A Killer Christmas Wish Read online

  Shauna sniffed. “You never thank me for dinner and I cook all the time. But if a man comes into the kitchen, watch out. They’ll be throwing flowers at your feet soon, Seth.”

  “Nice to see you too, Shauna.” Seth grinned, then looked down at Cat. “Can I ask about the dress? Is it everything you wanted? Or is that bad luck?”

  “The only bad luck is in asking, as there is no dress.” Cat dropped her tote on the desk and took off her jacket, hanging it on the rack by the door. “I swear, this shouldn’t be so hard. It’s just a dress. But every dress I try on just doesn’t look right.”

  “Don’t fret,” Shauna put in. “I just got a text from Georgia and we have an appointment a week from Monday with a new shop in the city. She says the designer’s amazing and sent me a website for you to look at before we go. She wants you to choose at least ten to try on this time.” Shauna texted a reply and then set her phone down on the desk. She looked at Cat. “Oh, my God, don’t look like I just took away your milkshake. You don’t have to do it today.”

  “Good, because the last thing I want to see tonight is more white satin and tulle.” Cat grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat at the table. “Seth, I’m drinking your emergency alcohol supply. Now I know I’m freaking out.”

  “Why don’t you just use the other dress you had? It was pretty.” Her uncle leaned back in his chair and studied her. “Or is that bad luck?”

  “Dude, I’m a guy and even I know you don’t reuse the wedding dress from your first marriage.” Seth set a plate of cornbread on the table. “Although it would solve the dress problem.”

  “There is no way I’m wearing that dress.” Cat sipped on the beer. She shivered at the thought. “I’m not superstitious, but it feels wrong. Besides, I’m not sure where it is anymore.”

  “It’s in a box in one of the empty rooms in the west wing.” Seth set a bowl of chili in front of her and took a swig from her beer. “I found the box a few months ago when I was measuring the rooms. There’s a lot of stuff from your wedding there, including your photo album.”

  “You didn’t say anything.” Cat looked up at him. She put a hand on his leg before he could move away from her. “Sorry, I’ll get that out and…”

  “Cat, don’t worry about it. It’s part of your life, part of our history. Michael’s gone. It’s not like you’re going to run off with him at our wedding.” Seth leaned down and kissed her on the head. “Just eat. You’ve had a hard day, Bridezilla.”

  “Don’t call me that.” She playfully slapped his leg as he walked away, but she caught Shauna’s gaze and shook her head. No, she wasn’t going to run off with her ex-husband, Michael, but she was meeting in secret with his best friend, Dante.

  Cat didn’t sleep well. She could have blamed it on the chili, but she knew the real reason she had studied the dark ceiling in her room for way too long last night. She hadn’t told Seth about meeting with Dante. She glanced at her clock. Three a.m. Too soon to go find Seth and have a heart to heart, but she could spend this time in her office working on her manuscript.

  She crawled out of bed and pulled on sweats and slippers. After fastening her hair into a clip, she brushed her teeth and got ready for a writing session. First, coffee. She padded downstairs. Seth had installed lights on the stair rails to keep guests from missing a step as they headed downstairs for a late-night snack or more coffee. He’d set up a switch that allowed her to turn off the stair lights, but she liked them on at night. It allowed her to go downstairs without turning on the overhead lights. Especially on days where the writing pulled her out of bed earlier than anyone else in the house would want to get up. Like today.

  She used the single cup machine to make her coffee, and as it worked it’s magic, she fixed a full pot to brew. She wasn’t going back to sleep. Not now. She might be bleary eyed when the writers got here, but hopefully, they’d be tired from traveling. She hadn’t asked Shauna where this group was from. Another topic to keep tonight’s welcome session busy. Grabbing her coffee and two cookies from the jar Shauna had filled on Friday, Cat went back upstairs.

  Thank God for the three flights of stairs she climbed multiple times a day. With Shauna’s cooking, especially her baking during retreat weeks, she needed the exercise to ward off the pounds from the treats. Especially if she was ever going to fit into this elusive wedding dress.

  She pushed open her office door, turning on the light, and found Angelique sleeping on the couch. Four kittens had arrived a few days after Angelique had made herself at home here. They were supposed to be barn cats. That had lasted until the first chill. Now they spent most of the time wandering around the house and visited their friend Snow, Shauna’s horse, in the barn during the day. Seth had made a cat door in the mud room off the cellar.

  Cat scratched Angelique behind the ear and moved to her desk. She fired up her computer and ignored the call of the internet and any emails she might have missed yesterday when she’d gone to Denver. She’d check before she left her office this morning.

  Instead, she opened her Word document and a notebook she kept on her desk. She read the last few paragraphs she’d written Saturday morning before leaving and fell into the story. Today was going to be a good writing day; she could feel the itch in her fingers to get started.

  She finished the last of the coffee that had gone cold and stood to stretch. She’d almost finished a chapter and she was happy with it. A feeling that wasn’t coming easily with this book. She didn’t know why, but for some reason, writing Tori was like pulling teeth this book. She wondered if it was the transition. Tori, the main character in her teenage witch books, was graduating from the boarding school where she’d discovered she was magical. Now she had to return to the real world. How would she survive? What would she do? Where was she going?

  “All good questions, but right now, I need more coffee.” Cat pushed herself away from the computer and took her cup downstairs. Maybe just a couple more cookies too.

  Instead of the dark, empty kitchen she’d found when she’d first come downstairs, now Shauna had all the lights going and something baking in the oven. From the smell, it was something chocolate, probably brownies.

  “I am never going to lose any weight before the wedding. Maybe we shouldn’t schedule any retreats a couple of months before the wedding.” Cat refilled her coffee cup. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

  “You’re kidding, right? I must have just missed you. Thanks for making coffee. It was a welcome surprise. I was just about to bring you coffee and a fruit cup.” Shauna turned from the counter where she’d been mixing something with the stand-up blender. “But you probably would rather have a couple of cookies.”

  “Eating fruit at my desk just isn’t the same.” Cat nodded to the table. “Do you want to chat for a few?”

  “Actually, can we do it later? I’m behind on baking for the week. I can’t believe how much I typically do on the Saturday before.” Shauna pointed to her clipboard. “I should finish before they arrive, but I’m glad we’re not doing a special event this month. We should make sure to block off the special days on holiday months.”

  “Works for me.” Cat grabbed three cookies this time. She’d walk to the coffee shop to meet Dante and hit the treadmill later today before the writers arrived. She paused at the door. “Hey, have I told you that you’re amazing at this bed and breakfast thing? You make these retreats successful.”

  “My food and I are only part of why we’ve been successful, but thanks for mentioning it. You’re an amazing partner in this adventure. I just hope we can keep it up for many, many years.” Shauna wiped her hands on a towel. “I’m not sure I could work a real job anymore. Especially going back to being a bartender.”

  “Your cookbooks are going to take off and you’re going to be so successful, you will never have to bartend again.” Cat smiled at her friend. “Unless you want to, that is.”

  “I already have enough money to keep me from going back to that career. Anyway, the mutual admir
ation society meeting is over for the day. Go write. People won’t come to a writer retreat run by someone who isn’t actively writing anymore.” Shauna rinsed her hands and then stirred the batter in the bowl.

  “I’m going to write for a while longer, but please tell Seth I need to see him before he leaves.” Cat paused at the door. “I’m going to tell him I’m meeting Dante.”

  “Don’t freak if he asks you to postpone the meeting. It might not be a bad idea to have a wingman on this coffee date.”

  Cat pushed the swinging door open. “Not a date. Besides, it’s better to get things done and over with rather than worry about what’s going to happen. I’ll be fine.”

  “If you say so.”

  Cat ignored Shauna’s last challenge and headed up the stairs. Dante and Michael, her ex-husband, had been friends since their college years. When she’d come back to Aspen Hills after Michael’s death, Dante had been there for her. Especially since she’d insisted on digging into things that he’d probably wished had stayed buried. She owed him one coffee.

  She returned to her office, shut the door, and re-read the last paragraph she’d written. Then she got busy. Some writing days were like that. The words just flowed. Other days, she might as well just stop after an hour because she wasn’t going to get many words written. And she might have to delete that day’s work anyway. But today was a flow day.

  She’d heard other authors talk about finding the flow. It was where everyone wanted to be, but the more you reached for it, the less likely it was to happen. Basically, days like this were a writer’s unicorn, and she was going to ride that baby as long as it would let her.

  A sound woke her. She lifted her head from the desk and looked at Shauna who stood in her doorway.

  “I shouldn’t do this, but I’m the good friend. I figured you’d want to shower before meeting Dante and you only have thirty minutes.” She crossed the room and took Cat’s empty coffee cup and wiped cookie crumbs off the desk into it.

  “It can’t be nine-thirty. I just laid my head down for a second.” Cat stared at the computer screen. It showed that Shauna wasn’t messing with her. She highlighted the section she’d written that morning, then hit save. “Three thousand words. Not shabby for running on fumes.”

  “Glad you’re pleased with your word count. Now go get ready. Or should I call him and let him know you’re not coming?” Shauna paused at a picture of Cat with Uncle Pete and Cat’s mother. “I love this pic. Everyone looks so happy.”

  “That was taken the day before she and Dad left for Florida. I need to call her next week and see if they’re coming home for Christmas or not. She doesn’t like to fly in the winter.” Cat jotted a note on a stickie and put it on her calendar. Then she turned off the computer and stepped across the floor.

  “You could call this week. The retreat doesn’t take all your time.” Shauna followed her out of the office.

  “Mom likes to chat. I don’t want to rush her or worry about not getting the writers the full experience.” Cat headed down the hall to her room. “Besides, next week’s fine.”

  Shauna didn’t answer and when Cat went into her room, she saw her friend was already on the stairwell going down. Shauna didn’t like it when she thought Cat was ignoring her family, but on the other hand, Shauna didn’t have a vote in this. Things between her and her mom had been tense since she and Cat’s dad had moved to Florida. Well, really since Cat had divorced Michael. Her folks had wanted her to move home to live with them. Since her childhood home was Aspen Hills, not Florida, she’d told them she was going to accept the teaching position in California. Miles away from Michael and a country away from her folks.

  But it had all worked out. She’d gotten the house when Michael died. She was home again. Her folks were still in Florida.

  She cleared her head in the shower. Then she used her hair dryer to get her hair to at least stop dripping water. It wasn’t completely dry when she left her room and took the stairs down to the kitchen.

  Shauna was at the table, going over her schedule.

  “Hey, I thought Seth was going to come up to the office.” Cat pulled on her puffy coat and wrapped a knit scarf around her neck. The walk would wake her up.

  “He did. You were asleep and he didn’t want to wake you.” Shauna looked up. “And I didn’t want to push, especially since you’re going to see Dante. Just be safe, okay?”

  Cat didn’t like leaving without seeing Seth. If felt like she was keeping something from him. Which she was. She pulled a pink ski cap over her head. She would most definitely have hat hair when she got to the coffee house, but as she’d been telling everyone: this was not a date. “I’ll be fine. The coffee house is only a half a block from the police station, and I can sprint faster than Dante.”

  “Unless he stuns you and throws you in the back of his limo to become his captured mob princess, chained in his dungeon and he’ll be dressing you in a harem outfit.” Shauna smiled and waved her off. “You’re going to be late.”

  “And you’re reading too many romance novels.” Cat grinned. “And thinking way too much about Dante.”

  Shauna laughed. “Gothic romance rules. Seriously, text me when you’re on your way back. I’ll be worried until I hear from you.”

  “Yes, Mom.” Cat left the house and crunched through the light layer of snow that had fallen this morning. Seth would have to keep the sidewalks clear and salted to make sure no one took a header on a random sheet of ice.

  Their neighbor, Mrs. Rice, stood in her front window, her cat in her arms. Cat waved and Mrs. Rice nodded at her. A truce between them had been forged when Shauna asked Mrs. Rice to be her tester for the recipes in her cookbooks. Now the mean as a snake woman who lived to make Cat’s life a pain, was coming over for dinner at least a few times a month. People could change.

  By the time she’d reached town and the coffee house, she was starting to feel the cold. Her feet were numb. Thank goodness she’d worn her snow boots and not the fashion pair. A rookie mistake she’d need to warn her newest writers’ group about.

  She opened the coffee house door and the smell of roasted coffee overwhelmed her. She waved at Dante and started over to the coffee bar to order when he called her name. His voice matched the way he looked, warm, dark, like a good glass of whisky. The man was walking sin. She saw the reaction to his presence in the other women in the coffeehouse. They were like predators, just waiting for him to look their way. She’d always seen him as Michael’s friend.

  “Catherine, I’ve already ordered your coffee.” Dante waved her over to the table.

  She pulled off the scarf, hat, and gloves, stuffing them into her coat pocket. Then she took off the coat and draped it over the chair across from Dante. Before sitting and inhaling that steaming cup of coffee, she took the time to run her fingers through her hair twice, hoping the styling would make it look fun and carefree rather than crazy. “You didn’t have to buy my coffee.”

  “It was my pleasure. Besides, I was here a little early. I needed time to think.” He nodded to someone behind her and a cinnamon roll appeared in front of her. “Eat. You need the strength to walk back to the house since I’m sure you won’t accept an offer of a ride from me.”

  She bit her bottom lip, keeping herself from laughing as Shauna’s image of a captured sex slave filled her head. “Again, thank you. And yes, I’m fine walking home. Let’s stop playing cat and mouse. Why am I here, Dante?”

  “Always blunt and to the point. Some conversations are better when you take your time.” He sipped his coffee, his gaze burning into her soul. “I’m not trying to bring you to anger. I just wanted to warn you.”

  3

  “Warn me? About what?” She picked off a bit of cinnamon roll with her fingers. No one had given her any silverware.

  “I’ve been approached by someone who claims to be writing a book about Aspen Hills.” He stirred his coffee.

  Cat leaned forward. “You’re afraid they’re going to break the Covington
secret and let the cat out of the bag.”

  “Basically, yes. But there’s a complication. This person is asking about Michael’s death.” He took a sip from his cup, his gaze on her, watching for her reaction.

  She met his gaze. Officially, Michael had died of a heart attack after his morning run. One of those rare events that convinced all non-runners of the dangers of the runner lifestyle. Instead, he hadn’t died a natural death. And his killer, hadn’t died very naturally either. But neither murder was what it seemed to be. “Dante, you don’t have to tell them anything. I’ve tried to get information out of you before. When you want to act like a closed book, you do it well. Don’t worry about it.”

  “The questions made me feel like someone else had already talked about the thing no one knows.” He sipped his coffee, letting his words sink in.

  “Are you asking me if I’m working with a writer to bust open the Covington secret?” She took another bite of the roll. It was really good. Fresh and still warm. After she swallowed, she let herself look at Dante. “Okay, I didn’t expect that. I thought you knew better. Here’s my answer. No. I am not. There is no way I want to relive one moment of my life with Michael. I’ve moved on. I’m getting married in June. I can’t keep revisiting the past and what my life might have been with your friend. I’m not that woman anymore. I don’t hold a grudge against anyone in Michael’s death.”

  Dante stared at her for a long time before responding. When he seemed to come to a decision, Cat saw the change in his face.

  “I’m sorry, Catherine. I should not have questioned your intentions. But you need to be careful. Like I said, the person had information they shouldn’t know.” He stood and put on his long wool coat that probably cost more than the remodel of the dining room Seth had completed at the house. Then Dante slowly pulled on his gloves. “I can assign security to your house.”