High-Stakes Holiday Reunion

Ashley glanced at Christopher before sucking in a deep breath and telling her story. Even though she had to be exhausted and scared, she maintained a calm demeanor that he could appreciate. Except for her voice cracking a few times, she stuck to the facts.

Denton stepped forward. “Is there anything you can remember about the car?”

She nodded. “The license plate number.”

Christopher raised his eyebrows. “You can?”

She nodded again. “I thought the police were the only ones who could do something with that information, though. I figured it would do us no good.”

Jack shook his head. “We’ll look into it. You have no idea who these men are?”

Ashley shook her head. “No, I have no idea. We’re just simple, everyday people. Things like this don’t happen to us.”

Jack grunted. Christopher knew that he understood what it was like when simple, everyday people got mixed up in things bigger than they seemed equipped to handle. That was how Jack had met the woman who was now his wife, for that matter. At least that reminded Christopher of how good things could come from bad situations, similar to the flower garden he’d stumbled upon in the middle of a military base. Some soldiers had decided to make the place feel like home and planted roses and hollyhocks and other varieties he couldn’t identify. How they’d made those flowers grow in that soil, he’d never know. But they had, and they’d proven to him that from the dust something beautiful could grow.

“You’re both welcome to stay here for as long as you need to,” Jack started. “Christopher, the men are at your place now, checking things out and boarding up your windows. You did the right thing by leaving immediately. In the meantime, we’ll look into that license plate number and see what we can find out.” He glanced at Ashley. “Why don’t you give us your address and a house key? We’ll search your place also, just to make sure there’s nothing we’re missing.”

“I appreciate it.” Her gaze met each person’s in the circle while her hand clutched the necklace at her throat. “I appreciate all of your help. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Jack patted her arm. “We’re glad you’re here. Let us know if you need anything else.” He offered a curt wave before he headed back up the stairs.

Denton lingered, his gaze meeting Christopher’s. “Christopher, can I speak with you for a moment?”

Christopher nodded and followed him to a corner. He glanced back at Ashley and saw that she’d already gravitated back toward the fire again. By the set of her shoulders, she looked like she was carrying a weight far heavier than she should bear.

He turned back to Denton. “What is it?”

Denton lowered his voice. “Are you sure you can handle this?” His eyes showed that he was dead serious.

“Of course.” Christopher wasn’t sure what his superior was getting at.

Denton crossed his arms and shifted, his voice still low and conspirative. “You took this job to recover from war. You’re being thrown right back into a battle, though.”

Christopher straightened. “I can handle it.”

“I know you think you’re tough. You are tough. But even the toughest soldiers have to step away from the battle sometimes.”

“Sometimes a soldier has no choice but to go back into the fight. They have to reach down inside and find strength, even when they don’t think they have it. That’s what one of the men who once trained me said, at least.” He kept his chin raised and stood at full attention, though he knew Denton would tell him to be at ease.

Denton stared at him a moment before nodding. A smile stretched across his face and he gripped his arm. Denton had been that man who said those words. “I’m here for you if you need me.”

“You always have been. I appreciate that, sir.”

Denton leaned closer. “Listen, I don’t know what your past relationship is with Ashley, but I get the feeling you two were more than friends.”

“Yes, we were. We were engaged, to be exact.”

His eyes widened a moment. “This was the girl you were crazy about while you were in training, huh? I remember the way you talked about her like she was the best thing to ever happen to you.”

“She was the best thing to ever happen to me.” His heart squeezed as he said the words. They were true. Walking away from Ashley had felt like walking away from his heart.

“Don’t let your past get in the way of doing what you have to do.”

“Yes, sir.” He glanced back over at Ashley. Those words would be the hardest to follow through on. Remembering their time together was so bittersweet.

Somehow, he had to ignore the fact that she hated him and realize that God had brought her back into his life for some reason...maybe even just forgiveness and closure? He didn’t know.

But he did know that, in Christ, all things worked together for His good.

Somehow, someway, something good was going to come out of all of this.

The question was...what?

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