Cold Case Christmas

by Jessica R. Patch

  And empty.

  “Wow, Rush. I love how it’s covered in windows. So much natural light, and what a view from up here.” Nora gaped and took it all in. He felt that way every day.

  He parked out front, grabbed the box and they went inside. Nora studied the cedar beams and walls. The kitchen was open to the living room. Leather furniture. Rugs for warmth on the knotty pine flooring.

  “I love what you’ve done with it.” She frowned. “Where’s your Christmas tree?”

  “I didn’t put one up this year.” One tree decorated for one man? Seemed silly.

  She gasped. “Rush!”

  “Did you put a tree up at your place in Knoxville?”

  She collapsed on the couch. “No, but I haven’t put a tree up since Mom disappeared...died.” Tears leaked from her eyes, and she wiped them away with her sweater sleeves that hung over her fingertips. “You have no reason not to.”

  “Neither do you,” he said delicately. “She wouldn’t have wanted you to stop loving and celebrating your favorite holiday. Besides you’re celebrating Christ’s birth.”

  “Which doesn’t call for a tree.”

  “You put up a nativity?”

  “No. Make me some coffee and let’s go through photos.” She grinned and headed for the box on the kitchen counter.

  “You’re bossy.”

  “You ought to know.” She slid the lid off the box. “Hey, Rush?”

  “Hmm...?” He opened a bin and took a K-Cup for the Keurig.

  “Nothing.” Fear pulsed in her eyes. Whatever she was about to open up and say, she’d bit back.

  “You can talk to me, you know. Like you used to.” Before her world crumbled and she closed herself off.

  “It’s nothing.”

  Frustration knotted his neck and shoulder muscles. He gave her a cup of coffee how she liked it, with cream and sugar, and started combing through photos. He searched for men in Phantom of the Opera masks. “Do you know where there might be other photos? Not every single person is going to turn up in this box.” Hundreds of people attended each Christmas. Several hundred of them local, and nearly three hundred tourists. This was a needle in a haystack job.

  “Tourist center might have some put away. Locals probably have personal scrapbooks. What are we even looking for?” Nora asked, and thumbed through the photos.

  “The mask in the car was a partial of the Phantom of the Opera. Look for men wearing that.” He left out the other reason it was important. How did one tell an ex-girlfriend he’d seen her mom kissing the Phantom? She’d been through so much already. “And someone with silver cuff links.”

  “My dad wore cuff links but not like those.” She held up a photo. “Look, it’s you and Dan in those ridiculous masks with whisker-like things growing out of the sides.” She laughed, but he heard the bittersweet tone.

  “Good times.” Rush couldn’t manage much more. That was the night his dream shattered. He found two photos of two different men in Phantom masks. One seemed like it might be Ward McKay. He owned McKay Construction and was divorced. Could Marilyn be the rift that caused it? “Did you ever hear talk about Ward McKay and your mom?”

  Nora paused perusing. “I steered clear of talk if I could.”

  “His wife moved away with their son. He might have been pretty mad over that even though it would have been his fault. Anger brings irrational behavior and thoughts sometimes.” He couldn’t believe he said that. He had no facts to support that theory. “I’m speculating and really I shouldn’t be.”

  “No,” Nora said. “That makes sense.”

  If Ward was the Phantom kissing Marilyn three months after he had separated from his wife, he might have wanted a more permanent relationship with Marilyn. If she rejected that, after he lost his family for her, that could have sent him over the edge. She might have been escaping him. Or something more sinister.

  But they didn’t have proof that Marilyn’s car in the lake was intentional. And he was only speculating again. “If the car wreck was an accident, then all we’re doing is meddling in people’s lives to give you some comfort.” A lot of damage could be done. “Is that fair?”

  Nora jutted her chin toward him and glared. “What if it was your mother?”

  He didn’t know. Before his dad falsely accused a man of soliciting a prostitute, which ended up causing the man to commit suicide, he’d have said yes. But now? Now he wasn’t so sure he’d go around prying.

  “We have to question Ward, Rush. Evidence or not. What’s he got to lose now?” Nora asked.

  “If your mom’s death wasn’t an accident, then a lot.”

  THREE

  The winter storm had slacked off, leaving a foot of fresh powdered snow and temperatures in the low twenties. But it wasn’t keeping tourists and locals away from Main Street. Carolers dressed in Victorian clothing wassailed along singing inside the shops that were lit with candles and twinkling lights. Nora loved the candle store best with its cranberry, pine and cinnamon scents that wafted through the air. She’d be buying one of the candles when they got there. Small stations were set up for tourists to relax and revel with mulled cider or cocoa. With red noses and wrapped head to toe like mummies in winter garb and bags loading them down, people were having a ball.

  Road crews had done a good job of clearing the roads and sidewalks. Nora and Hailey walked with Dalton, his lips coated in chocolate and whipped cream. Nora had missed so much of his growing up by only visiting once a year. She’d forgotten how much she loved these pre-Christmas festivities. They’d bumped into several people Nora had grown up with, and there had been no narrowed eyes or questions about Mom, but Nora couldn’t help but feel gawked at. Rush had been called away due to shoplifters, and being here in public, Nora didn’t think anyone would try something. She hoped anyway. She had her sister and Dalton with her.

  “Nora, do you think you should push this?” Making a motion with her chin toward Dalton, Hailey let Nora know to talk in code so young ears didn’t hear.

  “Don’t you want answers?”

  “Yes, but not enough to bring on the extra trouble, if you know what I mean. Maybe we should move on. I don’t care to know about every single indiscretion, and quite frankly, I believe there were many.”

  “But why? What was so bad in the marriage that would cause that?”

  Hailey sighed and watched as Dalton jetted ahead, gawking in the taffy store. “People grow apart, Nora. They live in the same house, share the bills and running errands and after-school activities, but the spark dies.”

  “I’m sorry about you and Nate.”

  Hailey squeezed her hand but said nothing.

  Nora had seen marriages that lasted. Burned bright all through the years. Rush’s parents for one. And her grandparents on Dad’s side. Mom had no family. No pictures. They’d burned in a house fire when Mom was young.

  Hair rose on her neck and she scanned the area.

  “So how are things with you and Rush?” Hailey asked.

  Nora shook off the feeling of being watched again. “Fine. Good.” He was helping her look into a case. That’s it. Although sitting in his home, drinking coffee and reminiscing over old photos had shifted the place where she kept her feelings for him confined. “To be honest, I wish he’d be more aggressive on this investigation. He acts like he can’t question anyone until he has proof, but he can’t get proof without asking questions. It’s like people who need their first job but can’t get one without experience. How do you gain experience if you can’t get a job?”

  Hailey snorted. “You’re babbling.”

  “I suppose I am.” Rush frustrated her with his tippy-toeing around. She was beginning to think he was pacifying her with his promises to look into the past. He hadn’t done much of anything.

  They stopped inside the candle shop and Nora bought an orange-cranberry candle. Outsi
de, Nora spotted Candace Fick. “Hey, didn’t she and Mom have lunches every Thursday afternoon?”

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she knows any more than we do.”

  Carolers crooned, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

  “You never know. I’m gonna hop over and see if we can have a lunch of our own. I’ll be right back.”

  Blue lights flashed in the distance. Looked like Rush’s Bronco inching its way up the road. Butterflies swam in her stomach. Oh, no. No. No. She was not going to let herself swoon over him. For many reasons. One, she wasn’t even staying in Splendor Pines. She was moving to Florida—hopefully.

  Two, he’d cheated on Ainsley, and if he’d cheat on her what was to say he wouldn’t cheat on Nora someday? There was no guarantee. And worst-case scenario, what if the rumors about her mother were true? What if Nora had her genes? Because if she were being honest she’d have to admit that even if she had known Rush was dating Ainsley, it wouldn’t have stopped her from spending time with him, holding his hand, embracing him, cuddling on the couch or even kissing him.

  She was pulled from the souring thought. Literally.

  A meaty hand yanked her by the collar behind the shops, thrusting her up against the brick, her face scraping against the rough exterior. “I told you to back off!” he hissed, and cut off her scream with his thick gloved hand. She flailed and elbowed him in the chest, but his heavy coat must have taken most of the blow. It barely slowed him down. Adrenaline coursed through her veins; blood swooshed in her temples.

  He yanked a strand of lights from the trim of the building and wound them around her throat, tightening them. She couldn’t breathe! She grabbed at them, the twinkling rainbow hot around her neck and flashing in her eyes. In the distance, carolers sang, “O Christmas Tree.” A serenade to her—Nora the human Christmas tree.

  Help! Someone!

  The cord dug into her neck, stinging. Her eyes watered and her throat swelled. Blood heated in her cheeks.

  Using her foot, she back kicked him. She missed his groin and knocked his upper thigh. He cursed and thrust her to the ground, never releasing his grip on her throat with the lights.

  Spots formed in front of her eyes.

  The snow burned cold on her cheek.

  He practically sat on her back as if he was roping a calf. She felt along the snow and found her bag with the candle.

  “Nora?”

  Rush!

  The attacker released his grip enough for her to gulp a breath of air and wiggle around to use the candle as a weapon. She held the handles of the plastic bag and swung it like a bat against the side of his face; he groaned and jumped off her.

  Rush moved in on him, but he scrambled and found his footing, racing ahead into the crowd. Rush radioed their location as he gave chase. She coughed and unwound the Christmas lights from her neck, breathing in the cold, fresh winter air.

  Jogging, Rush came back to her and knelt. “Are you okay?”

  No. But she had to show a sign of strength. “Just need to catch my breath.”

  He tipped her chin, searched her eyes. “Nora, be honest.” Concern pulsed in his. “Talk to me.”

  “I’m fine.” She hid her shaking hands. “How’d you find me?”

  Rush blew a heavy sigh. “Hailey said you went to talk to Candace Fick, but Candace said she never saw you. I got a gut feeling. Went looking for you from point A to B.”

  Nora rubbed the tender area on her neck. “Anyone tell you that you ought to be in law enforcement? Private Eye? Detective? Human Metal Detector?”

  “I’m glad you can find the funny in this.”

  Nothing about this was funny, but she didn’t want to admit she might have bitten off more than she could chew. Because she couldn’t back down regardless.

  “That’s me. The funny girl.”

  Rush pulled Nora to her feet. He brushed a gloved thumb across her cheek. “Nora, this is getting out of hand and I’m worried.”

  Join the club. “I’ll be okay. I’ve got you around.” She tried to play it off lightheartedly but it fell flat.

  “I’m not always around, though. If I hadn’t been just down the street...”

  She’d be dead right now. With no answers. She didn’t want to think about it. “Candace might know where Mom was going that night or who had been with her. They were friends.”

  “Why hasn’t she come forward, then?” Rush asked.

  “I don’t know.” Nora picked up the bag with the candle inside, brushed snow from it.

  Rush pointed to the sleigh rides. “Why don’t we take a break and hitch a ride back to the lodge.”

  “Isn’t your Bronco still here?”

  “Don’t want to go ‘dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh’ with me?” Rush winked and slung his arm around Nora’s shoulders.

  “As long as we don’t have to laugh all the way. My ribs won’t take it.” She ignored her heart’s warning to abandon his protective arms and charm and she leaned into him. Rumors were sure to abound.

  * * *

  Snuggled under a quilt with Nora on the sleigh ride had brought back so many memories. Rush had been smitten with her since he made fun of her pink sparkly tennis shoes in third grade and she shoved him down the hill on the playground. She’d been full of spunk and spice and still was. Normally, he’d appreciate that but it was fueling her need to keep pushing into the past. She didn’t trust him to do his job, and coupled with refusing to let her feelings out, it was utterly disappointing. Didn’t she see they were in this together?

  Nora’s father stood on the steps of the chalet as the sleigh ride came to its end. Rush had texted him ten minutes earlier and filled him in on the newest attack.

  He met Nora as she stepped out and drew her into his arms. “Nora, how many times am I going to have to beg you to stop this? It’s going to get you killed.”

  She didn’t respond but pulled from his embrace.

  Joshua’s nostrils flared, but underneath the anger was fear. Fear for his daughter. “I’ve given the family staying next to you an upgraded chalet. Rush, you take that one until you don’t need it anymore. I understand appearances.” He peered into Nora’s eyes. “But if you won’t come back to the main house and let me take care of you, then I’ll feel better knowing Rush is six feet away. But again, I wish you’d come up to the house and let Rush look into the attacks. If you stop digging, they might stop.”

  Rush thought the same thing, but the killer may believe Nora found the incriminating photo. If so, he would be coming to silence her for it. Rush too.

  Nora looked at her dad and then at Rush. “If the results come back that there is no foul play involved, I’ll consider it. But something bad happened that night. I know it.”

  Rush believed it too. He didn’t think Nora would consider letting it go. He shook Joshua’s hand. “I appreciate the chalet. I’ll get my things later.”

  They stood quietly, a bit awkward, then Joshua tightened his scarf. “I’ve got some work to do.” He left them on Nora’s porch.

  “What now?” Nora asked.

  “We compile a list of names we heard rumors about and quietly investigate to see if they were true. Then we add their wives to that list. You know the phrase about women scorned.”

  “They buy Ben & Jerry’s?” A slender eyebrow twitched north, giving Nora a sly, flirty look.

  Heat swarmed Rush’s gut. “Something like that.”

  Nora unlocked the chalet and they stepped into the warmth. She hung her coat on the hook by the front door and dropped her purse, hat and gloves on the kitchen counter, then lit the candle she’d wielded as a weapon earlier. Didn’t take long for the chalet to become enveloped in orange and cranberry with a hint of cinnamon.

  “We should make a list of the people who were there when the car was taken from the lake too,” she said
. “I always stay at the guest chalet. Someone knew it, knew I was home and that I was coming after them. Had to be someone who was there.”

  “Not necessarily. Anyone could have picked up the phone to gossip and shared it with the wrong—or right—person. I’ll work on the men with rumored affairs and their wives.” He’d spare her that dreaded deed. “After I build a fire.”

  “I’ll make coffee.”

  They went to work on their tasks, then sat on opposite ends of the sofa, notebooks in hand, stopping every once in a while to pour more coffee. Nora pulled a box of ginger snaps from the cupboard that had been stocked. Rush was thankful for them; he hadn’t eaten dinner.

  “I only have about ten people on my list, and I know more were at the lake that night.” Nora tapped her lead pencil on the notebook and scowled. He’d always loved her perturbed look. It made her nose perkier and her full lips poutier.

  He tried to ignore his attraction and focus on the work. “Read off the names and let’s see if any of them match mine, then we’ll circle them and put them at the top of our suspect list.”

  Nora smirked. “You got it, Matlock.”

  Rush chuckled and Nora read her list. He circled the names she called out that he had on his list of rumored affairs: Ward McKay, Len Franklin and Harvey Langston. He still had three more names on his list. Martin Hassleback, Kent Sammons and Rodney Jones.

  “Let’s start with the first three we matched and then move on with the other three. Ward, Harvey, Len and Martin are divorced so they rank even higher as the chances of the rumors being true are greater,” Rush said.

  Nora rolled her pencil along her bottom lip. He cleared his throat. “I’m only speculating. Don’t take it as the gospel truth.”

  “Why do you keep prefacing your speculations or putting that addendum on there? Cops speculate, Rush. It’s not like you’re accusing anyone of anything...yet.” Nora laid her notepad and pencil on the coffee table, stretched and yawned.