Undercover Christmas

“Ridiculous,” Jabe snapped, pushing himself away from the fireplace. “It was just some fool in a pickup going too fast. Didn’t see us until it was too late, if he saw us at all.” Jabe dropped into a chair in front of the fireplace and reached to pour himself more coffee from the pot on the end table. “Probably some drunk driver.”

“Like hell,” Chase said, turning on his father. “A drunk driver tried to run you down only minutes before you were threatening to change your will? Not even you can believe that. You just don’t want to admit you made a mistake in the first place with this first grandchild foolishness. Or is it that you can’t face that it has to be someone in this family or someone closely connected to this family that’s trying to kill you now?”

Jabe raised his head to look at his son. “Is that the reason you’ve been staying here? You think my life is in danger?” He sounded touched that Chase would try to protect him.

Marni was touched as well by this side of Chase Calloway, and surprised.

“You saved my life that night,” Jabe said. “I owe you, son, but—”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Chase snapped. “It was a reflex action, one if I’d given some thought to, I would probably have done differently.’”

Jabe clearly didn’t buy that any more than Marni did. No matter what Chase said, he cared about his father. And it seemed he’d saved Jabe’s life in some heroic feat that had left him with a broken leg and memory loss. Marni almost felt guilty for still doubting Chase’s memory loss. Almost.

“I just don’t want you to concern yourself with my welfare,” Jabe said.

“It’s not only your fool neck on the line anymore,” Chase retorted. “What about this woman and her baby? What about Felicia’s baby? Are you willing to jeopardize all their lives, as well?”

“Why would anyone want to harm my grandchildren?” He sounded shocked that Chase should even think such a thing.

Chase dragged a hand through his dark locks in obvious frustration. “Because of that damned will of yours.”

“Have either Elise or Felicia been threatened in any way?” Jabe asked reasonably.

Chase let out a curse. “By the time that happens it could be too late.”

Jabe shook his head. “I’m not going back on my decision when I don’t believe for a moment that my grand-children or their mothers are in any danger.”

Chase sliced a hand through the air between them. “I’ve never been able to reason with you. I thought you’d finally come to your senses that night in November right before the hit-and-run, I thought you realized how foolish this first grandchild thing was. Why don’t you be honest with yourself for once. The only person you care about is yourself and what you want. That’s the way it’s always been.” He turned and hobbled toward the door.

Marni ducked back behind the corner of the bookcase and tried to flatten herself to the wall, suddenly aware how ludicrous that notion was. Sam stuck out like the prow of a ship. Marni groaned silently. The last thing she wanted was to get caught in this compromising position by Chase Calloway.

“By the way,” Chase said, the sound of his crutches halting, “I saw the face of the person driving that truck right before it hit me.”

A tense silence filled the room.

“I’m going to remember and then I’ll know who in this family hates you more than I do.”

Marni held her breath as Chase stormed out, slamming the door behind him. It took her a moment to digest everything she’d overheard and to realize Chase Calloway had trapped her in the library by closing the door and sealing off any surreptitious escape. She was cursing her inquisitive nature when she heard Jabe get up from his chair.

“You can come out now,” he said wearily.

Marni grimaced as she stepped from behind the bookcase. How long had Jabe known she was there? Shamefaced, she brushed imaginary lint from the front of her maternity top, trying to think of something appropriate to say. Jabe saved her the effort.

“Chase is confused,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of prescription pills. She watched him shake two into his hand and toss them down with the last of his coffee.

“When Chase’s memory comes back he’ll realize that he was mistaken about a lot of things,” Jabe said with conviction. His gaze settled on Marni and seemed to soften at the sight of her pregnant form. “My son is very stubborn. Go after him. Try to make him see.”

Marni stood for a moment, wondering what she could make Chase Calloway see. “Where—”

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