Page 79 of The Alien Reindeer's Bounty
She liked the way he saidweand implied a partnership. She checked on Ruby one more time; still sleeping, still breathing. Her own headache had largely vanished and she desperately hoped that Ruby would wake clear-headed and excited for Christmas.
Crud. Christmas.
They planned to spend Christmas Eve with her parents and Christmas Day with the Beckers. They couldn’t go, not with Ruby still drugged.
She dug out her cell phone, the battery nearly drained. “Mom,” she rasped, voice tender from Karl’s choking grasp, “Ruby and I caught something. We’re not able to make dinner tonight.”
“You couldn’t tell me sooner? I’ve been cooking all day.”
“Mom, it’s seven in the morning. We just woke up.” Odessa shifted on the chair, uncomfortable with the casual lie to her mother.
“You sound terrible, baby, but what am I going to do with all this ham?”
“Save it for New Year’s.”
“That’s a week away.”
“It’s literally cured meat, Mom. It’ll keep.” Odessa rolled her eyes.
“Not too sick to be sassy, I see. Besides, the ham will take up so much room in the fridge,” Patricia said.
Ugh. There was no way out of this.
“Hey Mom, how about you cook up that ham and bring us some this evening? I’m sure we’ll be super hungry and I’m not well enough to cook.”
“I can make soup,” Mads offered, bringing her a mug of hot tea. He set it at the table next to her. The scent of lemon and honey teased her. “I figured out how to use the electric can opener and I want to show off for you.”
“Who’s that? Is Mads sick too?” Patricia asked, suddenly concerned that her favorite felt under the weather.
“He did a pharmacy run for me this morning,” Odessa lied. “You know, cough drops and decongestants. All that.”
“And we’ll bring over Ruby’s presents, too.”
“Mom, we’re sick. Please don’t make this into a thing,” she begged, knowing it was too late. This was already a thing.
“Nonsense. If she’s not up for it tonight, Ruby can open them in the morning,” Patricia said, already decided.
“Fine. No circus. We’re sick. I’m heading back to bed.” Odessa ended the call and turned to Mads, with his own mug of honey lemon tea. “My mom is bringing over a circus tonight, just so you know. She’s going to smother us with ham and a billion cookies.”
“I like both those things and I like your parents. Smother me,” he said.
“Be prepared for the full-on Muller holiday experience.” She drained her tea. “How many women do you think Karl took?” In the last few years, it seemed like young women moved out of town with no warning, but perhaps they had been snatched. Everyone thought Bonnie took off with a rich, older man she met at the bar. Well, everyone except Bonnie’s mother.
“It will take time, but I can investigate.”
Odessa shut her eyes.
Dig up the bodies, he meant but didn’t say.
“I never want to think about today ever again,” Odessa said honestly. “That would be so awesome, but the families deserve closure.”
His hand covered hers. “Then let tomorrow worry about our problems. You need sleep.”
* * *
The shifting mattress woke her.A little nose pressed up against her own. She cracked an eye open. Ruby’s grin took up her entire face. “Mommy, tell Mads I can eat cereal for dinner.”
“Grandma is bringing up ham.” So much ham. She rubbed her throat, wishing Mads really had gone to the pharmacy for cough drops.
