AMAZON COPY The Santa Clause Ebook by Jones Annee

Author:Jones, Annee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Slipping and Sliding

MERRI

“Earth to Merri,” whispered Piper.

I blinked, suddenly noticing the man in front of my register.

He cocked an eyebrow and pointed to the two Lego sets on the counter. Impatience was written all over his face.

“Oops, sorry,” I apologized, shifting into gear and swiping my hand-held scanner over the bar codes. After I finished ringing up the transaction I glanced at the clock, relieved to see that my shift was over.

“I’m on my way out,” I told Piper, who was tidying up her workstation during a lull in customers. “Do you need anything before I go?”

“Only to know what, or rather who, has had your head in the clouds all morning,” she grinned. “Although I’ll bet I can guess.”

I giggled. “Oh no…Is it that obvious?”

“Yep,” she nodded. “How are things going with Hot Single Dad and your investigation?”

“Kane is a really nice guy,” I confessed. “He and his daughter have been somewhat estranged since he and her mom divorced, and he’s so excited to have her here at the North Pole. It’s heartwarming to listen to him talk about his child.”

“Aw, that’s nice,” said Piper. “But to be honest, I don’t really see how his daughter didn’t take that tablet. I mean, it was right there in her backpack.”

A niggle of doubt scurried along my spine. “I know. I realize that as much as Kane and I want to believe that Sophia is innocent, the truth may be that she really did try to steal the tablet.”

“I just don’t think there could be any other logical explanation,” Piper argued, running her rag over the register. “Have you and Kane come up with any other possibilities?”

“Maybe,” I admitted. “Yesterday, we stopped into The Candle Cottage and learned that several of their candles went missing a couple of days ago. This morning before my shift, I paid a visit to Starla’s Stationery to pick up a box of Christmas cards and learned from the manager that several stationery sets were stolen from there earlier this week.”

“Hm,” Piper mused. “Did either place catch any footage of the incidents?”

“No, that’s what is so strange…It seems whoever the thief is, they know exactly when to strike while the security systems are down for each retailer.”

“Interesting,” murmured Piper. “What are your plans for this afternoon? Any more sleuthing? Or perhaps a date with Kane?”

I laughed, feeling heat rising in my cheeks. “No to both,” I said somewhat despondently. “Kane and I agreed to meet up for dinner tomorrow night while Sophia is at a sleepover. In the meantime, I think I’ll go back to my room at Evergreen Lodge and do some reading. Maybe take a nap.”

“Okay,” Piper acknowledged. “Enjoy your day. Hopefully, there will be some mistletoe wherever you’re meeting Kane tomorrow night so you can duck beneath it.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

As I turned to retrieve my purse, I couldn’t help but cross my fingers.

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