Our First Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page B

she’d not return to her life in Austin.
    What she couldn’t bring herself to sell had gone into storage. What Marisa valued enough to keep, fit in a half-dozen dusty boxes. One box marked C HRISTMAS had a loose top flap as if she’d pried it open and stopped. He doubted if she’d ever get around to putting up the decorations.
    He closed the door behind him and eased his hand away from the gun. “I’m glad you did call. Can’t be too careful.”
    â€œI’m not the nervous sort. Not at all.” She scrolled through her phone and showed him the messages. “I’ve camped in the jungle and dealt with unsavory characters and wild animals. But these texts . . . they were creepy. And then someone came to the door and rattled it as if they wanted to get inside. I kind of freaked.” An apology hummed under the words.
    â€œLike I said, glad you called. There a backyard?”
    â€œYes. Not big, but it’s through those double French doors.”
    He strode across the small home, his boots thudding steadily against the rough pine floor. In the backyard, there was a nicely built deck in need of refinishing and no furniture. No potted plants. “Looks clear.”
    She hovered fifteen feet from the door. “I ran around the house checking all the doors and windows to make sure they were locked. I also checked under the bed and in the closets.”
    He frowned. “I’d rather you’d have waited for me to do that.”
    She grimaced. “I felt a little foolish after I talked to you. I don’t panic.”
    â€œNo trouble. No trouble at all.”
    She hugged her arms around her. “Can I get you a coffee at least?”
    â€œSure. That would be nice.”
    He followed her into the kitchen and noticed the scattered papers he’d given her earlier this evening. Red marks covered each page. He tried to read her comments but found her writing just as elusive as the ancient language. “Looks like you were working.”
    She pulled a UT cup from the cabinet. “It pulled me right in. I lost total track of time.”
    â€œCome up with anything?”
    â€œI think your encoder pulled symbols from two ancient languages. Mayan and Aztec. Very clever to mix the symbols. Both languages have been dead for thousands of years, and only a half-dozen people in the world can read it.”
    He studied the spark in her eyes. “But you can.”
    â€œI can.” No bravado. Just stating a fact. “I will break it in the next few days.”
    He thought about the hours and hours experts had spent on the letters. “I can’t believe it.”
    She shrugged. “I have a very defined skill set. Most days those skills are as useless as a relic. But in this case, it’s the perfect skill.”
    The coffee gurgled and she moved to open a refrigerator. “Do you have any idea who might have wanted to harass you?”
    â€œNo. At least I don’t think so.”
    â€œWhat’s that mean?”
    â€œI dated a guy a couple of years ago and we went out a couple of times. This was before Bradley. I ended it by the third date. We had nothing in common. He didn’t take it well.”
    When had her pattern of leaving men begun? “What did he do?”
    â€œSent me a few annoying texts and e-mails after I ended it. It was getting really tiring. Finally, he stopped bothering me. I quickly put him out of my mind.”
    He reached for a notebook he always kept tucked in his coat pocket. “What was his name?”
    â€œReed North. But do you really think it could be him? It’s been almost two years and I’ve not heard a word from him in eleven months. Odd he’d just forget about me and suddenly pop back up.”
    â€œYou never know what’s happening in his life. He could have been traveling out of the country, in jail, or dating someone else. We don’t always know why stalkers