Trouble Under the Tree (A Nina Quinn Mystery) (4 page)

Across the room, I noticed Jenny had taken a
wobbly Santa aside and was giving him a talking-to. Mrs. Claus,
dressed in a pretty red dress with green sash, gray curly wig, cute
hat and sensible red pumps, had latched onto a poor male elf. Her
hand encircled his arm, and she cooed appreciatively over his
muscles.

Nancy headed toward me, and I moved out of
the doorway to let her pass.

“Thanks,” she said. “I had to get some fresh
air. The fumes...” She fanned her face.

“What fumes?” Had there been
another
mishap?

“Like Santa has been swimming in a vat of
whisky. My eyes are watering.”

“That bad?” I asked, peeking over her
shoulder as Jenny’s face turned redder and redder during her
lecture. Hopefully she wouldn’t attack her uncle the way she’d gone
after Glory.

“Worse, Nina.
Blech
. Prepare
yourself.”

I’d come to know a lot of the employees here
over the past two weeks. Nancy was older, maybe mid-fifties, with
brown hair that looked streaked from natural sun and kind, wise
bright blue eyes. She’d taken this job part-time to supplement
running her dairy goat farm—freelance photography was her
hobby.

Holding up her camera, she said, “I’m going
to take some snapshots. I’ll see you later.”

I supposed Santa couldn’t be much worse than
me last night after too many spiked eggnogs, so I ventured inside
after Nancy headed off toward the atrium.

I took a gleeful moment to absorb the picture
that was Riley. Almost six feet tall, he wore green- and
red-striped tights, a velvet green tunic, a green and red
Santa-style hat with attached pointy elf ears, and green booties
with jingle bells and a curled-up toe. It was almost too much for
me for me to handle—I wanted to roll with laughter. But I managed
to keep a (somewhat) straight face as I walked over to him. He, on
the other hand, grinned from ear to pointy ear. “What’s so funny?”
I asked.

“Just enjoying the show.”

“What show?”

He nodded toward Mrs. Claus. Fairlane had
pressed her impressive chest against the elf. Poor guy. It was
blatant sexual harassment if I ever saw it. “That’s really not
funny,” I said. “I’m embarrassed for her.”

Riley looked down at me (I really hated that
his growth spurt now had him a good six inches taller). “Well, I’m
amused.”

I was about to give him a lecture when I took
a good look at the elf. Suddenly, I was amused, too.

The elf was Kevin.

Chapter Three

After Kevin extricated himself from
Fairlane’s iron grasp, he tried to sneak out the back door of the
cottage without me noticing.

I was on to his tactics, though, and went out
the front and circled around. I came face to face with his elfish
self near the faux stone chimney.

“I don’t know where to begin,” I said.

The bells on his sleeve jingled when he
folded his arms across his chest. “You can stop grinning like that,
for one.”

“I can’t help it. There are just some
memories I want imprinted on my brain forever. This is one of them.
I wish I had my camera. I could use this image on my Christmas
cards. I wonder if Nancy would be willing to—”

“Stop. Stop it right now.”

My smile stretched so wide it hurt my cheeks.
“Unless you want this—” I gestured to his outfit “—sent to one
hundred of our nearest and dearest, I suggest you tell me what
you’re doing here? Dressed like that?”

“Stooping to blackmail, Nina?”

“It’s not the first time.”

He rolled his eyes, took my elbow, and pulled
me toward the pine trees. “I’m kind of working.”

“Kind of?” He was a homicide detective, and
unless there was a body hidden in Santa’s toy chest, I was pretty
sure there hadn’t been a murder. News like that was sure to get
around.

“Remember how Riley wanted to talk to me last
night?”

How could I forget? I was dying to know why.
“Yeah?”

Kevin glanced left, then right. “He thinks
someone is stealing the toys from the donation chest and asked for
my help. I talked to Jenny this morning, and she agreed to let me
work here, unofficially, for a few days to see what I can find
out.”

A few days of Kevin in an elf outfit. This
was a present that was going to keep on giving. Even though I was
done with Christmastowne after this afternoon, I was going to have
to come back.

With a camera.

“Why does Ry think someone’s stealing?” I
asked.

“One of his jobs yesterday was to empty the
toy chest that’s inside Santa’s Cottage. He saw toys go in, like
Game Boy games and those dolls everyone’s so crazy about this year,
but when he emptied the chest, those toys were gone. He’s afraid
that because he’s in charge of the toys, someone is going to think
he’s stealing them.”

I was outraged on his behalf. “That’s
crazy.”

“You know that. I know that. But someone else
might be trying to frame him.”

“Well, we have to figure out who and stop
them.”

It was his turn to grin. “
I
have to
figure out who.” Placing strong hands on my shoulders, he spun me
around. “
You
have to leave now.”

“Hey!”

He brushed against the tree and glittery snow
sprinkled onto his shoulders. “You being over here is only going to
call more attention to me. I’m trying to blend in.”

I laughed. “Yeah, because a tall, dark,
handsome, sparkly elf is the norm around these parts.”

His eyebrows waggled. “Handsome?”

“Get over yourself.”

“You’re the one who said it.”

“I’m leaving now.”

“It’s about time.”

Shaking my head, I turned and headed toward
the atrium. Kevin was on my heels (I was pretty sure he wanted see
for himself that I really left) as Fairlane came running out of the
cottage, nearly knocking us both down.

Her Mrs. Claus wig was askew as Kevin reached
out to steady her. Tears streamed down her face in dark rivulets.
Mucus dripped from her nose.

“What’s wrong, Fairlane?” I asked.

“I—I’ve been fired!” she wailed.

“Why?” Kevin asked.

I had a fairly good idea.

Using her sleeve, she wiped her nose. “An
incident between me and Mr. Claus, is all. Jenny
misunderstood.”

“Did that incident have anything to do with
you touching him inappropriately?” I asked. Hey, it seemed like a
reasonable question to me.

She stomped her foot. “We were under the
mistletoe! And it was consenting, I might add.”

“Isn’t Santa married?” Benny had said
something about Santa being married to Jenny’s aunt.

Fairlane waved a dismissive hand. “Hardly
anyone can resist my charms. Especially under the mistletoe. I’m a
fantastic kisser.”

Ugh
. I was starting to feel
queasy.

Kevin said, “This just happened?”

“Yes. In there.” Nodding, she motioned to the
cottage.

His eyebrows dipped. “There’s no mistletoe in
there.”

With cheeks bright red, she pulled a sprig
from her pocket. “I might have been holding it.”

“Oh, Fairlane,” I said.

She wiped her nose again. I took a step away
from her sleeve. Gross.

“A misunderstanding,” she mumbled.

Kevin said, “Who’s going to take over as Mrs.
Claus?” He threw a look my way. “You might have to fill in,
Nina.”

“I’m not touching that costume,” I said. “No
offense, Fairlane.”

She glanced at her snot-covered sleeve and
looked sheepish. “There is another costume, but you don’t have to
worry. Lele will take over.” Watery eyes blinked, and Fairlane’s
lips curved into a tremulous pout. “I can’t believe Jenny fired
me.” Fairlane tipped her head. “I’m a fantastic worker. A people
person. People love me.”

Modest, too.

“I just don’t understand,” she said, trying
to frown but the face-filler wouldn’t let her. “Lele never gets
fired.”

Maybe because Lele could keep her hands to
herself? But there was no point in rubbing salt in Fairlane’s
wounds. “Something else will come along.”

“There won’t be a need. All I have to do is
talk to Benny. He’ll fix this.”

I rather doubted Benny would win that
argument with Jenny.

“How can you be so sure?” Kevin asked.

Batting her eyelashes, she patted her hair
and realized that her wig was off-kilter. She hurriedly
straightened it. “Like I said, hardly anyone can resist my
charms.”

I wanted to gag.

Kevin goaded her. “I can understand why.”

I frowned at him—no plastic surgery for me,
so he got the full effect.

He winked.

Ugh
.

“I better go change and find Benny.” Fairlane
again batted her eyelashes at Kevin. “A hug would make me feel so
much better. It’s been a traumatic morning.”

“Go ahead, Nina,” he said, nudging me. “Hug
her.”

Before I could retort, Fairlane had thrown
herself into his arms.

Ha! Had to love karma.

Horrified, he stood there stiffly while her
hands roamed his back. “You’re so strong,” she cooed.

I bit back a laugh as he patted her back
twice and pushed her away.

She pulled the mistletoe out and waved it
above her head.

“I’ve got to get back inside,” he said and
ran for the door, jingling all the way.

Fairlane glanced at me, tucked the sprig back
into her pocket, and hurried off.

I didn’t take it personally.

***

Two hours later all the employees of
Christmastowne had gathered round the Christmas tree in the atrium.
The doors were set to open in fifteen minutes, and Jenny and Benny
were giving a last minute pep-talk.

I stood off to the side with Kit and
Jean-Claude Reaux, another long-time employee, who had just
finished installing yew bushes in decorative planters around the
food court. With that, we were done with our work at
Christmastowne.

“I think Riley is avoiding me,” Kit said.

“That’s because you threatened to videotape
him and put it on You Tube.”

Jean-Claude said, “Do you think they sell
those tights here? The red and green ones? With stripes?”

Kit and I looked at him. He was serious.

Pink filled his cheeks. “I’m just curious.”
He watched the elves for a few seconds and said, “Do they?”

“What?” I asked.

“Sell them here?”

“Probably,” I said. I’d found myself a pair
of antlers and a red nose for my truck. I couldn’t wait to put them
on it.

He nodded, his gaze hopping from one shop to
the next, as if trying to figure out which one would stock the
tights.

To Kit, I said, “Should I ask him why he
wants them?”

“No.”

That was probably wise. With Jean-Claude,
sometimes denial was best. Like the time I found out he’d been
working as an exotic dancer under the name JC Rock.

Kit squinted, blinked, then squinted again.
“Is that Kevin?”

My ex lurked near a column, trying to blend
in. As if. “If you can get a video of him, I’ll give you a big
Christmas bonus.”

Kit whipped out his smart phone and stalked
off. He stalked well for such a big guy. I was impressed.

Benny shouted, “Everyone take your places,
it’s time!”

Workers scattered to their shops and kiosks,
while the elves and a somewhat sober-looking Santa headed to greet
the guests.

At exactly eleven o’clock, Jenny opened the
front doors. The elves launched into a rousing rendition of “We
Wish You a Merry Christmas” as shoppers streamed inside,
ooh
ing and
ahh
ing.

Kit, I noticed, was still stalking Kevin, who
was doing his best to hide.

I spotted Brickhouse Krauss and my neighbor
Flash Leonard come inside, as well as a brightly-dressed Mr.
Cabrera. Really, there was no missing him with his vivid red knit
cardigan with galloping reindeer stitched across the chest.

Brickhouse and Flash found their way over to
me, and Flash said, “What a place!”

Flash was one of my favorite people in the
neighborhood. At ninety, and wracked with arthritis, he always had
a smile and managed to stay active.

Even grumpy Brickhouse agreed. “It makes me
want to buy something.”

“And that’s saying something,” I said.

She gave me an evil eye—not quite as good as
my mother’s but close. “What are you trying to say? Are you saying
I’m cheap?”

“Yes.”

Her pursed lips gave way to a smile. “I
prefer frugal.”

“Are you feeling any better?” I asked.

“Much,” she said. “I should be back to work
on Tuesday.”

I’d given my crew Sunday and Monday off—they
deserved it. This had been a tough job. Brickhouse had started
working for me part-time as my office manager a couple of months
ago, sharing the job with Tam so that she could spend more time at
home with baby Niki. It was a solution that had worked out quite
well.

Brickhouse’s face hardened, and I followed
her gaze to see Mr. Cabrera standing on the other side of the
atrium.

She caught my eye and clucked. “I don’t miss
him.”

“I didn’t say you did.”

“You were thinking it,” she said.

“Maybe,” I admitted.

She folded her arms across her big chest.
“Well, I don’t.”

“I’m glad we settled that.” Shifting the
conversation, I said, “What have you got there, Flash?”

He had something in his hand. Proudly, he
held it up, which was quite the struggle. His arthritis made
dexterity almost impossible. “One of my old baseballs.”

Once upon a time, Flash had been a semi-pro
pitcher. “Did you bring it to get signed today?” Benny had brought
in local sports personalities, including Reds baseball players, for
the opening and there were already big crowds at their booths.

“Heavens, no. Not unless there are some
old-timers here! Men who truly knew how to play the game.” His
out-of-control bushy gray and white eyebrows rose. “I just want to
show it off. They don’t make balls like this anymore.”