Page 96 of Hacking the Holidays
“Have no fear—I’ve already got you covered. Literally.”His grin widened. “There’s a heated blanket waiting in the carriage.”
“Carriage?” I blinked. “What carriage?”
“The one outside.” He pulled me gently to my feet. “Come on, Mrs. Monroe. Your chariot awaits.”
We stepped outside, and there it was—an actual horse-drawn carriage framed by four huge red velvet Christmas bows waiting at the curb, complete with a magnificent chestnut horse wearing bells on its harness. A driver was bundled up like he was prepared for an Arctic expedition.
Sam helped me up into the white carriage, which was lined with plush green velvet seats. True to his word, there was a thick, heated blanket waiting. Sam tucked it around me with surprising gentleness, making sure it covered my legs and torso completely, before grabbing his own blanket and settling beside me.
The driver clicked his tongue, and the carriage lurched forward. We moved down Front Street at a leisurely pace, passing throngs of tourists and locals admiring the Christmas lights on each of the buildings. Music drifted from various storefronts—carols mixing with laughter and conversation. The town glowed with warmth and magic, with light snow beginning to fall in lazy spirals.
I leaned against Sam’s shoulder, the heated blanket making me wonderfully cozy despite the cold air. “This is amazing.” I glanced at the snowflakes falling on my blanket and smiled.
“It gets better,” he said.
The carriage approached the town square, and my eyeswent wide at the sight. People. Everywhere. Hundreds and hundreds of them crowding the gazebo area, spilling out onto the surrounding sidewalks and street. Families bundled in winter coats, couples holding steaming mugs, children perched on their parents’ shoulders. The entire square glowed with Christmas lights and the warmth of the humongous crowd.
My jaw dropped. “What’s going on? Is there a special event tonight?”
Sam’s grin widened. “Yes. A very special event. A celebration.” He gestured toward the gazebo.
That’s when I saw it.
A massive banner stretched across the structure, illuminated by spotlights:CONGRATULATIONS SAM & ZARA.
My hand flew to my mouth. “Wait—they’re here forus?”
Sam nodded, his eyes bright with happiness. “They wanted to celebrate with us and give you a warm welcome.”
“But how did they—?” I couldn’t form a complete sentence.
“Word spreads fast in a small town,” he said, tucking me closer against his side. “Especially when it’s good news.”
I stared at the sea of smiling faces, many of them people I recognized from my short time in Leavenworth.
“When did you have time to arrange all this?” I asked, my voice thick with emotion.
Sam’s grin turned tender. “I will always find time to do things for you.”
I fumbled for my phone, needing to capture this moment with photos and videos, this impossible, beautiful?—
The phone rang in my hand.
I glanced at the caller ID.
FBI SEATTLE FIELD OFFICE.
My smile vanished in an instant.
Why would they be calling again?
The only thing I could think of was that they must have found new evidence, more testimony, something they couldn’t ignore. They’d decided not to let us walk away after all.
Panic clawed its way through my chest.
I had a bad, bad feeling about this.
The fairy tale was over before it had really begun.
