The Secret Santa Project by Carol Ross

Author:Carol Ross
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-05-13T20:07:56+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

WITH HAPPINESS FLUTTERING inside of her, Hazel practically skipped along the sidewalk next to Cricket as she absorbed the morning’s revelations. Cricket and Ashley were not together. She knew her relief was excessive, but she didn’t care.

Sympathy for Ashley was mixed in there, too, and she felt the need to clarify a few details. “You took Ashley to see her ex-husband in prison yesterday? That’s what this whole thing was about for her. It also explains where you were all day yesterday, and why you weren’t helping us, and why you didn’t want to tell us.”

“Uh, let’s see... Yes, to all.”

“I thought you—” She abruptly halted her thought in midsentence. “You genuinely are a good person—you know that?”

“That’s kind of you to say, but I’m just glad I finally got to put all my prison experience to good use,” he joked.

“How did you even know her ex was there? Did Lee tell you?”

“It’s a long story, but it was kind of the opposite.” He explained about Roy inquiring about Lee and everything that came after. “Eventually, I offered to bring her to Otter Creek with me. I was supposed to see Lee yesterday, too.”

“What do you mean, you were supposed to? What happened?”

“When I got there, I found out he’d been released.”

“Released? When? Why wouldn’t he have told you?”

“Ten days ago, and I don’t know.”

Hazel was curious about this, too. That photo of Lee had her thinking. She didn’t want to be intrusive, but she also wanted to be supportive. “Is that unusual for him? Not to let you know where he is?”

“Yes, it is. He moves around a lot. We’ll go weeks or maybe even a month at a time without talking, but he always lets me know. Gives me a phone number. I called a few of his buddies that I had contact information for, got through to one voice mail. Left a message. Also left a message for his ex-girlfriend, Toni.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I accepted a long time ago that this is how it is. I’m sure I’ll hear from him eventually. Right now, I agree with Ashley—ready to get my mind off it.” He halted in front of a two-story green building with white trim. A dapper-looking snowman stood next to the hotel’s sign, complete with a top hat, plaid scarf and a carved walking stick. “Is this the place?”

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