Chapter 29 #2
Finch followed the two lawmen toward the barn. The sheriff pushed the door open a few feet. Slipping through, the three men kept low as they approached the plastic sheeting that split the old hay barn from the newer storage section.
Sheriff Dans raised a hand as voices reached them through the plastic.
“It’s not here,” a man was saying.
“I told you I don’t know where it is,” a female voice answered.
Nina. He’d know the sound of her voice anywhere. Relief swept through Finch. She was all right.
Sheriff Dans held up three fingers. He lowered them slowly, and then they were going through the plastic. The lawmen first, and Finch behind.
“Sheriff’s Department. Hands where I can see them!”
Kurt spun, pointing his gun at them.
“You’re outnumbered, Kurt, and there are more men coming in from the rear. If you discharge that weapon, you won’t see tomorrow,” Dan said, pointing his gun at the man alongside his uncle.
“Drop the gun, Kurt, and kick it toward us,” Sheriff Dans ordered.
It took two more seconds, but the man did as he was told. Amber’s hands rose quickly after that, but Dale Falcon was slower, almost unhurried.
“What appears to be the problem, officers?” he asked in a voice that made Finch want to punch him.
“Don’t play games with us, Falcon. We know what and who you are and that you brought Nina here without her consent,” Sheriff Dans said. “We know all about you.”
The man didn’t move a muscle, just watched them.
“Raise your hands now,” Dan ordered.
He did, reluctantly.
Finch allowed himself to look at her then. His girl was pale, but still standing. Strong, he thought, and resilient. Her eyes were on him, as his were on her.
“Come in, Connor,” Dan said into his radio.
The Dukes and Deputy Connor arrived through the rear door. Only then did Finch start moving.
“Nina.” Her name was torn from him, as he closed the distance in a few long strides while the others got cuffs on Amber, Kurt, and Dale Falcon.
Grabbing her shoulders, Finch pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her in a fierce hug. “You scared me half to death,” he said into her hair.
“I scared myself,” Nina admitted. “I’m so sorry about before, Finch—”
“Don’t be. I’m sure I’ll lose it, too, at some stage.”
“I was having a panic attack.”
“You should have told me, baby. I could have helped.”
“I know. Thank you for rescuing me, Finch,” she said into his neck.
“I had help,” he said, feeling calm for the first time since he’d realized her father had her.
Behind them, Asher was reading Dale Falcon his rights, and Nina eased back to look at her father. They exchanged a look, and then she turned away, pressing her face into Finch’s chest.
“Take him,” Asher Dans said to his deputies, and they did, leading him out past the shelves and boxes marked with careful handwriting and furniture covered in drop cloths.
“Come on, let’s get you home,” Finch said, leading her out behind the others.
“I want to go to the tree lighting,” Nina said, now tucked under his arm.
Sheriff Dans would take Amber, Kurt, and her father to the station along with Deputy Connor, where he would no doubt make a call to federal agents that he had Dale Falcon in his custody.
Tomorrow he wanted Nina to come in and make a statement, but for now she could go to the tree lighting, if it wasn’t over already.
Nina sat silent, resting against Finch on the journey back to Lyntacky, and he knew that what she’d been through would need to be talked about, but not now. Now she wanted to be with her people.
“You doing okay?” Blue asked her from the backseat.
“Yes, and I’m glad it’s all over now.”
They drove into town and parked again after what felt like hours, but it was only about sixty minutes since they left.
He held her hand as they walked and let her set the pace.
“I thought if I ever met him, I’d feel something, Finch. I know I only recently found out about him, but still, he’s, my father.”
“But you felt nothing?” Finch asked, falling slightly behind the others.
“No. They say you choose your family, and I believe that’s true, because although I always wanted to find someone else I was related to, I really didn’t need that, since I had all of them”—she waved her hand at the people in front of her—“and you.”
She looked up at him then. “I really care about you, Finch. I think I love you.”
“Think?” he teased her.
“Know, and after what just happened, I don’t want to sit on that anymore. I’ve decided you’re my Christmas gift, Finch McAllister.”
“Well, that’s handy because you’re my gift, too, and I love you back. Now let’s light a tree, and then we can go home, and I can hold you until the last of the fear is gone.”
When they arrived, there were cheers and more hugs.
The tree, as it turned out, had not been lit because of the fact Nina was missing.
They were handed mugs of hot chocolate with crushed candy cane shaped sprinkles on top, and her people all gathered around her. Nina was right—she’d found her family here and hadn’t really realized that until she’d come face to face with her birth family.
“If I can have your attention,” Tripp Lyntacky said, standing on the rotunda. “Now that everyone is safe, we’ll begin.”
A cheer went up at that announcement.
“Are you all right, Nina?”
“Yes, thank you, Meadow.”
His mother kissed his cheek and then Nina’s before wandering off, leaving a cloud of earthy scent behind.
“Nina, will you come up here and turn on the lights? Bring Finch with you!” Tripp said.
She giggled and didn’t seem able to stop until he bent to whisper, “Get it together, Winters,” in her ear.
He led her through the Lyntacks assembled and up the stairs, moving at a much slower pace than before.
Tripp then handed the switch to Nina.
“Put your hand over mine,” she ordered Finch.
He did as he was told, and they turned on the lights together. Everyone held their collective breath, and seconds later the tree came alive with color. It was almost magical, which could have to do with what they’d just been through.
“Perfect.” Nina turned to face him. She then rose on her toes and kissed him in front of everyone.
The roars and claps were deafening, so Finch pulled her closer and made sure everyone knew exactly what this woman meant to him, now and always.