“Well that’s all over,” Phyl said. “You’ve solved another crime. You’re a bona fide features editor and officially part of the family.”
I blushed. How much had Finn told her? Did she know that Finn had professed his love and pretty much proposed. With all the furor, Finn and I hadn’t had much time to talk. And there was no ring to show off, so how much did his parents know?
The door opened, and Finn entered with his father. Sharif took their coats and they joined us in the family room overlooking the garden frosted with a light snow. Phineas went straight to Phyl and gave her a kiss.
“You look lovely as always my dear,” he said as he poured coffee from the silver service and took a seat beside her.
“Yes, she does as does my lady,” Finn added and came to my side. He squeezed my hand.
Sharif entered with a stack of gifts. “These just came, sir and madam.”
Finn took the top one from Sharif’s arms and motioned for the others to be placed under the tree. “This one is special. It won’t keep. I think you should open it now.”
With that Finn set the decorated box in my lap and it began to move. I opened the lid to find a dachshund puppy that stretched his long body to lick my face. He was black as night and wore a collar with the name NEMO II.
I laughed as the tears rolled down my face and gave Nemo a hug as I placed him in my lap. Phineas and Phyl laughed and relished my joy.
“Thank you, Finn. He’s perfect. I love him already, but you’d better put a puppy diaper on him, he’s probably not house trained,” I said still cooing and stroking the sleek ebony body.
“Not to worry,” Finn said. “Sharif bring in the crate please. We’re prepared. He will be safe in here while we eat and open gifts. By the way, that’s not all.”
I looked into the depths of the discarded gift box. There was a smaller box inside. It looked very much like a ring box and when I opened it, the glare from at least a two-caret diamond blinded me.
“Will you marry us?” Finn said.
Nemo seemed to understand and stared at me with gorgeous brown eyes.
“Both of you? Of course.”
Phyl and I were both crying. Phineas beamed as he welcomed me into the family.
“It’s about time,” Phineas said. “I thought I was going to have to intervene.”
Finn kissed me over and over while the Nemo jumped from my lap into his and back.
“Dinner is served,” came Sharif’s voice from the doorway.
“The celebration has begun,” Finn said and he was correct. The rest of the evening was grand with a delicious meal. We played with Nemo until he crawled into his crate for a nap. We opened presents and looked forward to Christmas day.
I don’t think I have ever experienced such happiness, but it came with a scoop of guilt. I thought of Merry in a cell on Christmas Day all alone. Of course, she was a two-time murderer and would probably serve life imprisonment, but in all that she was my half-sister. A half-sister is better than none. Right?
24
“You know that I wasn’t ever going to kill you, right?” Merry looked at me. I recognized that glare from when my father used to give us lectures on how to behave. I think she inherited more than she thought.
“No I was convinced you were going to Taser me or electrocute me or something because of your hatred for our dad,” I replied.
“Well maybe at first, but I didn’t know that he abandoned you for that many years. I always pictured you and Maggie as having everything that I didn’t,” Merry said and picked at the polish on her nails. Even in a tacky orange jumpsuit, she was gorgeous. Her mother must have been a knockout.
“I wish we could have been friends, since we have a connection. I would have liked things to be different,” I said.
“Me too. I like you. You are spunky, brave, and just don’t quit. I like that in a person. I had a boyfriend like that once, but he got too serious too quick.”
“By the way, Finn and I got engaged on Christmas Eve. I showed her my ring.
“Wow that’s a big diamond, Sis,” she said.
“Yeah I know I might trade it in for a smaller version or maybe a diamond band. I’m not sure it’s me,” I was a little embarrassed and she called me ‘sis’.
“Hey who knows maybe they’ll let me come to the wedding,” Merry laughed and I saw that glint that she had in the church basement.
“Are you seeing a doctor or on any medications?” I asked.
“Yeah. A shrink. He has me on something but most of the time I don’t take it,” Merry said. “You know we have other family, don’t you?”
“What are you talking about? I thought you were an only child.”
“I am but there are cousins and in-laws. Our dad had a big family. Didn’t you know that? Oh my dear. I have much to tell you.”
And so she did until the day that they transferred Merry to the State Mental Hospital.
I never knew how much to believe of what Merry said, but I’d had enough investigating. Besides I had a wedding to plan. Dear God. Where do I begin?
The End
Sheila S. Hudson is the author of the Thursday Club series: Murder at Golden Palms, Murder at Sea, Murder at the Mandalay, Murder at the Monastery, Murder on the Marquee, Murder under the Christmas Tree, and Murder at the Mansion published by Take Me Away Books.
Her new series Silent Partners features Kiss and Make Up (1) and Dead Ringer (2). The working title for book 3 is Double Jeopardy.
Sheila is also the author of Classic City Murders: Volumes I and II published by ThomasMax Publishers, Inc. Her first publications were two nonfiction books: 13 Decisions That Will Change Your Life and 13 Decisions That Will Transform Your Marriage (Dancing with Bear Publishing). Sheila has contributed to Not Your Mother’s Book (2), Chocolate for Women (8), Chicken Soup, Patchwork Path (2), Love Stories (2) plus numerous periodicals.
All are available at www.amazon.com or on her website www.sheilahudsonwriter.com
Her byline also appears in Purple Pros and Costumer Magazine. Bright Ideas, the parent company, was established to bring hope and inspiration through the written/spoken word. Since 1983, Sheila has been affiliated with Southeastern Writers Association including two terms as president. Contact her at: [email protected]; [email protected] or visit www.13decisions.com or www.sheilahudsonwriter.com for information on speaking engagements and forthcoming books.
Sheila and her husband, Timothy L. Hudson, have worked in campus ministry for over 30 years -- 5 years with Christian Student Fellowship at Northern Kentucky University and 28 years at Christian Campus Ministry at the University of Georgia. They have been married for 49 years and have two daughters, a son, and seven grandsons.
Dead Ringer (Silent Partner Series Book 2) Page 6