Page 53 of Merry Murder Season
When we pulled into the parking lot, Dom was waiting for us. He leaned against his motorcycle like a bad boy on Sunday waiting for the preacher’s daughter outside the church in a movie. I could see the attraction. I wantedto climb on back and ride away into the sunset with him. Okay, not actually, but he looked good as he pushed his hair back and stood as we pulled up.
We got out of the Jeep and I looked at Beth. “I’ll see you inside.”
She walked over and he took something out of his jacket to show her. I pretended not to watch while I got my purse out and locked the doors. We didn’t want the bags of puffy quilted Santas and chocolate fudgeto get stolen.
Finally, I could stall no more, so I went into the store and got a cart. I don’t know how I would explain this to Greg and heaven help me if Jim found out. But Beth was an adult. She could talk to whomever she wanted to talk to. Even someone who looked like one of the dark romance book boyfriends that my customers were alwaysdrooling over.
I, obviously, went for a more clean-cut version of the alpha male. Too manyLaw & Ordershows as a teenager, although I’d always thought I’d go for the lawyer type. I smiled as I considered several options for the staff’s gift containers.
I texted my aunt and asked if she wanted to put a small something in the gift box/stocking. I got a quick text back.
From her answer, she and Harrold must have just returned from their cruise. She told me it was a great idea and she’d already picked up charms for the staff at the last port. I texted her that we had two more baristas, and then put my phone away. I didn’t want her to call and start questioning my hiring, even though she didn’t technically work at the shop anymore. She would call this “consulting,” whether I wanted heropinion or not.
Beth handed me a small jar. “This should hold enough cocoa mix for ten cups, depending on how strongthey like it.”
“You snuck up on me.” I nodded at the jar. “We should get some ribbon to wrap around it and stickers so you can name it: Beth’s Candy Cane Cocoa. Or something like that. Too bad your name’s not Candy.”
“Whatever. I would make a horrible Candy.” Beth grabbed a box of the jars and counted them out. Then she picked out a plaid Christmas ribbon. “What container areyou choosing?”
“This one. Aunt Jackie’s putting a little something in the staff boxes too.” It was killing me, so I asked, “Why did Dom need to see you?”
She shook her head. “It’s a secret and I told him Iwouldn’t tell.”
“You know you shouldn’t keep secrets with dark and dangerous men you meet on the street. It’s not safe,” I deadpanned.
Beth started giggling and then broke out into full laughter. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
“FaceTime. I swear, it’s almost like being there.” I filled my cart with the chosen boxes that looked like Christmas presents and then met Beth’s gaze. “I’m going tomiss you too.”
Chapter 21
We were almost back in South Cove when I realized something. “Beth, did Dom say whereGunter was at?”
“Gunter?” She turned down the Christmas carols on the station she’d found. Christmas twenty-four seven.
“His bodyguard? The guy he couldn’t even go to a bookclub without?”
Beth blinked and said, “Huh.”
“What’s huh?” A pit was forming in the bottom of my stomach. This was important but I didn’t know why or how.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Gunter in days. He was waiting for Dom in Lille’s parking lot that night Dom walked me home from working at the bookstore. And since then, Dom’s been around, but no Gunter. Maybe Dom thought he couldn’tkeep a secret.”
“What secret?”
“Oh no. You’re not tricking me into telling you,” Beth said, but she looked worried. She got out her phone. “I’m going to ask Dom where he’s been. And before you say anything, I should be able to tell you what’s going on sometime tomorrow.”
“After the bombing happens?”
Beth looked up from her text.“What bombing?”
“Just a joke.” I turned off the highway onto the road to South Cove and my house. “Maybe not funny but you’re beingso secretive.”
Beth just smiled. “Tomorrow.”
We dragged all the packages inside and then sat at the table. “Do we want to work on these tonight? Or just do everything tomorrow?”
“Why don’t you set up your staff gifts in the office, then we’ll add to each one. I’ll start getting the cocoa mix ready to putinto the jars.”
