Mary Alice opened the box and looked inside. "It's beautiful," she said.
It was a horse. Carved from curly cherry wood.
Mary Alice held it in her hand. "It's warm," she said.
I felt the horse. It was cool to my touch. I raised eyebrows in question to Sandor.
"A special present for a special person," he said to me.
"A special person with special abilities?"
He smiled. "There are signs."
I smiled back at him.
"See you in court," he said.
* * *
I awoke at dawn and gently slid away from Morelli. I padded through my dark apartment to the kitchen. The mall tree was lit with tiny twinkle lights, and Diesel was leaning against the counter.
"Is this good-bye?" I asked him.
"Until next time." He took my hand and kissed my palm. "It was a good Christmas," he said. "See you around, sunshine."
"See you around," I said, but he was already gone.
And he was dead-on right, I thought. It was a very good Christmas.
END OF VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS
Visions of Sugar Plums Page 10
