No Home for the Holidays Read Online Free

think he’ll show up here?”
    He wasn’t sure he wanted to tell her that John Smith had been to the church before showing up at her house. The man had probably followed Colton to her house earlier.
    “The fact that you’re not answering me means he probably will.”
    “Listen, Chloe.”
    “Don’t call me that.” A moment later she was moving toward the door—fast. “I’m not…my name is Marcy Jones. I don’t know who you’re even talking about.”
    “I’m not the enemy, Chloe.” He placed a hand against his door to keep her from opening it.
    “Stop calling me that.” She slapped at his arm. “Get out of my way. You can’t keep me here against my will.”
    He removed his hands and held them up in surrender. “I’m not trying to do that. I want to help you. Please, calm dow—”
    Loud pounding at the back door stopped his words.
    She jerked, a panicked look on her face. “It’s him. I just know it. I really gotta go.”
    “Don’t go outside. There might be more than one.”
    The color drained from her face. “Why would you think that?”
    “I’ll explain later. For now go upstairs and hide. I’ll take care of this.”
    The pounding at the back door continued.
    “It’s OK, you can trust me.”
    “I don’t trust anyone but myself. And most of the time that’s not such a good idea.”
    “He’ll be at the front door any second. And unlike your house, people can see in my windows.” He prayed she would make the right decision.
    She grabbed her satchel and ran up the steps.
    He ruffled his hair to make it look as if he’d been sleeping. He grabbed his weapon off the top of the refrigerator and slipped it into his pocket. Lord, please don’t let Chloe be an escaping criminal. As he opened the door, he yawned. “Enough already! I heard you the first five times you pounded on my door so rudely.” He stretched for emphasis.
    “Cut the theatrics, preacher. I know you were at her house. Where is she?” He attempted to move in to the house.
    Colton walked outside and closed the door. “What are you talking about?”
    “You lied to me, preacher.” John Smith poked him in the chest.
    Colton took a step forward to show he wasn’t intimidated. “Don’t poke me, and I did no such thing.”
    “Liar.” The man shook his head. “I followed your footsteps right from her house to here. So don’t tell me you didn’t lie when you said you didn’t know where she lived.”
    Just the way he’d tracked Chloe last night. He should have realized. “I never told you I didn’t know where she lived. I asked you why I would know if I didn’t know her name. Your mistake, not mine.”
    John Smith glared at Colton. “Well, I won’t make that kind of a mistake again. Get out of my way. I’m going to find her.”
    He wasn’t acting much like the FBI agent he’d pretended to be earlier. No doubt, his name wasn’t John Smith either. “Find who?”
    “Chloe Sullivan.”
    “The woman I walked with said her name was Marcy Jones.” Another truth.
    “Good try, preacher. But I know she’s Chloe Sullivan, and I want to see her right now. She’s worth a lot of money to me. And I’m not letting some preacher take that reward money from me.”
    That didn’t sound like FBI.
    “I can’t help you. Last time I saw her, she was running with her satchel.” Another truth. “What do you want with her?”
    “You know exactly what I want with her.”
    “Actually I don’t.” Colton was honest.
    “I’m coming in there.” Smith took a step toward Colton. “I want Chloe Sullivan. And you ain’t going to stop me.”
    “This is my house and I didn’t invite you in. You need to leave before this gets ugly.”
    “You think you can stop me, preacher?” Smith took several more steps, his attitude threatening.
    “Not me.” Colton pulled the gun from his pocket. “But I think this will stop you.” He aimed it at the man.
    John Smith held up his hands and took a step back. “I thought men of God were