Miss Frost Ices The Imp: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

her. This is Jayne Frost, new manager of Santa’s Workshop Toy Store.”
    Birdie’s eyes lit up, and she stood to shake my hand. “It is so nice to meet you. I’ve heard about you. You’re a real live princess, aren’t you?”
    “I am.”
    “Ooo,” Birdie exclaimed. “I’ve never met royalty before. Unless you count Myrtis Lobb the Peach Cobbler Queen, which I do not. What’s it like being a princess?”
    “It’s…very nice. There are a lot fewer jewels than you’d imagine.”
    “I’ve also heard Santa Claus is your uncle.” Birdie shook her head. “I can’t even. The North Pole sounds so magical.”
    “He is, and it is. But then, so is Nocturne Falls.” And it was getting more magical by the moment.
    Greyson cleared his throat. “Birdie, Jayne bought something at Francine Gresham’s estate sale this morning and would like a chance to talk to Francine about it. We thought you might be able to make that happen.”
    Birdie sat back down. “I do know Francine, but she’s not much on visitors these days.”
    “It’s sort of a royal emergency,” I lied.
    Birdie’s brows shot up. “Oh?”
    I thought fast as I leaned in closer. “I think something I picked up at her sale, a fancy box she used to own, has somehow put a spell on my cat allowing him to talk. Of course, my sweet little Spider would never share official North Pole information, but he’s overheard conversations between my father, Jack Frost, and me. I’d hate to think what might happen if word got out about Spider. Someone might kidnap him and force him to reveal all.” I shook my head. “Can you imagine if one of my uncle Kris’s proprietary secrets got out? It could ruin Christmas!”
    Birdie had been nodding along as I’d unraveled that tangled thread. She clucked her tongue. “That would be awful. Just awful. I’ll see what I can do about taking you to visit Francine.”
    “Thank you.” Who said I couldn’t act?
    “Very kind of you, Birdie,” Greyson added.
    She gave us a curious look. “You said you bought the box this morning?”
    “Yes.”
    “And that’s when your cat suddenly developed the ability to talk?”
    “Right after I got it home and he knocked the top off.”
    “You’re sure it’s related to the box?”
    “I guess. I mean, he started talking immediately after the box fell off the table. Why?”
    She glanced at the phone. “Piper Hodges, her family owns the local newspaper, the Tombstone, got out of the shower at the gym to find that she’d turned blue.”
    “Blue?” Greyson repeated.
    Birdie nodded. “As Princess Jayne’s hair. Oh! I was supposed to send a deputy over there. Hang on.” She snatched up the radio next to her phone. “Deputy Blythe, this is Birdie, come in.”
    The radio crackled, and a female voice answered. “Go ahead, Birdie.”
    “Can you swing by the Tombstone? Piper Hodges turned blue this morning, and her mother wants a deputy to take a report.”
    A few seconds passed before Deputy Blythe responded. “Did you say she turned blue?”
    “I did.”
    “How about that,” Deputy Blythe said. “On my way. Over and out.”
    Birdie put the radio down. “Like I was saying, your cat being able to talk isn’t the only strange thing that’s happened this morning, but then, this is Nocturne Falls. You just never know in a town like this.” She sighed. “I’ll reach out to Francine and see what I can set up. Leave me your number, and I’ll call you when I know something.”
    I pulled out one of my brand new business cards and handed it over. Right there under Jayne Frost, Manager was my cell number. “Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.”
    “I’m happy to help. My nephew, Charlie, loves to visit your shop and seeing you is a good reminder that I haven’t taken him in a while. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”
    “Soon, then.”
    Greyson and I said good-bye and were back on the sidewalk a few moments later. I turned to him as we headed for the store and my