How the Finch Stole Christmas by J R Ripley

Author:J R Ripley [Ripley, J R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781516103140
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2017-11-14T05:00:00+00:00

18

I left Jerry with his thoughts, buttoned up my coat, and marched outside. Officer Sutton stood on the grass, his shoulder resting against the trunk of a bare oak.

“Dan, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Dan straightened as he nodded toward the door. “I thought I’d make sure you got out of there alive.”

“Very funny.”

“How’s Kim doing?”

I fished in my purse for my key ring. “I was hoping you could tell me.”

Dan frowned. “I talked to her for a minute or two yesterday. It was the middle of the day and she was moping around in her pajamas. I told her that folks around here aren’t as volatile as they were before the murder.”

“The best thing she can do is get out and go about her life.”

“I agree,” said Dan. “But how do we get her to do that?”

I tapped my foot on the sidewalk. “Good question.” I smiled. “And I think I have the answer. Where are you off to? Is Jerry sending you on some top secret mission, like fresh cupcakes?”

Dan chuckled. “No, not this time, anyway. We’ve had a call about some vandalism over at Christmas House Village.”

“Again?”

“What do you mean, again?”

“I’ve heard rumors,” I said, deciding to remain vague. Eve Dunnellon had told me that Christmas House Village preferred to keep such things quiet. “What is it this time?”

“A shopper called to report that someone had dumped a gallon of red paint and a dead squirrel in the men’s room at Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen.”

“Christmas House Village?”

“Yep.”

“That’s disgusting.” Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen was located in Frosty’s House and served light Christmassy drinks and snacks year-round.

“The chief wants me to check it out. At least I won’t be the one having to clean it up.” He glanced at his watch. “I’d better get going. Let me know if you hear from Kim.”

“I will.”

Dan climbed into his squad car idling at the curb. I approached the passenger-side window and motioned for him to roll the window down.

“Yeah?”

“Do you know a Bobby Cherry?”

Dan thought a moment, one eye on the monitor on the dash. “No, should I?”

“Ask Eve Dunnellon about him.”

“The manager at Christmas House Village?”

Dan agreed and drove off.

Back at the store, I found Riley and Mom finishing up the birdseed ornament order in the first floor stockroom. Esther was running things out front.

Mom looked up from the gingerbread man mold on the table in front of her. “Hello, dear. We’ve a dozen each to go, and then we’re done.”

“That’s nice to hear. I dropped some samples off earlier for the manager.”

“I know,” Mom said. “Ms. Dunnellon called and said they were perfect.”

“She’s real anxious to get the rest,” Riley put in. He had the snowman mold filled with seed and was now adding some unshelled black-oil sunflower-seed buttons to its belly. “If you want, I can drive them over in my pickup later.” He wore a hideous green and red Christmas sweater featuring a drunken reindeer.

“That would be great, Riley.” I patted him on the back. “Speaking of your pickup, would you mind if I borrow it to pick up a Christmas tree?”

Riley turned to face her.

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