Just South of Christmas

by Grace Palmer

  He answered on the third ring. “Mel? I told you I was out for a drive.” His voice was full of irritation.

  At once, fury rose inside of her. “Then why did you just call me?” she demanded.

  There was a moment of silence before he responded. “I didn’t.”

  “You most certainly did. I answered and all I could hear was the sound of your music in the background.”

  He groaned then. “It must have been a butt dial. Sorry, Mel.”

  Somehow, she had hoped that he calling her first would make it easier to talk about what had happened, but suddenly everything was all the more complicated.

  A butt dial. Now, of all times. The universe had a cruel sense of humor, it seemed.

  She said nothing and waited to see if he would jump over his own shadow.

  At last, he cleared his throat. “Look, maybe I’ll swing by your mom’s place and pick you up? We can talk. I’m almost there anyway. Just passing the Kash & Karry around the corner.”

  Momentarily confused, she scratched her head. Then it came to her. He didn’t know she left the Walkabout early.

  “I’m not at Mom’s. I’m at work. I left the Walkabout just after you and headed here. I guess that’s my version of going for a drive.” Her voice was even and dry, just like Colin’s.

  “Yeah, I suppose so. I guess we both find solace in solitude.” The resignation and regret were evident in his tone.

  Melanie scoffed at this, but couldn’t deny it. It was true. The office and the animals always gave her a sense of peace. She didn’t quite know what to say, but fortunately, she didn’t have to.

  Colin spoke up once more. “Hon, I don’t know what to say. I hate that this got out of control. I know I’ve been difficult today. It’s been rough. I should’ve pulled myself together for you. For us.”

  “Yes, me too. I guess I just—”

  Before she could finish her thought, she was cut off by came a deafening, heart-wrenching sound from Colin’s end of the phone.

  First, it was a bang.

  Then, a smash.

  And then the awful sound of metal screeching across the floor.

  She heard the squeal of car brakes. Wind rushing. Glass shattering.

  But what terrified her to her core, more than anything else, was the sound of Colin yelling in panic. Just sheer, wordless terror.

  “Colin!” she screamed into the phone. “Colin! Colin, do you hear me? What happened? Where are you? Colin!”

  There was no answer. Only the prolonged blare of the car horn beeping, again and again.

  And eventually, even that faded away, and then there was nothing on his end of the phone but silence.

  Melanie jumped up and raced out of the sick patient room and into her office. Bandit looked up, his large brown eyes alarmed when he saw the expression on her face. He was on his feet and by her side, jumping up at her while barking.

  “It’s okay, boy. It’s okay. Daddy had an accident, but Mama’s going to check and make sure he’s alright.” She bent down and petted his head. “Remember your accident a while back? It’s just like that. And you were fine. Totally fine. Daddy took you to the hospital and I fixed you up. It’ll be just like that. Everything is going to be okay; I promise you.” The dog looked at her and proceeded to lick her face, something he always did when he knew Melanie or Colin were upset.

  Snatching her old and beaten up purse from her desk, she rushed towards the front door. She didn’t bother to lock it. There was no time to fish for the keys.

  Colin needed her.

  The coldness of the night took her by surprise as she raced down the street. The street was almost empty now. Folks had gone home or to her mom’s party. She was forced to park two blocks away earlier, but now the street was clear and devoid of life.

  Where had he said he was? Near the Kash & Karry? That was a ten-minute drive from here.

  She’d park the car at the inn and sprint across the street, rather than risk blocking up the street for the EMTs who were sure to arrive soon.

  She got in her car, started the engine, and stepped on the gas. As she drove past her mother’s house, she swallowed a new sound: the sound of the sirens.

  Sirens that were coming for the man she loved.

  12

  Georgia

  An Hour Earlier

  Georgia stood at the sink, washing the last of the cutlery and what remained of the plates. She had lost about half of her pretty porcelain display trays in the vandalism and would have to get more in time for the anticipated Christmas rush of guests.

  She glanced back and saw that Alma was putting the finishing touches on the floor, mopping it for the third time while from the living room and dining area she heard the sound of vacuums roaring across the carpet, putting the inn back to rights.

  The party had, of course, been canceled. Liza, upon arrival and seeing the destruction, had taken care of that handily.

  Pam stepped up next to her and placed her hand on her back. “Are you sure you don’t want us to call the kids back? I can give Gwen a buzz and she can have Tasha over here in no time. I know Ashley and Drew would...”

  Georgia raised a hand to stop her. “No, no, I’m quite certain. I don’t want the kids seeing this, much less cleaning it up. This is their home too after all; they don’t need to hear about it today. Mel has had a tough day and I know Drew and Ashley are looking forward to a nice quiet rest of the night. And Tasha, you know how much she loves the caroling. No, I will tell them in time.”

  “Alright then, my dear. Well everything is pretty much back to the way it was before. That’s a comfort.” Pam patted Georgia on the arm and stepped back.

  Georgia turned and looked from Pam to Alma and to Stella. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me. I don’t know how I would have managed.” Suddenly, she felt sobs rising up inside of her again and she covered her mouth with her right hand. At once, Alma was by her side and she and Pam comforted her as she cried. “I just don’t know who would have done this to me. Why? I don’t understand.”

  Just then, the sounds of the vacuums stopped and they were joined in short order by Cheri and Liza.

  Upon seeing her face, Cheri covered her mouth and look as though she too was about to burst into tears. “Oh Georgia, sweet Georgia, what a disaster. You did not deserve this.”

  “Nobody does. I wouldn’t do this to my worst enemy. We have to find out who was responsible,” Alma declared.

  Stella raised her cell phone at this. “Sam just texted me and said he and Joel finished walking the perimeter. They found no trace of whoever did this. They are heading off to the neighborhood watch department to make a report.”

  “I still think you should report this to the police,” Liza said. “This is proper vandalism; it should be investigated. I’m glad we took pictures just in case.”

  Georgia knew her friends meant well, but she didn’t want the events of tonight to spread further. Too many people already knew. Crowds of people had arrived for the party by the time it was clear it had to be cancelled. Many of those remained on the lawn, having get-togethers of their own. The disaster was visible through the windows, and the amount of garbage being taken out to the bins spoke for itself.

  “I really don’t need additional attention from the police,” she told her friends.

  “Well, just be sure, if anything else happens, to make a report. Promise me that,” Liza demanded.

  “I promise. If there’s anything else, I will make a report.”

  Alma shook her head. “That won’t do. We’re gonna have to do something and right away.”

  Frowning, Georgia looked at her friend. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, don’t y’all know that the bad guys always come back to the scene of their crimes? Some twisted need to see the results of their dirty deeds. I say we have a stake-out and wait here for the bad guys to return. We’ll watch the inn in shifts tonight. Joel, Sam, and Ben can patrol outside and we ladies take turns in here.”
>
  “Alma is right,” Stella agreed. “I would not be surprised if we find the bad guy in the bin later, looking at what he’s achieved.”

  Georgia sighed heavily. She didn’t have the energy to argue with a decision. Instead, she put Alma in charge of the stake-out she was so bent on having. While the ladies set out to come up with a detailed plan, she walked upstairs to change out of her dirty, sticky clothing and into a comfortable track suit.

  Once she was alone, Georgia sat on the edge of her bed and shook her head. What a disaster this day was. It all started out so beautifully with her friends, her children, and Joel all by her side. And now look how the night turned out. Somebody had invaded her home and destroyed everything she and her friends at work so hard to prepare.

  It was supposed to be one of the most beautiful days of the year.

  The only luck she’d had was that Gwen suggested to lock the common areas so that guests staying in the inn upstairs would not have access to the decorated living room and kitchen areas. Thus, none of her present guests had seen the destruction. That’s the last thing she needed: guests leaving because of vandalism.

  By the time Georgia made her way back downstairs, Alma had drawn up a schedule for the night to ensure that the inn was under surveillance the entire time. Two women were going to be on duty while one of the men, who were consulted via phone, was to be outside.

  Liza was in the process of brewing a large pot of coffee when Georgia slipped into a chair.

  “You looked better,” she said to Georgia, who nodded.

  “I feel it. Thank you again so much. All of you.”

  The ladies nestled around the table for another half an hour chitchatting in an effort to distract Georgia from her dark thoughts. Then, one by one they made their way up to the guest bedrooms save for Alma, Georgia, and Pam, who were taking the first shift.

  “I suggest that we sit in the living room.” Alma said. “From there, we will have a perfect view of the driveway and the street.”

  “But what if they come back from the alley behind?” Pam asked.

  Alma pondered this question and then nodded. “Pam, how about you go out back? Maybe sit in Georgia’s office while she and I take the front? We will need two pairs of eyes in the front seeing how it’s a busier street.”

  Pam nodded and set off, a glass of wine in hand, to take her position in the back of the house. Meanwhile, Alma and Georgia took their posts at the front. When they were both settled into their seats, Alma reached across and took ahold of Georgia’s hand.

  “Don’t worry, my dear. Everything is going to be just fine. I promise you. We’re gonna catch whoever did it.”

  Georgia just shook her head. “I just want to know who did it. Who would dislike me so much as to ruin the after-party? To break into my home and business?”

  Alma shrugged. “So would I, my dear, so would I. Truthfully, I have a few suspects on my mind. That horrible Nancy Friedman is one of them.”

  Georgia shook her head empathically. “No, no, no. There is no way she would stoop this low. I would be quicker to believe that Evelyn Barber is behind at all. Revenge for my support of Caroline for Winter Queen.”

  Alma frowned. “You might be onto something there. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t that...”

  She got no further because at that very moment, Pam’s voice could be heard all across the bottom floor.

  “I got him! I got him!”

  Alma and Georgia jumped up almost at the same time and raced to the back of the house where Pam was standing, her face pale and pointing at something—or rather, someone—outside.

  “Quickly, he’ll get away! It was a man passing by here wearing some kind of a cloak. He went that way.” She pointed to the side alley.

  “Hurry!” Alma dashed forward, opening the back door and began racing after the person, a rolling pin she had carried with her as a makeshift weapon in her hand.

  “Stop!” She called out toward the figure at the end of the driveway. “Stop, you vandal!”

  At once the person stopped in their tracks and turned. For a moment, they could not see his face. The person was short and slender, not at all the type of figure Georgia pictured when thinking of a vandal.

  Then their would-be captive vandal raised a hand and lifted the hood of his face.

  Georgia gasped. The person before them was not a man at all.

  It was Melanie and tears were streaming down her face.

  “Goodness gracious, darling!” Alma exclaimed as she rushed towards her. “I almost tackled you with the rolling pin.” She held the rolling pin in the air to prove a point. Seeing her daughter’s tears, Georgia rushed up to her.

  “Sugar, what happened? Is it Colin? Did you fighting get worse?”

  Melanie shook her head, sobs wrecking her body. “No Mom, he was in an accident. He called. I mean he didn’t mean to, but we talked anyway. And when we were talking, I heard a crash. I know he’s been in an accident. He said he was coming here picking me up because he thought that’s where it was, and…”

  Alma raised her hand as she joined Georgia and Melanie. “Settle down, sweetheart. We can hardly make any sense of what you’re saying. What happened? Where exactly was he when this happened?”

  “He said he was just passing the Kash & Karry, about 10 minutes ago.”

  Alma nodded. “Right, we can run from here. It’s just down the street.” She ran straight ahead toward the street, following by Georgia and Melanie. Melanie’s hand was wrapped around Georgia’s and she held on as tight as she had when she was a small child, scared of the unknown.

  Up ahead, Alma stopped and stared down the road. When Georgia and Melanie caught up to her, they did the same. She let go of Melanie’s hand and instead wrapped an arm around her.

  Up ahead, only feet away, an ambulance, fire truck, and a police car were already blocking the road. And as they fixed their gaze on the scene, they saw that a someone was being loaded into the back of the ambulance.

  It was Colin.

  13

  Georgia

  Georgia watched helplessly as Colin was loaded into the back of the ambulance. Beside her, Melanie broke free from her embrace and rushed forward.

  “Stop, please! Let me ride along. I’m his fiancée,” she exclaimed. The paramedic turned and nodded for her to get in the back of the ambulance.

  “We’ll meet you there, Mel,” Georgia called out just as the doors of the ambulance were being slammed shut. She looked at Alma, who reached out and took her hand. As the ambulance raced away, sirens blaring, the two women raced back to the inn to retrieve Alma’s car and alert the rest of the family.

  “How bad is it?” Joel called as he raced down the hospital hallway towards Georgia, Melanie, and Alma. Georgia got up and was by his side in just a few steps.

  Feeling his arms around her gave her immense comfort. The smell of his aftershave transported her to earlier in the day when the two had stood side by side in their bathroom, getting ready for the big day ahead, not knowing that it was about to go from bad to worse.

  “We don’t know yet,” Georgia said. “They said it didn’t look too serious, thanks to the airbag. The passenger side took the brunt of the impact, it seems. But I don’t know, Joel, I just don’t know.”

  Joel sighed in relief and then let go of Georgia, turning his attention to Melanie instead. He walked up to her and sat beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  “How are you holding up, dear?”

  Melanie shrugged. “I wish we hadn’t had that stupid fight. It all seems so silly now in light of what could have happened. I would never forgive myself if…”

  Joel shook his head. “Don’t even think like that. The worst could’ve happened, but it didn’t. Let us all be grateful for that.”

  “Thank you for being here, Joel,” Melanie said. He got up then with a smile and pinched her cheek as though she were a little girl of twelve years old rather than a woman in her thirties.

  He
joined Georgia again and wrapped his right arm around her waist. “Are Drew and Tasha coming as well?”

  Georgia shook her head. “We let them know, but once we knew it wasn’t life-threatening, Alma called them back. So we’ll all meet at the inn tomorrow. It’s probably better to let him rest for tonight with only Melanie as a visitor.”

  Alma rose then. “Well, since you’ve got your man here by your side to support you, I think I will head back to the inn. Someone’s got to keep an eye out for this vandal.”

  The two women embraced and after Georgia thanked her good friend for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, Alma left and made her way out of the hospital and back to the inn.

  “I have to call back Colin’s parents,” Melanie said as she rolled her cell phone in hand. “They asked for an update every hour on the hour even if there was nothing new.” She shrugged and made her way into the parking lot since no one was allowed to make cell phone calls inside the hospital lobby.

  This left Georgia and Joel alone. She was grateful, until she looked up and saw the expression on his face.

  His eyes were narrowed and his forehead in deep wrinkles. His lips were pressed together and his head tilted to one side. She knew this face; she knew this expression. He was not happy with whatever had just happened, but she couldn’t wrap her right mind around exactly what it was.

  “What is it, hon?”

  He shrugged. “It’s nothing, really. It’s just—a stake-out, really? Don’t you think that Alma is going a little bit overboard? Staking out the inn in case this so-called vandal comes back?”

  Georgia found herself suddenly irritated at his choice of words. “‘So-called vandal’? You saw what they did. That was proper vandalism, just as Liza said. Why are you playing down the facts?”

  “I’m not playing down anything. I’m just asking you to keep a little bit of perspective. You and your ladies are turning this into a whole cloak-and-dagger operation. When in reality, it was probably just some kids looking to wreak havoc.”