Snowbound at Christmas

by Debbie Mason

  Now might be the time for that apology, but he decided to wait until they were on their way to the warehouse. That way he could lock her in and she’d have to listen to him. “How did it go at the lodge? Did you find anything incriminating?”

  “No. But you should probably check out the rooms for yourself. You know, since you’re an FBI agent.”

  So much for waiting. He followed her to the passenger side and pressed the unlock button on the key fob, opening the door for her. “I screwed up. I should have told you. I’m sorry you had to hear it from my grandmother and not from me. I was going to tell you tonight, Cat.”

  “I’m having a hard time buying that,” she said as she got in the Range Rover.

  “Why? I’m not working this case as a federal agent. And initially, I had a good reason not to tell you who I was.”

  “Right, like suspecting me of trying to kill my sister.” She dropped her helmet at her feet, then reached for her seat belt.

  He covered her hand with his. “And in my place, you would have done the same.”

  “I… Okay, I would have. But you being an FBI agent changes everything.”

  “No, it doesn’t.” He shut her door. He wasn’t going to argue with her about this in the middle of Main Street.

  “Yes, it does,” she said as soon as he got in the SUV.

  “Look, I get, with how Turner handled you, the last thing you wanted to hear is that I’m an agent. It’s the reason I put off telling you. But I’m not him, Cat. I don’t believe you had any idea what Upton was up to. You were as much a victim as the others.”

  “You talked to Turner about my case, didn’t you?”

  He backed onto the street. “I’ve spoken to him twice. The night I took the case, and the day after you told me about Upton. I’ve asked Turner to take another look at the business partner’s death.”

  Her silence made him uncomfortable. He glanced at her. She had her eyes closed. “Cat—”

  She turned her head. “So now not only did I miss he was running a Ponzi scheme, you think the man I was going to marry was a murderer. Which would mean he was using me from the very beginning.”

  “It’s just a hunch. I could be wrong.”

  “But you don’t think you are.”

  “No, I don’t. I think his partner figured out what he was up to and was going to go to the Securities and Exchange Commission.” He reached for her hand. “We’re human, Cat. We all make mistakes. But you weren’t primary on the murder investigation, I checked, so this won’t come back to you.”

  “Maybe not as far as the department is concerned, but here”—she pointed to her head and then her chest—“and in here, it will.”

  “Only because you’re a good cop, a good person. But none of us are infallible.”

  “Even you?”

  He released a dry laugh and told her about his last case. About how badly he’d misjudged Valeria Ramos.

  “But in the end, you put her away, shut down her operation, and saved those girls. That’s all that matters,” she said.

  “My cousin and my partner had my back. Someone should have had yours. If you’ll let me, I’d like to be the one who does.”

  “Well, you kind of already do, since you’re the one who’s been keeping Chloe safe all day.” She shifted in the seat to face him. “I’m sorry I overreacted. Maybe we can start over.” Her lips turned up, her adorable dimple making an appearance as she held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Cat O’Connor.”

  He laughed as he turned into the warehouse parking lot. “No way. I already got to first base, and I plan to get to second… tonight.” He pulled into a space and turned off the engine. “Unless you and Easton McBride are—”

  Her cheeks pinked. She lowered her hand and undid her seat belt. “Yeah, about that, I shouldn’t have said what I did. I—”

  “So he’s not your baby?” He reached out, running a finger along her now-fiery red cheek.

  “I don’t need to be reminded of what I said, thanks. It was stupid.” She picked up her helmet.

  “I don’t know if I’d go so far as stupid, just not the kind of thing that a man who you’re supposed to be dating wants to hear.”

  “We weren’t dating at the time.”

  “Ah, I guess I didn’t get the memo. Are we dating again? Because if we are, we should probably kiss and make up.”

  A car door slammed and several people walked behind the SUV. She patted his chest. “Probably best if we save the making up for tonight when we’re alone.”

  The relief that coursed through him at her answer made him nervous. If he’d thought a casual relationship was all he wanted from her, that reaction had just proved him a liar. Might be a good idea to lighten things up a bit. He adjusted his sleeves beneath his coat, then gave her a smoldering look along with a British accent. “And my chances of getting to second base, how’s that looking, love?”

  “Lose the Harry act, but keep the accent, and the odds go up exponentially.” She got out of the SUV.

  Lighten the mood? He hadn’t thought that through very well, had he? He rubbed his face, wincing when his hand slid over his jaw.

  He was still sitting there when Cat came around to his side and opened the door. “Are you okay?”

  “Old George packed a harder wallop than I gave him credit for.” So did Cat.

  “Maybe we should be worrying about you and not Chloe. You better be careful he doesn’t push you off the float.” She put her hands on her hips and looked around the parking lot, then back at him. “I can’t figure out what George’s angle is.”

  “And here I was hoping you’d say you’ll kiss it better when we’re alone.”

  “Focus, Gray… Harry,” she corrected when another couple walked past. She lowered her voice. “I’ve been racking my brain, trying to come up with a reason why George would want to get rid of Chloe, and I can’t. Easton’s going to look into his, Molly’s, and Sam’s financials. Maybe something will pop.”

  She was right. He had to stay focused, and not on her. “I may not be on the case in an official capacity, but all the same, I’d prefer if we didn’t break the law. I’ll talk to Easton, find out how he’s going to go about digging into their financials. Same goes for him hacking into Chloe’s phone. What was he hoping to find?”

  “It’s not good news. We have another suspect. Lady Darby.”

  “The woman who threatened to kill Chloe after she’d been caught with her husband?”

  “One and the same. The Darbys split up a month ago, and she moved back to LA. She’s been laying low, or I would have known.”

  “And Chloe was in London. Any chance she met up with him?”

  “Since I’d warned her not to see him, she won’t cop to it. That’s why Easton was going to hack into her phone.”

  “I’ll take care of it while she’s getting ready for the parade.” He placed his hand at the small of her back. “We better get in there and get you suited up. You’ll make an adorable elf.” He opened the doors to the warehouse.

  Whatever she said was drowned out by a wave of noise. People were running around half in costume and half out. Phil was yelling directions, as were Chloe and Nell McBride. While Nell’s great-nephew Sheriff Gage McBride looked about ready to tear his hair out. He spotted Grayson and Cat and headed toward them, barely avoiding a ten-foot snowman that careened in his direction.

  “Geezus, I didn’t think you were going to show. I’m outta…” Gage trailed off when a fight broke out to the right of them.

  Ty, standing in front of Molly, wielded a curling iron as if it were a sword, warding off the twins Hailey and Holly. “Do not come near her. Beehives went out in the fifties. We’re not in Texas, you black-haired Medusas.”

  “We’re in charge of hair and makeup, you, you—”

  Cat put four fingers in her mouth and whistled loud enough to blow out Grayson’s eardrums. Everyone fell silent and turned in their direction. “Phil and Chloe, this is Nell’s show; leave her to the directing.
Holly and Hailey, Ty will take care of the cast, you look after the rest. And would someone please help the snowman.”

  Gage chuckled. “You always did know how to get a crowd’s attention. I’ll head out now.” He started for the doors, then turned to Cat. “My wife said to tell you the zipper on the elf’s costume gets stuck halfway, but all you have to do is give it a good tug.”

  Cat turned to follow Gage out the doors. Grayson grabbed her by the back of her snowsuit. “Oh, no, you don’t. We’re in this together.”

  * * *

  Cat was an elf. And from the horrified look on Ty’s face, not an attractive one. This didn’t cause Cat much concern, since Ty looked at her that way on a regular basis. But Holly’s and Hailey’s reactions? Yeah, that was somewhat worrisome. Ty stood in front of Cat like a warrior about to go into battle, with his black fur boots shoulder-width apart. He flipped out his right hand. “Tissues,” he said to Holly, who immediately jumped to do his bidding. Then he flipped out his left. “Makeup remover.” When Hailey, the twin who typically had an attitude, immediately did as he asked, Cat said, “Give me a mirror.”

  “No, not until I turn you from porno elf into cute elf.”

  “Ty, I’ve been sitting in this chair for thirty minutes. I don’t have time for you to redo my makeup,” she said. “See?” she added when Nell yelled, “Places people, we roll out in fifteen minutes.”

  “Hails, we better check and make sure we got everyone,” Holly said.

  “Okay. Ty, can we borrow your gold dust? We ran—”

  “Because you used it all on my poor Pussy.” He riffled through his makeup bag and handed her a container and brush. “Light touch, ladies. Now let the master get to work.” He licked the tissue. “All right, just let me…” he said, and went to dab Cat’s cheeks.

  She blocked his hand. “You are not wiping spit on my face. Don’t pout,” she said as she got to her feet. “It’s dark out. No one will see me.”

  He lifted his nose and sniffed. “Tell that to your sister. I practically had to pry her from my chair.” He gave Cat an up-and-down look. “At least you are totally rocking the costume. Tall, Dark, and Delicious hasn’t taken his eyes off you.”

  She glanced to where Grayson stood in front of As the Sun Sets’s float, a replica of the Harts’ living room, with a decorated Christmas tree standing to the side of a cardboard fireplace. He was talking to Chance, who’d arrived a few minutes ago. She’d been getting changed while Chloe was having her makeup done, but Cat was pretty sure Grayson had lifted her sister’s cell phone then. Afterward, she’d seen him standing off by himself at the back of the warehouse.

  She drew her attention back to Ty. “What happened? I thought you’d set your matchmaking sights on me and Easton.” She still couldn’t believe she’d called him baby.

  Easton had laughed off her apology and her attempt at an explanation, but she sensed his disappointment. Which sucked, because she cared about him, a lot. And the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. Besides being jaw-dropping gorgeous, he was warm and funny and smart. Maybe too smart. Because once Cat finished venting about Grayson’s subterfuge, Easton looked at her and said, “You’re in love with him.” And if that wasn’t enough to send her into panic mode, he also told her to be careful she didn’t let her trust issues ruin what could be a good thing. She wasn’t sure if he was referring to their high school romance or to Michael. To say she was shocked was an understatement, but she also had a feeling he might be right.

  “Yes, but that was before you told me he’s a special agent…” Ty patted his chest with both hands. “Be still my heart. You and James Bond are perfect together. He should keep the accent though. Just imagine when you’re in bed with—”

  “Shut it,” she said as the words second base ran through her head and a tiny thrill quivered in her stomach.

  Ty grinned. “I’ll be expecting details. Lots and lots of details.”

  In an attempt to hide her flushed face, she bent down to pull up the red-and-black-striped leotards that bagged at her knees. The bell on her red hat jingled. She straightened, tugging it down around her ears. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. I could have jogged along the parade route.”

  “At least you would have kept warm. You’re going to freeze to death,” he said, taking in the thin, long-sleeved red top and short black skirt. He grabbed his black fur jacket off the table behind her. “Here. Wear this.”

  She was about to politely refuse, then realized that not only would it keep her warm, it would cover her up. “Okay, thanks.” She nodded at her snowsuit and helmet sitting on the other makeup chair. “You can wear mine.”

  He looked like he’d sucked on a lemon. “I wouldn’t wear that thing if you paid me… Uh-oh, a cat fight between Dame Alexander and Nell McBride. My bet’s on Nell. She’s a feisty little thing.” He tapped his chin with his finger. “I should talk to her about that red streak. She has gorgeous hair… Where are you going?”

  “To save Santa.” The bells on the curled-up toes of her black slippers jingled as she jogged toward Santa’s float. The two older women were having a tug-of-war, with Santa as the prize. Coulter Dane with his snow-white hair and beard and handsome pink-cheeked face, looked like the man he was pretending to be. He also looked like his arms were being torn from their sockets.

  “Ladies, let go of Santa.” Surprisingly, they did as she said. Must be her cop voice. “What’s the problem?”

  Estelle smoothed her hair back. “Santa invited me to ride on his sleigh tonight, and this—” She jabbed her finger at Nell.

  Coulter interrupted her before she finished. “Now, ma’am, I—”

  Nell cut him off with a stubborn jut of her chin, her Rudolph earrings swinging and blinking. “I don’t care if you’re the Queen of England, you’re not riding on Santa’s float.”

  Rumor in town was that Nell and Coulter had been romantically involved years before, and if Cat wasn’t mistaken, Nell was jealous of Estelle spending time with her old beau. Even if he wasn’t her beau now. Estelle had already stirred things up with Fred and Ted, so this wouldn’t go over well. Since both women had the personality of a Rottweiler, it took a second for Cat to figure out what to do. “You know, Estelle, the kids would probably find it odd if you were on the sleigh with Santa. They might think he’s stepping out on his wife. But I’m sure we have a Mrs. Claus costume somewhere, and we can stuff some pillows—”

  “I think not.” She lifted her nose. “I’ll ride in the sleigh with the mayor. Mr. Dane, it was a pleasure speaking with you. I hope we can do so again.”

  Nell grumbled something under her breath, but Cat didn’t catch it because, from behind her, she heard George yelling at Grayson. As she pivoted and headed in their direction, the high school band started to line up. By the time she finally reached the daytime drama’s float, George was stomping off, with Phil chasing after him.

  “What happened?” Cat asked her sister and Grayson.

  Chloe laughed. “I think a better question is, what happened to you? You’re not really going out in public looking like that, are you?”

  Cat glanced at Grayson, a little surprised when he didn’t immediately come to her defense. Then again, she looked like a porno elf, and her sister looked like a fairy princess in her white fur coat with a shimmery, silver gown underneath. All she needed was a crown.

  “I don’t have much choice, Chloe.” Just once she’d like her sister to show some appreciation. She was doing this to protect her after all. She lifted her gaze to the man at Chloe’s side. He was watching Cat with a pensive look on his face. Something was wrong. “Harry, what happened with George?” She didn’t want to use his real name in case someone overheard.

  He glanced at the doors, then back at her. “He didn’t want me on the float. He thinks it should be just him and Chloe. Obviously, I couldn’t share why I had to ride on the float with her, and neither could Phil.”

  Chloe hugged Grayson’s arm and beamed up at him. “My protec
tor.”

  He gave her sister a tight smile. “Chloe, I’d like a word with your sister. Chance will help you get on the float.” His voice was clipped, tense.

  Cat rounded on him as soon as her sister was out of earshot. “What’s going on?”

  He drew Chloe’s cell phone from the pocket of his black wool dress coat and held it out to her. “Do you have an explanation for this?”

  She took the phone from him and glanced at the screen. “It’s the e-mail I sent to Molly the day we got stuck in the closet. Why?”

  His ice-blue eyes held hers. “Read it.”

  “Grayson, I don’t under—”

  “Read it.”

  “It says ‘I know what you’ve done. You won’t get away with it.’” She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know—”

  “The phrasing is identical to the first line in the letter left for Chloe.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Grayson didn’t believe in coincidences. The two sentences were the same, and that’s what he’d focused on. Just like he’d been trained to do. Admittedly, the wording was common enough. Cat had been genuinely shocked when she realized what he was accusing her of. Then her shock turned to hurt, which she covered with anger. But she was right when she said that if he didn’t trust her, they had no business working the case together, let alone contemplating a relationship.

  While standing beside Chloe on the float, Grayson went step-by-step through the investigation in his mind. He took his feelings for Cat out of the equation, looking at the evidence objectively. About ten minutes into the parade route, he’d decided that his screwup with Valeria was still messing with his head. He trusted Cat. And he stood a better chance of wrapping up the case partnering with her and the McBride brothers than on his own. He had four days left of vacation time. If he had to, he’d put in a request for an extension. As for their “relationship,” it was probably for the best if they didn’t take it any further.

  As though the thought conjured her up, Cat drove past them on a red ATV. She’d been circling the float since they turned onto Main Street, scanning the excited crowds at the same time waving and throwing candy canes. Despite the makeup job from hell, she looked adorably sexy in her costume. A fact that had him regretting his decision of moments ago. And not just because he wouldn’t be spending the rest of his nights with Cat making his way to home base.