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We got a sleepy Andi inside and as soon as the girls were out of sight I grabbed Sprinkles from his spot on top of the coat rack and raced upstairs.
“You remember Trevor? The guy in the kitchen at the diner?”
“And a Merry Christmas to you, too.”
“Ugh. Merry Christmas. Do you?”
“Yeah. The one who made eyes at the waitress.”
“That’s the one. He give anybody else any funny looks? Talk to anybody? Anything?”
“Why?”
“Because we think he’s bad news, okay? Anything?”
“Yeah, I could’ve told you that. He looked up at the door whenever anybody came or went, looked at everybody. Like, paranoid or something. But I couldn’t hear if he said anything. He was just a creepy-suspicious guy, you know?”
“Okay.” I paced back and forth a little, trying to think. “Okay. So these reports you say you send to Santa.”
“I don’t say I send them. I do send them.”
“Whatever. So, do you have some kind of special sense about people? About their motives? Like, a way to tell whether they’ve got bad intentions? Like, whether a kid is being bad on purpose, or just making an innocent mistake?”
“It’s something we develop over the years. You get a feel for people.”
“Like, seeing their aura?”
“I guess that’s one way to describe it. But it’s more like, we feel the tone of their souls.”
“I don’t suppose you paid attention to Trevor’s?”
“Not purposely, no, but he was kind of hard to miss.”
“How so? Was it bad?”
“He was confused. Confusing. It was a jumble of desire and anger. I don’t think he has much of a moral compass.”
“No. Probably not. Did he feel like he could be dangerous?”
“Anyone can be dangerous. Even you.”
“Elf, I will do a dangerous on you if you don’t get to the point!”
“I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to use that word.”
“Sprinkles!”
“Fine. If you mean more dangerous than anyone else in the room, probably. Like I said, no moral compass. Which usually goes along with no inhibitions. Beth watches a lot of Criminal Minds repeats when no one else is home. I could see this Trevor guy as an unsub.”
“Yeah. And all the neighbors talking about how he was such a nice, quiet guy and no one ever saw it coming.”
I heard the rest of the family arriving downstairs and shrugged my jacket off, tossing it on the bed.
“I’ll be back,” I said, shutting the bedroom door behind me.
They were still in the entry hall, hanging up their coats and taking off their scarves and hats.
“Where’s Leo?” I asked.
“Oh,” Beth said. “He said he had something he needed to take care of and we should come on home. Said he’d get a ride.”
“Did he say where he was going? Or did you see where he went?”
Beth shook her head.
“I saw him get in a police cruiser,” Mel said. We all turned to look at her. “What?”
“You didn’t think to mention that?” her mother asked.
“I figured you knew. And I didn’t think it was a big deal, since he still consults and stuff.”
“What’s going on?” Peter asked, turning to me. “And where’s Ruben?”
“He was helping Alva with something. At the diner.”
Beth gave me a funny look, but didn’t question me further.
“Whatever,” Mel said. “I’m going to bed.” Peter and Julia followed her upstairs.
There was no way I was going to get to sleep until Petreski was home or I at least knew he was safe, so I went to the kitchen.
“Not sleepy?” Beth asked, coming in behind me.
“Um, no. Just going to wait up. You know, until Petreski gets home. He might call and need a ride or something.”
“Or something,” she said, running water into the kettle. Neither of us spoke while she took two mugs from a cabinet and put tea bags in them.
“Leo was a police officer for over thirty-five years, you know,” she said, as she poured hot water into the mugs.
“Really?”
“Hmm. Lots of late nights.”
“Sure. I’ll bet.”
She dunked her teabag a few times.
“Where’d our men go, Jake?”
I sighed.
“Jake.”
“He didn’t want me to tell.”
“Of course he didn’t. Tell me anyway. I have a right to know.”
“Amy Bettencourt is missing, and Petreski – Ruben – thinks Trevor Doubek is behind it. And I’m starting to think he’s the one who killed Karl Lowel and that truck driver.”
“Well, shit. Don’t tell anyone I said that.”
“Okay.”
“Trevor Doubek. I always had a funny feeling about that kid.”
“Really? Like, for sure, back then? Or just in hindsight now?”
She gave my question some consideration before answering.
“I get what you’re saying. He wasn’t a bad kid, he didn’t get in trouble. But he was a brooder. Held a grudge. If you’d asked me back then, I wouldn’t have said he’d turn out to be a criminal, but I wouldn’t have wanted him dating any of my daughters.”
I blew on my tea and inhaled the steam.
“So they’ve gone after Trevor?”
“Yeah.”
“You worried?”
“Are you? You’ve had more experience with this kind of thing.”
“You always worry. But I know my husband, and my son. They know what they’re doing.”
“Does it get easier? The waiting?”
“You get used to it. But once the kids started coming, we moved back here, looking for a quieter life. Less violence than in the city.”
“Where were you before?”
“We decided to give it a go in Dallas. You know, shake the small town dust off our boots. Growing up here, we figured we were missing out on something. We were wrong.”
I wondered whether Petreski ever thought about leaving the city behind and moving back home. I took a sip of my tea, now that it had cooled off enough.
There were probably a lot of questions I could – should – ask Beth now that I had a chance, but I couldn’t seem to focus.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket. No word from Petreski.
Sprinkles says Trevor has no moral compass. Could be the killer. Be careful.
I sent the text and looked up to see Beth watching me.
“What?”
“I think,” she said, “I think Ruben probably talks to you about his work more than Leo did with me. Am I right?”
“I don’t know. I mean, he talks about it. We talk about it. But I don’t know what you and Leo talked about, so I couldn’t say.”
She waved a hand in the air. “It doesn’t matter, I can tell. I was starting a new job when Leo and I got together. And then the kids started coming. He didn’t talk about work a lot. I think he didn’t want to worry me. But then again, what Ruben does is pretty different from what his father did, isn’t it?”
“I guess.”
“Ruben’s told me a little about his work. I think he doesn’t want to worry me, either. Mostly when he calls these days he talks about you.”
“Um...”
“Shouldn’t he?”
“Depends what he says, I guess.”
She smiled and blew on her tea.
I jumped when my phone buzzed and bounced on the table.
“Sorry,” I said, picking it up.
“Hey,” I said, answering when I saw it was Petreski.
“Hey. I think you’re right.”
“Are you on your way home? Is your dad with you?”
“Soon, and yes. Amy was at Trevor’s apartment – she’s fine, and we sent her home with Alva and a police escort. Trevor took off out the back window when we showed up.”
“So, what? Are you going after him?”
“The police are. I think even Watts is convinced now.”
“Great. So come home.”
“If I can convince Dad to call it a night. Give us twenty.”
“They’re on their way,” I told Beth as I laid my phone on the counter. “Probably.”
“Probably?”
“Sounds like Leo wants to see this thing through. But Amy is safe and Trevor is on the run with the police after him.”
Beth sighed and turned to put her mug in the dishwasher. “Leo, pardon the expression, can be like a dog with a bone. Don’t tell him I said that, either,” she said, winking at me.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
She closed the dishwasher, folded her arms, and leaned back against the counter.
“What?” I asked, meeting her gaze.
“Wondering whether I should ask you what your intentions are?”
“My intentions?”
“With regard to my son.”
“Um... isn’t that the kind of thing a father usually asks about his daughter?”
“Well, he’s not here right now, and he can question whoever the girls bring home. But I’ve been watching for a few days, and now I want to know.”
“My intentions.”
“Yep.”
I ran a hand through my hair and scratched my cheek, trying to think how to answer her.
“We’ve only been dating a few months,” I said. “It’s maybe too soon to, uh, have this conversation?”
“He told you about us. He brought you home for Christmas. It’s not too soon for him. So think about it. You don’t have to say anything, and I know everybody comes at these things at their own pace and in their own time. But just think about it.”
She pushed off from the counter and headed toward the entry hall, where I could hear Leo and Petreski coming in. I sat at the island for a little longer, thinking about it. As if I hadn’t been thinking about it for weeks already.
“Hey,” Petreski said, coming through the kitchen door. “Whatcha doing in here?”
I opened my arms so he would come give me a hug.
“You worried?”
“Nah,” I lied, knowing he would know it was a lie.
“Figured you’d be running to greet me at the door and throwing yourself in my arms,” he teased.
“You wish.”
“What’s up?”
“Just thinking about something your mom said.”
“Uh oh. She didn’t break you, did she?”
“No, Boo. I’m still in one piece. Just tired and my brain needs rest.”
“Okay, come on. Let’s get to bed. The sooner we get to sleep, the sooner it’ll be Christmas.”
“It’s already Christmas, Boo,” I said, but let him pull me off the stool and lead me to the stairs.
“You know what I mean. Come on.”
“What’d you get me for Christmas?” I asked, remembering Sprinkles’ threat from the other day.
“I’ll give it to you tomorrow, when we’re not both exhausted.”
“Fine,” I said, sighing as I entered our room.
“I thought you said you were coming right back?”
“Crap. Sorry. I forgot. But you were right about Trevor.”
“Huh?”
“Talking to Sprinkles.”
“I knew it! Elf intuition. I know a bad one when I see one.”
“Yeah? What about me? And him?” I asked, jerking a thumb in Petreski’s direction.
“I’m willing to admit you’re one of the good ones, even if you’re kind of odd. You could be a powerful force for good, if you put your mind to it.”
“Sounds like a lot of responsibility. But what about him?”
“That one has designs on your body. Fair warning.”
“Perv. But yeah, I knew that already. What else?”
“Nothing I can say without revealing a Christmas secret. But you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t already know the answer.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. So what happens now? With you, I mean?”
“Dunno. Maybe I’ll go back in the attic. Or maybe I’ll get sprung for good behavior. Andi’s pretty grown up, so maybe my work here is done and I’ll turn up in someone else’s attic next year.”
“I wish I had some way of knowing.”
“You could always take me home with you.”
“And have you watching my every move? No, thank you.”
“What’s he saying?” Petreski asked around a mouth full of toothpaste.
“He suggested we take him home with us.”
He spat and rinsed. “Good idea.”
“What?!”
“We can give him to your parents. They’d get a kick out of him, I bet.”
“Or Grandma Rosemary. How’d you like to go live in an artist colony in the desert?”
“Any kids there?”
“Doubtful.”
“Just take me home with you. And then one day I can spy on your kids.”
“Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself?”
“Eh. Don’t fight the inevitable, man.”
“What’s he saying now?” Petreski asked, coming to stand next to me and look down at the elf.
“A bunch of nonsense. I’ll tell you what, Sprinkles. If you’re still here in the morning – if you haven’t dematerialized or whatever – I’ll take you with me. Deal?”
“Deal. You won’t regret it.”
“Yeah, I will.”
I set him up on the desk in the corner and went to get ready for bed. Petreski was almost asleep by the time I climbed into bed and curled up next to him, drifting into a deep, blessedly dreamless, sleep.
