“I told Patrick his wife was carrying my son-in-law’s baby. That psychopath tried to kill Justine that very evening. Turns out she’s a fair mark and got to him first. Ursula approached her and agreed to keep things quiet if Justine handed over her baby. And the rest is history.”
“No, you’re history. Put your hands up, fat man. I’ve got a gun.”
It was my mother’s finest moment. I nearly fainted from relief as Carole pressed an icicle into Rudy’s back. He was so shocked he dropped his revolver.
Rachel whipped around the corner and trained the weapon on Rudy. Doug hogtied the old man with his own suspenders. It was an uneasy few minutes until the sirens wailed into the housing development, and Truman and Faith stormed the house.
EPILOGUE
New Year’s Eve was the coldest night of the year so far. But Thistle Park was cozy and warm by day. I wish I could say the same for each night. I’d tried to put the events of a week ago behind me, but my dreams were still riddled with mayhem and murder. I pet my cats each time I retired for bed and prayed for easy sleep, but it hadn’t yet come.
Before he was formally charged, Rudy led Truman to the plot of land where he’d buried Andrea Adams. Nina finally had some closure about the death of her first daughter. But it was something of a cold comfort when she learned both of her daughters had been murdered to fulfill the machinations of Rudy March. She’d buried Andrea next to her sister Lacey, two daughters lost a decade apart.
Olivia and Toby had returned from their honeymoon in Iceland to find her grandfather locked up in my mother’s old cell, with enough counts and accusations to keep him firmly behind bars until the end of his days. The one bright spot, in addition to Olivia’s baby, was Olivia’s opportunity to get to know Justine better. She forgave her for placing her in the manger all those decades ago and was grateful to finally know her history. It turns out Justine had figured out that Olivia was her daughter, and had placed the angel atop the tree at Thistle Park, as well as the stocking with Olivia’s original name.
Judge Frank was no longer on the bench to accept a greased plea in exchange for a reduction in Rudy’s jail time. She was still on this side of the earth, though. She’d pulled through nicely from her abdominal surgery and awaited her own trial for her years of fixing cases. Thankfully the ethics committee that had pored over her cases had affirmed that there was nothing untoward going on with the matters Garrett had presented before her.
My mother no longer worked for March Homes. She’d soured on working for the March family and was going to strike out with a new partnership. She and Justine excitedly made plans for launching their new decorating and staging business.
“Happy New Year, sis.” Rachel left her perch next to Miles and crossed the room to give me a hug.
“And a happy New Year to you, too.” I tried to sound cheery. I was anything but. I hadn’t spoken with Garrett since that fateful conversation on Christmas Eve. I gave my sister a weak smile and escaped the merrymaking. It was too much watching my mother cuddle with Doug and Rachel canoodle with Miles.
The cold air outside was a welcome shock. Each breath I exhaled brought a stream of steam, and I focused on it for a while, willing my heart to slow down. I gazed upon the twinkling stars high above. It was a gorgeous night, cold and clear and calm. I closed my eyes against the night sky splendor.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
I didn’t dare to open my eyes. I was surely imagining Garrett’s presence. But there were his arms, warm and strong and true, wrapped around mine. And his familiar scent of citrus and spearmint.
“I was thinking of you, of course. And of us. And how I messed it up.”
I turned around to gaze into his hazel eyes.
“You did nothing of the sort.” Garrett bestowed me with a tender, if nervous, smile. “I’m sorry I left the other day. I don’t ever want to leave your side again.”
I pressed my cheek against his chest, and we were still for a few minutes.
“I’m staying here in Port Quincy. Tomorrow I’ll make a formal offer to Olivia to join my practice.”
I pulled back and searched his face, trying to determine if that’s what he really wanted.
“I almost lost you, Mallory. And I don’t want it to happen again.”
“And I realized what’s important. It’s you, and Summer and my family. I don’t ever want to lose you, Garrett.”
A wave of relief crashed over him. He bent down for a tender kiss. Then he was on his knee, a tiny box in his hand.
“Mallory, will you marry me?”
A pretty diamond ring nestled within. I smiled at my beau, my heart nearly bursting.
“Yes, yes, yes!”
Garrett slipped the cool metal over my finger, then picked me up and kissed me again.
We stayed on the porch for a few minutes more, savoring the calm night sky. Then we returned to the fire inside to share the good news.
Later that night I chatted excitedly with Summer, Truman, and Lorraine about the formal melding of our families.
“I bet you can’t wait to plan your own wedding,” Lorraine beamed.
But I wasn’t focused on that at all. I was just reveling in my new commitment with Garrett: an assurance and a promise to live, learn, and love each other.
The ball dropped at midnight, and we all trooped up to the widow’s walk to watch the fireworks go off over the Monongahela under the glittering stars.
“This year was something else,” Garrett laughed, leaning in for another kiss.
I heartily agreed. “And I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Recipes
Cardamom Men Cookies
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup coconut oil
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sift together flour, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Mix coconut oil, brown sugar, and molasses in a separate bowl. Combine with flour mixture. Chill cookie dough for one hour. Roll dough flat on a floured surface between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, including gingerbread men. Bake for approximately ten minutes, or until cookies are brown and crispy.
Icing
⅔ cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Beat shortening and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar until blended well. Place icing in piping cone and use to decorate the cardamom men.
Blue Ice Martini
3 ounces blueberry vodka
3 ounces blue Hawaiian Punch
Sea salt for martini glass
Dip martini glass rim in water. Next dip the rim of the glass in a plate of sea salt to salt the rim. Combine vodka and blue Hawaiian punch. Shake. Pour into a martini glass over ice.
Marry Christmas Murder Page 25