Murder in the First Edition
Page 27
She sucked in an uneven breath and folded her lips together to keep her tears in check. A sensation of being watched niggled her mind. She ran to the display window and pressed her face against the cold glass. Past the falling snowflakes glistening under the streetlights, a dark figure stood across the road. “Merry Christmas,” she whispered, and returned the wink with a wobbly smile. The man in black tipped his hat, turned, and vanished into the park.
* * *
Addie placed one foot in front of the other. Her back foot propelled her skate style up the slippery sidewalk toward Catherine’s front door. Both feet slid out from under her when she skidded over a patch of ice buried under the snow. Her arms flailed, her legs sprawled in different directions, and she corkscrewed toward a snowbank and landed on her butt.
Chin-deep in the snow, she tossed her head back and laughed. Where was Simon when she needed him to catch her? She struggled to get to her feet and brushed the snow from her wool coat, still giggling. She was fully prepared to give her performance a curtsey should there be a witness in the house to her calamity and glanced at the front picture window . . . her heart fluttered an extra beat. Zach, his arm draped across Serena’s shoulders, leaned over Jack and a spiky-redheaded Adel on the piano bench as they all belted out a tune.
In spite of Jack Frost’s kisses across her cheeks and the freezing snow wedged in her cuffs, up her back and down her collar, it couldn’t take away from the warmth bubbling through her at that moment. With the sight of her friends gathered together in the living room, the Christmas lights strung around the windows and porch appeared to shine brighter tonight. Catherine spotted her through the glass and waved. Tears of happiness formed in Addie’s eyes. Standing out here on the sidewalk, it was as though the ghosts of her Christmas past were giving her a glimpse of her Christmas present.
Drawn in by the sounds of love and laughter ringing out from behind the door that Catherine held open for her, she made her way up the steps. Behind her, a car horn beeped from the street, and she turned. Through the gently falling snowflakes and past the reflection from the Christmas lights glistening off the snow-covered tree boughs was Marc’s cruiser stopped on the road. He waved and smiled before he continued along the street. Was that a peek behind the veil into her Christmas future? Addie grinned and stepped across the threshold. What could be more perfect than spending Christmas surrounded by people she loved?