Sara in Montana - A Christmas Wish by Morris Fenris Read Free Book Online Page A

she felt the warm stirrings of desire begin in the pit of her belly. “Careful, Mr. Sheriff. You’re beginning to sound like a Hallmark card commercial.”
     
    Trent laughed at her analogy. “Hallmark? Really, I thought I was being much more original than that.”
     
    Sara laughed at his expression and then sobered as thoughts of her sister crept back in. Seeing her expression alter, Trent asked, “So, let’s pretend I’m Santa. If you could ask for anything in the world, what would it be?”
     
    Sara didn’t even have to think about that one, “I wish I could talk to my sister and spend the holidays with her.” Sara shook her head to drive away the sadness, and then said, “But, since that’s not going to happen, I’ll have to think about it.”
     
    Trent was silent as he made the turn off the main road leading towards his house. Pulling into the garage, he turned to her and gave her a smile filled with mystery, “What if I told you that I could make part of that Christmas wish come true?”
     
    Sara shook her head and gave him a sad smile, “I can’t risk calling her. David knows everything there is to know about my family. He knows where she lives, where she works… I can’t put her at risk like that.”
     
    Trent just continued to grin at her and then nodded his head, “But I have resources and magic up my sleeve. I can arrange for you to call your sister on an untraceable phone call. I can even scramble the call so it can’t be recorded.” He raised his eyebrow at her and waited for her response.
     
    Sara stared at him and wondered what kind of technology was required to do what he was talking about and how a small town sheriff would come to have it in his possession. Narrowing her eyes at him, she asked, “Okay, talk. How on earth can you make something like that happen? I doubt Castle Peaks has that kind of technology just lying around the sheriff’s office.”
     
    Trent grinned openly at her as he got out of the jeep and came around to open her door, “Castle Peaks doesn’t, but I have friends in high places. Sometimes they use Castle Peaks as a refuge of sorts for their clients. I’ve been given permission to use anything I want, anytime I need to.”
     
    “Clients? Refuge? I’m not following here.”
     
    “The FBI maintains a safe house nearby, fully equipped with all of the latest gadgets and devices. If you behave yourself and take a nap, I’ll take you there right after dinner and you can call your sister. Of course, I’ll have to kill you after you see the location, but you’ll have gotten your Christmas wish partially answered.”
     
    Trent delivered his statement so matter-of-factly that it took a moment for the absurdity of his threat to register. When it did, Sara started laughing and found she couldn’t stop. Even when it set off another round of coughing that had tears pouring from her eyes, she was still laughing through it all.
     
    Hearing her laugh had been magic to Trent’s ears. That was, until he heard her start coughing and had to stand by uselessly. He felt horrible for making her laugh as it was obvious, coughing was causing her serious pain. He stood by helplessly and rubbed slow circles on her upper back, trying to calm her breathing down and get the coughing to abate.
     
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you laugh. Try to take slow breaths. That’s it.” Trent waited until the coughing fit subsided, and then he tipped her chin up with one hand and wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks. Looking for signs that the coughing fit would return, his eyes roamed over her face, noting that even in pain, she appeared to be still laughing at his jest.
     
    Taking a couple of breaths, Sara grabbed the hand that was still holding her chin and assured him, “It’s okay really. Instead of killing me though, why don’t I just promise to close my eyes. Wouldn’t that be much easier – nobody to dispose of, no mess?”
     
    Trent was amazed at the