Without warning, he reached across the table and placed his hand over mine. I hadn't taken the time yet to notice that he had very kind hazel eyes. "I know you were very close with your dad. He sounds like a wonderful man. Please know that I'm not here to replace him in any way. I love your Mom, and I want to live the rest of my life with her."
His words tugged deep down in my chest. I was feeling like a heel for being so negative about their relationship. "I'm happy for you both." I looked at each of them. "I really am."
Chris tapped the table. "Well, Maggie, we need to let this reporter get to work. The news waits for no one, not even past their prime couples."
"Who are you calling past her prime?" Mom said with a chin lift and then laughed. "Who am I kidding? Chris is right. We just wanted to tell you the news ourselves before Lana spilled it. You know how your sister likes to be at the front of the line on everything."
"I know it too well." We stood up from the table and walked them out to their car. I locked up so I could leave as well. I was anxious to follow my new lead on Aurora Marlin.
"Emily's making dinner tonight," Mom said as they reached the car. "You should invite that handsome young detective."
The mere mention of Jackson took some of the steam out of my engine. "I'm sure he's busy, but I'll be there. I'll see you two later."
Chapter 35
With today being the last day of the festival, there were few parking spots left. I parked near the newspaper office, a good mile from the festival. It was Saturday so the newspaper was closed, but a light was on in Parker's office. I lifted the collar of my coat and tried to slink past the windows unnoticed. I wasn't two feet past the building when Parker bellowed my name.
"Taylor, get in here. I haven't seen anything from you all week."
I temporarily considered pretending that I didn't hear him, knowing full well he wouldn't follow on foot, but his voice was like thunder.
I swung around and walked back to him. "Hey, boss, why are you working on a Saturday?" I thought a topic switch might help, especially because the man always enjoyed when he was the topic.
"Wife's got some cookie exchange party happening. I needed to get out. What are you writing about since the play was a disaster?"
I patted my pocket where my notebook was cradled. "You know me, Parker. I'm hot on the trail of something big. In fact, I was just heading to the festival where I'm hoping to find out some intriguing details about the murder."
His crooked moustache rocked back and forth. "I'll need something Monday."
I gave him a thumbs up, one of his favorite gestures. "Prepare to be amazed," I said cheerily. My smile faded the second I turned around. I didn't have one word of the article done, but with any luck, my visit to the festival was going to change that.
Nerves were bouncing around in my stomach like fireflies when I reached the place where Aurora was selling tickets for her Victorian carriage ride through town. She was an attractive forty-something woman with the tanned, fit look of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors. Her carriage was stopped along the curbside. Both horses looked asleep behind their blinders with their heads drooped low and the bells on their bridles silent. Aurora was talking to the two mounted police. They seemed to be discussing the saddles on the police horses and nothing of a serious nature.
I took a deep breath and headed toward her. I'd contemplated different ways of introducing myself but ended up with the standard announcement about being a reporter with the Junction Times. Any other way seemed underhanded. It was better she knew exactly who I was, even if it meant her answers were less forthcoming. Occasionally, the press pass worked the opposite way and caused people to spill everything they had on their mind. I had absolutely no evidence that Aurora had anything to do with Evan's death, but she was in town for the festival and it seemed she had a good motive.
"Hello.” I pulled out my press pass. "I'm Sunni Taylor with the Junction Times. I'm doing an article on the festival, (which was at least partially true) and I was hoping to take a ride on your beautiful carriage." I tapped my chin. "Now, does a tall, dapper Englishman in top hat and tails come with the ticket purchase?" I'd found early on in my career that humor always helped break the ice.
Aurora laughed. "I'm sorry to disappoint you. But I can guarantee a nice ride through town."
I pulled out the ten dollars it took for a ticket. "Carriage ride for one then, and I'll just imagine the dapper man sitting next to me."
Aurora took the money and showed me to the carriage. She opened the small black lacquer door and folded out two steps. I climbed up and sat down on the velvet cushions. It was rather exciting. I almost wished I wasn't there to pry information out of her.
Aurora shut the door of the open carriage and walked to the front to adjust the various straps on the horses. I leaned my arm along the edge and hung my head out to strike up a conversation. "My article was supposed to be about the Dickens' play, but I'm sure you heard how that went."
She nodded but didn't say anything in response. She'd unbuckled a harness and had decided to move it a notch higher. She was concentrating on her task when I tossed out a question. "Were you at the play? It was truly horrifying."
"No, I was working the carriage rides." Her earlier demeanor had darkened some.
Naturally, the sudden glacial chill around her didn't stop me. "I heard that Evan Weezer used to be partners with your husband."
She pulled the strap on the horse's bridle just a little harder than she or the horse had expected. The animal lifted its head in protest and she loosened it.
"Yes, that's true, but I have nothing to do with Weezer's business anymore," she said sharply. I'd hit a nerve.
"I don't like speaking badly about the dead, but from what I gathered in my interviews, Evan Weezer didn't have many friends. Let's just say he wasn't the nicest person in town." I tried to keep my tone airy. What I hoped was that Aurora would chime in about her feelings toward Evan. She couldn't think too highly of the man after losing a great deal of money to him.
But Aurora held her mouth in a firm line. She finally glanced my direction with an unfriendly expression. "Is this some sort of interview?"
"What? No, I'm just trying to get a good picture of Weezer for the article."
Her face snapped my direction as she checked another piece of tack. "I thought it was about the festival."
"Yes, yes, it is, but it would be hard to write an article about the festival and not mention the murder. Don't you think?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. I'm not a journalist."
I rested back and tried to organize my thoughts before asking another question. I was losing her fast. She seemed to grow angrier with each question. I decided to hold back until we took off or risk having her ask me to leave the carriage.
I waited for her to finish checking the horses. I glanced out at the people milling about the festival buying goodies and last minute gifts. My gaze swept across the mostly unfamiliar faces and landed directly on one very familiar one.
Jackson was a good two blocks away, walking our direction. It seemed his focus was on the carriage. I couldn't tell if he was looking at me or at the area in general. Either way, seeing him sent a jolt of nerves through me. Had he discovered the connection between the carriage driver and Evan Weezer? Darn him for always being one step ahead just when I was sure I was one step ahead.
Aurora walked up to the driver's box on the carriage. As she reached to pull herself up, the phone rang in her pocket. I sat forward with a gasp. It was Jingle Bells.
Aurora hadn't noticed my stunned reaction. She stopped her ascent into the carriage and pulled her phone out. She glanced at it but decided to let the call go to voicemail. That's when she noticed me staring at her.
"Jingle Bells," I said on a stunned breath.
"Yes, it's my favorite," she said with a shrug, unsure why I would be so shocked.
"You were at the play that night. When Evan fell dead, I hurried up on stage to hel
p. I heard the ringtone behind the tent."
Her face blanched as white as the snow covered sidewalk behind her. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"It was you." I hadn't meant to say the words out loud but they dribbled from my lips.
Aurora's face hardened as she pulled her whip from the driver's seat. Her arm came up and the whip cracked the air over the heads of the horses. They lurched forward with loud whinnies and took off at a full gallop.
A scream was knocked out of me as I was thrown back hard against the seat.
Chapter 36
Terror glued my eyes shut and my fingers clutched at the upholstery, the seat, the edge of the carriage, anything I could grab that might keep me from flying out of the open vehicle. The impossibly loud clatter of horse hooves smacking asphalt was punctuated by the screams and yells of the people standing on the sidewalks.
The carriage careened side to side. One side suddenly lifted up, signaling that two wheels had come off the ground. The jarring thud that followed as the wheels thankfully made contact with the road snapped my teeth shut hard.
I pried open my eyes and tried to think rationally over the pounding of my pulse. The festival passed by with a blur. The horrified expressions I saw as the carriage sped past assured me I was in grave danger. The horses steamed straight ahead, two frightened animals, with no one to rein them in.
My survival instincts kicked in. I threw myself across to the opposite seat and tried to peer over the front lip of the passenger compartment. The driver's box was a good foot away and at least three feet higher than the passenger seat. I got up on my knees and reached for the back of the driver's seat, hoping to heave myself over and not completely sure what to do once I got there.
I heard sirens behind me as we left the festival area and headed toward the main part of town. After several tries, my fingers grasped the edge of the driver's seat. The carriage swerved violently to the side, causing me to lose my grip. I was thrown against the side of the carriage. My head smacked the edge, and I dropped to the floor in agony. I held my head to stop the pain and dizziness.
Probably only two minutes had passed since the mad carriage ride had begun, but it felt like an eternity. The horses didn't seem to tire. If anything, the wild gallop through town only gave them more spirit. I knew we were heading for Crimson Grove, a busy road that connected Firefly Junction to Birch Highlands. So many nightmarish scenarios followed in my dazed state of mind that I shut my eyes hard to erase them.
As I opened them, I came to the dreadful conclusion that I'd hit my head hard. I was hallucinating. I'd conjured up an image of Jackson riding past, hunkered down low over a horse's neck.
My life started coming up in bits and pieces as I convinced myself this would be the end for me. Tears burned my eyes and I ducked into a ball, deciding it would be the least painful way to go if the carriage was broadsided by a car or truck.
The carriage lurched again, this time front to back, sending me rolling and ricocheting between the seats. A voice above my head said "Whoa" in a deep, dulcet tone.
The carriage seemed to slow, only I was in such a haze it was hard to tell for sure. I released the hold I had on my knees and lifted my face. Sunlight burned my eyes for a second, then a shadow fell across me, clearing my vision. A tall figure sat up on the driver's seat. His big arms working to gain control of the horses.
"Whoa, whoa, there you go."
The sound of Jackson's voice brought me instantly to tears. The carriage slowed to a mild roll, eventually creaking to a stop. The clatter of horse hooves fell silent and only the animals' panting breaths filled the air.
Jackson tied off the reins and turned sharply around on the box seat. His worried gaze found me sitting on the floor of the carriage. "Sunni, are you all right?" I had never heard him sound scared before. It made the tears fall faster.
I wiped at them with shaky hands. "I am now," I said through sobs.
Voices and footsteps rumbled behind the carriage. I pulled myself up onto the seat. My legs collapsed on the way down. Festival goers, shop owners and one of the mounted policemen stood a safe distance from the carriage, not wanting to startle the horses. I waved to the worried onlookers to let them know I was all right.
Cheers and applause rang out as Jackson climbed down from the carriage. The fear in his face had not disappeared as he opened the door. He held out his hand and gazed at me with dark amber eyes fraught with worry.
My limbs were shaking so hard, it was hard to reach for his hand. The second our palms met, he had me out of the carriage and in his arms.
"Thought I'd lost you, Bluebird," he muttered as his mouth pressed against my forehead.
I kept my face smothered against his chest, waiting to regain a few ounces of composure. His strong embrace was helping. His protective arms stayed wrapped around me. His erratic heartbeat drummed against my cheek. It was pounding nearly as fast as my own.
I finally took a steadying breath and peered up at him. But I was speechless. I still couldn't believe I was standing there, alive in his arms. "This is real, right?" My voice wavered.
He squeezed me tighter. "As real as can be. And as far as I'm concerned this is that kaboom moment." I'd barely caught my breath when his mouth came down over mine for a kiss.
The tension in my body disappeared and was immediately replaced with the warmth and giddiness that came from an extraordinary and long awaited kiss. My knees were still weak from the frightening experience. The kiss wasn't going to help them solidify any time soon.
After a long kiss and a round of cheers from what seemed to be the entire town, Jackson lifted his mouth from my lips.
"I'm definitely seeing fireworks," I smiled up at him. "Of course, that might have something to do with the blow to my head."
Jackson noticed, for the first time, the bump on the side of my head just above my temple. He touched it lightly, making me wince.
"We need to get you checked out by a doctor."
The sound of approaching horse hooves startled me. Jackson tightened his hold on me and kissed my head right above the bump. "That's just Officer Vickers." His arms lowered and we turned to watch the mounted officer walk toward us.
He climbed down and led the horse to us. "That was better than any western movie," Officer Vickers quipped. "I think you've missed your calling, Detective. You should have been a stunt man."
Jackson rubbed his lower back. "I'll be feeling it tonight. I haven't ridden on a horse in years. Guess it's like riding a bicycle. Did Officer Truro get his horse back?"
"Yes, Old Pete hasn't been ridden like that for awhile. After you jumped off of him onto the carriage he trotted right off to the nearest green patch to graze." Officer Vickers was young, late twenties at the most. His thick hair was brushed back out of the way of his riding helmet. "We've detained Aurora Marlin. She's back at the start of this wild carriage ride." Vickers nodded politely at me. "Glad to see you're all right."
I smiled weakly back at him. I hadn't released my hold on Jackson's coat yet.
"I'm going back to talk to her right now," Jackson said.
Vickers' curious gaze flicked from me to Jackson and back again.
"Is there anything else, Vickers?" Jackson asked.
"No, sir." He shook his head but then stopped. "Detective Jackson, sir," he said hesitantly. "I know you just saved her and all, and I know, well—" He shook his head again. "Never mind."
"If you're wondering, Vickers, I didn't just kiss a complete stranger." Jackson put his arm around my shoulder. "I know Miss Taylor well."
Vickers nodded. "I'm going to ride back. I've called a car for you and Miss Taylor."
A squad car arrived just seconds later. Jackson opened the back door of the car and held my hand until I was safely inside. He climbed in next to me.
I stared at the back of the officer's head through the metal screen. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm relieved to be sitting in the back of this police car. What a morning." I looked ov
er at him. My head was throbbing from the bump, but I was starting to feel normal again. It helped me retrieve the events of the last fifteen minutes. "You've detained Aurora Marlin? She did this on purpose. I saw the whip go up over the horses' heads. The next thing I knew I was flying through the festival in that unwieldy carriage."
Jackson turned slightly toward me. "I saw it happen. But why? Why did she want to hurt you?"
"I might have accused her of murder."
"Might have?"
"Yes. It's all because of Jingle Bells. The night of the murder, when you raced up on stage, I followed. In the midst of the chaos, I heard someone's phone go off just outside the tent. The ringtone was Jingle Bells. I didn't think much about it again until Aurora's phone went off. Her husband was John Marlin—"
"Evan's late business partner," Jackson finished for me. "That's why I was heading over to talk to her."
I sat back dejectedly. "So you already knew she was the killer? I thought I had you beat this time."
He took my hand. "You did have me beat, Bluebird. I was going to ask her a few questions just to find out where she was during the time of the murder. Only you've already answered that for me. A matching ringtone is pretty light evidence, but since she decided to take justice into her own hands and take out a witness right in front of everyone, she just sealed her fate."
The festival goers and vendors were cleaning up some of the chaos left behind by the runaway carriage ride through town. Fortunately, it seemed no one got hurt, including the horses.
Aurora Marlin was standing in her green velvet coat and pants looking about as distressed as a person could look. Her face was ashen white. Even her lips were pale gray.
The officer parked the squad car and got out to open the back door. Jackson took my hand again and lowered his gaze to me. "Sunni, don't scare me like that again."
"Trust me, I won't be climbing into a horse-drawn carriage anytime soon."
A Humbug Holiday Page 16