A Christmas of Second Chances (Preview)

Prologue

Danny Heath knew it was a mistake the moment he set off to rob the bank in Pineville. He could feel it in his bones. He’d only been running with the Thomson gang for about a year and had already gotten in more trouble than he’d bargained for. Danny had a feeling he was about to experience the change of a lifetime. He prayed all the way to the bank that he wasn’t about to die.

His partner for the heist was Ben Brunner, another twenty-four-year-old, making Danny think the man in charge of the gang, Robert Thomson, had put them together for that very reason. They were otherwise not compatible, not friends, and rarely spoke to one another. There were a dozen men in the gang, and Danny had so far found no need to really get to know any of them. 

They entered the bank quietly, behind some of the other customers. His heart pounding like a drum, Danny walked to the line, where there were two people ahead of him. Ben hung back, leaning on one of the counters people used to write checks or sign something to be cashed or deposited. 

He swept his eyes around the room. There was an armed guard, but he was an elderly man. Pineville wasn’t known for its criminal element. 

Danny had a big problem with the robbery to begin with and had told Robert as much, though his protests had fallen on deaf ears. They lived in Pineville, at least in the county outside of it, and he didn’t want to hit a bank that was so close to where he did his everyday work and shopping. He knew people in the town, though he didn’t know anyone in the bank at that time. The woman who had come in behind him and was now standing next in line looked familiar, but he couldn’t place who she was. 

He casually left the line and strolled to Ben, leaning to him and whispering, “Come on. I left it in the wagon.”

Ben gave him the angriest curious look Danny had ever seen. He pushed off the counter and nodded once, very curtly. They walked to the door and slipped out unnoticed. 

“I don’t feel comfortable doing this, Ben,” Danny stated immediately. “I think something bad is gonna happen, and I don’t want to be involved.”

“You’re crazy,” Ben responded hotly. “Thomson said he wanted the money in this bank, and he wants it today before it gets shipped off to Lancaster. His buddy told him there’s big money in there and we gotta get it.”

Danny shook his head, holding himself together. He didn’t want to tremble in front of Ben. He’d never live it down. “I don’t wanna do it. Not today. Maybe we come back tomorrow with our faces covered.”

Ben gave him an exasperated look. “I’ll tell you what. We put on some bandanas, cover our faces and go in the back way. What do you say? We can crawl in through a window if we gotta, but we’re hittin’ this place today.”

Danny hated that Ben could look so casual while he hissed those words in Danny’s direction. He himself probably looked as nervous as a polecat. He sighed. “All right. Just be careful. We don’t want anything too eventful. Just get the money and get out. Right?”

“Right.”

The man might have agreed to it, but whether he followed through had yet to be seen. They whipped out the bandanas in the nearly empty saddle bags on the backs of their horses and tied them around their faces. Danny followed behind Ben. 

They went in through the back door, just as Ben had said they could, and went down a narrow hallway to come out into the teller compartment of the bank. On the other side of the small office area was another door that would lead to the safe. Danny eyed the door, wondering how hard it would be to open. Surely that was locked, even if the back door hadn’t been. 

“What are you doing? What are you doing?” 

Danny turned his head just in time to see the guard, who had been on the other side of the partition that kept the tellers from the customers, running around to where they were, his gun in hand.

“No!” Danny shrieked, lunging at Ben, who already had his gun out. He was too late. Ben pulled the trigger and shot the guard in the chest. “No!” he yelled again. “What are you doing! Don’t do that!”

Ben turned his gun to the clerks, who had their hands up and were both crying hard, their eyes flipping from him to the guard on the floor. “You see that? You don’t want that, you start putting the money in these bags and get that safe open!”

The clerks were quick to obey. Danny resisted the urge to run to the guard to see if he was still alive. Maybe the bullet had missed everything important. He flipped his eyes back to the guard to see with horror that the woman who had been behind him in line was now leaning over the guard.

“Bobby! Oh, Bobby!” she cried out. 

“Get away from him!” Ben yelled at her, swiftly turning around again, aiming his gun at her.

“Don’t you dare shoot me!” the woman screamed right back. “Don’t you dare!”

To Danny’s absolute horror, the woman lunged for the gun that had fallen next to the dead guard. He saw his own two hands slide up through the air as if in slow motion, as if he could reach her in time to stop what she was doing. 

He spun to give his attention to Ben instead. He knew the man standing next to him had no remorse whatsoever. 

“Don’t!” he shrieked. “Don’t!”

Once again, it was too late. Ben pulled the trigger, and the woman was hit with the bullet, straight in the chest, sending her flying back against the wall, where she lay still. 

Danny turned on his heel and ran out of the bank the way he’d come in, not looking back even once.

Chapter One

It really is a beautiful place, especially during the Christmas season. Autumn is beautiful here. Ella Heath read the letter from her brother, Danny. He’d settled in Pineville, Colorado, some five years ago. You must come visit sometime.

Ella had always wanted to visit Pineville and see her brother. He’d mentioned Christmas and that holiday was swiftly approaching. How she wished she would have visited sooner.

But he’d been involved in a murder and robbery almost four years earlier and had disappeared after that. He no longer wrote to her and the few letters she’d initially sent must have gone unread because she never got replies. She assumed he’d moved and stopped thinking about it.

If she was honest, Ella couldn’t say she’d stopped thinking about it.

 She missed her brother. They were orphans but hadn’t been made so until they were adults, so it didn’t really count. Most adults were made orphans at some point in their lives. 

Danny had escaped the house where their father was unhappy up till the day of his death and their mother was ill up until the day of hers. He’d disappeared the week after his nineteenth birthday, when Ella was seventeen. She didn’t hear from him again until their mother died and he began writing to her. He’d found out about their mother and wrote to thank her for staying and caring for the woman in her final days.

It hadn’t been easy, but Ella had made it through and felt she was stronger for it.

Now, four years after Danny stopped writing and the newspapers reported how he’d shot two people in Pineville, the very town he’d told her was so beautiful and filled with friendly people, she was curious to know how things had been resolved. 

And she wanted to find Danny. That was why she’d pulled out this last letter she’d received from him. She wanted a reunion to be her Christmas present this year.

Curled up in the corner of the couch in the house her parents had left her, she held the letter nearer to the lamplight. A frugal woman, Ella didn’t like to use much oil. She was probably straining her eyes and would end up with glasses at a young age. 

It wouldn’t matter, though, if she could find a husband. Then he would pay for the oil and she wouldn’t worry about it. Not that she was really looking for one. Not yet, anyway. She had a quest to go on first, a mission to find her brother and find out the truth. 

Ella laid the letter down on the side table and leaned to the coffee table, where the old newspaper clipping lay. She picked it up and read through the few paragraphs written about the bank robbery and the two deaths. The sheriff’s wife and the bank guard. Two beloved citizens in Pineville.

When Ella initially read about it, she didn’t believe it. Her brother would never do such a thing. His letters had never indicated he was involved in any kind of gang, not the Thomson Gang or any other gang. 

Ella skimmed over the words in the article. She didn’t need to read it. She had it memorized. Same with the last letter from Danny, where he’d protested his innocence, pinning the murders on another fellow but saying he’d been there and that was why he had to go into hiding. He’d told Ella not to come looking for him, but Christmas was coming up and Ella was determined not to spend this one alone. She’d been alone for almost six years since their mother died. 

This year would be different. She would find Danny and see if there was a way to prove that this other man had killed those two people. She couldn’t imagine how they could prove something like that, but if this Ben was still alive, maybe they could torture the truth out of him. 

She smirked at her sarcastic thought. She wondered if the gang had prompted Danny to become a violent man. He said in his letter he hadn’t changed in that way. He told her he’d been forced to run with the gang and might have lost his life if he’d said no. But he’d never meant for anyone to get hurt and swore to Ella the deaths had not been by his hand.

Ella had spent a long time very upset with Danny for abandoning the family, but now that she was older, she knew why he’d done it. But she wanted to clarify it with him. She wanted to talk to him again—face to face. If she could look in his eyes, she would know if he was telling the truth. 

So, she had made a plan. The money left to her by her parents would soon run out. She planned to sell the house and go to Pineville to find Danny. There was already a buyer interested and she was satisfied with the price. She’d be able to live comfortably in a nice apartment or cottage in Pineville. And when they cleared her brother’s name, he could come live with her and they’d be a family again. Just the two of them. 

Hopefully in time for Christmas. It was the beginning of November, and the buyer was anxious to take over the house. She was excited but nervous to be leaving the only house she’d known there on the outskirts of Chicago. Would she miss the city?

Doubtful. There wasn’t much that appealed to her there. She had few friends—a result of the abandonment of her once-fiancé, Nathaniel, whose rich family hadn’t liked her background and forced him to reject her after he’d already proposed. She was the first to admit, though, her lack of friends probably had something to do with the fact that she didn’t socialize. She’d spent the last three years after Nathaniel taking care of her sick mother. That had left no time for social events, even if she wanted to attend them. 

Then, when her mother died, she’d found herself without anyone to talk to or be around anyway. No one wanted to socialize with the woman who still carried around the stress of her sick mother, even after the woman passed away.

Ella didn’t want to meet new people only to have them betray her the way Nathaniel and his family had. He should have stuck up for her.

She pushed those thoughts of Nathaniel out of her mind. That had happened long ago and there was nothing beneficial about rehashing it. It was best to leave such things in the past. In the future, she would just have to be careful who she trusted. 

She folded the letter and put it back in its envelope, along with the newspaper clipping. She had a mission to go on. Might as well get herself ready.

Chapter Two

“These winters anything like they are in New York?” Sheriff James Wilson heard behind him. 

He spun around and eyed his deputy, Eddie Pine, the tallest man he’d ever met and the fastest draw in all of Colorado, proven at several shooting events. 

“You know full well the winters are just as harsh there as they are here. I’m glad to be here, though. Sometimes more sun than back in New York. Less rain. I like that.”

“You been here long enough to know the difference. You don’t want to go back, then?” Eddie kicked back in his chair, lifting his legs up and crossing his ankles on the edge of the desk. 

“Nah.” James lifted his pants with his hands gripping his belt, adjusting it to make it fall more comfortably around him. “It’s a bit chilly, but I’m feelin’ good. I like it cooler, if I’m honest with ya.”

He strolled to the desk where his deputy sat, leaning backward to sit on the edge. He turned to the side to look at Eddie while he spoke. 

“It’s not me who doesn’t like the cold months. It’s Abby. Only thing she likes about winter is Christmas.” James spoke of his sister with great affection. She was two years younger and the light of his life. They’d been alone since he was eighteen and she was sixteen, when their parents had caught a terrible case of influenza that had taken them both within a few weeks. 

James would always believe his father died of a broken heart when his beloved wife passed. He was already weak from the illness. His heart just couldn’t hold out.

Abby, too, had been weak as a child, catching frequent illnesses but battling them off every time. James had thought he was going to lose the last member of his family too many times. Each time, he never left her side and nursed her back to health, spending all his time, effort, and money on her.

From the age of sixteen to twenty, Abby had struggled with her health. Then, at twenty, it seemed she’d left the childhood illness behind and became a much healthier woman. She rarely got sick anymore and had even put together his wedding to Mary seven years ago. She told everyone who would listen it was all down to God.

“I reckon you’re pretty much ready for Christmas, aren’t ya?” Eddie remarked, crossing his arms in front of his chest and leaning the chair back on the two rear legs. 

“Ready for Christmas?” James lifted both eyebrows. “It’s the beginning of November. I’m not ready for Thanksgiving yet. You’re thinkin’ too far ahead.”

“Ah, I got a turkey and my ma and pa are coming over with my sister’s kids and her husband. And I bet Abby’s ready for it. She loves all that stuff.”

James nodded, thinking of Eddie’s family. The sister he’d mentioned had been trampled by a horse while out on a joyride just the year before. This would be their second holiday season without her.

James knew how it felt to miss someone during the holidays. He would always miss his lovely Mary. Her death still haunted him. The man responsible for her death hadn’t been brought to justice and was still on the run, or in hiding. James wouldn’t rest until he found and arrested him. 

But things had slowed to a halt quickly after the deaths in the bank, and it had been four years—nearly four years—since he lost Mary. 

The holidays hit especially hard when he realized what he was missing at the dinner table and under the mistletoe. 

“So are you ready for Christmas, then?” he asked, turning the question back to his deputy. 

Deputy Pine laughed. “Nah. I was just askin’ ya for somethin’ to say.”

They both laughed. 

“Yeah, it gets pretty boring here. Not too much to do but break up saloon brawls when they happen.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m sayin’,” Pine agreed with him. He went so far as to lace his fingers together behind his head to show how bored he was. “Ain’t nothin’ happenin’ in Pineville, Colorado. I’m gonna have to move somewhere where there’s lots of killin’ so I have men to arrest. Give me something to do.”

“You ain’t leavin’ Pineville,” James scoffed with a quick laugh. “You love it here. It’s the peace and quiet that keeps you here and you know it. You don’t really want to work, now, do ya?”

“There’s certain things I wouldn’t mind doin’,” Pine replied. “Solvin’ crimes that have been unsolved for a long time. Transportin’ criminals to the big city. Stuff like that.”

James wondered if his deputy was thinking about the unsolved murder of his wife and the guard in the bank. It wasn’t really unsolved, though. Danny Heath was the killer. Someone in the bank had told them when it happened. Only one of the five people who’d been in the bank claimed to have seen who did the shooting. Most of them had been on the other side of the partition where the customers were supposed to be. Only one clerk out of the two had said she wasn’t hiding her face from the men or stuffing money in the bag when the gunshots went off. 

James didn’t like to think about it. The urge to continue investigating when there were no new leads wasn’t helpful, nor beneficial for his mental health. It might drive him crazy if he let himself think of nothing else but the murder of his wife. 

“Well, I’m not gonna drum up business so you ain’t bored. Now, get yer feet off the desk and look like you got somethin’ to do.”

Eddie sighed with mocked frustration, exaggeratedly taking his legs down and swirling around in his chair to put his feet flat on the ground. He placed his hands together in front of his mouth and stared at James. “You want to give me an order, then? Maybe a task to do?”

“You want to sort through the arrest files, you can.” James gestured toward the cabinets as he spoke. “There’s plenty of those that go back about ten years and need to be sorted.”

“That sounds like so much fun!” Eddie spat out sarcastically, narrowing his eyes at James. He got up, though, and went toward the filing cabinets. “You’re such a kind and thoughtful boss,” he added, throwing another look over his shoulder. 

“I try!” James called out, laughter in his voice. “Doin’ the best I can!”

Chapter Three

Ella stepped off the train onto the wooden platform, looking left to right. She’d arranged to have a coach meet her and take her to the hotel. There was one other person getting off at the small station two miles from Pineville. She met with two people who were apparently waiting for her and they all left after hugs and laughter. 

That left the one young man with curly brown hair that hung down to his shoulders, standing near the station and staring at her. When their eyes met, he smiled wide, lifting one hand in a half-hearted wave. He wasn’t sure she was the one he was supposed to pick up, she suspected.

She smiled back and made her way to him. 

“Hello,” she said, preempting his awkward questions. “I’m Ella Heath. You’re here to pick me up, is that right?”

“Yes, miss. I’m Simon. Please follow me. I’ve got the buggy right here.”

“Thank you so much.”

Five minutes later, Ella was seated in a comfortable buggy with cushioned seats and pretty curtains hanging inside the small windows. The drapes were pulled back and tied, allowing passengers to see out when sitting in the back seat. The buggy was black with gold trimmings and gold tassels hanging from the edges of the roof. It was awfully nice for a hotel buggy.

Ella sat in the front seat next to the boy as he drove the buggy to town. 

“Do you know if there are any small houses or cottages for rent in Pineville?” she asked when they crossed into town and passed a very stylish wooden sign with the town’s name etched in it using fancy handwriting. 

“There might be. You gotta talk to the Stones about it.”

Ella looked at him. “Who are the Stones?” 

“They’d be the hotel owners.”

“They’ll help me find a place to rent even though it means they’ll be losing my business?”

“Yeah, I think they have a couple cottages of their own they rent out.”

Ella was pleased to hear it. She sat in silence thinking about that for a moment or two. 

“How old are you?” she asked, scanning the boy. He couldn’t be more than sixteen, so he wouldn’t know about Danny. But she couldn’t help asking. 

“I’m seventeen.” 

She noted the sound of pride in his voice and smiled at him. “Okay. You wouldn’t happen to have heard of Danny Heath, have you? He’s my brother and I’ve come to Pineville looking for him.”

Simon looked interested, glancing at her. “Never heard of him.” 

Ella nodded. “I didn’t think you would. Last I heard from him was about four years ago, and this was the last place I knew of where he lived. He was living near here, anyway, in a ranch outside of town.”

Simon’s expression didn’t change. He just blinked at her. “I’m sorry, miss. I can’t help ya there. I can ask around town for ya, though.”

“There’s no need,” Ella replied quickly. “Thank you, but I’ll look for him myself. I won’t know who you’ve asked and I don’t want to bombard anyone. I’ll take care of it. Thank you, though.” 

The last thing she needed was this young man asking around for her brother, a notorious murderer in hiding. 

It gave her chills to think of her Danny that way. He’d been such a good brother while they were living together. Up until he’d suddenly had to leave his family behind.

Ella wasn’t angry at him anymore. Not for leaving, anyway. Maybe for getting involved in a violent gang, though. When she saw him, she would have a few choice words for him about that terrible fateful decision. 

She chose to remember him the way he was before he ran off. He’d gotten her ice cream every Sunday after church, something he’d always told her their father would have done if he’d been alive. He’d taken care of her, become her protector since Pa died when she was just ten years old. He had only been twelve, but he was there for her and did his very best to protect her from the dangers of the world. 

He’d also taught her to shoot a gun, something she hadn’t done for some time. She planned to buy a gun and practice as soon as she was settled into Pineville. It was probably a good idea since she was going to find her gangster brother who was accused of killing two people, even though she didn’t believe he was guilty. 

They stopped in front of the hotel somewhat abruptly and Simon let her out. He smiled when she gave him a quarter as a tip.

“Thanks, miss,” he exclaimed excitedly, staring at the quarter.

“You’re very welcome. Thanks for the recommendation. I’m sure I will see you around town!”

“Yes, you will. Take care, Miss Ella.”

“You, too.”

Ella hurried into the hotel. The buggy ride had made her extremely cold, even though she was wrapped up in her furry coat with a big muff to keep her hands in, the hood of her coat pulled up so her head was warm. 

Her nose, poor thing, felt frozen solid. 

She went into the hotel through a bright red door, admiring the interior décor. The lobby held several couches, which were unoccupied. To her left was a tall counter with a middle-aged woman behind it, smiling at her. 

“Good morning!” the woman said. “I’m Mrs. Stone. Can I get you a room?”

Ella went to the counter, returning the smile. “Good morning to you, too. The young man out there, Simon, said you might have some cottages or small houses for rent instead. I would much rather rent a house since I am planning to stay for the long term.”

Mrs. Stone looked delighted. “Oh, yes. We have two cottages available. Would you like to see them?”

Ella thought about it for a moment, lifting her eyes to the ceiling as if the answer she wanted was written there. “Well… since I don’t know what either looks like, I’ll let you choose. I’m sure you would know which home would suit me better.”

She tried to give the woman the brightest, friendliest smile she could, receiving one in return that was just as joyous.

“You know, I do believe I know which one would bring the most enjoyment. Will you be looking to buy eventually?”

“I’m not sure,” Ella responded honestly. “A lot of things have to happen to determine that.” 

Danny’s whereabouts and state of mind being the most important.


Chapter Four

The next day was Sunday and Ella was attending the local church. It was home to about fifty Christians who gathered in the large building by the community hall in the town square. The steeple stabbed at the cloudy sky, drawing Ella’s attention as she walked toward it. She’d had to pull her hood around her head to combat the wind whipping against her face. She closed her green eyes so they wouldn’t dry out, but she couldn’t see where she was going and had to open them again. 



She was grateful the church was so near to the cottage she was renting.

When she reached the entrance, there was no one there to greet her and the two doors were closed in front of her. Ella stopped for a moment, closed her eyes, and said a quick prayer for strength. She held her breath and pulled the door open.

She found a seat in the second pew. The people around her looked friendly, but she was still praying silently. She could feel their eyes on the back of her head. It took a few tries, but after a few minutes, she was able to convince herself that, like her, they were only there to worship.

The pastor walked up on the short stage that put him only a few feet above the congregation. She shifted in her seat, and a few others glanced at her when she caught their eyes. 

It made her nervous when she saw one particular man staring her down, especially when he didn’t move his eyes once he realized she was looking back at him. In the back of her mind, she was convinced they could see Danny in her; they would spot the resemblance and know the two were related. 

Then again, how did she plan on going around town asking if anyone had seen her brother if she was worried at the same time that their knowledge of the relation would put her in danger? Possibly Danny, too, because they would watch her until she found him and then they would pounce. 

And it would be all her fault.

She would be careful who she talked to and asked, she decided as she listened to the sermon, which was ironically titled, Forgiving Those Who Trespass Against Us—Is It possible?

Pastor Hooper spoke of conviction and desires, forgiveness and mercy, remembering that all were sinners and no one was more of a sinner than anyone else. What mattered was in the heart.

What was in Danny’s heart, Ella wondered as the sermon drew to a close. Was he the murderer of two people and lying to his sister so she wouldn’t be too upset? Or was he truly innocent? And was it even something she would ever be able to prove?

She had to find him. It was the only way. 

Pastor Hooper clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention after a particularly moving hymn from the congregation. 

“Friends, we have a holiday coming up. The time when we must all be grateful for what we have and not long for more, as God provides us what we need in His time, amen. I’d like volunteers to help with the Christmas events next month. If you are interested in helping out, my wife, Lizzie, as you all know, heads up that committee. Do see her if you are interested in helping. Thank you all. Now, let’s pray.”

Ella was sure it would be safe to ask the pastor about her brother. He wouldn’t turn her in for seeking him. Not that she’d broken any laws. So far, all she was doing was searching for a missing person. It wasn’t her fault the law was looking for the same person. She would be discreet, especially if she found his hideout. 

“Pastor Hooper? May I speak with you?” 

The pastor looked like a kind man. His hazel eyes softened when they met hers. She didn’t feel uncomfortable or awkward at all. Just his eyes put her at ease. He probably had that effect on many people, which made him a better pastor all around.

“You certainly may, my dear. Are you new here in Pineville?” He gestured with one hand for them to sit side by side in the front pew. The church emptied slowly behind them as the two of them sat down to talk.

“I have just arrived, yes. Only yesterday, as a matter of fact.”

The pastor looked like he very much approved, making her smile. “I’m very happy to see you here in church the next day.” 

She hid her giggle behind a hand. “Yes, I thought I would come here to find or make new friends. The pastor is always the first one to make friends with.”

“I certainly hope you haven’t had to experience starting a new church too often.” His voice was sympathetic. 

“In a way. My parents didn’t encourage it so I attended on my own and we did some traveling when I was young.”

He nodded, pushing his glasses back up on his narrow, sloped nose. “And what is it I can help you with?”

My name is Ella,” she said. “I got your name from the lady in the general store yesterday when I was buying a few supplies.” She hesitated to tell him her last name, but it suggested she was willing to deceive. She didn’t like that. “I’m Ella Heath.” 

His expression didn’t change. He blinked at her for a moment of silence. 

“All right,” he finally said. “And what is it that’s troubling you, Ella? If it’s that you don’t like your name, I hope you know God doesn’t mind if you change it.”

Ella grinned at him, liking him right off. “It’s not my name. I do like my name, actually. I think it’s unique.”

“As are you. How can I help you?”

Ella almost didn’t want to tell him and force the end of their conversation. She enjoyed being around the man. “I’m looking for my brother, Danny. He was here about four years ago, and I haven’t heard from him since. I’m trying to find him. Can you help me? Do you know of him?”

She hated that her tone was nervous when she spoke. It gave away that she was afraid of what he might think of her.

Again, his expression didn’t change, though he did look more sympathetic. “Hmmm. I don’t think so, no. The name doesn’t sound familiar. Would he have attended church here?”

Ella didn’t think Danny had but wasn’t sure. She shrugged. “I don’t know. Thank you, though. I’ll just keep asking around. I’d like to volunteer for the Christmas events, by the way. You can put my name on that list. I’ll do whatever tasks you need.”

The pastor smiled brightly at her, making her feel like she’d just won the approval of a parent. “That’s wonderful, Ella. Thank you. There’s a meeting to discuss it this evening. Please attend.”

“Here?”

“Yes. At seven this evening.” 

She smiled. “I’ll be here.”


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“A Christmas of Second Chances” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

In winter’s harsh embrace, Ella Heath confronts grief and mystery, driven by her mother’s recent passing and her brother’s unexplained disappearance. Determined to unravel the rumors surrounding his alleged involvement in a notorious bank robbery, Ella travels to a small town where her quest for closure will intertwine with the life of the stoic sheriff. Little does she know that a Christmas miracle awaits—one that could thaw the icy grip of the past…

Will Ella’s search for truth lead her to confront not only the shadows of her brother’s past but also the unexpected warmth kindling in her heart?

Sheriff James, haunted by the echoes of a deadly bank heist that claimed his wife’s life, stands as Pineville’s kind enforcer. When Ella arrives, unaware of the past that binds them, James finds himself captivated by a woman who may hold the key to healing wounds he considers incurable. As snow blankets Pineville, the warmth of their connection ignites a holiday spark he never expected.

Can this unfolding Christmas season bring him the redemption he needs and a chance at happiness?

As their lives collide, an electric chemistry sparks between Ella and James, but the shadows of shared history threaten to eclipse their connection. Racing against time to clear Danny’s name, Ella finds herself at odds with James, the man whose heart she’s unwittingly touched. As Christmas approaches, can they find warmth in each other’s arms and create a holiday miracle that will forever redefine their lives?

“A Christmas of Second Chances” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Get your copy from Amazon!