Page 3 of A Merry Little Christmas
Will reached in the bag and pulled out the contents.
‘A Bugatti Chironracing car?’ He held up the diecast model and gazed at it, his eyes shining. ‘Thank you!’
Caleb smiled. ‘You like it? I thought the red with black trim looked good.’
Will nodded eagerly. ‘It’s the best car I’ve got now. My favourite one was my Ferrari Testarossa. But this one is even better. It’s totallymint!’
I grinned at Caleb. ‘I think it’s a hit.’
‘I just need to make a space for it on the special shelf in my bedroom,’ Will said, racing out of the room.
‘You just made one twelve-year-old boy very happy.’ I smiled up at Caleb.
‘I remember being exactly the same at his age. A complete car nut.’
Will came down five minutes later, saying he knew where he was going to put it – but he’d brought the model car with him, clearly not wanting to part with it just yet.
Later, after he’d gone up to bed still clutching his gift from Caleb, we snuggled together on the sofa watching a movie. (Die Hardwas a good compromise, we decided, since Caleb wasn’t overly keen on the more schmaltzy festive films.)
‘I wouldn’t mind visiting the Jingle Bell Forest myself,’ I murmured during the adverts.
Caleb kissed my temple. ‘Can I come with you?’
‘I’m counting on it.’
‘Okay, it’s a date. How about the Saturday before Christmas?’
‘Perfect. But are you sure you’ll remember? You know how busy you always are with work.’
‘For you, I will remember.’ He grinned. ‘In fact, it’s going in my diary right now.’ He drew out his phone and did the deed. ‘There! Our visit to “Jingle Bell Forest” is now set in stone.’ He grinned and shook his head, as if to say,What on earth are you making me do, woman?
‘Brilliant. I can’t wait.’
Lounging there by Penny’s cosy log-burner – as gunshots rang out in the movie and I pretended to be scared so I could snuggle closer to Caleb – I experienced a moment of perfect happiness.
I was full of excited anticipation for what the days ahead would bring...
CHAPTER TWO
It was a dark and windy night.
I stood at the foot of the Empire State Building gazing upwards. It made me feel dizzy, looking at the skyscraper towering into the sky and disappearing into the threatening black clouds overhead.
There was a knot in the pit of my stomach.
I don’t want to go up there again...
Please don’t make me go up there!
But a hand was at my back, pushing me onwards... across the floor of the entrance lobby... into the lift.
I was alone in there, apart from the thing at my back, and at first, I averted my eyes from the mirror, terrified to catch a glimpse of my tormentor. With a sickening jolt, the lift lurched upwards, and when I turned my head slowly, it was more horrible than I’d imagined.
A dark, hooded shape was standing there, perfectly still, watching me.
I glanced away, my heart beating so fast I could hardly breathe, willing the lift to reach its destination so that I could run – and escape from those burning eyes...
Bolting through the lift doors as soon as they opened, I ran for the observation deck, frantically hoping there would be people there to save me from this monster on my tail.
