CRIMINAL CHRISTMAS: A Set of 8 Holiday Suspense Stories, page 55
They bundled up and stepped outside. A single-cab Chevy pickup sat next to her Infinity.
She halted. Riding in that tiny cab, squished between two bodies? No way in hell.
“I’ll drive,” she said.
Josh shook his head. “Too dangerous on these slick lake roads.”
Her ire rose. “You mean because I’m a woman driver?”
His mouth twisted. “Don’t get all women’s libby and defensive. I meant because my truck has snow tires, front wheel drive, and it’s heavier.”
“My car has front-wheel drive and snow tires. It might not be as heavy as your truck, but it does fine on the roads, and I’m more accustomed to the route.”
Josh lifted his arms to his sides and let them drop. “Suit yourself.”
They piled into her car and drove the half mile to the lodge. Inside, the room was warmed with a roaring fire in the stone fireplace.
Theresa met her at the door and hugged her tightly. She was in her early sixties, with silver hair and a red-trimmed white apron tied around her plump waist. “I was wondering when you were going to come up and see me.” Theresa released her and gave Josh and Dustin a questioning look. “Who are your friends?”
Sabrina introduced them, and Josh turned his charming smile on the older woman, causing a pink blush to rise in her cheeks.
“Nice to have you. Come on, we’re having pot roast, potatoes, asparagus, and chocolate cake.”
Sabrina’s mouth watered. Theresa was a phenomenal cook.
In the dining area, an elderly couple and a middle-aged couple sat at a long table in the center of the room. Theresa made introductions. The elderly couple were Henry and Doris Buckingham, the others were Ben and Tracy Stewart.
While Theresa owned the lodge itself, the cabins were owned by individuals and rented out, when the owners themselves weren’t occupying them.
Sabrina slipped her coat off and she, Dustin, and Josh sat on the bench across from the Stewarts. Still feeling the cold, Sabrina shivered. She smiled at Tracy. “I suppose this isn’t the ideal time to visit the lake.”
The woman was blonde, dainty, with a makeup-less fresh scrubbed look. Ben was handsome, with short dark hair shot with gray at the temples. He took his wife’s hand. “We love it here. Nice and peaceful. Gets us away from the holiday rat race.”
“But no tree?” Dustin asked.
“Theresa doesn’t believe in Christmas,” Sabrina told him.
Dustin wrinkled his forehead. “What kind of crazy nonsense is that? Christmas is real, how can you not believe in it?”
Josh bent to his ear. “Down low, buddy, remember?”
Dustin’s face scrunched. “Sorry.”
Lunch was delicious. Ben and Tracy were friendly, and Ben kept them laughing with anecdotes about his job as a used car salesman.
The older couple were subdued. They confessed they had recently lost their only child and escaped to the lake to avoid holiday memories. Sabrina could empathize.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot.” Theresa stood and went to a sideboard and picked up a small, wrapped box, and handed it to Sabrina. “This was left on the porch for you.”
“Thanks.” Heat warmed Sabrina’s cheeks. It was probably from Mitch. She didn’t want to open it in front of everyone. She set the box on the bench beside her.
“Come on, open it.” Dustin’s eyes were bright with excitement.
“I think I’ll wait.”
“Oh, come on,” Ben chimed in. “The kid wants to see what you got. We all do.”
Tracy punched his shoulder and rolled her eyes. “You’re worse than a child at Christmas.”
With the expectant faces glued to her, Sabrina felt put on the spot. Reluctantly, she peeled off the wrapping. Hopefully, it wasn’t something sappy and romantic. Mitch had a tendency toward that sort of thing.
She opened the box lid. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” played from one of those little discs like they put into greeting cards. A silver bracelet lay amidst crumpled red tissue paper. And a note. On the third day of Christmas…
She gasped. The box fell from her trembling hands and landed on the table.
“Hey,” Josh’s low voice spoke beside her. He put his hand over hers, and a slight sense of calm stole through her. “You all right?”
All eyes were on her. “I-I thought I saw a spider in the box. I’m fine.”
“You sure?” His gaze captured hers. Doubt lingered in their blue depths.
Sabrina nodded, and everyone went back to eating, but she could barely focus on the remainder of the meal. This wasn’t just a computer glitch. The bracelet was just like the one she wore often, had been wearing when she was rescued. Someone was purposely referencing her past. But why? Was it a sick joke? Everyone knew Samuel Goodman had hummed “Twelve Days of Christmas” over and over while he held her captive. They would know he used duct tape and rope, and would know about the bracelet. She’d been wearing it in the photographs shown on the news. All the information she’d given to the police had made it into the media. So it could be anyone, someone just screwing with her. It couldn’t be Goodman. He was serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison. Or was he…
If he’d escaped, she’d have heard, right? She needed to call Detective Keller who’d headed up the case. But, he would have let her know if Samuel Goodman escaped. Hell, it would be all over the news.
No, this was just some sick prank. Maybe Chet or one of the other troublemakers at school. They were fascinated with her past. She probably should have moved away from Sturgeon Bay after the tragedy, but she couldn’t stand the thought of leaving her family, even though they would forever reside in the cemetery.
She couldn’t stay in the home, though. She’d sold the house, although doing so hadn’t been easy. She’d taken a loss. No one wanted to live in a house where a couple and their young son were murdered. A knot clogged her throat, and she swallowed back tears.
“Are you ready to go back?” Josh’s voice brought her out of her musings.
She nodded. The conversations had steered away from her, and for that, she was grateful.
“I’ll drive if that’s okay,” he offered.
“Yes, fine.” She wouldn’t let him know how relieved she was. Her shakiness and preoccupation with the strange messages might cause her to drive them off the road.
~*~
Each of the following two days, another odd message appeared, one on her phone, one on her laptop. Both had played the song. One had been a rose, the other a block of wood. She easily solved the puzzle—Rosewood Lane. Yes, there was no doubt. These incidents were related to the murders.
She’d called Detective Keller, who assured her Goodman was locked up nice and tight. Although it wasn’t his jurisdiction, he offered to come check things out, and she said she’d call on him if she didn’t figure it out soon or if they became more threatening.
She wouldn’t let this cripple her. Some asshole was playing a sick game, and whoever it was, she’d be damned if she’d let them win.
It was Monday morning, and she was finishing up her second cup of coffee when Josh and Dustin arrived. Josh’s eyes were red, and his hair looked like he’d gotten caught in a windstorm.
Sabrina narrowed her eyes and spoke to Dustin. “What’s wrong with him?”
“Too much celebrating. Packers won, and he met a hot blonde.”
Josh groaned. “Jesus Christ, Dustin. Down low.”
Sabrina’s mouth tightened. “Maybe you shouldn’t expose him to all your shenanigans, and he wouldn’t have to be deceptive.”
Josh’s lips quirked. “Shenanigans? What are you, eighty? And it’s not being deceptive, since it’s none of your damn business what I do.”
Dustin hung his head. “Sorry, Sabrina. Josh is grouchy when he’s hungover. Even if he gets laid.”
Josh growled and clenched his fists. “Son of a bitch, Dustin. Don’t apologize for me and don’t tell her,” he pointed a finger at Sabrina, “another damn thing about my business or you’re off the job, got it?”
Sabrina’s blood heated with anger. “Don’t take it out on him.”
“I don’t need this bullshit from two nags. Jesus, it’s like I’m fucking married.” His mouth twisted. “And if I ever was stupid enough to get married, it wouldn’t be to some buttoned-up, judgmental shrew.”
Unwarranted, a shaft of pain shot through her. Why should she give a damn what he thought? She lifted her chin and glared at him. “Shrew? Now look who’s eighty!”
He tossed her a scowl and stomped down the hallway.
Dustin’s lip trembled. “He’s a really good man, promise. He just doesn’t feel like himself today.”
Sabrina hated that her hands shook and her heart ached. “Oh, I think he’s shown exactly who he is today.”
“It’s all my fault. My big blabbermouth.”
She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. He reminded her of Halley, beaten down and unwanted. “It’s not your fault at all. Don’t let Josh bully you and treat you like crap. He just uses you.”
Dustin jerked away. He lifted a finger and shook it in her face. “Don’t ever say Josh is a bully. He’s my best friend. No one else wants to hang out with me, and Josh could hang out with any of his other buddies, but he hangs out with me all the time. Plus, he—” He sniffled. “He saved me.”
Sabrina flinched. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“Momma said if I couldn’t find a job, they’d have to put me in a special home. Josh was the only one who gave me a job, so don’t never, ever say that about him again.”
Misery swamped her. “Okay, okay. You’re right. I’m sorry. Josh is a good man.”
“A very good man.”
“A very good man,” she repeated.
“He just has his moods.”
“Right.” Fine, so he wasn’t all bad. He’d rescued the kid. That was great, but he was a promiscuous drunk, and she’d had her fill of those. She’d actually been one of those. An out of control teen with no thought for anything other than fun. And look what had come of that.
She offered Dustin an apologetic smile. “I am sorry about what I said. I’ll let you get to work.”
Dustin patted her shoulder. “Okay, Sabrina. Sorry I had to yell at you. Sorry Josh treated you like shit too.”
“It’s all right. Friends?” She stuck out her hand.
He took it. “Yeah, but Josh is still my best friend.”
She smiled. “I can live with that.”
Three
Sabrina bundled up and went out to check the feeder. Winter sunlight glinted off the smooth surface of the lake. Not a bird in sight, but some of the seeds were missing. She retrieved the recorder and checked the video.
Excitement bubbled when a tiny chickadee hopped onto the feeder and was soon joined by two others. They flitted around in their signature flying/hopping movements. The recorder had caught their faint whistles and chirps, and even the call they made that sounded like an alarm. She smiled. This was gold. She sent the recording to her email and erased it, then set it to record again.
Inside, she fixed lunch, but Josh and Dustin stayed in the bathroom, working. Their usual chatter was absent. She tried to tell herself she was okay with that, but she was lying. The house seemed too silent and cold without their voices and laughter. What would she do when they left? In spite of Josh being a dick sometimes, it was nice to have company.
A knock sounded at the door.
She looked through the peephole to find Ben and Tracy standing outside. She opened the door. “Hello, what a surprise.” She moved back and gestured for them to come in, and they stepped inside.
Tracy said, “Sorry to bother you. Our electricity is out, and that maintenance guy is fixing it. He kind of gives us the creeps. Mind if we hang out here for a little bit?”
Richard was a little creepy. Sabrina avoided him as much as she could. “Not at all. I was about to make stroganoff. Would you like to stay for dinner?”
“We’d love it.” Ben hoisted a bottle of wine she hadn’t noticed him holding. “We brought this, just in case you invited us in.” He grinned.
She smiled back. “That’s great. I’ll open it with dinner.”
Just as they settled in the living room, Josh and Dustin entered from the hallway.
Sabrina gestured to the couple. “Remember Ben and Tracy?”
Josh narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, hi.” Not the friendliest greeting.
“Maintenance is working on their electricity so they’re hanging out here. We were about to have dinner. Would you care to join us?” She was only being polite. She had barely enough for the three of them. If Dustin and Josh accepted her offer, she’d have to throw some things together to go with it.
At the same time, Dustin said yes, and Josh said no.
Josh frowned. “Sorry, bud. It’s been a long day. I need a shower and to take care of some things at home.”
Dustin looked crestfallen.
Sabrina said, “He could stay, and I can drive him home later.”
“No, I don’t want you out on the roads.” As if realizing he sounded too caring, Josh clamped his mouth shut, and his frown deepened. “Dustin needs to get home to his mother anyway. Thanks for the offer. You folks have a good evening.”
When the door closed behind them, Tracy said, “Damn, he’s hot.”
Ben narrowed his eyes and gripped his wife’s arm. “Now, honey, you know how jealous I get when you look at other men.”
Tracy laughed uncomfortably. “I was just teasing. You know you’re the only man for me.” She kissed him on the cheek, her expression almost pleading. Something felt off about the exchange. Did Ben abuse her?
The conversation turned to the weather, wine, and Richard’s creepiness, and tensions eased. Ben was loving and attentive toward Tracy. As usual, Sabrina had overreacted. Why did she have to always look beneath the surface of every word or action and try to find the hidden motive? People were people, humans. Imperfect humans, and sometimes jealousy was just jealousy.
After dinner, they drank wine and talked until close to midnight. Sabrina’s promised to Skype with Halley pricked her conscience, but time got away. Once her company left, she just wanted to go to bed. She shot Halley a quick text and told her they’d Skype tomorrow.
Sabrina showered and brushed her teeth, then slipped into her warm, flannel gown. Loneliness seeped through her more so than usual. Maybe it was because the house had been full this evening, or maybe it was because she was growing accustomed to having Josh and Dustin around, but whatever the reason, the quiet screamed at her like a banshee.
She flipped the hall light on, pushed the bedroom door open wide, then climbed under the covers. But sleep eluded her.
After an hour of tossing and turning, she got up and warmed a cup of milk. Sipping from the mug, she wandered around the house, stopping at the window to peer outside at the feeder. But the birds hibernated at night, there was nothing to see.
She picked up her cell from the bar. Maybe she should tell Mitch to come out after all. It was late, but she could shoot him a text, and he’d see it tomorrow.
But, was she really prepared for what that would entail?
No, she wasn’t. She laid the phone back down.
She finished her milk and headed back to bed. Snuggled beneath the covers, she went through her relaxation rituals, clear your mind, deep breaths, relax your entire body, starting with the toes, moving slowly up through the legs, through your stomach, your arms…
Sometime later, she was pulled out of sleep by the inability to breathe. She struggled to draw in air and fought against the pressure on her chest. Her eyes flew open, and she sat up abruptly, heart pounding. What had woken her?
She tried to look around the room, but it was pitch black. What the hell? The door was shut. She knew she had left it open before going to bed.
Gasping, she flung the covers off and raced to the door. She grabbed the knob and whipped the door open. The lights were off. Maybe a power outage? But how had the door closed?
She stumbled into the hall and scrambled her hand along the wall until she found the switch. She hit it, and light bathed the area. Letting out a cry of relief, she took in deep pulls of oxygen.
She pressed against the wall and wrapped her arms around her body. Images of the room in the back of the carriage house flooded in. The thick darkness, the musty, moldy stench, no windows, no air…
But worse, so much worse, the monster in the darkness, his cold hands touching her flesh. “No, no, no,” she muttered. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to banish the memories.
A violent shudder racked her body. The counselor she’d seen the year following the ordeal had advised that, when the memories overcame her, she take her mind somewhere pleasant, somewhere light and safe, where nothing could harm her. But it never worked. The reality, the horror, was much, much stronger than any fantasy she tried to conjure.
She turned to head back to her room. A figure loomed in front of her. Hands gripped her shoulders.
She let out a scream and wrenched away, stumbling against the wall. God, he was here, her nightmare was here, and she was going to die…
“Sabrina? For God’s sake, what’s wrong?”
The familiar voice registered at the same time her eyes brought him into focus. “Josh? What are you doing here?” Her control dissolved, and sobs wracked her body. Her entire frame trembled so violently, her teeth clacked together.
“Hey, hey, what’s the matter?” Josh brushed the hair back from her face and took her shoulders gently in his hands. “Tell me.”
She concentrated on the concern in his eyes, the soft tone of his voice. No terror had ascended, no monster. Just Josh. Then why couldn’t she stop shaking?
His arms went around her, and he pulled her close to his body. She buried her face in his chest and snuggled into his warmth. He held her until the trembles subsided.
Slowly, he eased her away and tilted her chin up with his finger. “Tell me what happened.”
She swiped at tears and stepped away from him. Embarrassment heated her skin. “Did you close the door and turn off the light?”
