Christmas Shop Murder by Linnea West

Author:Linnea West [West, Linnea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

The morning after the decorating contest, I met Sue outside of the Christmas Shop to help her open up. This time though we didn't walk into the scene of a crime. It was Saturday, so I had volunteered to help her on what promised to be a busy day. Of course, that had been before my mother had broken her leg. Thankfully my sister Trina was done with finals and agreed to stay the night so she could look after the B&B desk and my mother. With some juggling, I got all of my bases covered.

After we got all of the lights on in the store and made sure the shelves were straightened, I volunteered to run and grab us some coffee and donuts. It was a mild November morning, cold enough for the snow to stay while not so cold to take away my breath while I walked. It was cloudy and gray, but all of the Christmas lights downtown were lit so it wasn't a gloomy sort of morning.

I pushed open the front door of the Donut Hut and waved hello to the regulars while I made my way to the counter where Mandy was standing. When she spotted me, she gave me a big grin.

"I haven't seen you here recently," she said teasingly.

"Yeah, my waistline needed a break," I said while she gave a laugh. She knew my weakness for sweets. "But I can't stick around. I'm working at the Christmas Shop this morning and I came for some coffee and donuts for Sue and I. Can you get that packed up?"

"Of course, coming right up," she said. I watched her pack a cardboard box with four seasonal donuts and two big to-go cups with coffee. That was exactly what I needed for this cold, cloudy morning. I gave her a big thank you and left, waving to Ronald and avoiding a glare from Chelsea along the way.

Once I was back at the Shop, Sue was just finishing up with a customer. The store was empty for now, so we sat down on the two stools she kept behind the register and ate our breakfasts. I silently cursed Mandy for giving me so many donuts as I reached for my second one. I promised myself that I was most definitely not going to eat a third.

"Tessa, I've been meaning to ask you how you've been doing since last week," Sue said. She started to ramble a bit while I tired to finish the bite in my mouth. "You know, since we found Claire. Have you been alright? I know you were trying to help Tank out, which it seems like you did."

"I've been okay," I said. "Of course it was upsetting to find her, but I've been able to get over it. And I had to help Tank. I just knew he didn't do it."

Sue picked at her donut and I noticed a glint of gold on her wrist, but it was quickly covered by her sleeve.

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