california christmas dreams

by J. M. Jeffries

  She wanted this ride to go on and on. She wanted the feeling to never end, to discover the never-ending story.

  “About Saturday,” Jake said when the kiss ended. “I wanted to explain...”

  She held her hand up. “Do you smell something?”

  He sniffed. “Yes, but I don’t know what.”

  She took a moment to calm herself, closing her eyes and trying to identify the acrid smell of... “Gasoline.”

  Chapter 13

  Jake took a deep sniff. Merry was right. “Gasoline.”

  He looked around, trying to figure out which direction it was coming from. The wind had stilled and the smell surrounded him.

  “Should we call the police?”

  “Let’s investigate first.” Jake turned in a circle. “It might be something that we can handle.”

  “I don’t know, Jake. I have a bad feeling.”

  He powered down the carousel and turned off the lights. His eyes needed a moment to adjust to the darkness.

  “This way.” He grabbed her hand.

  They ran around the rides and the miniature golf courses. The smell was growing stronger. Jake skidded to a halt at the first of the retail stores. He heard a small explosion. Flames rose.

  He fumbled with his phone and almost lost it. Quickly he dialed 911 and reported the fire. “Get a fire extinguisher.”

  Merry ran to a fire station and grabbed the extinguisher off the bracket. Jake grabbed another one. He ran toward the fire, the smell of gasoline so overpowering he started to cough.

  He activated the extinguisher and pointed it at the flames. Something hit him in the back and he sprawled forward. He felt another strike on his back and when he turned, he found Harry Constantine reaching to twist the extinguisher out of his hands.

  “Let it burn,” Harry screamed at him. “Let it burn.” He punched Jake in the face.

  Jake heard a scream and in the next moment, Merry had jumped on Harry’s back and was pummeling his head.

  “Stop!” she screamed. “Stop.”

  Jake dropped the fire extinguisher and helped Merry subdue Harry. While he held Harry, he directed Merry to the fire. In the distance, he heard sirens. Help was almost here.

  “Let it burn,” Harry cried.

  Jake grappled him. “Why, Constantine?”

  Harry twisted to look at Jake. “You should’ve just sold me the damn property. My offer was more than fair. I had this deal completely sewn up and then your father...your father...”

  “My father didn’t want to sell.” His father had made the right decision.

  With his face highlighted by the flames, Jake could see anger tight on the other man’s face.

  Merry sprayed the flames. Jake would have helped her, but he needed to keep Harry subdued. The sirens had grown louder. Harry struggled harder.

  “I’m ruined.” Tears leaked from Harry’s eyes. “I’m ruined.”

  Fire trucks poured into the parking lot, followed by several police units. Men poured out.

  “I’m ruined,” Harry sobbed.

  “You’re ruined no matter what now,” Jake said. He let his grip relax now that the police had arrived.

  Harry took advantage of the moment, twisting free and running. Jake took off after him. Harry turned and swung a fist, hitting Jake in the shoulder. Jake grunted. For an out-of-shape man, Harry packed a powerful punch. Jake jumped him and they both fell to the ground. In the next second, two police officers stood over them, their guns drawn. Jake got to his feet. The smoke from the fire made his eyes gritty. He saw the fire department taking charge and moving Merry away from the flames.

  Detective Mars pulled handcuffs out of his pocket.

  “I think this man is your arsonist.” Jake stood aside as Mars pulled Harry to his feet.

  “You may be right.”

  Merry ran up to Jake. “Are you all right?”

  “I may have a bruise or two tomorrow, but I’m okay.”

  Merry grabbed him, her arms sliding around his neck. “I was so afraid he’d hurt you.”

  “He didn’t,” Jake reassured her. He put his arms around her and held her close, watching the flames slowly being subdued by the fire department. They all had fire extinguishers and soon the fire was under control.

  “Do you have somewhere we can talk?” Detective Pederson asked.

  “My office is over here.” Jake led the detective toward his office while Detective Mars took charge of Merry, leading her to her office. Jake couldn’t help a small chuckle. Divide and conquer came to mind.

  Merry talked to the detective, her arms swinging, her gaze meeting Jake’s. She smiled. The detective gently moved her toward her office. She waved at Jake and he waved back. He marveled at her courage, but then again, he expected nothing less from her.

  In his office, Jake called his father, then told Detective Pederson everything that had happened. By the time his father arrived, the detectives had released Jake and Merry. The fire department had everything under control. His father called Evelyn to let her know the arsonist had been captured, and then took Jake home while Merry went to a nearby motel.

  * * *

  The next morning, Merry bought new clothes at the mall and felt refreshed despite the lateness of her night. She arrived at John’s office by midmorning, and when Detective Pederson arrived, she poured him a cup of coffee and sat down. Detective Pederson looked exhausted. She doubted he’d been to bed yet.

  “To wrap things up,” Pederson said, “we found a gas can with Mr. Constantine’s fingerprints on it. We have evidence and a confession. He seemed to think that if he started a second fire, the insurance company wouldn’t pay out and you’d be forced to sell.”

  “But why did he want this property so badly?” John asked.

  “He told his investors that he’d already bought the property and they would be breaking ground for the next mall soon. He didn’t expect your father to change his mind. And he couldn’t go back to the investors with that information, so he thought he could force you to sell, Mr. Walters.” Detective Pederson ran a hand over his face. His clothes still smelled smoky and he needed a shave. “We also were able to tie him to the incendiary device. My partner found instructions on how to build one on Mr. Constantine’s computer. We have enough evidence to convict him.”

  Merry frowned. “I sort of feel sorry for him.”

  “I don’t,” Jake said. He looked angry. “He caused a major fire that took millions of dollars to fight and tried to put my father out of business.”

  “Don’t waste your pity, Miss Alcott,” Detective Pederson said.

  “I’m not saying what he did was right, nor am I condoning his behavior,” Merry said. “He was just so desperate last night.”

  “I should have just stuck to my guns from the beginning,” John said. “Then this wouldn’t have happened.”

  “I’m sorry, too,” Jake said. “I pushed for the sale and found the buyers. I should have just left well enough alone.” He looked at his father. “I should have trusted you to know what’s best for you.”

  John nodded. “Thank you. Now, we have a park to get ready. We’re two weeks from opening and we have a lot of work left to do.”

  John walked the detective to his car. Jake refilled his coffee cup. Merry watched him.

  “Fortunately, the building he set on fire hadn’t been rented yet,” Merry said.

  “Can the building be saved? It was built in 1872.”

  “The contractor is looking at it now, but I think it’s a total loss. The store next to it didn’t catch fire, though it has a few scorch marks on the side. That’s easily fixed. We’re still on schedule.”

  “Good,” Jake said. “You and I still have to work out our issues.”

  Merry grinned. “I know, but not today. I’m cool. Put the conversation on hold because I’m going to be putting in twelve-and fourteen-hour days for the next two weeks to keep everything on schedule.”

  “I can do that.”

  She nodded.
“Okay. Let’s get back to work.”

  * * *

  On opening day, Merry was exhausted. For the past week, she’d rented a hotel room because she’d been too tired to travel back and forth from her home in Pasadena. But finally the day arrived and Merry found herself standing by the ticket booths watching guests make their way up the walkway to the entrance. For Black Friday, it was a great crowd.

  She warmly greeted guests, recognizing a number of the volunteers who’d helped save the park from the fire. John stood inside the park, a walkie-talkie in one hand. He greeted the first customers even as he worked on last-minute issues. Jake had decided he would run the carousel for the day. Merry found that charming. He might not be attached to the park, but he loved the carousel.

  The park itself was festive and bright, with Christmas lights hanging from every surface. The carolers stood just inside, singing as the customers came in. Christmas music blasted from the loudspeakers. Santa Claus would be arriving at noon in his own special parade. Various Christmas-themed activities were planned throughout the day all leading up to the concert, which would be ready to roll at seven o’clock.

  “This is it,” Noelle said.

  “Are you ready?”

  “This is going to be fantastic. The park is amazing. You did a great job.”

  “Thank you,” Merry replied.

  “What’s next for you?”

  “John isn’t going to need me full-time now, so I’m contemplating a couple of video shoots.”

  “I’m impressed. Anybody interesting? I’d make a wonderful personal assistant.”

  Merry slanted a glance at her sister. “Maybe. Supposedly. One of them is in Cabo San Lucas.”

  “I’m already packed.”

  Merry laughed at her sister’s enthusiasm.

  “What about you and Mr. Hot Lips over there?” Noelle pointed at Jake.

  “We’ll have to see.” Merry smiled at Jake and he smiled back. He was greeting people and handing out flyers for the concert. Fenya stood to one side, handing out info about her bakery and inviting people to come have a complimentary bite of her pirozhki. John hadn’t succeeded in filling all the empty stores, but enough of them were open to satisfy people’s needs to shop, and were offering Black Friday discounts.

  “I’d better get going. My assistant doesn’t come in till noon.” Noelle walked off, her hips swaying. A couple of men turned to watch her and Merry suppressed a giggle.

  “Today is going to be great,” Jake said.

  “What? Where is the real Jake Walters and what have you done with him? My goodness.”

  “Okay,” Jake said. “I was wrong and I’m man enough to admit it.”

  “Where is your sister?”

  He hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “She’s beating down some five-year-old so she can be first on the Tilt-a-Whirl.”

  Now that was a real surprise. She was glad Evelyn made it to the opening. It would mean so much to John. “Really? I didn’t see her come in.”

  “She came earlier with Dad. Just because we didn’t want to take over the park didn’t mean we didn’t have good times here.”

  “Your sister made it sound like the end of civilization as we know it if your dad kept the park.”

  “She teaches physics. She needs a little drama in her life.”

  Merry shook her head. Eventually, she and Evelyn would be friends. Despite their differences, they had a lot in common.

  “Jake,” a woman said. Jake grinned at a tall, stately looking woman with shoulder-length blond hair, who was pushing two babies in a stroller with four more children following her. A tall, burly man followed the children as though herding them.

  “Narissa, Cooper,” Jake said in surprise. “I didn’t expect you.”

  “We wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

  Merry recognized Cooper James. Daryl Wicks admired him very much and often talked about him.

  “Merry, this is Cooper James and his wife, Narissa, and their children.”

  What an assortment, Merry thought. The children ranged in age from what looked like six months to ten years. They looked to be of various ethnicities. Merry assumed they were adopted.

  “Hello, Mr. Walters,” the eldest one said, shaking Jake’s hand politely. Solemnly, each child shook Jake’s hand and said hello.

  Merry was amazed at how well behaved all the children were and how neat and tidy they were. After a few minutes, the family walked into the park and Merry turned to Jake.

  “Are they all adopted? The older ones look like him, but not like her.”

  Jake smiled. “That’s a story for another day.”

  “This is one of your crazy client stories, isn’t it?”

  “Like I said, another day.”

  “You’d better get going, then. They look like they’re heading straight for the carousel.”

  Jake took off after them, leaving Merry to continue greeting arrivals. Benny the Bear came to stand with her and children grouped around him, patting his fur. Parents urged their children closer for a photo op.

  The trickle of customers tapered off. Merry decided to tour the park to make sure her displays were holding up. A child raised a scratched hand to her mother and Merry directed them to the first-aid station.

  As the day wore on, the crowds grew denser. The lines for the rides grew longer. The food stalls were jammed and maintenance patrolled the picnic areas, cleaning up as each table emptied. John was adamant about keeping a clean park.

  By dinnertime, the crowds had doubled as people arrived for the concert. Merry went backstage to watch The Brothers J get ready for their concert.

  “This is the best day we’ve had in ten years, even with all the comp tickets you and I gave out,” John said. He sat on a box, looking tired and a little bedraggled but happy.

  “And it’s going to get better.”

  “I stopped by the ticket office and people are buying yearly passes like nobody’s business.” John gave her a hug. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but we’re set for the next year.”

  “Don’t tell your son I said this, but we’ll worry about next year, next year.”

  John put his hand out and she shook it. “Deal. What’s your next project?”

  “Mardi Gras,” she replied. “I’ll have the preliminary sketches for you next week. All the sets we have now can be easily repurposed with a little paint and imagination.” Merry already had the designs in her mind. Now that the park didn’t need her on a daily basis, she could get the next designs done quickly. After Mardi Gras would be Easter, then the Fourth of July, Halloween and back to Christmas again. She’d allowed for some minor variations to account for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and a few other one-day celebrations. Her mind churned with all the possibilities. It was one thing to get people here for a day but another to get them to come back.

  “I know you’ll do just as marvelous a job.”

  The Brothers J tuned their instruments. One waved at John and he nodded back.

  Jake made his way to the staging area. Like his father, he looked tired. “Wow, what a day.”

  “It was epic,” Merry said. She’d been on her feet all day.

  “Where do we go from here?”

  “We keep getting better.”

  He took her hand. “Where do you and I go from here?”

  “I think I’m going to let you apologize to me very nicely. I didn’t cheat your dad, and you have to admit that the park looks terrific.”

  “That’s not the only thing I have to apologize to you for.”

  “And what would that be?”

  He gave her a sidelong look.

  “Do I need to give you two some privacy?” John asked, pushing himself to his feet.

  “You don’t want to see him groveling,” Merry said with a grin.

  “Am I going to grovel?” Jake asked.

  “Son, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll grovel.” John walked off leaving them alone.


  “Merry,” Jake said, “I had you wrong from the very beginning. I don’t do that very often.”

  “That’s because you see a celebrity and you automatically assume they’re a train wreck.”

  “In my defense, by the time they get to me, they usually are.”

  Merry studied him. “I’m not a train wreck.”

  “I know that now. Figured it out all by my lonesome. I like you, Merry.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “I like you, too.”

  “You proved me wrong at every turn. I never thought I was making love with Chloe. I knew I was making love with you. I was trying to tell you that the reality of you was much better than the fantasy of Chloe. But my words came out wrong. I love you, Merry.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Really? You’re absolutely positive you’re not in love with Chloe?”

  “Chloe was a nice girl. You’re an amazing woman, and I want to spend my life with that woman, her mean cat and an amazingly detailed shoe collection.”

  Merry slid her arms around him. “I never thought I’d fall in love with a guy like you.”

  His eyebrows went up. “What’s wrong with a guy like me?”

  “Absolutely nothing.” She kissed him, feeling light-headed at his declaration.

  “Hey, you two,” Noelle said. “Break it up. The concert is about to begin and we have some serious partying to do.”

  “We’ll talk later,” Jake said.

  Merry chuckled. “I plan to do a whole lot more than talk.” She linked arms with her sister and went out into the amphitheater just as the concert began.

  Epilogue

  Merry and Jake stood on the balcony waiting for the fireworks to begin. They’d taken a suite at the Mission Inn to celebrate New Year’s and to take a little break from the park. When they’d left the park, it had been packed to the gills. She figured half of Riverside was there ready to celebrate New Year’s.

  “Mr. Chapman called me today,” Merry said. “I didn’t tell you, but he came by the park right after the fire and offered me a position running the set-design department. Apparently his niece didn’t work out. She preferred to be a mime at the park.”