In The Bleak Midwinter: A Special Agent Constance Mandalay Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

Callahan’s girls,
right?”
    “Yes ma’am,” Merrie replied.
    “Is she next door?”
    “Yes ma’am, at Norris’s,” Merrie answered
again, this time with a slight nod, then she added, “She’s waiting
in line for the butcher, so I said I would bring Becca over to see
Santa. But since he’s busy…”
    Miss Ruth smiled wide. “Oh, no need to worry
dear. Santa should be back down in just a few minutes.”
    Unfortunately, that bit of news sent a second
wave crashing down upon Merrie, but this one made her feel
miserable all over again.
    Miss Ruth squatted down in front of Becca and
gave her nose a tweak as she continued. “And, you know what’s even
better?”
    “What? What?” Becca asked, excitement pushing
her eyes even wider at the idea of something better than petting a
real, live reindeer.
    “I’m pretty sure you two are the only
children in the store right now, so if you just go on back and
wait, you’ll be first in line to see Santa when he’s done.”
    Becca’s body literally shook with more glee
than could be contained by a full-grown adult, much less by a
five-year-old. She started dancing in place once again as it fought
to escape. Tugging on Merrie’s arm she demanded, “C’mon, Mare-ree!
Hurry! C’mon! Santa! We kin be first…”
    Miss Ruth stood up and pointed toward the
back of the store, then smiled at Merrie and gave her a wink. “Go
all the way to the back, sweetheart. I’m sure he’ll be out to see
you very soon.”
    “Thank you,” Merrie muttered, forcing the
words out as nicely as she could, even though she didn’t feel very
much like being polite anymore.
    Still dragging her feet, she stumbled along
behind her sister, who seemed to need no help whatsoever finding
the Jolly Elf’s lair. The farther back they went down the aisles,
the less crowded it became, until finally it seemed there was
nobody around but them. Bremerton’s wasn’t as huge as the fancy
department store in Mais, but it was still really big. Or it seemed
that way to Merrie, at least. Now, looking back over her shoulder
she couldn’t even see the entrance anymore. And, no matter how hard
she listened, even the tick, tick, tick of the electric
train was gone. All that remained was the annoying Christmas music
from above and distant voices of the shoppers.
    Becca came to a halt the moment they stepped
out into the open area at the back of the store. She uttered a soft
“Wow… North Pole…” but other than that she remained quiet, staring
in wonder at the cardboard cutouts and bunched up blankets of
glitter-covered felt “snow” that surrounded the decorated
throne-like chair. The smell of peppermint candy canes mixed
strongly with the other odors that were still floating around the
inside of the store. It seemed to Merrie that God was intent on
torturing her at every turn with smells and sounds…and just everything .
    If only she knew what she had done to make
him so angry at her.
    She looked around, but the Jolly Elf was
nowhere to be seen. Display stands were bunched together to one
side of the area, arranged in an organized sort of mess; all to
make room for the fake North Pole scenery that was now holding her
little sister’s attention. On the wall, to the left of the
cardboard fireplace and plastic tree and empty pretend presents,
was a large door. Attached to it was a sign that read EMPLOYEES
ONLY.
    “That’s probably where ‘Santa’ is really
taking his break,” she thought to herself.
    Merrie’s stomach was now churning more, and
she pressed the palm of her free hand against it. Even through her
coat she could feel her insides gurgling and somersaulting. If only
Sister Regina hadn’t made her eat that lunch, then maybe, just
maybe it wouldn’t hurt so badly right now. And maybe she wouldn’t
feel so much like she needed to puke.
    She swallowed hard and wondered how much
longer they would have to wait. She really wished this would all be
over. If Mister Babbs would just come out here