Christmas on Mistletoe Lane--Includes a bonus short story

by Annie Rains

  “I think putting pamphlets out is a great idea.”

  “And I can send some to Josie in New York. She’d send people here. I can put them everywhere to keep this place hopping all year long.” Renewed excitement surged through her.

  “Careful what you wish for,” he warned teasingly.

  “I love it when it’s busy.” She just wished, for the millionth and one time, that she could keep him on staff.

  She busied herself filling the guests’ coffee mugs and making small talk as she waited for Mr. Garrison to arrive.

  “He should be here by now,” she said, coming up to Mitch halfway through breakfast. Before he could respond, her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and read a text.

  Running late. Be there in fifteen minutes.

  Kaitlyn frowned.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Mr. Garrison is running behind. He’s going to miss breakfast with the guests, and his food will be cold.”

  “Again,” Mitch said, talking calmly, “he’s not here to shut you down.”

  To shut you down. “Right,” she said, nodding. “You’re right.”

  Mitch reached for his own cell phone now. It was his turn to look disappointed. “Alex wants me to call him. I’ll help you with cleanup in just a minute.”

  “Sure.” Kaitlyn stood there by herself for a moment, listening in on the conversations at each table. Mitch was right. This was much more than a bed and breakfast. It was an experience. She’d done more than the interior design here. She’d designed a place where guests were taken back to a time when electronics didn’t run every second. Good old-fashioned fun happened at this inn.

  A moment later, Mitch returned to the dining room, looking apologetic. “There’s been another break-in. I have to go.”

  “Now?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “But Mr. Garrison…”

  “He’ll understand,” Mitch promised.

  Kaitlyn was shaking her head. “He’ll be here any minute. What am I supposed to tell him?”

  Mitch leaned in and kissed her cheek, which made her thoughts totally slam to a halt. He’d never shown any display of affection in front of the guests before. “Just tell him the truth. We’re doing great. We make a good team. And I’m out making the streets of Sweetwater Springs a little safer these days.”

  With that, he hurried out the door, leaving Kaitlyn all alone to prove to Mr. Garrison that she and Mitch were fulfilling the conditions of the will.

  * * *

  Mitch moved through Julia Kent’s bookstore downtown, looking at the upheaval of knickknacks and books. He knew from the past robberies that the thief was only interested in money. The burglar was likely an amateur who’d watched way too many CSI episodes. Why else would someone tear through the place but not actually take anything except for what was in the cash register? Another amateur move was robbing a bookstore. Everyone knew bookstores didn’t have a lot of cash on hand.

  “Hey, Julia.” Mitch walked over to the store owner who was seated behind the cash register, looking flustered. Her face was red and blotchy as she looked off into space, apparently attempting to gather her thoughts.

  “I’m not sure what happened,” she told Alex. “The robber was wearing a black ski mask, only it looked more like a black knit hat pulled over his head with holes cut out for his eyes and mouth.” She laughed softly. “I know that sounds ridiculous.”

  Mitch was holding a small notebook in his hand. “Did he say anything?” Mitch asked.

  She nodded. “He told me to sit in this chair and not get up. He also told me to close my eyes and not open them until I heard the back door shut.”

  Mitch jotted those facts down. “So he went out the back door?”

  “Yes. At least I think he did. I heard the back door close. That’s when I got up, grabbed my cell phone, and dialed 911.”

  Alex squeezed her shoulder gently, a comforting gesture that Julia seemed to appreciate.

  Petty thief or not, this burglar was scaring people. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take one more look around,” Mitch said.

  Alex nodded. “Take your time. I’ve got a few more questions for Julia while you do.”

  Mitch took his time walking around the store a second time. He watched his feet, looking at the floor around the bookshelves. He’d enjoyed reading cozy mysteries as a kid growing up here in Sweetwater Springs. Maybe that was one of the things that appealed to him so much about law enforcement. He liked to solve puzzles. Liked to figure out whodunit.

  His gaze caught on a small, white rectangular ID lying just beneath one of the bookshelves. Mitch’s steps quickened, and he bent to pick it up. It was a driver’s license. How idiotic can this perp be? The ID read Kyle Martin and had the photo of a young seventeen-year-old pimply-faced boy with fair skin and red-toned hair. The ID said that Kyle was approximately five foot eleven, one hundred and forty pounds. All of the victims had described their burglar as being around six feet tall and very thin.

  Bingo!

  Mitch couldn’t bring himself to be happy about it though. This was just a kid. Why the hell was someone so young, with so much future ahead of him, throwing his life away on something like this?

  Alex looked up as Mitch approached the counter again.

  “Found something,” Mitch said.

  Alex raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? What is it?”

  “I don’t think you’re going to like it.” He slapped the ID on the counter in front of Alex.

  Alex picked it up and frowned. “I know this kid. He’s a bit of a troublemaker around town. I’ve had to talk to him a few times. The kid doesn’t have a father, and his mom is always working.” With this information, Alex offered an apologetic look, as if maybe Mitch would take it personally. “He’s angry, and he hangs out with the wrong crowd.”

  “Burglary is a felony.” Mitch shook his head. “At his age, he’ll probably be tried as an adult.”

  “It’s possible.” Alex poked his pen back into his front pocket. “I know where they live. Looks like we’re making a house call.”

  “Do we need to call this in?” Mitch asked. “Backup?”

  Alex shook his head. “No. Kyle won’t put up a fight. His mom, maybe.”

  Alex turned to Julia and promised to call her later.

  “Thank you both,” she said, offering a wobbly smile. “I’m just glad it’s all over. I might not sleep for a week.”

  “Trust me. Sweetwater Springs is still one of the safest towns I know,” Alex promised, patting a hand on Mitch’s back. “Especially with Mitch here on the job.”

  They headed out of the store and climbed into Alex’s SUV. Mitch closed his eyes for just a moment. He’d been a stupid teen once too. It hadn’t gotten him thrown in jail but it could have. He shouldn’t have been on the road the night he ran into Brian Everson. It was a stupid mistake that he’d never be able to correct.

  Alex waited for traffic to pass, did a U-turn in the road, and then drove toward Kyle Martin’s home.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Wow, Kaitlyn. You’ve really given it your own spin,” Mr. Garrison said.

  They had toured the dining room, living area, sitting room, and ballroom, and were now walking down the upstairs hallway and peeking inside the guest rooms that were currently unoccupied.

  “Each room has its own theme,” Kaitlyn said. “My friend Josie helped me come up with that idea. Mitch helped me pull it off.”

  “It’s wonderful,” Mr. Garrison said.

  “Mitch has really been a lifesaver,” Kaitlyn continued, rambling nervously. “I don’t think I could’ve done this without him.”

  Mr. Garrison turned to her at the end of the hall. “And what about when he leaves? The conditions are satisfied on Christmas Eve. That’s not far away.”

  “Well, then I have Gina Hargrove down the street. She’s been a huge help as well.”

  “Ah, yes, Gina always enjoyed helping out your grandmother. It’s c
onvenient since she lives so close.”

  “Let me make you a cup of coffee.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  Kaitlyn led Mr. Garrison back downstairs where he sat on a metal stool at the kitchen island.

  The brew was already in the pot. She grabbed two mugs and poured both three-quarters full. Then she grabbed cream and sugar and placed them at the center of the island before sitting down as well.

  “Here you go.” She pulled her own cup to her. It was her third cup this morning, which meant she was bubbling with energy and nerves, fidgeting almost uncontrollably, and talking at supersonic speed.

  “You know, Mable was a matchmaker of sorts. I think that’s part of what she was doing when she left the inn to you and Mitch.”

  Kaitlyn’s eyes widened. “I thought she wanted us to run the B and B because of my creativity and Mitch’s business mind.”

  “Sure, sure. That’s what she said. But everyone who knew Mable knew she always had a hidden agenda. She set up a number of couples in this town, you know.”

  “No, I didn’t know that.”

  “She’s the person behind my first date with my wife.”

  “I had no idea my grandmother did that kind of thing.”

  Mr. Garrison chuckled. “Between Dawanda’s cappuccino readings at the fudge shop and your grandmother, singles here have never had a chance. Have you met Dawanda?”

  Kaitlyn giggled as she nodded. “Yes. She gave me a complimentary reading.”

  “And you didn’t run from Sweetwater Springs screaming? Means you’re one of us now.”

  Kaitlyn liked the sound of that. “It’s part of the town’s charm. So, you think my grandmother was trying to set me and Mitch up?”

  “She never would’ve admitted to it, but…” Mr. Garrison shrugged. “I miss Mable’s meddling ways.”

  “There’s so much I didn’t know about her. I wish we could’ve spent more time together.”

  “I’m guessing that’s another reason she chose you. You can learn about her by living the life she lived. You’re making it all your own, of course, but there’s a certain lifestyle that comes with running a bed and breakfast. I’m assuming you want to continue on even when the conditions are met?”

  Kaitlyn didn’t hesitate. “Definitely.”

  “Because legally you and Mitch could sell this place. The way you have it running now, you’d probably make a pretty penny.”

  And she could go back to New York. Maybe reclaim her life and career there. “No. This is my home now.”

  Mr. Garrison seemed pleased by her declaration. “I sure do wish I could’ve talked to Mitch.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Just good to know he’s helping out. When Mable put him in the will, I had my doubts he’d even agree. It was a risky move, knowing Mitch’s history here. Mable had faith he wouldn’t leave you high and dry. That’s just not the kind of man he is.”

  “He’s also not the kind to stay once his promise is fulfilled.” It was worded as a statement but Kaitlyn’s tone of voice turned it into a question. She already knew the answer in her heart of hearts but some part of her needed confirmation from someone else. “I mean, he loves working at the police station. His mom is here. He seems happy. I know he has a past, but…”

  Mr. Garrison frowned. “You and Mable are more alike than you know.” With that, he stood. “I’ll check in with Mitch later, before the condition of the will is officially up. We’ll need to fill out some paperwork to turn this place completely over to you.”

  And that was his answer to her question.

  Mr. Garrison shrugged. “Or not. Have a great day, Kaitlyn.”

  She followed him to the door. “Thank you. You too.” Closing the door behind him, she blew out a breath. She wished Mitch had been here, but she thought she’d done well on her own. Hopefully, Mr. Garrison was convinced that she and Mitch were satisfying Grandma Mable’s terms so far.

  * * *

  There were two cars in the Martins’ driveway as Mitch and Alex pulled up to the curb. A clean, older model Honda Accord and a dirty, dented-up Toyota Corolla with missing rims. He guessed they belonged to Cassie and Kyle Martin, respectively.

  “Let’s have a chat with our burglar, shall we?” Alex said to Mitch, knocking on the front door.

  A moment later the door opened, and a petite woman with bobbed black hair and a cautious expression peered back at them. Mitch glanced down at his uniform. He was willing to guess this wasn’t the first time an officer had been to her door. He was also willing to guess she already knew this would be about her son.

  “Hello, Cassie,” Alex said with a friendly nod.

  “Hi, Chief Baker.” Her gaze moved to Mitch.

  “This is Officer Mitch Hargrove,” Alex told her. “He’s new to the department.”

  “Good morning,” Mitch offered, already feeling bad about what they had come to do. Although she was young, Mitch could see in Cassie’s eyes that she’d endured a lot in her lifetime.

  “I was wondering if we could speak to Kyle.”

  Her lips pressed together, and her eyes narrowed. “Is he in some kind of trouble?”

  Alex offered a stiff smile. “For the moment, we just want to talk to him. Is he home?”

  She nodded and gestured for them to follow her inside the house. “I’ll go get him. You can wait on the couch.”

  Mitch and Alex sat on the edge of a faded couch with several tears patched up with duct tape. There were more than a few dings and holes in the walls too. They weren’t a rich family, and this wasn’t the best of neighborhoods. Being a single parent wasn’t easy. He knew that from watching his own mom. Mitch had felt the pressure of making ends meet back then. Maybe Kyle was also feeling it.

  A few minutes later, a tall, lanky kid—definitely not an adult yet, even though he was nearly eighteen—stepped out into the living room.

  He cast a wary gaze between Mitch and Alex. “My mom said you wanted to talk to me,” he said more to Alex than Mitch.

  Alex nodded from the couch. “That’s right. This is Officer Hargrove. We need to ask you a few questions.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” the kid said with attitude.

  “Why don’t you sit down first?” Alex suggested.

  Mitch remained quiet because the family was more familiar with Alex.

  Kyle sighed and plopped into a worn recliner across from them. Mitch saw Ms. Martin lingering within earshot.

  “I believe this is yours.” Alex slapped Kyle’s driver’s license down on the coffee table between them.

  Kyle’s gaze swept over it. He shrugged, looking between them. “I lost it a couple weeks ago.”

  The kid was a bad liar. “I found it in the bookstore that was robbed downtown earlier today,” Mitch told him.

  Ms. Martin gasped in the background.

  “Wasn’t me. The thief who stole my license must like books too.”

  “He didn’t steal books. Just cash.” Alex kept his gaze trained on Kyle, who was doing his best to look uninterested.

  “Thanks for finding it for me. No risk of getting a ticket for driving without one anymore.” At this, the teen offered up a smile but his eyes were still dull and lifeless.

  “Your fingerprints were at the bookstore too,” Mitch lied. They hadn’t had time to run fingerprints yet. Alex would probably have something to say about Mitch’s white lie later.

  Kyle shifted uncomfortably.

  “There’s more than a traffic ticket at stake,” Alex continued, not correcting what Mitch had claimed.

  “Kyle?” Cassie Martin stepped up to her son now. “Did you rob a bookstore? Is that where the money came from?” she asked.

  Mitch looked at her. “How much money?”

  He could tell she was hesitant to answer. Doing so would likely implicate Kyle. “My son is a good boy. If he did this, it’s only because he was trying to help me. He’s a good boy,” she repeated.

  Mitch’s eyes flitted to meet Kyle’s an
d then returned to her.

  “I’m sick,” Cassie confessed. “I have cancer, and the treatments will be expensive. I can’t afford them, and even if I could, I wouldn’t be able to work because the treatments would make me sicker. Not at first, at least. Kyle has been working long hours, doing side jobs, and raising money to help me get well.” Her lips trembled. “He really is the best son a mom could ask for.”

  “Listen,” Kyle spoke up, “I’ll pay the money back, okay? All of it. I never meant to do anyone harm.”

  “Kyle!” Cassie’s hands covered her mouth. “Why would you do such a thing?”

  “Because I don’t want you to die, all right?” Kyle shot back. “I need you. I would do anything to keep you well.” He lowered his head into his hands. “I know it was stupid. Am I going to jail?” he asked in a small voice.

  Mitch could hear his own teenaged self asking a couple of law enforcement officers that same question a decade earlier. He remembered the feeling of wondering if his next ten to twenty would be behind bars. Worse than that feeling was knowing that he was the reason that the rest of someone else’s years would be in a wheelchair.

  “You’ll have to come down to the station, yes,” Alex said.

  “You’re arresting him?” Cassie’s dark eyes filled with thick tears. It reminded Mitch of when his own mom had arrived at the hospital after the accident. A couple of police officers came to talk to Mitch in his room. Once he was discharged, they wanted him to come down to the station for questioning. In Mitch’s case, it had all been an unfortunate accident. But Kyle had purposely robbed several stores. Yeah, his reasons seemed almost noble if you looked at it from a teenager’s viewpoint, but he’d still committed crimes.

  “I’m afraid we have to,” Alex said. “But considering the circumstances and Kyle’s age, we might be able to work out a deal with Judge Ables. Can’t make any promises about that though.”

  “It’s okay, Mom. Don’t worry about me.” Kyle gave a wobbly smile to Cassie, who had tears streaming down her cheeks now. If she couldn’t afford medical treatment, she couldn’t afford bail money either.

  “He’s right,” Mitch told her. “We’ll take care of Kyle. You need to save your strength for your own fight, and you won’t be doing it alone. Sweetwater Springs takes care of its people.”