nina rolled her eyes with a grin. “D’uh. I’ve had some really great role models.”
Kimi’s place was only a couple of farms past the farmhouse where Sean and Branna stayed. Even in the winter, it only took a minute or two to get there. In the summer, Nina often rode her bike. “It’s almost a year since Santa got you this job last Christmas. Still loving it?”
Nina laughed. Troy Phail had dressed up as Santa and had handed out a gift to all the kids last year. Nina had been on the edge of being too old, but Troy had included her, anyway. He and Kimi had come up with the idea of Nina getting a job, which had been the absolutely perfect Christmas present.
“I love it. I think I’ll always love it. Kimi’s amazing, and it’s fun learning how to take care of animals and their injuries. And their emotions, too. Kimi makes them all feel better.”
And the vet was one of those incredible role models for her daughter. When they drove into the lot beside her cottage, Kimi popped out of the front door, bundled head to toe in her winter gear. She waved at Addy as Nina hopped out to join her on their short trek to the barns in the back. On a bad weather day, Kimi always walked back with Nina.
As Addy reversed onto the road, she found herself smiling. One of the luckiest days of her life had been when she’d served Nimii a chai tea latte and become her friend. Without that chance meeting, she would have never moved to Phail. She would have never had the chance to meet Heath again.
She passed the farmhouse and almost detoured to meet Heath there, but she needed to hide evidence of his gift before he came into the house.
And the sooner she got home, the sooner they could have some alone time. Her body shivered in anticipation.
And then she realized Wabi had decided it wasn’t cold enough for the heater, and part of that shiver was from the cold.
Not too far now.
As she turned the corner from the main road onto the road that led to her house, Wabi coughed. She patted the dashboard. “It’s a windy day, isn’t it, Wabi ? Cold too. Once we’re back home, you can have a rest in the driveway. The house will block a lot of the wind for you. Not long now.”
But Wabi coughed again, and Addy’s heart rate picked up. They’d just got the car back from Graham. He’d checked it over and Wabi should be working fine. “Is it the cold, Wabi? It’s not far now.”
But the coughing increased, and then Wabi lurched. She put on her blinker and pulled to the side of the road with a sigh.
Her knowledge of car maintenance was zilch, but the sounds were enough to tell her there wasn’t a thing she could do about it on her own.
Addy pulled her phone from her pocket and texted Heath. She waited, but in only a moment, a message showed her text couldn’t be delivered. She tried again with the same result.
When it failed again, her heart rate picked up. She checked that the car was locked and tried to call. Nothing. Her phone was charged, but there were no bars. Had the wind hit a tower or something?
Wabi gave a final cough, and his engine shuddered before moaning and dropping into silence. The wind filled the emptiness as she tried her phone again and again.
The cold was already leaking into the car’s interior. How far was she from home? Was it safer to wait in the car, or would she be smarter to walk?
If Wabi had died a natural death and the wind had taken down a tower, it would be smarter to wait inside. Even if it got cold, the wind would mostly stay on the outside of the car.
But what if the person who’d been messing with her was behind this? She was a complete sitting duck in the car.
Would waiting like prey make her the idiot in the horror movies? Or would walking in the frigid weather be the dumb choice?
She tried her phone again, but still no signal.
She tried calling 911 and Marcus, wondering if somehow the police had reception when other people didn’t. No luck.
She sent a text to both Heath and Marcus, explaining her situation in detail. When the signal was restored, they’d both get it.
It would be ten or fifteen minutes before Heath drove by, and he wouldn’t expect a message from her before then. If she was lucky, he would try to text her phone and then come to find her when he couldn’t get an answer.
Her home couldn’t be more than a ten-minute walk up the road. She was dressed properly and her inhaler rested in her pocket. With her asthma, she always bundled up before heading outside.
Would ten minutes of walking be the smart choice? She wouldn’t be as easy to find if the person had upped their game and planned to hurt her. Did she have a weapon in the car she could take with her?
Deciding moving was better than sitting, Addy texted her plan and the time to both Heath and Marcus. Then she slipped her cell phone into her mitten and tightened her scarf around her face. A quick look in the trunk showed one of those tools to take the lug nuts off a tire if you needed to change it. Far better than the nothing she’d had a moment before.
Gripping her weapon in her hand, she put her head down and headed for home, hoping she wasn’t about to star in her very own horror movie.