Page 63 of Reunion at Mistletoe Lodge
“Is it okay if I take Barb for dinner and walk through the booths in town?” Zac asked the doctor. “Before we go back to the lodge?”
“As long as Barb bundles up warmly,” the doctor told them, smiling. “Take care, and I’ll see you in two days.”
The doctor left them, and Zac stood. Walking to the door, he grabbed his coat. “I’ll go get the paperwork foryou while you get dressed.” He grinned. “And don’t worry, Emily packed your bag for you, not me.”
Barb had a quick shower and dressed in jeans, a thermal top, and a sweater with sheepskin-lined boots and thermal socks. She put all her cards in the overnight bag Zac had brought and stopped to look at all the flowers in her room.
She turned and walked to where Zac was getting her paperwork.
“Excuse me,” Barb got the nurse's attention. “Could I ask if you can distribute the flowers in my room to patients who don’t have family visiting them or whomever you think needs them?”
The nurse's face turned up into a warm smile. “That’s very generous of you, Mrs. Shields. I know just who to give them to.”
Twenty minutes later, Herschel took Barb’s bag to the car, and Zac led her down the brightly lit street to an Italian restaurant overlooking the square where the town Christmasmarket was set up.
“Are you warm?” Zac asked her for the fourth time.
“I’m still as warm as I was the last time you asked.” Barb laughed. “Really, Zac, I’m fine.”
While they were in the restaurant, Zac told Barb about how the booths were coming along from what he’d been able to see when he’d gone back to shower and change. The conversation took an awkward silent turn as they ran out of small talk, and the weight of what had happened between them crashed around them once again.
“Barb, I need to explain what happened,” Zac’s voice was soft. “Please, give me a chance to explain. I know a sorry is not going to miraculously heal all the hurt I caused you. I never expect it to. And like I said before, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I acted on an instinct to protect my family—mainly you and Oscar.”
“Zac…” Barb tried to stop him, but images of him beside her these past few days flashed through her mind.
“I was ready to go back to Africa,” Zac told her. “So excited to get back to you and Oscar. I was soexcited that we could finally return home once the project was done. No more running for you and Oscar. And then Liam got shot, and his bodyguard was killed to keep from telling us who tried to kill Liam.”
“Did the bodyguard know who shot Liam?” Barb found herself being drawn into the story despite her reluctance.
“Yes, I think so,” Zac told her. “He was about to tell me when he was run over.”
“Oh no!” Barb’s hand went over her mouth in disbelief. “Someone actually drove straight for him?”
“Yes.” Zac nodded. “I was on the phone with him.” She saw his eyes darken. “I also learned that Jason Pook had just been stabbed to death in prison, and my first thought was it was in relation to him.”
“So it’s true?” Barb asked. “My uncle’s dead?”
“Yes,” Zac said, nodding. “I rushed to Denver and found my brother's phone. He was getting messages from an anonymous number telling him that he’d better sendthe disk with the information they asked for, or his family would end up like his bodyguard.”
“The disk that was in my bear?” Barb asked.
“At first, that’s what I thought,” Zac told her. “But in truth, they were looking for the name of your other uncle, your father’s brother, Professor Jackson. It turns out that he, Liam, and Trevor had started a witness protection program of their own with the help of a U.S. Marshal. The people who were threatening my brother wanted to know who Liam was working with.”
“Why?” Barb asked.
“Because there were two sisters who could identify three people who had worked with Jason and we now believe had him killed in prison,” Zac replied.
“Who and why would they want Jason killed?” Barb’s brows knitted together.
“They are three people who have just moved into a position of power and didn’t want it coming out that theyworked for Jason,” Zac told them. “The ringleader being your cousin.”
“Cousin?” Barb frowned. “I only have one, and she’s in federal prison.” Her eyes widened, and her heart pounded. “Did she get out?”
“No!” Zac shook his head. “Your other cousin, Jason Pook's son, David Bradley.”
“David Bradley, who’s about to become the Governor of California?” Barb’s eyes widened some more. “He’s Jason’s son?”
“I believe so,” Zac confirmed. “He was working with Liam’s ex-wife and…” His jaw clenched. “Mine and Trevor’s boss, Mark Rogers.”
