The Lawman's Christmas Wish (18 page)

Her guides and friends stood the closest, with Nate and Bethany to her right, Casey and Jake to her left, and her little boys clinging to her crushed velvet dress. She didn't know if she would ever be able to let them out of her sight again.

“Okay, everyone, the time has come to open my great-great-grandfather's treasure. As all of you know, this treasure is for our town, no matter how much is inside. Ready?”

“Open it, Amy,” someone called. “I can't take the suspense any longer.”

Laughter filled the room.

“Me, either,” she said. “Reed, can you get this thing open?”

Using a screwdriver, Reed pried the lock from the box. “There you go. It's all yours.”

With shaky fingers, she lifted the lid. The crowd pressed in, necks straining to see inside.

“What is it, Amy? How rich are we?”

Puzzled, she reached inside and withdrew a fragile, yellowed sheet of paper. “It's a letter.”

“What else? Gotta be some gold.”

“Maybe the letter tells where the gold mine is,” someone said, and heads nodded in agreement.

Amy carefully unfolded the fragile paper and read:

She looked up from the letter and saw her bewilderment reflected on the faces around her.

“I don't get it,” someone said. “What does he mean? Where's the gold?”

“Maybe there is no gold,” Harry said.

“No gold?” A few voices began to grumble.

Reed spoke up. “Wait a minute, folks. I think I understand the message old Mack Tanner wanted to send. During the last year, this little town has struggled. But when times were hardest, we didn't crumble. With God's help and a lot of hope, we've pulled together. With faith and hope, we'll make it through this recession as a town, and be stronger for it in the end. And that's more valuable than all the gold in the Klondike.”

Moved, Amy slipped her hand into Reed's. Reed, more than anyone, understood the value of friends, and a town that went the extra mile. Without her guides searching through the freezing night, he would have died in that shack.

“Reed is right,” she said. “The spirit of Christmas—this beautiful spirit that filled the sanctuary tonight—will remain alive and well in Treasure Creek as long as we focus on what really matters. During the past year, we've learned some valuable lessons. I know
I
have. When Ben died, you were there for me. When my boys were kidnapped, this town—” she paused to point around the room “—you and you and you were there, caring, searching, shoving coffee into my hands, giving me hugs and prayers. And when Reed was injured, the love and determination of friends in this little town saved him.” Emotion clogged the back of her throat, but she went on. “Life is not about riches. Life is about hope and faith and love, the greatest gifts of all. And here in Treasure Creek we have those gifts in abundance.”

Slowly, the bewilderment changed to smiles. “We got each other. That's what matters.”

“Yeah.”

“That's right.”

“Praise the Lord.”

Amy's eyes filled at her town's reaction to what could have been a disappointing moment. They were amazing, these strong, resilient Alaskans.

She'd badly wanted to give them the financial answer to their prayers, but their reaction to the chest's contents was better than all the riches of the earth.

The spirit of Christmas
had
been alive and well in Treasure Creek since the problems began. This was the true treasure and the true meaning of Christmas. With God's help, they'd stayed together as a town, and He, not Amy James and not Mack Tanner, would see them through this financial crisis.

Jake, who'd been standing next to her, eyebrows drawn together in thought, said, “Mind if I have a look at that?”

“At what?”

“The box. There's something else in there, Amy. Below the lining. See it sticking up?”

Amy tilted the small, oddly empty chest toward the oilman. He reached inside and withdrew another yellow sheet. This one bore an elaborate heading and an official seal.

“What it is, Jake?”

He read for a moment, and the frown between his eyes was slowly replaced by wonderment. “It's a deed. A warranty deed.”

The crowd pressed closer, murmuring at the announcement.

“Is it the gold mine?” someone asked.

Amy pulled at Jake's wrist, tilting the page so she could read. “It's a land deed, a legal description, isn't it?”

Jake rattled off the legal mumbo jumbo about county, section, plot.

“It's the deed to a piece of property. Seems old Mack Tanner left you something tangible after all.” He began to smile. “For years, my company has been trying to find the legal deed to this piece of land. People, Amy's right about the real treasure being inside us, but I also believe I hold in my hands the solution to the town's financial worries.”

“There's lots of land around here, Jake,” Nate said. “Even if we find a buyer, the price won't be that much, will it?”

“You're not selling this land. Ever. You're going to reap the benefits of what it has to offer.”

“What, Jake? Tell us.” Amy's pulse beat with renewed hope in the monetary value of the treasure.

“A different kind of gold. Black gold.”

“Oil?” Casey gasped, moving next to her man. “Jake, are you serious? There's oil on that property?”

“If I'm right, there could be enough oil beneath this property to keep Treasure Creek thriving for years. I can't say for sure, but it looks good.” He laughed. “It looks real good.”

A
my, Reed, Dexter, Sammy and Granny celebrated a joyous Christmas filled with love and laughter, and if there were a few poignant memories tossed in, that was to be expected. Remembering Ben was a good thing, now that Reed was no longer plagued by guilt. Fact of the matter, Reed figured it was the best Christmas he'd ever spent.

Rather than his usual solitary cup of coffee by the fireplace before heading off to work, Reed had been awakened by two overexcited boys yelling, “Come on, Chief. It's Christmas. Get up.”

The scent of coffee and cinnamon in his nostrils, he levered one eye up just as Sammy dove onto the bed and wrapped his small arms around Reed's neck. They might as well be wrapped around his heart, too.

He'd made a growling sound. “Come here, you two scoundrels.”

The wiggling, giggling pair plowed beneath the lifted covers for a wrestling match. So what if they bumped his sore leg and made him wince a time or two. They were worth the pain.

He'd never imagined how two little boys and one small
woman could change his humdrum life from routine duty to unpredictable fulfillment. One morning, while he'd been recovering from the gunshots, he awakened to find Dexter lying beside him, reading a storybook. Another time, Sammy had been sitting on his chest studying his whiskers. They had disorganized his entire life. And he loved them for it.

For years he'd spent Christmas working or alone in front of the television. But not this one.

By the time he and the boys had made their way into the living room, Amy was there, the fire was crackling, and his coffee and thick slices of pumpkin bread waited on the end table. Christmas carols played softly from the stereo and the lights on the tree flashed cheerful colors. Amy had placed a nativity set on the mantel and the holy family seemed to glow with the same peace and love he was feeling.

Amy smiled. “Merry Christmas.”

His insides went crazy as they did every time he thought of spending a new day with Amy. He crossed the room, grinning as she maneuvered toward the doorway and a dangling piece of mistletoe. Face tilted upward, she received his kiss with a happy hum.

“Now that's the way to start the day,” she said.

Reed agreed, so he kissed her again.

Granny Crisp, in a heavy robe and thermal socks, bustled in from the kitchen, waving a wooden spoon. “Well, are we gonna open gifts or spend all day lollygagging under the mistletoe? I got a turkey to cook, you know.”

The mistletoe was fine with Reed, but Sammy and Dexter dove beneath the tree with a shout of glee. Pretty paper ripped and crackled. Small voices gasped in excitement and whooped with pleasure. Reed pulled an ottoman close to the tree and sat down to watch, his coffee cup in hand. He'd overindulged them, he feared, but what did he know? He'd never been a father-to-be before.

When the boys' gifts were opened and the toy train choo-chooed around the track, Amy handed out the adults' gifts. Granny got misty-eyed, a rare occurrence, when she opened the beautiful engraved Bible Amy bought her. Flustered, she wiped her face with the hem of her robe and scurried into the kitchen, taking the gift with her.

Amy and Reed exchanged glances. “I think she likes it.”

They exchanged their own gifts then. A pair of funny socks and new boots for him. An engagement ring for her. After she finally stopped crying, he held her in his arms and kissed her until she promised to marry him on New Year's Eve.

Sammy and Dexter added kisses and drawings to Ben's stocking, and filled Reed's with little gifts and candies that made his heart dance. He'd never been loved with such completeness. Amy and the boys made him whole.

Amy claimed she felt the same, and from the look in her eyes and the dozens of kisses she stole beneath the mistletoe, Reed knew she spoke the truth. He still didn't know why God had chosen to bless him this way, but he wasn't about to argue.

So the day had gone, joyous and fulfilling and sweet, with old memories and new ones. Reed couldn't imagine life would ever get better than this.

Happily, he was wrong.

 

New Year's Eve was cold and clear and dark as pitch. No one inside the school gymnasium gave a thought to the weather, though, least of all Amy.

Tonight she had married the one her heart loved. Tonight she had become Mrs. Reed Truscott.

She looped an arm through her new husband's elbow as they made their way down the aisle toward the opposite end,
where the bride's and groom's tables waited. Sammy and Dexter, dressed in the cutest little tuxedoes, skipped along beside, with Cy happily trailing the pair.

They'd invited the whole town, and from the look of the school gymnasium, the only building large enough for such a celebration, most of Treasure Creek had come to the combination wedding and New Year's Eve celebration.

Bethany had outdone herself in putting together the wedding on such short notice. She'd transformed the gym into a festive hall, with a flowered altar and pillars, and gauzy tulle on one end, where Pastor Ed had performed the vows. Tables laden with wedding cake and catered food waited on the other.

In between were the guest chairs that could be removed later if anyone wanted to dance in the New Year. Overhead, hundreds of balloons and confetti waited for the midnight drop.

Along the trail of flower petals, the newlyweds stopped numerous times for hugs and congratulations.

Amy paused next to Gage and Karenna Parker. Next to them sat Karenna's cousin Maryanne with husband, Alex Havens, beaming at each other with the same look they'd had at their wedding a short time ago.

“The songs were beautiful, Karenna. Thank you for singing.”

“My pleasure.” Karenna held little Matthew on her lap. She handed the boy to her handsome husband and stood, leaning across to embrace Amy.

Before she could sit down, Gage said, “Did Karenna tell you the news?” A wide grin creased his features. His dark eyes gleamed with pride. He glanced down at Karenna and she smiled. “I haven't told them.”

“Told us what?” But from their secret, loving looks, Amy suspected the truth.

“We're going to have a baby.”

Reed and Gage shook hands, thumping backs in that male manner of expressing emotion. Amy squealed and hugged her good friend. “I'm so happy for you.”

“Maybe you and Reed will have the same news this time next year,” Karenna suggested, arching her pretty eyebrows.

Amy laughed, but the idea didn't upset her one bit. A little boy who looked like Reed? Or maybe a girl this time, with Reed's dark hair and eyes? Her pulse fluttered to think of the possibility.

Reed must have been thinking the same thing, because he leaned down and kissed her for the tenth time in ten minutes. “A baby, huh?”

Smiling, Amy rubbed her nose against his, then took his hand and they moved on to take their position behind the cake table. Casey and Jake, who'd served as honor attendants, came, too, to make the appropriate toasts.

As the traditional speeches were given, Amy looked out across the gathered friends and family. Bethany had stopped working to lean against Nate McMann and watch the cake-cutting. It wouldn't be long until the pair of them was married, too. Penelope Lear and Tucker Lawson were there, as well. Penelope sported a diamond big enough to replace the moon. And across the room, completely lost in each other's eyes, were Harry Peterson and Joleen Jones.

The only person missing was Delilah. She had flown to Las Vegas with Ronald on Christmas Day, and that night, she'd called to say they'd been married. Amy had laughed in delight to hear her friend's happy voice.

And so the reception commenced, with toasts and kisses and music and food.

At five until midnight, Jake Rodgers wrestled the microphone from Ethan Eckles, a surprisingly good deejay. Casey
stood at his side, looking beautiful in her blue satin gown. Gone were the cargo pants and unisex shirts, in honor of Amy's wedding. Before too long, Amy would return the favor at Casey and Jake's wedding.

“I have an announcement to make,” Jake said, and the PA squealed. He jerked, holding the mike away from his face.

“Maybe I don't.”

The crowd laughed, then quieted. Jake had already shared the news with Amy and Reed, and they'd asked him to make the announcement tonight, when most of the town would be present.

“I guess all of you heard about the deed we found in Amy's treasure chest. Well, I was right.” He stopped to grin. “I love being right. Treasure Creek now owns the deed to a fortune in oil. Happy New Year, everyone.”

A cheer went up. Ethan took the microphone and started the countdown to midnight. The gym rocked with the sound of happy revelers joining the fray. “Three, two,
one!
”

Someone released the balloons and Ethan kicked on the stereo, spinning the familiar “Auld Lang Syne.”

Amy threw her arms around her new husband. “Happy New Year!”

Reed tugged her close for their first kiss of the New Year, but certain not to be the last. “Happy forever.”

With balloons and confetti falling around them, and music swelling in their ears and the love and support of an entire town, Amy let the truth of his words settle into her heart.

Tonight was not just the beginning of a New Year or a new marriage, it was the beginning of forever.

Here in Treasure Creek, Alaska, the little town that could and did, she and her true love had found each other. Together with their boys, they would forge a life that, like
Mack Tanner's, would impact the future in a good and blessed way.

With God as their one true guide, their adventure had just begun.

And that was the greatest treasure of all.