Page 8 of Sergeant's Christmas Siege

Summer had ended and things quieted down, likely because it wasn’t exactly easy to creep around a tiny village in the high tourist season of summer, much less when the weather started to turn, all the tourists went home, and the only ones left were the real residents who weathered the winters. And knew one another on sight.

Until the end of October, that was, when hikers on one of the neighboring islands found the charred remains of what had once been an off-the-grid residence. That the house had been torched was obvious even to a casual observer, but no motive had ever been found. Except that, on a clear day, the rickety old cabin had enjoyed a view over the water and straight toward Fool’s Cove, the Alaska Force headquarters.

But by that point, they were all convinced that they were running on too much paranoia. Because this was Alaska, where weird things happened all the time. It really could have been a big coincidence.

Burning a boat right here in the harbor felt a whole lot like someone was changing the game. Still, Templeton was here today because Isaac wanted to keep a low profile in the place where he lived as long as he could. And given that the Troopers weren’t exactly idiots, Isaac wasn’t likely to convince them that he was just a regular guy despite his classified military record. No one ever thought that Templeton was a regular guy, either. But hecould often convince them that he was nothing more than big and loud, all laugh and no substance.

Though it had been clear from the moment he’d walked in here that Kate wasn’t fooled.

That made her fascinating. And hot, God help him.

And more to the point, dangerous.

“Alaska Force deals with desperate people,” he told her now, because the staring contest looked like it could drag on forever. She didn’t seem to have any give in her at all. Which Templeton obviously took as a challenge, instantly wondering where and how he could find some—he stopped himself. “Desperation tends to breed enemies.”

“Enemies do not breed. They’re made by our choices.” The way she said that caught at him, but she kept going. “Have you and your friends made the kind of choices that make enemies?”

“You tell me. You’re a cop. When you put people in jail, do you explain to them that there’s a choice between right and wrong and they should be grateful to you for making sure they didn’t go too far down the road of the wrong choice?”

She didn’t flinch at that. She didn’t even blink. But Templeton thought he got to her all the same. “Not in so many words.”

“Do you think those people appreciate you for locking them up? Or do you think, given the opportunity, they might try to get their own back?”

“The more you talk about enemies, the more I think that what I’m hearing is unhinged paranoia,” she said. Conversationally. Though her gaze was hard. “And the more I hear unhinged paranoia, the more convinced I become that you and your friends are dangerous. More dangerous, I should say.”

“We might be paranoid.” Templeton grinned lazily. “But that doesn’t mean someone isn’t out to get us.”

She smiled a steely cop smile and held her hands more tightly on the table between them.

And Templeton did not give in to the urge he had to reach over and cover her hands with his.

He was a man who enjoyed his appetites, heartily. That didn’t mean he wandered around, indiscriminately touching people. But something about the starchy way this woman sat across from him, with that sinful mouth of hers and cool challenge in her gaze, made him feel... born-again tactile.

Templeton didn’t mess around with women he worked with. It was his one cardinal rule. But Kate Holiday made him wonder if he ought to make a special dispensation to theno women met through workrule for a woman who wanted him behind bars.

“I’d encourage you to view this as an opportunity,” she was saying, clearly unaware of the direction of his thoughts. Or prepared to ignore him. “One that may not be repeated. You have the chance, here and now, to clear this whole thing up. To tell me what’s actually going on and work with me to come to some kind of solution.”

“I thought that’s what I was doing.”

“You have a choice.” She smiled as if they shared something now. As if they’d built that rapport. “You can help me out and make this all go smoothly. Or you can continue to play these games, and I can promise you that smooth is not how it’s going to go.”

“I told you the situation.” Templeton ordered himself not to think of the things he’d like to share with this trooper. “You’re basically accusing the local VFW of being a terrorist cell.”

“Is that what you consider yourselves? The local chapter of a VFW?”

“Essentially. Seems to me you should be more concerned with protecting veterans than accusing them.”

“You appear to think that your status as a veteranshould accord you special treatment when you break the law. I assure you, it will not.”

“Tough room.” Templeton wanted to reach out to her, so he sprawled back in his chair instead. He thrust his legs out before him as if he were settling in to watch a game or get his drink on.

“Once again, I would strongly caution you against throwing this opportunity away.” She looked like a Kate, no-nonsense and direct, with all that intriguing fire simmering beneath the surface. “The more I uncover about what’s going on around here, the less interested I’m going to be in doing anything the easy way. You need to understand that now.”

“I was in the Rangers, ma’am,” Templeton drawled. “There is no easy way.”

Though he found that the longer he looked at her, the more he could think of a few very easy ways to get his point across.

And this time, he was positive she fully grasped the direction of his thoughts. She flushed a fascinating ruddy shade, though she didn’t otherwise change her expression. Or even sit back.

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