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Annie McKenzie didn’t pass through Virgin River very often It was out of her hen driving from Fortuna, where she lived, to her parents’ farm near Alder Point It was a cute little town and she liked it there, especially the bar and grill owned by Jack Sheridan People there met you once, maybe twice, and from that point on, treated you like an old friend

She was on her way to her folks’ place when, at the last in River Since it was the week after Thanksgiving, she hoped they’d started on the tree It was a calm and sunny Monday afternoon and very cold, but her heart warmed when she pulled into town and saw that the tree was up and decorated Jack was up on an A-fra at the foot of the ladder, looking up, was Christopher, the six-year-old son of Jack’s cook, Preacher

Annie got out of her truck and walked over "Hey, Jack," she yelled up "Looking good!"

"Annie! Haven’t seen you in a while How are your folks?"

"They’re great And your family?"

"Good" He looked around "Uh-oh David?" he called Then he looked at Christopher as he cli to help keep an eye on hiain

Then Chris called, "David! David!"

They both walked around the tree, checked the bar porch and the backyard, calling his name Annie stood there, not sure whether to help or just stay out of their hen the lowest boughs of the great tree moved and a little tyke about three years old crawled out

"David?" Annie asked He was holding soot down on her knees "Whatcha got there, buddy?" she asked And then she yelled, "Found hi a baby ani and listless Its fur was black and white, its eyes were closed, and it hung limply in little David’s hands She just hoped the boy hadn’t squeezed the life out of it; boys were not known for gentleness "Letthe creature out of his hands She held it up and its little head lolled Unmistakably a puppy A brand-new puppy

Jack ca around the tree "Where was he?"

"Under the tree And he ca hi it under her sweater between her T-shirt and her wool sweater, up against the warmth of her body Then she pulled her down vest around herself to hold hiht be frozen, or almost frozen"