Silent Night Read Online Free PDF

missed.
    Her fingers were still curled around her discovery, but that was no source of stability either as a bag left the branch where it had been perched. As it landed on her head, she began to slip from Kade’s shoulders. The next thing she knew she was in a snow drift on top of Kade.
    “If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask.” His blue eyes were smiling, and he carefully brushed the snow from her hair. “You’re not hurt, are you?”
    “Only my pride.” She grinned and wrapped her arms around him. “So how about that kiss?”

    Mason’s office smelled of stale coffee and old floors when Kade dropped the bag onto the sheriff’s desk. The backpack was black, gray, and well used. The weather hadn’t done it any favors. “I think the zipper is broken.”
    “Good job,” Mason said. “Did you try to unzip it?” He opened a desk drawer and took out a box of latex gloves, then put on a pair.
    Kade pulled a chair closer to the desk for Bree and pointed. “Yeah, but it’s stuck and I didn’t want to do any damage until you got a chance to look at it.”
    Bree dropped into the chair while Kade dragged another one near. Samson leaned his head against her knee, and she rubbed his ears. “Have you found the pilot who dropped Garrick off?”
    Mason yanked on the pack, then gave up. “Not yet. No one really noticed the plane. The two hikers who reported the incident saw Garrick falling straight down into the trees. I think they were too shocked to look for the plane. Every airport I’ve checked has reported no skydivers going up. So whoever the pilot was, he didn’t file the right flight plan.”
    Kade glanced at his wife, who was looking pensive. He knew she was worried about Lauri’s involvement. So was he. His sister was being even more secretive than usual, and he struggled to figure out her role in this.
    “So what’s next?” Bree leaned back in her chair.
    Samson huffed with indignation at her neglect, then settled on the floor by her feet. Kade dug a treat from his pocket and gave it to the dog.
    Mason shrugged. “We keep digging. I’m going to bring Lauri in for official questioning.”
    Kade’s gut tightened. “Is that really necessary?”
    “I need to know how she knew the deceased.” Mason studied the bag. “She knows more than she’s telling. I think we all know that.”
    Kade wanted to object, but it would be useless. He could only pray Lauri was innocent of any wrongdoing. “What do you know about Garrick?”
    “He was a civil engineering student at Michigan Tech. In his last year of a scholarship with his senior year still to go.”
    “Smart guy, then. Such a tragedy.” Kade glanced at the backpack. “Can we cut that open or something?”
    “Yeah.” Mason dug in his desk drawer and pulled out a utility knife. Once he slid out the razor blade, he cut the fabric along the side of the zipper. His face darkened when he looked inside. “I don’t like this.” He pulled out rope, duct tape, and a syringe.
    Kade stared at the items. “It’s like he was planning on subduing someone.”
    “Anything else in there?” Bree asked.
    Mason looked inside, then ran his hand around the bottom. “What’s this?” The piece of paper in his hand was water stained and crumpled. He unfolded it and a necklace fell out. The delicate gold chain looked worn. Tiny scratches burnished the heart locket.
    “Wait a minute,” Bree said. “Can I see that necklace?” She reached for gloves like Mason wore.
    Mason dropped the necklace into her outstretched palm and she studied it. “There’s something about this . . .” She snapped her fingers. “I remember now. There was a missing girl in Houghton. Her parents said she wore a heart locket her grandmother had given her. She never took it off. We never did find her, but we found a hole where we think she fell through the ice.”
    Kade remembered the search. Bree had been quiet for two days afterward.
    Mason glanced at the paper, then grimaced.