James met Harriet in the kitchen when she returned.
“Is Vern okay?”
She shrugged out of her coat, and James hung it in the closet with her scarf and purse.
“He is. He had a bit of a rough night, but lucky for him his store came with a speakeasy hidden in the basement. One with a strong lock.”
“Really?”
“I’ll tell you all about it later. How’s Luke doing?”
James pulled her into his arms.
“Judging by how long he’s been talking to the charming Miss Emily, I’d say he’s doing just fine.”
“So, you guys didn’t miss me?”
He kissed her.
“We were counting the seconds until your return.” He laughed. “Or at least I was.”
She smiled. This marriage thing was okay.
He took her hand and led her into the living room.
“Do you have time to sit and have a cup of tea or cocoa before we have to get ready to go to Beth’s?”
Harriet glanced at the grandfather clock across the room.
“I would love a cup of cocoa.”
“I will be right back.”
She sat in a wing-back chair next to the fireplace. Luke was curled up on the end of the leather Chesterfield sofa, two dogs tangled in the afghan at his feet and the cat peering over his shoulder from the back of the sofa. Fred appeared to be reading along with Luke as he studied his new book on horse care. He looked up as Harriet sat down.
“How was Vern? James said you went to check on him.”
“It turns out he’s fine, if a little worse for the wear. He spent the night locked in an old speakeasy that’s hidden in the basement of his shop.”
“What’s a speakeasy?”
“Back in the days when alcohol was illegal, people created secret bars and sold bootleg liquor. Vern discovered there was one in his basement that’s been pretty much untouched since Prohibition.”
“Was it the guy that got us?”
“It seems to have been. They intended to hang him, but he was able to get into the secret room before they could do it. Unfortunately, the lock got stuck, and he had no cell reception.”
“He was lucky you and Lauren went to check on him.”
“Yes, he was.” James set two mugs on the table next to Harriet and took the chair next to hers. “Although I suppose Mrs. Vern would have gone looking eventually.”
Luke, wide-eyed, had lost interest in his book.
“Why is someone trying to kill all the shopkeepers in Foggy Point?”
Harriet blew gently across the top of her steaming cocoa and took a sip.
“I wish I knew. The only thing the Threads and I could come up with is Valery Melnyk’s wife or family coming from Ukraine to avenge his death.”
“Didn’t Daniel die before Valery?” James asked.
“I didn’t say it was a perfect theory. We’re missing something. I keep going over everything that’s happened since this all started. There’s something that’s just out of reach. If I could figure out what it is, this would all make sense.”
James sipped his cocoa.
“Lucky for you, that is Detective Morse’s job and she’s very good at it. I’m sure she’ll figure this out and put a stop to it.”
“I hope so. But enough about that. Are you two sure you’re up to facing whatever awaits us at Aunt Beth’s house?”
Luke laughed.
“I keep telling you, if no one pulls guns or knives and we don’t have to call an ambulance for anyone OD-ing, I’ll consider the event a success.”
Harriet shook her head, smiling.
“I’m really sorry that is your measure of success.”
James took her hand.
“Luke’s right. We’ve all experienced Aiden’s poor behavior, and we are not going to let anything he does spoil our evening. Besides, isn’t Jorge’s son going to be there? I would think that might cause him to act a little more mature than usual.”
“I hope so.”
Harriet led the way to the front door of her aunt’s cottage. Colored lights surrounded the arched opening of the porch, and a large wreath surrounded the door knocker. Beth opened the door as Harriet stepped onto the porch.
“Come on in.”
Jorge stood behind her, resplendent in his colorful Christmas sweater.
“Felíz Navidad!” he said, swinging the door wide.
As Harriet passed her aunt on the way in, she realized Beth’s sweater matched Jorge’s. James caught her eye as he noticed the same thing. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “We won’t ever do that, will we?”
Harriet suppressed a laugh.
“Not a chance.”
Jorge put his arm around Luke’s shoulders and guided him into the living room.
“Come meet my son Julio. He’s a lawyer in Seattle.” He parked Luke beside his son. “Julio, meet James and Harriet’s son, Luke.”
Luke’s cheeks flamed red. Julio smiled.
“You’ll get used to my dad. He likes to make sure everyone has a good time.”
Jorge brought Luke a cup of steaming spiced apple cider. Luke took the cup, grateful to have something to do with his hands.
“My dad tells me you’re learning to ride out at the stable,” Julio continued.
Luke looked uncomfortable, and Julio’s smile turned into a grin.
“If you haven’t learned it already, everyone knows everything about everyone else in Foggy Point. You’ll get used to it. And if Aiden and I are any example, it will keep you from getting in trouble. Everything you do will be noticed by someone who knows James’s parents or Harriet’s aunt or my dad.”
“It’s kind of nice that they care,” Luke finally said.
“Yes, it is. And Foggy Point is a nice place to grow up. Have you lived here long?”
Luke started to answer, but he was silenced, along with everyone else, by Aiden’s arrival—with his date.
Harriet unconsciously took a step closer to James. He put his arm around her and squeezed.
The girl on Aiden’s arm was a show-stopper. She equaled his six-foot, three-inch height and surpassed it with six-inch stiletto heels. Every time she stopped, she tilted her foot just enough to show off the signature red soles of her Christian Louboutin shoes. Her black leather skirt seemed more like a wide belt, and Harriet was pretty sure the white fur stole tossed casually over her silk blouse was real.
Luke was staring, mouth open, at the creature who had just entered. Harriet wasn’t sure if it was the short white hair with red and green streaks or the red fishnet stockings—or both—that had him mesmerized.
Aiden grinned, obviously aware of the effect his date would have.
“This is my friend, Calithea.”
Jorge recovered first.
“Welcome, Calithea. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Do you have celery juice?”
“I think I do in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.” He turned to his son. “Julio, take their coats.”
Julio had gotten up and started to do as asked when a dark-haired young woman came out of the kitchen and, with a smile at him, took Aiden’s jacket and Calithea’s stole. Harriet assumed this was Julio’s fiancée.
Calithea laughed at whatever Julio said, resting her hand on his shoulder. Harriet noticed the fiancée visibly tense. Calithea scanned the room, her gaze passing over Luke and coming to rest on James.
Beth emerged from the kitchen and joined Harriet and James.
“Merry Christmas.”
James raised his mug in salute. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”
“Is it?” Harriet asked dryly.
The smile left Beth’s face.
“It was until our latest entry,” she murmured. She looked at Harriet. “I shouldn’t have insisted you come. You were right. We could have had a lovely dinner tomorrow night and maybe Aiden wouldn’t have felt the need to upstage Julio.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, I didn’t expect him to arrive with an exotic maneater on his arm, either.”
Beth smiled a grim smile.
“You notice the way she’s been taking the measure of all the males here?”
James sipped his cider.
“As long as she leaves Luke alone, we’re good. I can handle her if she takes a run at me, but I feel sorry for Julio’s fiancée.”
“Julie’s got a good head on her shoulders,” Beth said.
Harriet laughed. “Julie? Really? Julie is going to marry Julio?”
Beth put her hand on Harriet’s arm.
“You hush. What do you expect them to do? Change their names?”
Harriet was still smiling.
“No, I guess not. The heart wants what the heart wants.”
Jorge brought a glass filled with pale-green liquid to Calithea. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Beth glared at them. James squeezed Harriet’s arm.
“I’m going to see if I can help Jorge in the kitchen. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be just fine. Aiden and his antics won’t bother me.”
James and Jorge returned a few minutes later, James carrying a tray of canapés, Jorge a tray with glasses of champagne and sparkling cider. They carried both around until all the dinner guests had a snack and a glass of something bubbly.
Jorge set his tray on the coffee table and picked up his glass and held it up.
“If I may have your attention, please.”
Conversation stopped and everyone turned toward him, glass in hand.
“I’d like to welcome everyone to this gathering of family and friends as yet another Christmas day is coming to a close. Over the next few days, we shall begin reflecting on the last year, our highs and our lows, and we will begin making plans for the new year. Before all that, I’d like to thank you all for joining Beth and I.” He raised his glass in the air. “To friends and family.”
Everyone raised their glasses and took a sip. Harriet watched Julio. He was nervously fingering something in his pocket. She smiled. Her aunt had been right. He was about to propose.
Aiden left Calithea’s side and stepped into the middle of the room. Wow, Harriet thought, Julio must have an elaborate proposal planned if he’s having Aiden give a pre-speech.
Aiden cleared his throat.
“As Jorge just reminded us, this is a time for reflection and a time to think of the future.” He turned to Calithea. “I can’t imagine a future without you in it.” He dropped to one knee and pulled a black velvet box from his pocket and popped it open. “Calithea, will you marry me?”
Harriet looked at Julio. The color had drained from his face, and his fists were clenched at his sides, the muscle in his jaw twitching. Calithea took the ring from the box and squealed. Aiden stood up, and she threw her arms around his neck.
“Yes, yes, yes.” She slid the ring onto her finger. “I love it.”
Julio spun on his heel and left the room. His girlfriend, standing next to Aunt Beth, looked confused.
Jorge cleared his throat loudly. The fire in his eyes was at odds with the words coming out of his mouth.
“It seems congratulations are in order.”