Page 101 of The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street
“I’m sure you’re right,” I said, although I had no such certainty. Together we looked in all of the downstairs rooms including the kitchen and powder room, and even searched the back garden. We found our parents kissing under the mistletoe strung across the threshold of Jack’s office. I coughed loudly as we approached, and they, mercifully, pulled away from each other. “Has either of you seen Anthony?”
My father nodded. “I was headed to the bathroom and saw him leave out the back door about forty-five minutes ago. I assumed you’d sent him on some errand.”
“No. I didn’t.” I met Jayne’s gaze. Without a word she ran toward the front door and threw it open, leaving it ajar as she raced down the piazza to the front walk. I met her at the front door on her return, her eyes wide and glazed.
“His car’s not here.” She looked at me. “His car’s nothere,” she repeated, as if to convince herself.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, closing the door behind us.
“This isn’t good, is it?” she asked.
“No,” I said. “It’s not.”
Our parents appeared with Rebecca, all three bundled for the weather. “We’re going to take Rebecca with us, if that’s all right. It was a lovely event,” Mother said, and kissed me on the cheek.
I tried to act relaxed, as if my world hadn’t suddenly been shaken like a snow globe. We said our good-byes and I watched them leave. Then I put my face close to Jayne’s. “Did you talk about the map at dinner?”
She shook her head. “No,” she said. “I didn’t.” A loud, choking sob erupted from her throat. “But...”
“But what?”
“But Rebecca did. She mentioned how you’d figured out everything with her help. I didn’t stop her because it was Anthony. I didn’t think I needed to. But she didn’t say anything about how the three drawings and the brick puzzle have to be used together because she doesn’t know about it. That’s a good thing, right?”
“Oh, my gosh. Oh, mygosh.” I squeezed my head between my hands as if that would somehow eradicate all the stupidity that apparently lived there. I remembered the niggling feeling at the back of my head that had started when Rebecca mentioned that Marc wanted Anthony to be the godfather to their baby. “Marc and Anthony—they’re just pretending. They’re not estranged.”
“But why...” Jayne stopped, her eyes widening, her breath coming in short, hollow puffs. “They set us up.” Her face lost color as the implications settled on her. “Everything Anthony said to us was a lie. He used us. All of us.”
I nodded, thinking of snippets of all the conversations I’d had withAnthony, all the information that I’d shared that he’d told Marc. Beneath the shame and humiliation, I felt the rolling burn of anger. “I have no doubt that they’re both at Gallen Hall now.”
“But they don’t know everything, right? They still need to figure out how you have to put them all together.”
“They will, though.” I closed my eyes, allowing the dismal dread of failure to swallow me. And somewhere, in the black darkness, I heard my grandmother’s voice.Jack.I couldn’t fail him now, not when he needed me the most. I opened my eyes, a renewed sense of determination flooding my veins. “We can’t let them beat us. We just can’t.”
“But how—”
“Give me your car keys. The caterer is blocking me in and I don’t have time to waste to ask them to move.”
“Where are you going?”
“To Gallen Hall. To the cemetery. I’ve got to get those rubies before Marc finds them.”
“But what if you run into Marc and Anthony?” Jayne asked, her eyes wide.
“I don’t know,” I said somberly. “I can only hope that they’re still trying to figure out what to do with the map. Or that they’re waiting until morning. And if not, then I’ll think about that when I have to.”
Jayne shook her head. “I’m going with you,” she said, already marching toward the door. “So at least it’s two against two if it comes to that.”
“Absolutely not. You need to stay here. If I need help, I’ll call you. Besides, it wouldn’t do for both of us to get into trouble without backup. And I don’t want anyone else knowing yet—they’ll just try to stop me and then I’ll be too late.”
I could tell her resistance was weakening. “But what should I tell Jack?”
“You don’t need to tell him anything. Let him sleep. I’ll let him know when I bring home the rubies.” I offered a hopeful smile that she didn’t return.
“Melanie, I can’t let you go alone. We’re stronger together, remember?”
“I won’t be alone. Eliza is there, and she’s on our side. I now understand why she pushed Anthony down the stairs.”
“And wrecked his car?”
