Miss Frost Cracks A Caper: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost Book 4)

by Kristen Painter

  “Yes, it is. He’s not going to arrest the daughter of the Winter King just to make a point. He was only trying to keep you out of harm’s way. For all you know, your father called him and told him to say that.”

  I stopped with my straw halfway to my mouth. “Son of a nutcracker. That’s so something my father would do.” And probably had, considering the conversation that had taken place earlier.

  Sinclair shrugged. “I’d do it if I was a father and had a daughter to protect. A daughter who’s apparently gotten herself into trouble investigating things like this before.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him. “That’ll teach me to share.”

  He laughed. “Hey, I love your fearlessness, but I’d hate to see you get hurt.”

  “Thank you.” Being around Sinclair made me feel so good.

  He yawned and I realized that, while we were having a great time, he needed some sleep. I made a show of checking the time on my phone. “Hey, I should get back to work. My two holiday temps arrive today and I have a lot to do before they get in.”

  He nodded. “Okay, I’ll take you back. Thanks for coming with me.”

  “Thanks for bringing me.” I stood and put all our trash on the tray. “This place was great. And I know you’re tired, so it was extra nice of you.”

  “Happy to do it.” He went to dump the trash in the bin.

  We grabbed our drinks and walked to the car. He put his arm around me. “I am definitely going to bed when I get home, but if anything comes up, if you need me for anything, you can call me.”

  “I appreciate that, but nothing’s going to come up. It’s a done deal.”

  Except that it wasn’t really. When I got into my office, I called Birdie. “Hi, Birdie, I’m sure you’re swamped. Do you have a minute?”

  “Only just. What can I help you with, Princess?”

  There was more noise than usual in the background. “Did Elenora’s diamond show up in the air vent stuff? Or any of my family’s jewelry?”

  She sighed, giving me the answer I’d been dreading. “No. I’m really sorry.”

  And I was really angry. “Did the sheriff ask Lance about that? I thought he was turning Lark and the goods over in exchange for his freedom?”

  “Hank did ask him. Lance said the big pieces were left behind in the DJ booth and that Lark had arranged for them to be picked up by someone else. All he knew was that person was a woman. Another winter elf. Nothing more.”

  “How is that possible? The deputies searched the DJ booth, didn’t they? And the only other female winter elves at that party were me, my mother, and my aunt. And Juniper.”

  Birdie hesitated. “I know, Princess.”

  The tone of her voice was very unsettling. “Come on, Birdie. Obviously, my mom and aunt aren’t suspects. And I’ve known Juniper long enough to know there’s no way…wait, is Lance claiming I’m involved? Why on earth would I steal my own jewelry? I was frozen just like everyone else. He’s lying. I had nothing to—”

  “Hank sent a deputy to search the DJ booth again.”

  “And? Because it sounds like there’s more.”

  “He found a secret compartment in one of the lighting boxes. There was a loose diamond in it. One that looks like it came from Elenora’s necklace. Just like the one they found on the floor.”

  I didn’t know what to say for a second, then my words returned. “Am I a suspect?”

  Birdie swallowed audibly. “Not at this time.”

  My heart sank. I knew Birdie was only doing her job, but those words cut through me like an ice blade. “That’s so reassuring.”

  “I’m sorry, Princess. I really am, but I can’t say anything more than that about an ongoing investigation.”

  Well, that was a change. Hank must have put the fear of Jack Frost into her too. “What time was Lance released? Can you at least tell me that much?”

  “He’s still here. He hasn’t been feeling well. He had some kind of seizure. There’s a paramedic looking him over now.”

  Maybe the paramedic would find the death mark. At least I knew for sure that wasn’t Lance I’d seen at the Dairy Barn. “Can you text me when he does get released?”

  “I don’t know…you’re not supposed to be involving yourself in this.”

  “Did my father call the sheriff?”

  “I’m not supposed to say.”

  Which was all the answer I needed. Before I could respond, Kip opened my office door, looking frantic. “Birdie, I have to go.” I hung up and looked at him.

  “You gotta come now. They’re taking Juniper down to the station for questioning.”

  Juniper was already in the patrol car by the time I made it to the register. The deputy, Blythe, was one I recognized. “What charges are you arresting her on?”

  “She’s only being taken down to the station for questioning,” the deputy answered. “She’s not being arrested.”

  “I’ll pay her bail. How much is it?”

  “Again, she’s not being arrested. There is no bail.” Deputy Blythe handed me her card. “Have a good day.”

  “Are you kidding me?” This was a poop storm of yeti proportions. I checked the time, then looked at Kip. “Call Rowley, tell him to come in now.” It was only an hour earlier than he was scheduled. “I’m going down to the station.”

  “You got it, boss.” Kip picked up the phone as I left.

  I didn’t want to take the time to wait on a Ryde and taking one of the company bikes would make texting impossible, so I walked. Half-ran, really. As fast as I could go while tapping out my message to Greyson. You around?

  I can be. I’m home.

  Meet me at the NFSD.

  What’s up?

  It was too long an answer to text and I was almost there. Need help. If that didn’t get him to show up, then so be it. I wasn’t waiting.

  I yanked the station door open and strode toward Birdie. “Where is she?”

  “Princess—”

  “Birdie, Juniper didn’t have anything to do with this mess. Nothing.” I was being loud and probably a little obnoxious, but I didn’t care. “I want to see her now. I’ll give another statement if you want. Or you can question me. But she’s not involved in this.”

  The sheriff walked out of the second interrogation room. “Miss Frost.”

  “What’s going on Sheriff? Are you seriously going to believe the word of that guy over Juniper? He’s involved. He confessed to it! He’s not the patsy he’s trying to make you believe he is.”

  Sheriff Merrow’s glare took on the soft glow of his inner wolf, letting me know just how unhappy he was that I’d shown up. I glared right back. He wasn’t about to intimidate me. Much. He pointed behind me. “My office. Now.”

  I waited for him to storm past me before joining him. He closed the door. “You can’t do any good here. We’re only questioning her.”

  “She wasn’t involved.”

  “That’s what we hope to find out.”

  I felt like punching something, and that was not my go-to response. Snow started drifting down around me. Which probably wasn’t helping my case, but I was ticked off and beyond caring. “At least let me see her.”

  He sighed. “When we’re done.”

  “Now.”

  “Miss Frost, this is an ongoing investigation. And you are impeding it. Go home, or I will charge you with obstruction.”

  I thought about Sinclair’s words that the sheriff would never do that. I believed him, but I wasn’t willing to test his theory. “Will you at least call me first if you intend to book her?”

  He nodded. “If it comes to that. Which it won’t, I’m sure.”

  “I hope not.”

  He opened the door for me and I walked out as far as the reception area. “Since I’m here, I might as well get that recipe from you, Birdie.”

  Birdie squinted at me, but the sheriff kept going to the conference room.

  As soon as he shut the door, Birdie leaned over the counter, her voice hushed. �
�What are you up to?”

  “Has Lance been released yet?”

  “No, but he’s about to be.”

  “Did the paramedics find anything wrong with him, or was he faking for sympathy?” I crossed my fingers that she was about to tell me they’d found a strange, black bruise on him.

  “They said there was nothing wrong that they could find, but he was running a slight fever and complaining of some aches.” She frowned. “I’ll tell you what it is. He’s fae and those holding cell bars are iron wrapped in stainless steel. And you know how fae feel about iron.”

  I did. Thankfully, elves didn’t have that reaction to any metal. But I didn’t think the iron in the bars was what was causing Lance’s health problems. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Call me on my cell if anything happens?”

  “I will, promise. So long as my nosy nephew isn’t around.”

  “Thanks.” I started for the door. Greyson was just coming in. “What’s going on?”

  “Walk with me and I’ll explain.”

  “Okay.” He turned and followed me out. “Where are we headed?”

  “Delaney’s. I need a stiff shot of sugar.” And it was the perfect place to watch for Lance. I was assuming he’d return to the apartment. Where else could he go?

  “You look…really mad.”

  “I am.” I wanted to scream and cry and break something. Kind, sweet, peaceful Juniper must be freaking out in that interrogation room. “They picked Juniper up for questioning.”

  “What?” He stared at me, almost running into a passing tourist. “Are you kidding? Why?”

  I explained, but left out the part about Lance being released soon. Greyson knew me well enough that he’d probably figure out what I was going to do next, and I didn’t want to listen to yet another conversation about how I needed to be careful and not get involved.

  He swore softly under his breath and shook his head. “Juniper would not have had anything to do with this.”

  “I know that and you know that, but apparently the sheriff doesn’t.”

  He held the door at Delaney’s for me. “You can’t fault the sheriff for doing his job.”

  “Really? Watch me.”

  Greyson scowled like I was being too hard on the man. “Jay, he has to follow procedure.”

  “Sure.” I stared at the chalkboard menu up on the wall.

  “What do you want? I’ll get it.”

  “Dr Pepper and a slice of that Cherry Bomb cake.”

  “Grab a table, I’ll be right over.”

  I found one of the small round tables that let me see down the street. From here, I could watch the door of the apartment building where Lark’s rented place was. If Lance didn’t come back here, then he was headed out of town. Most likely with the jewels. Wherever the third man had stashed them.

  Greyson came over with our sweets. Well, my sweets. All he’d gotten was a black coffee. “What can I do to help?”

  I stuck my fork into the cake and took the point off, but waited until I’d asked my question to eat it. “You know anyone who could fence those kinds of big jewelry pieces?”

  “No, but I might be able to do some digging.”

  The cake was incredible. Like Delaney could do anything else. “On the underweb?” It was a shady, hidden part of the internet where immoral supernaturals traded in all sorts of illegal things better left unknown by the nicer part of society.

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” I forked up another bite of cake and took a peek at the apartment building. No sign of him. “That’s what I hoped you’d say. How soon can you have an answer?”

  “I’ll do it as soon as I get home. I’ll go now if you want. Which I’m sure you do.”

  I smiled, hoping my grin wasn’t full of cake crumbs. “You’re the best.”

  He smiled back and rested one forearm on the table. “How about dinner at Café Claude’s tonight, then?”

  “I’d love to, but I can’t. My temporary holiday help arrives in about an hour, and I have to get them set up. Tomorrow?”

  He nodded. “That’ll work.” He leaned in, kissed my cheek, and stood. “I’ll message you as soon as I find something.”

  “Text me even if you don’t. I want to know either way.”

  “Okay. Will do. Enjoy your cake.”

  I watched him walk away, because hello, Greyson in jeans was something worth watching, but as he disappeared from view, I refocused on the apartment building. I knew which window it was. There were no lights on, so I was hoping I hadn’t missed him. Unless he was in there and hadn’t bothered with the lights.

  My mood darkened again, but not enough to keep me from eating more cake. I had two bites left when Lance showed up. He was still in his tux, the tie hanging loose around his neck, shirt unbuttoned. Apparently, like Lark, he hadn’t changed before getting hauled in. He looked haggard. Pale, except for the dark circles under his eyes, and very much like a man in desperate need of a shower. I had no doubt these were all effects of the death mark.

  Which reminded me that I had a desperate need to see him right before he got into that shower. Well, most of him. Frankly, I wasn’t remotely interested in anything lower than his belly button. He had to have that mark on him somewhere.

  He shuffled to the apartment building door and went inside. I left the cake and my Dr Pepper behind to follow him, but stopped halfway to the building. What did I think I was going to do? I couldn’t very well go on up the steps after him.

  Think, Jayne. Think. What would Spider do? I almost laughed at that silly question, but the answer was so perfect, I just stared blankly ahead at the surprise of it.

  Spider would use the fire escape.

  Did this place have one? Most of the older buildings in Nocturne Falls did, like the building that housed Santa’s Workshop and the apartments above it.

  I walked as quickly as I could without drawing too much attention to myself and went around the corner. A narrow alley allowed for parking and rear entry to the shops on the ground floor.

  It also provided access to the fire escapes. None of the ladders were down, which meant I’d have to jump up and grab the one I needed. Not a big deal, given my better-than-human elf abilities, but it would probably make some noise.

  Nothing I could do about that, and time was wasting. I took a running start and made the leap. I caught the second-to-bottom rung and pulled myself up. The clang of metal wasn’t as loud as I’d anticipated, but I cringed all the same.

  I climbed the rest of the way up with careful steps, hoping to be as soundless as possible. The fire-escape landing was at the bedroom window, but also gave a little access to the transom window over the bed. I snuck a peek through the transom and, as I peered in, caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror over the dresser.

  I ducked down, freaked out by the unexpected weirdness of seeing my own face looking back at me.

  But I’d also seen Lance. He was standing in front of the closet, which put him at a right angle to me. I would have to be extra careful that he didn’t see me. Hopefully, the death mark was keeping him out of it enough to be too observant.

  I poked my head around again. He already had the tux jacket off and was working on the shirt’s cuff links. I held my breath, waiting. He dropped the shirt and I almost groaned. He still had an undershirt on. No black bruises on his arms that I could see.

  He reached for the hem of the undershirt, then a faint chirping turned him toward the bed. He dug around in the tux jacket and pulled out a phone. The window between us did little to mute the words. “Hello? Yes, just got out. I know. I know. How do you think I feel? You know this affects both of us.” He paused and stared at the ceiling. “No, not as much as you, but I’m still out here in the public eye.”

  Was he talking to the mystery man? And what was affecting them?

  He rubbed his forehead. “We will. I’ll find her and we’ll get this sorted, then we’ll be on a plane before you know it.”

  Her? Was there a fourth person invol
ved? Maybe whoever was responsible for selling the jewelry. Lance had told the sheriff there was a woman involved. Another winter elf. Could she be the one who’d produced the shimmer that had frozen everyone? Was the guy I saw at the apartment in the oversized parka actually a woman? None of this was making anything clearer.

  He nodded. “Tonight. I promise.”

  He hung up and tossed the phone on the bed, then scrubbed his hands over his face like he was trying to wake himself up. He groaned and rolled his shoulders. Was he stiff from being in the holding cell or in pain? I couldn’t tell.

  Finally, he grabbed the undershirt and eased it off. Nothing on his rib cage or stomach. He tossed the shirt onto the bed with the rest of the clothes and walked out. He passed the dresser mirror as he went, giving me a complete view of his torso.

  There wasn’t a mark on him.

  Anger wasn’t an emotion I spent a lot of time with. Sure, I got angry, but I didn’t wallow in it. Until today. Today I felt marinated in it. I had to struggle to keep a smile on my face and the edge out of my voice as I welcomed the holiday help.

  Vale and Crystal were good elves. They were store openers (they’d actually opened this store), had tons of experience, and having them here was going to make things a lot easier, especially now that we were going to extended holiday hours.

  I took them upstairs to the large two bedroom apartment on the third floor the company held in reserve for corporate visits and these kinds of occasions. I gave them a brief tour, then turned over the keys. I realized that my grumpiness was probably evident and that I should explain. “I’m sorry if I’m in a bit of a bad mood. There’s a lot going on.”

  Crystal nodded. “We heard. Don’t worry about it. If there is anything we can do to help, just let us know.”

  “I appreciate that. I really do. Just having you here to help in the shop and with all the new inventory is going to be great.”

  “What do you need done?” Vale asked. “I’m happy to work this evening if you want me to.”

  “No, tomorrow’s fine. Buttercup and Rowley can handle things tonight. You two get settled in, and we’ll get you going in the morning. Crystal, you’re on day shift, Vale, evenings.”