Her Mistletoe Protector

“Where to?” the cabbie asked in a thick Middle Eastern accent.

“Simon Incorporated,” she told him, rattling off the address. He nodded and pulled out into traffic, earning a loud protest from the guy behind him.

She almost closed her eyes, because the taxi drivers in Chicago were maniacs behind the wheel, and she always expected to get in a crash. But somehow, miraculously, they always managed to get to their destinations unscathed.

“Are we home yet?” Joey asked plaintively. She knew he was exhausted, and he’d truly taken everything in stride better than she could have expected.

“Almost. We’re going to stop by my office first, so I can pay the taxi driver and get our house keys,” she said in a hushed voice, hoping the driver didn’t understand English very well. She didn’t think he’d have agreed to take her anywhere knowing that she didn’t have anything more than ten dollars in her pocket, courtesy of Officer McCarthy’s donation. She intended to get a check in the mail to him first thing in the morning, thanking him again for helping her out.

Joey sighed heavily but didn’t whine or complain.

The traffic worked against them again, and she kept a wary eye on the time, hoping they’d get there before the office building shut down for the day. It was almost five o’clock in the evening and already pitch-black outside, except for the brightly lit buildings and the various Christmas decorations, of course.

She chewed her lower lip nervously. Hopefully, even if everyone was gone, the security guards would let her upstairs. Maybe Gerry hadn’t had time to completely take over her company. Just the thought of explaining how Gerry had died was enough to overwhelm her.

It was five-fifteen when the taxi driver pulled up in front of her building. “Keep the meter running...I’ll be right back.”

“No! You pay first!” he protested.

“Look, I promise you I’ll be back. We need to get home. I don’t have a car.”

He stared at her with eyes black as midnight but then he nodded. “If you not back soon, I come after you.”

She breathed a tiny sigh of relief. “I will, I promise.” Sliding out from the backseat, she waited for Joey to join her and headed inside.

Carrie, the perky receptionist, left promptly at five, but there was a security guard seated in her spot. Being inside the office building after being gone for so long seemed a little strange yet, at the same time, blessedly familiar. “George, how are you? How are the kids?”

“Great, Ms. Simon, just great. What are you doing here so late?”

“I forgot something up in my office. Would you mind letting me use the master key?” She hoped and prayed that Gerry hadn’t told everyone to keep her out of the building.

“Sure, no problem.” George held out a key. “Just bring it back when you leave.”

“I will.” She didn’t hesitate, but went straight over to the bank of elevators. The doors opened immediately, taking them all the way to the tenth floor without a single stop.

She unlocked the door, noting that the entire office area was completely dark, as if everyone had gone home early. And considering it was nearly Christmas, she understood why. She flipped on lights as she walked down the hall to her office.

Her door stood open, which she thought was a little odd. Edith always kept the door closed and locked when Rachel wasn’t there. Then again, the woman had given her notice. For all she knew, Edith hadn’t even shown up for work today.

Hovering in the doorway, she reached inside to flip on the lights. She blinked for a moment so that her eyes could adjust before crossing the room to her desk and rummaging for cash and her keys. Joey plopped into her desk chair, spinning from side to side.

She was relieved to find her secret stash of bills was right where she’d left it. She grabbed the money and the spare set of keys.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Rachel.”

The voice came from the hallway, and she swallowed a scream when she jerked her head up to see Karl Errol standing in the shadows. Her heart dropped to her stomach when she realized he’d traded the rifle for a small handgun, which he pointed directly at her. From this distance it would be hard for him to miss.

“Karl!” She faced him in the doorway, making sure to keep Joey behind her, hoping her son would figure out a way to slide down behind the desk. All the while, she kept her eyes locked on the research scientist. She couldn’t believe Karl was here. How did he know that she’d stop by on her way home? Or had he planned to wait for her all night, surprising her in the morning? She swallowed hard, wishing she’d asked George to come up with her.