12 Christmas Romances To Melt Your Heart (20 page)

T
he sisters crowded
into the vehicle, played with the buttons, disagreed over the radio station and finally headed for the scene of the crime. However, once they arrived at the mall, no one was quite sure of the exact location where the offense had taken place.

“What do you think, girls?” Laura asked. “Shall we call Hanna? This place is massive. I could get lost in here for days.”

Madelyn spoke up. “Didn’t she mention Macy’s?”

“Yes, she did,” Kandice said, snapping open her Kate Spade purse to retrieve her compact. Running a finger over her perfect eyebrows, she checked her teeth then powdered her nose. “That’s still a big parking area.”

Not willing to waste time, Laura called her father on the cell phone. When he answered, she asked, “Where was Hanna parked?”

“Stop all this foolishness and bring my Escalade back this instant. You’re going to mess around and get hurt.” Her father’s tone turned serious. “You’ve upset your mother.”

Remaining persistent, Laura gritted her teeth and asked again. “Where was Hanna parked?”

“Outside Macy’s but she doesn’t remember what row.”

Laura looked at the crowded parking garage and realized they were in for a tough time finding a robber in that maze of cars. The culprits could be lurking around any car or concrete pillar, and no one would see them. This time of year people were so busy, it was no wonder criminals took advantage of the situation.

“Thanks, Dad. I’ll stay in touch,” Laura said.

Jacklyn crossed her arms. “That was a useless call. Let’s check out the mall security. Maybe they have cameras.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea, Cynthia said. “I would’ve never thought of that.”

Jacklyn gave her a sour look and stepped out of the vehicle. “That’s because you spend most of your life on a surf board, hanging out with ancient hippies.” She slammed the door. “The rest of us work.”

“Hey, I have a job,” Cynthia said. “I work at the local gift shop.”

“Making what?” Kandice, the cover model, asked. “Eight bucks an hour?”

Cynthia stuck out her tongue. “No, twelve.”

“Whoop-dee-do,” Madelyn said. “That doesn’t buy much where you live.”

Laura walked across the parking lot, her sisters close behind. “That’s because she lives off her allowance from Mom and Dad.”

Madelyn poked Cynthia on the shoulder. “Doesn’t that make you feel like a loser, little sister?”

Cynthia curled her lips. “Not at all. While the four of you are busting your asses, I’m enjoying life.”

Laura turned on her. “You should have enough self-respect to get a career. Stop being a sponge.”

“Mind your own business. I’ll do what I damn well please. You’re not the boss of me.”

Laura shrugged. “Someone needs to be.”

In single file, they walked inside to a mass of milling bodies. The place was packed. It took them ten minutes to find a clerk and ask the location of the mall manager’s office. They were politely directed to the third level.

Fighting their way onto the elevator, Laura turned to face her sisters. “Let me do the questioning. I’m a lawyer. That’s what I’m good at.” She looked around. “Where is Kandice?” Looking over the crowd, Laura spied her tall, elegant sister at the perfume counter of a nearby store. “Cyn, go get Miss Dior. We aren’t here to shop.”

Jacklyn snapped, “New York detective here. I know how to ask questions.”

“We’re here to get information. Last I heard sugar works better than vinegar. We’re going to use a little good old-fashioned charm.” Laura scowled down at them. “So smile, dammit.”

At the main office they were all disappointed after waiting over an hour for a round little man, sporting a green tie with a cross-eyed reindeer, complete with a red blinking light for a nose, to bounce out to greet them.

Reaching up, he removed his Santa hat and said, “What can I do for you ladies?”

“My father’s secretary was robbed in the parking lot next to Macy’s, and we’d like to view your surveillance cameras,” Laura asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

He clasped his hands in front of his round belly. “You must be kidding. We can’t do that. Did you file a police report?”

“No,” Jacklyn stepped up to say. “We were hoping you could help us.”

“No, no, that’s not possible.” He shook his head and held out his hands. “You actually think I can just hand over our system for you to prowl through?” He let out a condescending laugh. “That takes a court order.”

Without giving them a second glance, the man, who hadn’t bothered to introduce himself, waddled down the hall to his office.

“Well, that sucks,” Kandice said. “He’s a moron and in serious need of lap-band surgery.” She turned, her purse dangling elegantly off her wrist while her jogging suit looked good enough for her to walk down the runway. “Let’s try the police.”

Again, they all managed to file into the Escalade and, directed by the car’s guidance system, headed toward the nearest police station.

Sitting outside the building, Laura turned to her sister. “What’s our plan?”

Jacklyn opened the door. “We don’t need one. You don’t have to be brilliant to file a police report. I’m just not sure we can do anything because Hanna was actually the victim. But cops tend to show each other officers of the law professional curtesy.”

“Let’s find out,” Laura said.

“But,” Kandice, the model, said, “shouldn’t we come up with a story or something?” She shivered. “I can’t bear the thought of being in there with all those criminals any longer than necessary.”

“Good, stay in the car.” Jacklyn slammed the door and walked up the steps toward the main door.

“I’m not waiting here,” Madelyn said. “I want to know what’s said.”

Heads turned as Laura led the women through the doors and up to a desk. To say they drew a lot of attention was an understatement. The officers practically jumped from their chairs to help.

“You little ladies need assistance,” said a tall, handsome officer with a nametag that read J Bryant. “We’re at your service.” His smile nearly blinded Laura.

Oh, God help us, she thought.

Since Jacklyn had experience with a police environment, Laura folded her arms and stepped back, removing her black knitted hat.

“We’re here to report a robbery,” Jacklyn said.

Officer J Bryant frowned. “That’s too bad. Were any of you hurt?”

Jacklyn shook her head. “It actually happened to my father’s secretary. She was at the Galleria Mall earlier today when someone pushed her down and stole the items in the trunk of her car.”

“That’s too bad.” While the rest of the men on duty looked on, J Bryant’s eyes touched on each of them. “Which one of you is the secretary?”

Jacklyn waved her hand in front of his face to get his attention. He was obviously dazed by five attractive women converging on him at once. “She’s not here.”

The flirtatious smile on his face melted like snow in a hot frying pan. Glancing back at his buddies, he shook his head and shrugged. “You can’t make a report for someone else. They have to come down in person.”

“But it was our property that was stolen,” Laura said. “What if she called it in?”

“Since it’s a robbery, we’d request she come to the station to speak with us so we could gather all the information,” the officer said.

Jacklyn looked at him and reached into her tiny handbag. She flipped out her NYPD detective badge.

J Bryant examined it then handed it back to her. “Welcome to Dallas, Detective Avery. Wish I could help you, but the victim needs to file the report.”

Annoyed at the lack of assistance, Jacklyn snatched her badge out of his hand. “Thanks for nothing. Come on, girls, let’s not waste Dallas’s finest time.”

Kandice arrogantly flipped her flaming red hair over a shoulder, Madelyn apologized nervously, Laura glared, Cynthia stuck out her tongue and Jacklyn fumed all the way back to the car.

Madelyn slumped in the seat, nibbling on her bottom lip. “It looks like our life of fighting crime is over.”

“I hate that someone took the gifts Mom and Dad paid for,” Cynthia said. “I want to catch those crooks so they don’t rob anyone else.”

“I know,” Kandice said. “I feel the same way.”

Laura didn’t like the way the whole thing played out, either. Mostly she didn’t want to go back home and tell her parents they’d failed. After all, her father owned a very successful security firm. This was right up his alley and for some reason, Laura wanted to feel worthy.

And Cynthia and Kandice were right. That was their Christmas. What if those thieves stole a trunk-load of kids’ toys? That wasn’t something she would walk away from.

A
lex Sanders sat
in the home office of his boss, Thomas Avery, sipping a glass of bourbon. The faint scent of cigar smoke lingered in the dark-paneled room. He’d spent many hours there, cooped up with his boss, assessing clients, cases and logistics.

In the world of security, Thomas Avery stood out among the best. He knew his business like the veins on the backs of his hands and had an uncanny knack for keeping his customers happy.

Alex had learned a lot from the man. Even with Alex’s military background, he’d joined the firm not knowing much about security, but it hadn’t taken him long to learn. Within a year, he was Thomas’s right hand man, and the two were of the same mind.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Thomas. How could you think for one minute those stubborn girls of yours wouldn’t take this to the max?”

“I wanted them to get their toes in the water, that’s all.” Thomas glanced away. “Someday all this is going to be theirs. I’d like to retire knowing Avery Security Service will go on.”

“Not unless you sell it.”

“I can’t do that, Alex. What kind of legacy would that be for my children?”

Alex leaned back in the high-backed leather chair and crossed his leg over the top of his thigh. “One is a lawyer, one a fashion model, one a detective, a damn librarian and a surfer. And you want them to run your security business.” He shook his head. “Not going to work.”

The Avery sisters were five of the weirdest women he’d ever met. They fought like crazy, competed against each other and weren’t beyond throwing a few things around. That’s why he’d always referred to them as the Twisted Sisters. Of course, not in ear shot of their parents. Still, in a bizarre way, he knew they cared for one another.

“You’ll be there to help them out.”

Alex shot his boss a hard stare. He might love the guy but he wasn’t stupid. “If you think I’m going to try to control five women as headstrong as your daughters, you’re mistaken. They’ll eat me alive.”

Thomas shook his head and propped his elbows on his oak desk. “You’re tough. You can do it.”

“Not even for all the money you’ve offered me. Not those five. God help the man that takes on that job.”

“But I need you. I’ll double your bonus.”

“No, you need a wrangling boss. You need someone who can crack the whip and command discipline.” Now it was Alex’s turn to shake his head. “I’m not that guy.”

“I swear I’ll straighten it all out with the girls. I’ll lay down the law and tell them you’re in charge.”

“Oh, yeah, like Laura would ever go for that.”

Thomas lifted his chin. “I won’t give her a choice.”

“Have you ever thought that maybe your girls don’t want your business?” He spread out his hand. “After all, they’re all successful in their own right.” He paused and glanced at Thomas. “That is, except Cynthia.”

“It’s their inheritance. Their future. I want them all financially secure.”

“What if money doesn’t matter to them?”

“It matters to everyone,” Thomas scoffed.

Alex was so disgusted he wanted to chew shoe leather. Why was Thomas so insistent on passing on his business on to five spoiled brats? They’d run it into the ground in a month.

Alex pressed his fingertips together. “Let’s imagine the girls agree. Can you see any of them being a real asset to the company? Especially the surfer girl scraping by on minimum wage.”

The frown on his boss’s face relayed that he didn’t appreciate him singling out his youngest child.

“Look, you don’t want to hear it, Thomas. But she’s dropped out of college and at twenty-four, isn’t doing anything but beachcombing.”

“Cynthia is a very intelligent woman.”

“Who does what? Surfs for a living?”

Thomas turned aside, his jaw muscles twitching. “I’ll admit her mother and I had hoped she’d find her place.” He lowered his chin. “She hasn’t yet.”

“What about Kandice? Is she going to put on a pair of stilettoes and chase after a jewel thief?”

“My daughters are smart women who can make this work. I admit they’ll need help, but in the end, they’ll succeed.”

“Seeing is believing.”

“Let’s observe how they do on the alleged shopping robbery.”

Alex’s phone rang. Seeing the face of Cory Daniels, their IT guru, he answered with trepidation because the office was closed and everyone was off for the holidays. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Cory’s voice traveled through the speaker and Alex didn’t like the undertones of concern.

“Um, Laura Avery called and wants me to meet her at the office.”

“Did she say why?” Alex asked.

“No, just that they were there waiting for me. I’m headed that way but thought you might want to know.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Alex rose and put his phone in his pocket. “They’re at the office.”

Thomas looked at him, his brows almost to his hairline. “Why?”

“Who knows?”

L
aura was annoyed
that they’d waited almost an hour for Cory Daniels to show up when he lived less than twenty minutes away. She tamped down her anger by remembering it was the holidays and he was on vacation.

“Why did you call me in?” he asked, placing his Starbucks cup on his desk. He then slowly removed his hat, coat and gloves, wearing a bitter frown. “You know, I’m off until after New Year’s.”

“We want you to run some surveillance.”

“What?” he asked, his eyes glazed with terror. “I can’t do that without a warrant or something.”

“We know you don’t always do things according to the book. So, boot up your computer,” Cynthia said, making a horrible noise as she sucked the last of her Slurpee. “Come on, whiz kid. Show us your stuff.”

Placing the empty cup on Cory’s desk, she turned to walk away. He took a tissue, picked it up by the rim and deposited it into his empty trash can. “Don’t leave stuff in my work area. There’s sensitive equipment in here.”

“Oh,” Cynthia sarcastically said, as she covered her mouth over a soft burp. “Sorry to intrude on
your
space. Me and Madelyn are going to the breakroom. We’re hungry and Jacklyn wants coffee. Kandice is on her phone again.”

Laura waved her away, wanting to scream. “Go, be quiet, Cynthia, and let the man work.”

Cory scooted back his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not doing anything until your father gives me the order. I have the integrity of this company to protect, and I don’t take my work or my responsibility lightly.”

Laura pulled up a chair and eased down beside him. “We’re not asking you to spy on the Pentagon. We just want the video from a shopping mall camera.” She patted him on the shoulder and smiled. “You can do that, can’t you?”

“I’m not sure I should.”

Laura heard the outer door open and stood. “Who’s here?”

Unexpectedly, Alex Sanders filled the doorway to Cory’s office. Putting his hand on the frame, he stared at her.

Laura feared he’d be able to hear her heart pounding. “What are you doing here,” she asked in a broken voice.

He cocked a brow. “I might ask you the same question.”

Refusing to look at him and allow her body to react in a pitiful way, she turned to Cory. “He’s helping us with a project.”

The man in control of the IT department pointed to the wall between his office and Alex’s. “You might as well know, they’re all in there.”

“I suspected as much,” Alex said. “Trouble travels in packs.”

She spun around in the chair then stood, wishing she’d picked out a more flattering outfit than her yoga pants and a long sweater. “What do you mean by that?” Gritting her teeth, she took a dangerous step closer. “I though only wolves traveled in packs. Are you calling us wolves?”

He spread his legs and fisted his hands on lean hips. His big body seemed to take up the entire room. “I didn’t say that.”

“She wants me to hack the surveillance vids from a mall surveillance system. You think I should?”

“What mall?”

“The parking garage of the Galleria,” she replied. “Hanna was robbed and our Christmas presents were taken. She could’ve been hurt.”

Alex didn’t know what to do. If he gave Cory the go ahead, they’d see that Hanna hadn’t been in any danger at all and that meant Thomas would have a lot of explaining to do.

Yet, none of this was his idea and he didn’t like being involved in family matters. His eyes roved over Laura’s body and he nearly forgot to breathe. Her soft blonde hair, blue eyes and remarkable mouth made him want to snatch her up and find a hotel room.

But, they’d never really gotten along well enough for that to happen. He couldn’t say why, it was more of an instant dislike. Not on his part, but she’d always been pretty stand-offish with him. Anytime they had been forced to be together, Laura found a reason to keep plenty of distance between them.

“Oh, for crying out loud,” she hissed. “Just do it, Cory.”

He booted up his computer and started clicking the keys. She had no idea what he was doing because nothing on the screen made any sense to her. It was roll after roll of random numbers, letter and symbols.

“What time?” Cory asked. “Was it today?”

“Today about noon.”

“Great,” he said somberly. “The busiest time.”

“I didn’t say it would be easy,” Laura added.

“Okay, I’m in. What location was she at?”

Laura bit her lip and glanced at Alex who continued to stare at her as if she were a stick of dynamite about to blow at any moment. “I don’t know.”

“There are seven zones. We need a starting point,” Cory said.

“Why don’t you just let the police take care of this?” Alex asked. “That’s their job. We’re not equipped for petty crime.”

“We went to the police. Other than getting hit on, they wouldn’t do anything. Said Hanna would have to file the official charges.”

Alex knew the secretary couldn’t do that. There was a law against filing a false police report. He didn’t want Hanna in that deep.

“Hey, here she is,” Cory said. “It doesn’t look like she’s being robbed.”

Alex entered the room and stood behind Laura. Close enough to capture her familiar scent that drove him insane and kicked his desire into overdrive.

He forcefully made himself stay far enough back to not smell her hair. That would be too much and he feared he’d grab her up and run.

His eyes watched as Hanna put the presents into an already packed trunk. Off too her left, he noticed two men. He looked closer, brushing against Laura’s shoulder. “Pull in tight on those two people.”

Cory moved the cursor and the image of two white males in their mid-twenties came into view. They weren’t watching Hanna because they were more interested in the woman carrying a large bag in one hand, her child in the other.

“Oh, my,” Laura said. “They’re going to take that woman’s shopping bag.”

The words were no sooner out her mouth than the taller of the two stepped out, punched the woman in the face, grabbed her purse, the colorful bag and ran away. The woman lay on the concrete dazed and shaken. The child appeared upset.

A Good Samaritan came by and helped her stand. She pointed in the direction the men ran then lifted her child into her arms. She managed, with the help of another other lady, to get to her car and take out her cell phone. The poor woman probably called the police.

Laura turned to him. “Did you see that? Those thugs just ruined her Christmas and terrorized the child.” She stopped and tapped Cory on the shoulder. “Go back to Hanna. She seems oblivious to anything happening nearby.”

Cory did as told and Alex’s gut tightened. As soon as she figured out her father had tricked her, all hell would break loose.