Page 24 of This Christmas

He said nothing, just shifted his stance so that his body blocked Ally’s view and took the grocery bags from her hands. “I’ll follow you back,” he said quietly. “Just to be safe.”

She hesitated but nodded.

The drive back to the lighthouse was uneventful, though Joe never let Peterson’s SUV out of his sight and kept his car between it and Ally’s. When they turned up the long drive, he was thankful when the vehicle didn’t follow them in. Still, he didn’t relax until he’d carried the groceries inside and heard Ally lock the door behind them.

Charlotte ran off to change into Elsa pajamas.

“Thank you,” Ally said softly, setting the pizza on the counter. “You didn’t have to⁠—”

“I did,” he interrupted gently. “You and Charlotte shouldn’t have to deal with that. I’ll handle Peterson.”

“Is he the one watching us now?”

Joe nodded. “It appears so. His tactics are… less than conventional.” He leaned closer. “I’d make sure you lock up when you leave the house. He’s been accused of breaking in when people aren’t home.” Her face went pale again. “I’m not saying this to scare you.” He took hold of her shoulders when he saw her sway. God, he was a fool. He should have waited to tell her until she was sitting down. “Easy.” He nudged her over to the chair, then rushed to get her a glass of water. “Here, drink this.”

She drank a few sips. “He won’t break in while we’re here, while we’re sleeping, will he?”

“No. But he might try to plant hidden listening devices or cameras around the place.” He motioned around. “I know that your brother installed a security system when the diamond was found...”

She nodded. “I… I keep forgetting to set it.”

“Do so now.” He followed her to the keypad and waited until she hit the button to arm it. “Whenever you come and go, do that. You do know the code right?”

“Yes, its…” He stopped her by holding up a hand.

“Don’t tell me. Don’t tell anyone else,” he warned her, and she paled again.

She was so trusting that it ate at him. Hell, hours ago, he’d been working for the enemy. Now she was willing to put hers and her daughter’s lives in his hands by telling him the security code.

“Right.” She nodded. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” he said softly. “Just promise me you’ll keep it armed.” She nodded. “Good, now what do you say we heat up some pizzas?”

Later, as rain fell against the windows, Joe sat cross-legged on the floor beside Charlotte, balancing a paper plate full of pizza on his lap. Ally had dimmed the lights, and the opening notes of Frozen filled the cozy room.

Charlotte’s head leaned against his arm as they watched the movie on the sofa. After they finished their pizza, they moved on to the ice cream and a bowl of buttered popcorn. He watched her eyelids grow heavy as her body went lax next to his. Ally caught his eye across the sofa. Her smile was soft and full of something that surprised him—interest.

By the time that the movie had ended, Charlotte was fast asleep on the sofa, her small body curled between them. One of her fists was tangled in the edge of his flannel shirt.

He didn’t move for a while. In truth, he didn’t want to. Rain was falling outside and had continued in the last hour steadily.

The glow from the TV flickered across Ally’s face as she watched him.

“I really appreciate what you did for us earlier,” she said softly, turning slightly toward him as she hit mute on the television.

“Anyone would have stepped in.”

“No, you’d be surprised. My neighbor…” She shook her head.

“Go on,” he encouraged her.

She shifted and rolled her shoulders for a moment. “My old neighbors, when Ted and I were together, they never stepped in. It wasn’t until days later, when they overheard that he was going to get full custody of Charlotte and that he was having me committed, that Nancy finally provided her Ring camera footage to my lawyers. Without that footage, I would have been locked up, and the chances of me ever seeing my daughter again…” She looked down at her sleeping girl now. “I would have lost all hope.”

“I’ve read through the court files. Up until that video appeared, he was trying to claim that you were having a nervous breakdown and trying to harm yourself and Charlotte.”

She nodded slowly, her eyes still glued to her daughter. “I would never hurt her.”

“No,” he agreed. “There are also a few reports from the agency who oversees his visits with Charlotte. They claim that he neglects her during the visits and spends his time working. That the visits are almost always in an environment that isn’t child friendly. The last time he’d had visitation on Charlotte’s birthday, he hadn’t even remembered, and, double the hit to the gut, he ordered her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The case worker stepped in and stopped Charlotte, who was two at the time, from eating it.”