My Sunshine

  “Oh, Isaiah,” Laura whispered shakily as he read the lists aloud. “They aren’t going to have a Christmas dinner.”

  “Oh, yes, they are.” Isaiah bent to kiss her, right there in front of God and everybody. Her mouth met his tremulously. She tasted as warm and sweet as the mulled wine she’d made for their tree-trimming party, making him yearn for home and privacy so he might do a more thorough job of tasting. Not possible. He drew reluctantly away, smiling as he watched the dazed, dreamy look slowly leave her eyes. “And these kids will get everything on their lists, and then some. We’re going to play Santa.”

  Isaiah caught her hand. “Come on, lady. Make like an elf. It’s almost Christmas!”

  The dreaded Christmas shopping expedition turned out to be one of the most wonderful evenings of Isaiah’s life. He and Laura erred on the side of absurd generosity as they shopped for their tree family, buying the mother a robe, nightgown, and slippers, and getting everything on the children’s lists, including extra things—toys, books, art supplies, sports equipment, and clothing. To cover dinner, they decided to include a hundred-dollar gift certificate from a local supermarket so the mother could prepare a real Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, and a little left over for goodies.

  For his paraplegic sister, Bethany, they found a pair of battery-powered slippers that heated up, something to keep her feet warm on cold winter evenings. They got Hank’s wife, Carly, a magnifying glass with an attached light suspended from an adjustable metal arm that would clamp onto almost any surface. Isaiah knew that his sister-in-law spent every spare moment trying to train her visual cortex. Reading and looking through magazines would be much easier on her eyes with a magnifying glass.

  Midway through the shopping expedition, Isaiah and Laura both got hungry. They stopped at a wine-and-cheese place. When they were seated at a table, Isaiah gazed over the candlelight at Laura’s oval face, thinking that she was the best Christmas gift of all. He still had no idea of what to get her, though. He only knew that he wanted to give her the world.

  “Do you have any idea how wonderful you are?” he asked.

  She popped a green olive into her mouth and smiled at him around the lump. “No, but feel free to tell me.”

  “You’re the most fabulous thing that’s ever happened in my life.”

  Her eyes sparkled with happy tears. “And you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened in mine.”

  “I love you so much. I’ve always detested Christmas shopping, but you make it fun.”

  She helped herself to another olive from the relish plate between them. “I’m glad. Shopping is like most other things. You can think of it as a chore—or you can turn it into an art.”

  Isaiah had never thought of it like that, but now that she’d mentioned it, he realized that she approached most things that way, putting her whole heart into everything she did.

  “You’re incredible. You know it? No list of names, but so far you haven’t forgotten anyone. How the hell do you do that?”

  “I may have trouble reading and writing, Isaiah, but my memory is fine.”

  “I have a great memory, too, but I’m not organized like you are. No matter how many balls you have to juggle, you never seem to drop any. You’re working, taking care of puppies, decorating the house, keeping it clean, doing laundry, and you still manage to have a great supper ready every night. I don’t know how you do it. Do you realize that I once had a customer pluck a fabric-softener sheet from the back of my shirt?”

  She laughed so hard that she hugged her sides, making him wonder how she might react if he told her about the sock that he had found dangling out the bottom of his pant leg when he had been in the bank one afternoon. When her mirth subsided, she reached across the table to touch his hand. “You’re saving lives, Isaiah, not juggling balls. You forget all the little things because you’re always worried about big things.”

  He sighed. “I guess. But sometimes it’s frustrating. All I do is work, but I never seem to get any-thing done. The shopping, for instance.” He turned his hand to squeeze her fingers. “Thanks for helping me get it done. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “No worries. I don’t intend to let you find out.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  It was still snowing when Isaiah and Laura finished the Christmas shopping and left the mall.

  “You saved my life,” Isaiah said as they stepped out into the night air. “Gift certificates from specialty shops. I’ve done certificates before, but never for specific sections of stores or from places just ladies or guys would like.”

  “With so many people and so little time, it’s a case of what-ever works,” Laura replied with a laugh. “It would have been nicer if we could have picked a nice gift for each person, but failing that, it’s okay to let them do their own choosing, I think.”

  “I’m just thrilled to be done.”

  After stowing the last of their purchases in the back of the Hummer, Laura flung her arms wide and raised her face to the sky to catch snowflakes on her tongue.

  “Try it,” she said with a laugh. “Didn’t you ever do this when you were little?”

  Isaiah felt silly, but he decided dignity was highly overrated and opened his mouth.

  “No two snowflakes are alike. Did you know that?” She blinked as floating white missiles drifted into her eyes.

  Isaiah dropped his chin to look at her. In the soft light from a nearby lamppost she looked like an angel. She was definitely unique, he decided. If he were to search for a hundred years, he’d never find anyone else quite like her.

  Back at the clinic Isaiah dug through one of the storage rooms for a portable wire kennel. That took nearly an hour, because it was behind a bunch of boxes. Then they had to collect puppies and introduce them to their new jail cell.

  “They won’t be climbing out of that,” Isaiah said with a laugh when a puppy bumped its nose against the wire mesh. “Your Houdini days have come to an end, Frown Face.”

  “When they get bigger, will there be enough room in there?” Laura asked.

  “No, but it’ll do for now.” Isaiah hooked an arm around her neck and planted a deep kiss on her soft mouth. “I’m glad you’re riding home with me. I’ve been wanting to get my hands under that parka all evening.”

  Her eyes drifted almost closed. “Promise?”

  When they arrived home, Hapless burst past them to get outside, almost making Isaiah drop the packages in his arms. Laura deposited the wire kennel full of puppies on the floor and hurried back to the Hummer ahead of Isaiah to get another load of gifts.

  When everything had been carried in, she surprised Isaiah by dashing back outside to romp with Hapless in the snow. Isaiah stared at the mountains of packages that had yet to be wrapped and seriously considered starting on that immediately. But the sound of Laura’s laughter drew him like a magnet out onto the porch.

  “Laura, it’s after nine o’clock. Don’t you think it’s a little late to be fooling around out here?”

  Whop. A snowball hit him squarely in the face. Isaiah brushed white stuff from his cheek and narrowed his eyes. “Have I mentioned that I pitched for the Crystal Falls Comets four years running?” he said.

  She danced away into the darkness, and a moment later another snowball nailed him on the chest. Isaiah realized that he was at a serious disadvantage, standing in the light. He leaped off the porch, grabbed a handful of snow, and bounded after her. “You want war, lady, you’ll get war.”

  She laughed and stuck her tongue out at him. Isaiah let fly with a perfect pitch, nailing her in the face with a loosely packed snowball. She sputtered and dove for a snowdrift to gather more ammunition.

  Thirty minutes later they were both drenched with melted snow, and Hapless was exhausted from running back and forth, trying to fetch balls that melted in his mouth. Isaiah sank onto the porch. Laura came to sit beside him. Together they stared out into the darkness at the snowflakes drifting down.

&nb
sp; “This is beautiful,” he whispered.

  “Yes.” She stared off for a moment. And then she sprang to her feet. “We haven’t made snow ice cream yet!”

  “You’re kidding. It’s almost ten.”

  “Do you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?”

  He pushed to his feet and followed her into the house. She was already taking a bowl from a shelf. “You want to get the snow while I get the other stuff ready?”

  What he wanted was to make passionate love to her on the kitchen table. But one look into her dancing hazel eyes told him that snow ice cream would have to come first. He went back to the living room for the portable stereo and CDs that he’d bought. If they were going to make ice cream, they’d listen to Christmas carols while they were at it.

  Isaiah and Laura arrived at the clinic at just a little before six the next morning. As Isaiah executed the turn into the parking lot, his heart shot into his throat. Police lights seemed to be flashing everywhere, creating a spiral effect of red and blue on the fresh snow. In the predawn darkness it was a frightening sight.

  “Oh, God. Something’s happened!” Laura cried.

  Isaiah jockeyed the Hummer into a parking slot, slammed the gearshift into park, and cut the engine. He and Laura spilled from the vehicle almost simultaneously. When they reached the rear door, they found a police officer standing outside.

  “Sorry, sir. You can’t go in.”

  Isaiah grasped Laura’s arm. Even through the parka sleeve, he could feel her shaking. “Are the dogs and cats all right?” she asked thinly.

  “The animals are fine,” the officer assured her. “They were after drugs.”

  “Drugs?” Isaiah repeated incredulously. It was true that the clinic had a large store of narcotics. Practically any medical facility did. He also knew that it wasn’t uncommon for veterinary clinics to be burglarized by addicts. But this was Crystal Falls, Oregon, not a big city. “Someone broke into our clinic for drugs?”

  “Yes, sir. Are you one of the owners?”

  “Isaiah Coulter. My brother Tucker and I own the place. If there was a break-in, why weren’t we notified by the security company?”

  “Alarm didn’t go off.” The cop pulled a tablet from his pocket. “Coulter, did you say? What’s your first name again?”

  Isaiah provided the information. “How the hell did someone get inside without setting off the alarm?” he asked the policeman.

  “It looks like an inside job. The perpetrator used a security code to disarm the system. One of your employees”—he glanced at his notes—“a lady named Susan Strong, called us when she got here to open up a few minutes ago.”

  The police were inside dusting for fingerprints, and it was over thirty minutes before Isaiah and Laura could enter the building. When Isaiah saw the drug cabinet, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The locks had been jimmied open, and the shelves were almost bare.

  “Damn,” he muttered to Laura, “someone’s going to be high for six months.”

  Laura was shivering, even in her coat. Isaiah hooked an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “It’s no big deal, sweetheart. The cabinet can be fixed, and the medications can be replaced.”

  “The first thing I thought of was the dogs,” she whispered. “That they might be hurt.”

  “I know, but they’re fine.”

  Over the top of Laura’s head Isaiah saw a police officer step into the doorway of the drug room. The man glanced at Laura, removed his hat, and tucked it under his arm. “Excuse me, Dr. Coulter?”

  Isaiah set Laura away from him. “Yes?”

  The officer glanced down at a tablet in his hand. “Do you have a woman named Laura Townsend working for you?”

  For the second time in less than an hour, Isaiah’s heart leaped. “Why do you ask?”

  “We just found her automobile out in the parking lot. The stolen drugs are in the trunk.”

  Isaiah glanced at Laura. Her face had gone as pale as milk. “I’m Laura Townsend,” she said in a quavering voice.

  The officer gave her a startled look. Then his eyes narrowed. “Can you explain how the controlled substances found their way into the trunk of your car, Ms. Townsend?”

  “No.”

  Isaiah stepped forward to put Laura slightly behind him. “Wait just a damned minute. Laura wasn’t involved in this. I know she wasn’t. She was with me all night.” Isaiah quickly related the events of the previous afternoon. “We left her car here. She didn’t even have transportation to come back.”

  The cop glanced at Laura. Then he gave Isaiah a sharp look. “Would it be possible for us to talk alone, Doctor?”

  Outrage roiled within Isaiah. “No, damn it, that isn’t possible. I have no secrets from her.”

  “It’s all right, Isaiah.” Laura touched his hand. “I’ll be in the kennels.”

  Laura was frightened. On the one hand she knew it was silly. People didn’t get arrested for things they hadn’t done. But another part of her wasn’t so sure. The drugs had been found in the trunk of her car. She had no idea how they’d gotten there. But that was beside the point. The police dealt in facts, and right now all the evidence pointed directly to her.

  She busied herself with work—changing bedding, refilling dishes. Even so, it seemed as if an eternity passed before Isaiah appeared in the center aisle. Laura took one look at him and knew she was in big trouble. His blue eyes were filled with anguish. His firm mouth was drawn into a grim line.

  “Well?” She stepped from a kennel to meet him. “Don’t make me wait. I’m dying.”

  He curled his big hands over her shoulders. “Before I say anything, Laura, I want you to know I already called a lawyer.”

  “A what?”

  “A lawyer.” He bent his dark head to rest his brow against hers. “Narcotic theft is a serious offense.”

  Laura’s heart was pounding so hard that it felt as if it might crack a rib. “But I’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “I know. And the police will figure that out soon.” His grip tightened on her upper arms. “Ah, Laura. The security code used to enter the building was yours.”

  Laura’s blood ran cold. “But I never even wrote it down! And I didn’t tell any-one my numbers.”

  “Someone got their hands on it nevertheless.” Isaiah kissed her forehead. “I have a copy of everyone’s code in my files. So does Tucker. We both keep our file cabinets locked. But it’s possible that one of us wasn’t careful with our keys.”

  Laura made tight fists on the sleeves of his shirt. “Wh-what does this mean, Isaiah? You won’t let them arrest me, right? You know I didn’t do it.”

  “Of course I know you didn’t do it, honey. But an offense involving controlled substances, especially in large amounts like this, is a felony. Class A or class B. Hell, I don’t know. I don’t keep up on that kind of stuff. I only know it’s out of my hands. The stuff was found in your trunk, for God’s sake. It stinks of a setup, but how the hell did someone get your trunk open without keys? There’s no evidence of forced entry.”

  Laura could only shake her head.

  “I’ll get to the bottom of this, I swear it,” he promised her. “And I’ve already called the best damned attorney in town. Zeke used him a while back. He looks like a warmed-up corpse, but he’s sharp as a tack. They won’t keep you at the jail, I promise.”

  “Keep me?” Laura’s brain was short-circuiting. She could barely make sense of what he said. “Oh, Isaiah. Don’t let them arrest me. I was with you. I didn’t have a car. You know I didn’t do it.”

  “I know it, Laura, but they don’t. I told them you were with me, and they asked if I stayed awake all night and could swear you never left the house. I told them you had no vehicle, and they asked if I was absolutely certain you didn’t use mine.”

  “Why would I use yours and leave the drugs in mine? It makes no sense.”

  “No, it doesn’t, and once the cops have a chance to sift through all of this, I’m sure they’ll realize that.??
?

  A police officer appeared behind Isaiah. He cleared his throat. “Ms. Townsend?” he said politely. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come with me.”

  Isaiah kissed her forehead again. Then he stepped aside. Laura flashed him a frantic look. “Trust me,” he said.

  And then the policeman pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt. As he snapped them on Laura’s wrists, he read her her rights.

  Being arrested wasn’t quite as frightening as Laura expected; nothing like what she saw on television, anyway. The police officers were polite. They didn’t shove her around or jerk her arms high behind her back to inflict pain. Except for being in handcuffs and being put in the backseat of the squad car behind a screen, she might have been taking a Sunday ride.

  Once at the police station, it got a little scarier. She was led to a desk and pressed down into a chair. The man asking questions was fond of using acronyms, and Laura understood only about half of what he said. Even worse, he asked essentially the same questions over and over, a clear sign to her that he believed none of her answers. In an hour Laura was numb. In two, she could barely say her own name.

  “What are you on?” the man demanded.

  Laura had no idea what he meant. “I’m s-sorry?”

  “What are you taking?”

  Laura realized that he thought she was under the influence of something and started to laugh. He didn’t see the humor. The angrier he got, the funnier it seemed. Pretty soon she couldn’t stop laughing.

  The attorney Isaiah had called arrived to save the day. He was skeletal and old, with a name that didn’t stick in Laura’s mind, but he seemed to know the ropes. He quickly explained the reason for Laura’s halting speech, and the cop got over his huff. About an hour later Laura was informed that she could leave. She was helped up from the chair, the cuffs were removed from her wrists, and the lawyer escorted her from the office.

  Isaiah was pacing back and forth just inside the front doors. When he saw Laura, he came rushing to meet her. She was too numb to do anything but lean against him when he put his arm around her.