Page 30 of Mountain Man's Naughty Elf
I made my way through the square, smiling and waving as I always did, though my pulse quickened with each step. Several people greeted me warmly, thankfully not believing Nolan's accusations. Others averted their eyes or whispered as I passed. One mother pulled her children closer, as if embezzlement might be contagious. The divided reactions stung.
"Pepper! Just the person I need."
I turned to find Martha Klaus striding purposefully toward me, her silver-rimmed glasses glinting under the holiday lights as she beckoned me closer with a quick gesture.
"Hi Martha, Merry Christmas," I said, not sure if she'd believe in my innocence or if she'd accepted the rumors.
She pulled me behind a large display, her clipboard clutched against her chest. "I never believed for one second you tookthat money," she said fiercely. "That man has been cooking the books since he took office. I've been tracking discrepancies in the North Pole Village budget for months but couldn't prove it was him."
Relief washed through me. "Thank you for believing in me."
"Of course I believe in you. Now, what's the plan? I know you have one—you always do."
I glanced around to ensure we weren't overheard. "We have proof. Financial records showing Nolan diverted the funds to his personal development company."
Martha's eyes sharpened with vindication. She flipped a page on her clipboard, revealing a detailed timeline she'd apparently been keeping. "I knew it. What do you need from me?"
I explained our strategy quickly. Martha nodded, making rapid notations on her clipboard. "I'll have the second microphone ready by the tree. Just give the signal." She tapped her watch. "Seven minutes to speech time."
"Nolan spotted," Pax's voice said in my earpiece. "Three security with him. Approaching from the south entrance."
"I see them," I replied, spotting Nolan across the square with his enforcers flanking him like dark shadows. One of them scanned the crowd with cold, calculating eyes that sent a chill through me. "Martha's here too, by the hot chocolate stand. She's on our side."
"I'm in position," Rudy added. "The tech guy was surprisingly willing to take a coffee break. Something about needing to smoke. I've got our evidence ready to go and queued up on the system. Just waiting for your signal."
My pulse quickened as Nolan took the stage, his politician's smile firmly in place as he waved to the crowd. I'd once found that smile charming. Now I could see the calculation behind it, the emptiness in his eyes.
"Citizens of Evergreen Falls," Nolan began, his voice booming through the speakers. "Welcome to our annual celebration! Despite the challenges we've faced this year, including the unfortunate situation with our charity funds, the spirit of giving remains strong in our community."
The crowd's reaction was mixed—some nodded along, while others exchanged angry or worried glances.
"And I promise you," he continued, "as your mayor, I will personally ensure that every child in need receives a gift this season, despite the setback."
"That lying snake," I began, then caught myself.
"Steady," Pax cautioned in my ear. "Wait for the right moment."
I took a deep breath, moving closer to the tree where Martha stood ready. Nolan droned on about community spirit and resilience in the face of adversity, each word stoking my anger higher. Finally, he reached the part of his speech we'd been waiting for.
"And now, as we light our town tree, let us remember that even in our darkest moments, the spirit of Christmas—"
"Now," Pax's voice commanded in my ear.
The massive screen behind Nolan flickered, then filled with the incriminating spreadsheet—columns of numbers showing clearly how funds had been diverted from the toy drive to "EF Downtown Revival LLC." A second document appeared beside it—a registry showing Nolan Wickett as the sole owner of the company.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Nolan froze mid-sentence, turning to see what had captured their attention. His complexion shifted from pale to flushed with anger.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, as the tech team scrambled to cut the feed.
Martha was already moving, her clipboard abandoned as she grabbed the second microphone from its stand near the sound equipment and rushed to my side. "Now, dear," she whispered, thrusting the mic into my hands. "Tell them everything."
My hands trembled as I raised the microphone, but my voice came out clear and strong, carrying across the square.
"Ladies and gentlemen," I called, "What you're seeing are financial records showing how Mayor Wickett has been stealing from our charity toy drive. Money meant for children's presents has been funneled into his personal development company."
Nolan's face contorted. "This is a fabrication! Pepper Prescott is trying to frame me after stealing the funds herself!"
"The documents are authentic," Rudy called out, stepping forward with his press credentials visible. "Rudy Forrester, Mountain Gazette. We've verified the records with three independent forensic accountants. Mayor Wickett has been embezzling from multiple town projects for years."
