Mistletoe & Hauntings Read online

  He kissed her. “You’re so smart. Be back as soon as I can.”

  Mallory had just pulled the diary out and walked to the kitchen to find a tool to break it open when the doorbell rang. That was fast.

  “Did you forget your key?” Mallory started to say when she realized it was not Kaden. “Meg?”

  She looked a mess. “I’m sorry to bother you.”

  Mallory grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her inside. “Come in. Sit down. You’re not bothering me. Are you okay?”

  She shook her head and flopped down on the couch, dissolving into tears. Mallory ran to the kitchen and grabbed a box of tissues and a glass of water. Was Meg here to admit that she was guilty?

  “I was just looking for Aunt Lulu. She wasn’t at home and I thought she might be here picking up the dress.”

  “No, I haven’t seen her,” Mallory said, handing her a tissue. “Can I help?”

  “I’m just sad.”

  Mallory took Meg’s hand to see if she could get an empathic read. Her chest immediately began aching like it’d been torn open. Mallory shut the door to Meg’s feelings faster than if she’d been an incoming blizzard. Opening herself up like that wasn’t something she did often, and Meg’s pain reminded her why. It was overwhelming and the longer she let someone’s thoughts and feelings in, the longer they stayed. Dangerous territory.

  “Meg? Were you in love with Caspar?”

  Meg cried harder.

  “Is that why you were at his house?”

  Oh dear. Mallory wrapped an arm around Meg. This poor girl had been through so much and now she’d been seduced by that sleezy director and was obviously distraught over his death. She’d have to call Kaden and clear things up. Meg definitely wasn’t the killer.

  “I should go. I need to see Aunt Lulu,” Meg said, heading toward the door. “Thank you, Mal.”

  Mallory watched her go and then texted Eve to find out if she knew what was going on between Caspar and Meg. Eve controlled the spy network of Bohemian Lake and if you ever wanted information, you went to her.

  Eve texted back. “Come to the mill. I could use the back-up.”

  Seven

  M allory took off her hat and scarf, and hung her snow-laden wool coat on a nearby hook while admiring Pike and Finn’s massive twelve-foot Christmas tree in the corner that was decorated with lights and jewel-toned ornaments.

  The Valentine’s converted sawmill was beautiful. It was a large open space—well, mostly open—it belonged somewhere in the mountains. The living room and kitchen were all one but there was a wall in the center where the stairs led up to the loft and behind that wall was the solarium. Which meant Mallory could hear raised voices but she couldn’t see who was causing all the fuss.

  Eve rushed over to meet her, her high heeled boots tap-tapping on the refurbished wood floor. “Mallory, sweetie. You look exhausted. You want some of what I’m having?” Eve held out a tea mug and Mallory raised her eyebrows. She could smell the drink from where she stood and it was, in no way, shape, or form, tea.

  “No, thank you, Eve. I’m driving and it’s noon.”

  She let out her signature Dolly Parton giggle and took a swig, “Well, let me know if you change your mind. It is quite the rodeo in here. Clara’s mad as a mule chewin’ on bumblebees.”

  “Why? What are you doing at Pike’s, anyway? What’s going on?”

  “The sisters, Clara Hart and Candy Spriggs are teaming up.”

  “What? Where’s Pike?”

  “Christmas shopping in the city. Clara’s babysitting and Candy and I came over to have tea with her and then we heard a knock at the door and all hell broke loose. Now follow me.”

  Mallory followed Eve into the kitchen where they could peek around the wall to see who was fighting without being seen.

  Clara was sitting across from a blonde woman yelling and wagging her finger. Candy sat in a chair in the corner looking sullen.

  “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way,” the blonde retorted, sharply.

  Mallory heard violins coming from behind her. She turned and saw Rory Salazar—the ghost of Christmas Past. Well, not really Christmas Past. He’d taken his tumble down the stairs in the summertime. All at once she felt his ache. The lingering effects of opening herself up. She had to quit doing that!

  “Well, I do feel that way.” Clara’s shouts drew her attention once again. “You’re just lucky our brother isn’t alive. He never would have let his son marry you. What are you even doing back in Bohemian Lake? You stir up the hornet’s nest every time you come. Nothing but a heartache, Hedy Hart. Just look at what you’re doing to my poor sister. She’s drinking again,” Clara added icily.

  Candy’s face went red but she swigged out of her flask anyway.

  Hart? Mallory turned and mouthed the word to Eve who nodded.

  The blonde swore, “Well, I’m sorry that I’m such a disappointment to you.”

  Clara leaned in. “Good, you should be. I don’t know what my nephew ever saw in you.”

  “Whatever. I don’t need this.” Hedy stood up. “The only reason I even came is because Caspar insisted.”

  Caspar appeared from across the room just as Clara rose. He had morphed from a glowing orb into a translucent figure. “Yeah and now he’s dead. We’re gonna have to start calling you the Black Widow.”

  “How dare you?” Hedy snapped. “I loved your nephew and I can’t help that…that he gave up on life.”

  “He gave up on life because of you.”

  “Bull. And I can’t help that Caspar died. I had nothing to do with either.”

  Was this Hedy woman Caspar’s killer? Was Clara accusing her own family of being a murderess?

  Clara, clearly done with the situation stomped away from the solarium and around the partition, thankfully heading in the opposite direction of the kitchen.

  They heard her thumping as she walked up the stairs to the massive second floor.

  Two seconds later, the blonde followed suit.

  “Now where do you think you’re going? You can’t leave.” Eve said, cutting Hedy off. “Pike and Finn will be back tonight.”

  “I don’t care.” She said and pushed past her.

  “Hart? Are you related to Pike?” Mal questioned.

  “I’m her Mama.”

  Mallory had to force her jaw to remain closed. She’d always just assumed Pike’s parents were dead since they were never around, and no one spoke of them.

  “Who are you?”

  “Mal Vianu is my friend.” Eve replied, with an edge to her voice. “She runs Caravan Manor Resort with her family.”

  “One of them?” She asked, but her tone wasn’t judgmental so Mallory let it slide.

  Eve nodded. “Yeah, she’s a Vianu all right.”

  “Hedy. I know Clara was a little harsh.”

  “Don’t! I deserved it,” Hedy replied. “She’s a viper, that one, but she’s not wrong. I only bring Pike heartache. Her father was the only glue between us and when he died, well, I might as well have too.”

  “You can’t really believe that.”

  “Pike doesn’t want to see me. She told me at the ball. She doesn’t forgive me, and she doesn’t want me around. I thought I’d push my luck but it didn’t pan out.”

  “Forgive you for what?” Mallory asked the question before thinking about how rude it was.

  Hedy hesitated like she wasn’t going to answer and Mallory was hit with a wave of her pain. “For leaving Tom,” she said at last.

  “But you have a granddaughter now, you have to try to change her mind,” Eve said.

  Hedy paused as if to consider the idea that she could change Pike’s mind but then said, “Thank you, Eve, but there’s no changing a Hart’s mind.”

  Eve leveled her gaze. “Well, you shouldn’t have a problem then, now should you?”

  Hedy seemed to shrink. “This was all a mistake. She’s got her great-aunts, Clara and Candy,” she said and flew out the door. Eve went after her.
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  Mallory was debating whether or not to follow when she once again heard music coming from the back door. Her intuitive finder’s gift hard at work. She hurried in the direction and saw Candy making her exit. Something or someone wanted her to follow but by the time she’d pulled on her coat and shoes, Candy was gone. She followed the drumming sound anyway and came to a crumpled note in the snow. It looked old—like it had been read a thousand times. She picked it up: I saw what happened. I’ll be in touch.

  She had a flashback to the fight she’d overheard at Candy’s Tree Farm. Did it have something to do with this note? Was Casper threatening to expose something?

  Mallory decided she needed to break into Rory’s diary more than ever. She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all connected. If Caspar was really Rory’s son then maybe he’d written about it.

  She shook the snow from her coat and hung it up, then hurried into the living room where she’d left the diary on the coffee table.

  The book was gone. Mallory got down on her hands and knees to see if it had fallen and been kicked under the couch.

  Nope.

  She hurried to her bag thinking maybe she’d stuffed it in there and forgot. She dug her hand inside and gulped. It wasn’t there either. After one last, frantic search of her car and house, she collapsed onto the couch, frowning. What in the heck had happened to it?

  That’s when she remembered: Meg had been there. Had it all been an act just to steal that book? What could be in it that was so darn important.

  Well, she knew just where to find Meg—rehearsal.

  Eight

  T he sound of the carolers melodic voices drifted through the air, rehearsing for the big scene while the rest of the actors milled about the stage, shifting their weight from foot to foot as Lulu looked them over, nipping and tucking costumes where needed.

  Mallory slid into the corner to wait, reading over the note she’d found in the snow again. What was the connection? She’d been hoping to catch Meg free but Penny was with her in the corner reviewing lines. Her eyes landed on Meg’s purse not five feet away. She was just about to mosey on over and snoop through it when Meg’s brother Axl appeared at her elbow, startling her.

  “Hey Mal.”

  “Damn it, Axl! You scared the crap out of me.” She took in the silly beard and round spectacles and remembered he was playing the role of Ebenezer.

  “Sorry. I guess Caspar’s death has us all a little out of sorts.”

  Mallory nodded noticing Rory had come to join them or rather Axl. She wondered if he looked in on his nephew often. He seemed worried for him.

  Axl, oblivious to his uncle’s ghostly presence relaxed back against the wall beside Mallory. “Do the police know who poisoned Caspar yet?” He asked. “Or why?”

  “Not yet,” Mallory answered, pulling her thoughts back from the theft.

  “What’s that your holding?” he asked, looking down at the creased paper in her hands.

  The way he inhaled after he said it made Mallory’s neck prickle. She looked over at him but he was staring across the stage at his sister reading lines. He was worried for Meg and it had something to do with this note.

  “Did your sister write this note, Axl? I know she was in some sort of relationship with Caspar.”

  Shaking his head, he said, “No.”

  “Axl?” Mallory pushed. “Was she helping Caspar blackmail someone, Candy perhaps? Don’t lie to me. You know I can tell.”

  Axl shifted his feet. “Meg didn’t write the note. It’s just I think Candy might have told her something about it—told her that someone threatened her. I guess I’m just worried about her knowing. I mean, there’s a killer out there.”

  Mallory nodded. That was true. “Don’t worry. Kaden will get to the bottom of it but it would help if you told us what you know. I mean, what’s the big secret?” Axl shifted like he needed more prodding. “Just spill it. I saw Candy fighting with Caspar the day he died. I know the two are connected. Looking back now, I realize she was confronting him.”

  His eyes widened and Mallory picked up on what he suspected.

  Holy, silent night!

  “You think Candy killed him?”

  “What? I never said that,” Axl blustered. He started to walk backstage but paused to turn. “Candy’s no killer,” he retorted. “And even if she was, it would have never been on purpose.” He turned to walk again, and Mallory started to follow. Axl was kidding himself.

  You didn’t just accidently poison someone but she needed him to trust her.

  “Axl! Wait. It would help us clear Candy if I knew what her deep dark secret was.”

  His eyebrows snapped down. “Then ask her.”

  “Axl?”

  But he didn’t answer.

  Ask her. Hmm. Mallory pondered the idea but she was pretty sure that was too direct. Candy would never admit her secrets. But if Meg knew then maybe Meg would talk. She headed back to the stage only to find Meg and her purse were now missing.

  ***

  The lights were on inside Meg’s house when she got there, and yet she was ignoring the doorbell. Walking to the far end of the porch, Mallory peeked inside the living room window and saw her sitting on the couch. Meg’s cheeks reddened when she realized she’d been caught reading the book, but she waved Mallory inside anyway. Not that she had much choice. Mallory was not taking no for an answer.

  “Hey Meg,” Mallory said, as she stepped inside the front door. “I knocked but you didn’t answer. Everything okay?”

  Meg cleared her throat, “This belonged to Uncle Rory.”

  “I know,” Mallory replied, studying her. “What’s in it that’s so important you would steal it from my house?”

  Meg set the book aside and rubbed her face. “Nothing, really. I just recognized it on your coffee table. I used to see my uncle writing in it all the time. He was like a father to me.”

  Mallory knew Meg’s actual father, Frank Patone. He was the ex-mayor of Bohemian Lake and he was a class A horse’s behind. She could definitely see why the poor girl would have clung to her Uncle Rory instead.

  “You think your uncle was hiding something from you?”

  Meg’s eyes widened. “I overheard a phone call a month before he died. He was planning to reveal something at his birthday party. A big secret.”

  “And you’re afraid somebody killed him because they didn’t want that secret revealed?” Mallory suggested.

  “Yes. I tried to find out what he was hiding but he wouldn’t tell me.”

  “And that’s why you started hanging around with Caspar—so you could snoop and uncover your uncle’s killer?”

  Meg nodded. Her tears came on fast and ugly until she was wheezing so hard Mallory thought she might have to resuscitate her.

  “Do you think Caspar was part of his secret? Were they killed by the same person?”

  “I don’t know,” she said between sobs. Tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving unflattering black streaks of mascara.

  “Were you and Caspar dating?”

  “Oh. Gross. No.” Meg said in a staccato fashion as she attempted to catch her breath. She paused to blow her nose—a loud goose-like honk. Mallory grimaced unaware such a sound could come from such a pretty nose. “Caspar was like…,” she paused to blow her nose again, “…honk… honk… ten years older than me. We were friends, that was all.”

  “What can you tell me about Candy’s secret? Why was she being blackmailed?” Mallory asked after giving her a moment to collect herself.

  “I was trying to find out,” she sniffled, “but if Candy had a secret, the only person she’d tell would be her sister, Clara.

  Nine

  I t was snowing again but Mallory could make out Clara closing the front door of her bungalow. The Spriggs delivery truck was just pulling away from the curb. She must have had her Christmas tree delivered. Mallory shivered, her coat was wool, but it wasn’t quite warm enough for the spirited—pun intended—holiday of Yule. She looked aroun
d for ghosts but didn’t see any. Just the cold December weather getting to her then.

  “Clara,” Mallory called out, deciding to take a run at her. She was a tough old bird like Nana so she knew direct was best. “You got time for a tea?”

  Clara looked at her like she was the Grinch about to steal Christmas but she opened the door wide and nodded. “I must be popular today. I already have one,” she said pointing to a mug, “but the kettle’s probably still hot.”

  Mallory followed her into the kitchen and watched her pull down her fine china, “Why don’t you like Hedy?”

  Her eyes narrowed as she swung around. “How do you know that name?”

  “You weren’t exactly speaking quietly yesterday at Pike’s.”

  “You were eavesdropping, huh? Peppermint, chamomile or Christmas blend. It was a gift so don’t blame me if it tastes terrible. Mine hasn’t cooled enough yet to try it.”

  “Peppermint, please,” Mallory said. “So, what’s the beef between you and Pike’s mother?”

  “You been hanging around Banter too much, you know that?”

  Mallory shrugged. “You gonna answer the question.”

  Glancing back toward the kettle, she said, “Maybe you should go. You got no business being mixed up in all this. Enough people have been hurt already.”

  “You know the big secret, don’t you?” Mallory pressed.

  She poured the tea and passed it to Mallory. Mallory could feel the guilt eating her from the inside out despite the fact that she hid it so well. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Sure you do. Rory had a secret. Caspar had a secret and now they’re both dead. It has something to do with your family—that much I’ve gathered. Pike’s not really your niece, is she?” Mallory asked.

  “You bite your tongue, young lady,” Clara snapped. “We don’t need you spreading lies about us.”

  “You seemed pretty angry with Pike’s mom. Is it because she cheated on your nephew with Caspar? Is Pike really the daughter of that sleezy Hollywood director.”