8. Chapter Eight #2
She was still smiling? She stopped, hoping she now had a neutral expression. As she glanced over at him, he seemed so close. With him next to her, her Jeep suddenly seemed to shrink. His broad shoulders were practically brushing hers. And her heart was thumping against her ribs.
Agreeing to let him ride with her to town was a mistake. A big mistake.
But it was too late to back out of this now. She started the engine and then put the vehicle in reverse. She was nervous as she maneuvered her way along the icy roadway. Luckily, she didn’t have far to go.
At last, she turned onto Main Street. Her pulse was racing. Having Parker in the passenger seat, watching everything she did, was like being a teenager again and taking her driving test.
“You know you can go the speed limit,” Parker said.
She glanced down at the dashboard. He was right. She was five miles an hour below the speed limit. It was his fault. He was making her nervous.
Not wanting him to know just how much his presence was getting to her, she said, “The roads are slick.”
He didn’t say anything. And then a low “Mm…hmm…” reached her ears.
Her back teeth once more ground together. It was time for him to go back to his life and leave hers alone. “I don’t need you to follow me around.”
“I’m not. We just happened to be going in the same direction.”
She didn’t buy it. She’d seen the deep frown on his handsome face when she’d found the note on the front door. Was he that concerned about her safety? Or was his ego pricked that someone had the audacity to sneak onto her porch, and he didn’t have a clue they’d been there?
“Uh-huh.” She didn’t believe him. “And what do you need in town?”
“Security cameras.”
This was news to her. “And where exactly are you planning to install these cameras?”
“All around the perimeter of your house.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“What do you mean no?” His voice rumbled with agitation. “You have some criminal lurking around your place. You have to take precautions. I can’t be at your place twenty-four seven.”
“You’re right. You need to leave as soon as we get back, and you can take your cameras with you.” She knew she was being obstinate, but at the moment everything felt as though it were spinning out of her control.
“Belle, you’re being unreasonable. We have no idea what this person is capable of.”
She needed to reclaim a modicum of control over her life, which had been invaded first by some criminal and then by this well-meaning but intrusive sheriff.
She drew in a deep breath and slowly released it.
But she realized this person could be dangerous, and with the cameras, Parker wouldn’t need to sleep on her couch. “Fine. Install your cameras.”
“Okay.” He didn’t have any little digs for her.
She parallel parked a little way down the road from the pet shop. “How long will you be?”
He arched a brow and smiled. “Why? Are you planning to leave me behind?”
Just that little bit of smile and his teasing tone broke the tension that was coursing through her body. In turn, she smiled when she said, “Don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind.”
“I shouldn’t be more than a half hour. How about you?”
“I don’t know. I want to talk to some people about Odie. I want everyone in this town to know that he’s missing. I need everyone keeping an eye out for him. I need all the help I can get.”
“Even mine?” His tone this time was totally serious.
She sighed. “Even your help.”
“Then I best get to it.” He opened the Jeep door and got out.
As she made her way along the sidewalk, a light snow began to fall.
Just what they needed, more snow to add to the several inches of snow they already had on the ground.
Still, she couldn’t deny that it gave Kringle Falls Christmas vibes.
Between all of the white stuff and the various shops along Main Street painted in shades of red, green, and white, this place was rocking the holidays.
She supposed that was why they were known as a Christmas town.
She glanced up and spotted the white wooden sign hanging in front of the pet store. Painted in black letters it read: Purr ’n Woof Supplies . This was her destination.
She pushed open the glass door and heard the familiar sound of jingle bells. There was a silver jingle bell tree hanging on the door.
She glanced around the front of the store. There was no one at the checkout counter. There had to be someone there. “Hello?”
Belle walked past the displays of pet toys and snacks. In the middle of the shop were aisles of pet food, squeaky toys, and any other item you might need for your furbaby. There was no one there either.
In the back was a fenced-off training area.
She’d always thought after the holidays that she would bring Odie, and they could take a class together.
The thought brought a pain to her heart as tears burned the backs of her eyes.
She blinked repeatedly as she struggled to get her emotions under control.
She swallowed hard and hoped her voice didn’t betray her roller-coaster emotions. “Hello?”
“Good morning.” Merry Kringle stepped out of the office and approached her with a warm smile on her face.
Merry was an older woman with short curly snow-white hair. She had blue eyes that twinkled when she laughed. She wore gold wire-rimmed glasses. Her cheeks were rosy, and her lips were upturned with one of her warm smiles.
When Belle was young, she was certain Merry was, in fact, Mrs. Claus.
Who could blame a child for having those thoughts?
The woman could easily play the part without any effort.
And of course, there was the fact that her husband, Kris Kringle, looked just like Santa with his white beard and round belly.
And today, like most other days, Merry was wearing a red dress and white apron. It only perpetuated the idea that she was Santa’s wife. Sometimes, Belle wondered if there was something Merry wasn’t sharing with them—was she really Mrs. Claus? The ridiculous thought had a smile tugging at her lips.
Merry glanced around, as though she had lost something or someone. And then her attention centered on Belle. “Where’s Odie?”
“You haven’t heard?”
Merry’s brows drew together as the smile faded from her face. “We were out of town last night. Did something happen?”
“I tried to call you last night, but it went to voicemail.”
“Sorry. I didn’t have my charger cord with me. What’s going on?”
Belle rehashed what had happened over the past twenty-four hours.
“And that’s why I’m here. I needed to know if you’ve seen any strangers buying dog food or anything that would make you suspicious.
” Realizing that she was grasping at straws, she said, “I’m desperate.
I don’t know what to do to get him back. ”
“Of course you’re worried. I can’t believe anyone from Kringle Falls would do something so horrible.”
“I agree. But they have to live close by because there was a note on my front door this morning. They said they’re watching me.” A chill raced down her spine.
Merry’s eyes widened. “That’s concerning. You mean they were on your front porch while you were sleeping?”
She nodded.
“That’s scary. What’s the sheriff doing about it?”
“Everything he can.” Even though they didn’t always get along, he had been there for her since Odie had been dognapped, and she appreciated it. “He slept on my couch last night in case they came back.”
Merry’s eyes momentarily widened, and then a smile bloomed on her face.
Belle sighed. “It’s not like that, so don’t go there. He was just doing his job.”
“His job, huh? I can’t recall him sleeping on anyone else’s couch.”
“No other Kringle Falls resident had their dog kidnapped.”
Jingle-jingle.
They both turned toward the front of the store. In walked Mary Johnson and her husband, Josh. They had their dog, Scout, a black lab.
“Excuse me,” Merry said. “I’ll be back.”
Belle watched as Merry moved toward the couple and extended one of her sunny greetings. Belle wasn’t sure what to do now. Merry wasn’t any help, and she was really counting on Merry knowing something. Merry always had her ear to ground and knew what was going on with most everyone in town.
Then again, Merry had mentioned being out of town. That might have something to do with Merry’s lack of knowledge. Or maybe Merry was right, and whoever took Odie wasn’t from Kringle Falls. If that were the case, how were they ever supposed to find Odie?
Her thoughts returned to the note on the front door. Why did they want her to go to the party that evening? Were they going to be there? She doubted it. They would know that she intended to have them arrested. So, then what was the point?