Chapter 13
Beckett walked purposefully through the now-anxious crowd.
He checked between booths, behind displays, and asked vendors if they’d seen a little girl in a red coat.
The minutes ticked by, each one increasing the worry he tried to keep at bay.
Children could move quickly, and in a crowded market, there were countless places to hide or become trapped.
He glanced around the crowd and frowned.
So many people were searching every inch of the square.
What if the girl had wandered off farther?
Making an instant decision, he turned and headed between two buildings and out behind them onto the River Walk.
There were too many tracks in the snow to know if she’d come this way, but he continued walking along the river.
As he approached a larger area on the River Walk that had a statue of a pony, he heard a small sound, like a hiccup or a stifled sob. He paused, listening intently, then hurried forward, his heart hammering against his ribs.
There, curled into a tight ball under the pony statue, was a tiny figure in a red coat.
“Mandy?” He kept his voice gentle, fighting to keep the tremor of hope from his words. “Is that you, sweetheart?”
The little girl looked up, her face tear-streaked but unharmed. She nodded mutely, her bottom lip quivering.
“Your mom is looking for you,” he said, extending his hand but not moving closer, not wanting to frighten the child further. “She’s very worried. Would you like to come out so we can find her?”
She hesitated, then whispered, “I wanted to see the pony, but then it got dark, and I was scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared. But you’re safe now, and your mom really wants to see you.” His voice caught on the last words, his throat tight with unexpected emotion.
After a moment’s consideration, Mandy crawled forward and took his outstretched hand.
He let out a deep breath as his hand closed over hers, warmth flooding through him like sunshine breaking through clouds.
The knot in his chest loosened. He scooped the girl into his arms, his muscles relaxing as the weight of worry lifted.
Mandy immediately wrapped her small arms around his neck.
“Let’s go find your mom.” Relief swept through him as he carried her back to the market.
When Emily spotted them walking through the crowd, her cry of joy pierced the winter air, drawing every head in their direction. She rushed forward with outstretched arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.
He carefully transferred Mandy into her mother’s desperate embrace, feeling the weight of responsibility lift from his shoulders as the little girl was reunited with her mom.
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the market as word spread that the child was found and unharmed.
People smiled and nodded at one another, the holiday spirit returning to the festive gathering.
“Thank you,” Emily sobbed, her voice breaking as she clutched Mandy against her chest, rocking slightly back and forth. Her fingers trembled as they stroked her daughter’s hair. “Thank you so much.”
“She went to find the pony. The one on the River Walk.” His voice was soft, his heart still racing from the mixture of worry and relief.
“And it got dark and scary, Momma.” Mandy’s small voice quivered, her eyes still wet with tears but already regaining their childlike brightness.
“Mandy, you know you’re not supposed to ever walk away like that.” Emily’s voice wavered between stern and thankful, her arms never loosening their protective hold.
“So does that mean I don’t get the cookie you promised me?” The crowd around them erupted in warm, relieved laughter.
As the drama concluded, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder and turned to find Tessa beside him. “Nice work,” she said softly, her voice carrying a note of admiration that made his heart skip a beat.
He shrugged, but a warmth spread through him at her words. “And you did a great job calming everyone down and getting everyone organized to search.”
“Years of triage. Keep calm and organize.” She shrugged.
Before he could say more, the mayor came up and congratulated him on finding Mandy safe and sound. Nora came over and hugged him. “Good job. Glad you thought to expand the search.”
Townsfolk he barely knew hugged him and shook his hand. Tessa stood quietly by his side, watching it all. The market gradually returned to its festive atmosphere.
Tessa looked up at him and grinned. “I’m pretty sure you’re the new town hero.”
“I just got lucky and looked in the right place.”
She laughed. “And you’re lousy at taking compliments.”
For the first time in days, he didn’t immediately pull away or make an excuse to leave. Instead, they stood together, watching as Emily Brown bought her daughter a cookie, the whole time holding tightly to the little girl’s hand.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?” she said quietly. “Helping people. Making a difference.”
He nodded. “It’s why you became a nurse, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “Though lately, I’ve been wondering if I’ve lost sight of that somewhere along the way.”
The Christmas lights reflected in her eyes as he looked at her. “Maybe you just needed to come home to remember.”
She looked up at him and nodded slowly. “Maybe I did.” Then she smiled at him. “Come on, I’m going to buy the town hero a hot chocolate.”
She tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, and they wandered slowly through the Christmas market. And hope began to grow in him. The hope that maybe he didn’t have to leave. Maybe he could finally find a place to belong. Maybe.