Crimes Most Merry and Albright by Larissa Reinhart

Author:Larissa Reinhart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Past Perfect Press

Twenty-Five

Maizie Albright

#AllIWantForChristmas #IsASaltTruck #AndYou

* * *

The cavalry arrived in the guise of five large men with Eastern European accents. The smallest one — only six feet — ran up the porch steps, tripped over the lighting, and smacked his head on the wooden porch floor. The other four followed him inside the house, laughing and taking turns at head-splat sounds.

The banter stopped at the site of our prisoner.

While Nik dropped to his knees to press his face against his wife's belly, the others surrounded Jay, cracking their knuckles and uttering low, threatening phrases in a foreign language.

"He should be in police custody," I reminded them. "Anything that happens to him now is not self-defense. You could go to jail."

They ignored me.

"Or be sued."

Grumbling, they grabbed chairs from the kitchen. Circling Jay with their chairs, they continued the foreign threats. But half-heartedly. And while checking their phones.

"It's Pearl. Sheriff Thompson's on his way over," said Casey, one ear on the phone and a hand around her husband's waist. "Now that y'all are here, he wants you to drive that truck around town, so his deputies don't wreck their cars. He wants a clear path for the patrol cars and ambulances coming for Mrs. Boyes and Luke."

"How is the deputy?" I asked.

She hooted. "Sounds like Cherry's defrosting Luke."

"Smart man," said Nik.

"Not really. Luke's going to end up with the flu," said Casey. "And then we'll have two eating chicken soup instead of turkey on Christmas day."

"Turkey." Nik made a face. "We should have goose."

"Whoever heard of goose for Christmas dinner? I'm going to make hot chocolate for everyone," said Casey. "But first I gotta tee-tee. This baby's dancing on my bladder like she's at a house party. Someone put those lights back on the tree. Cherry's got them strung up in the windows. I guess she was hoping to electrocute the bank robbers."

"He," said Nik. "It is boy. First born in my family is always the boys."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I could tell by the way I held Daddy's shotgun that we're having a girl." Casey stuck her hands on her hips. "The girls in our family have excellent aim. Cody and Grandpa can't hit the side of a barn."

The Hallmark Channel always used "quirky" to describe small-town characters. Maybe "dangerous" was more appropriate.

The doorbell rang. The Russian-ish salt truck gang looked up from their phones.

"Police," I cried. "Finally."

"Not yet." Nik dropped his hands from Casey's hips. "A truck followed us from highway. It stopped next door. Let me check."

I moved behind him. "I've got a candy cane shiv if you need it."

Nik looked through the peephole, then cracked the door. "What you want?"

"Is Maizie Albright in there?"

Nash.

I clapped my hands, closed my eyes, and thanked my Hallmark Channel angel. "I'm here, Nash. Let him in."

Nik stepped aside, and Wyatt Nash walked through the door. His tall, strapping physique matched those of the salt truck gang, but before a round of alpha chest-beating began, he gave the group a deferential nod.

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