Miss Frost Ices The Imp: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost Book 2) (13 page)

He looked up. “Spider loves Chicken Party.”

I nodded. “You sure do.” I grabbed a Dr Pepper and shut the fridge. Then, out of curiosity, I opened the fridge again. The space where I’d taken the bottle from was already filled. Yep, just as I’d suspected. The supply was never ending. “Weird. But cool.”

Whatever. I wasn’t going to complain about that. Then I tried to imagine what the falls must look like with all that Dr Pepper spilling over them. Was it weird that I kind of wanted to swim in it? Would I be able to absorb the sugar and caffeine through my skin? Because that could be interesting. Or maybe I was overthinking this. I went to the couch, settled in, turned the TV on low and gave the snow globe a shake.

My dad showed up a few seconds later. “Hey, Jay. How are you, honey?”

“Good. How are you? Everything chill?”

“Everything’s very chill. Did the box come through the Santa’s Bag all right?”

“It sure did. That’s why I’m calling. I want to thank Mom for her care package.”

He smiled. “Hang on, I’ll get her.”

He disappeared for a minute, and I could hear him calling for her. “Jayne’s on the globe. Yes, right now.”

She popped up right after that, waving. “Hi, honey. How are you? Are you doing all right? Are you eating? Did you get my package? Your aunt sent something too. Do you need anything? I can be there in a couple days if you need me.”

I laughed to myself. That was my mom. “I’m good and I got everything you and Aunt Martha sent. And as much as I’d love to see you, there’s no pressing need.” I really preferred that she didn’t visit until this craziness was over. “I had some of the cookies and the fudge today. I gave a piece of the fudge to one of my friends. She’s an employee, and she went crazy for it. You and Aunt Martha are going to have to send me a box at least once a month.”

She beamed. “We’d be happy to. What’s your friend’s name, dear?”

“Juniper. She’s the dayshift manager. You’d love her.”

“I’m sure I would. I’m glad you’ve made a friend.”

“More than one.” But I wasn’t about to tell her about Cooper. Not yet. Plus, it would take me too long to explain why I was once again dating the guy who broke my heart in college.

“You like it there?”

“I do. Very much. Hey, you want to see how I’m fixing up the apartment?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

I carried the snow globe around, showing her the painting and the rug I’d bought. Then I shifted it so she could see Spider, who was now cleaning his back leg. “And that’s my cat, Spider.”

Who I really hoped didn’t say anything right now. I didn’t want to explain that either. I tried to get Spider’s attention. “He’s become quite, uh, vocal lately, but fortunately he hasn’t learned English yet.” I hoped he got the hint.

“Oh, he’s so cute,” my mom said. “What a sweet little baby. I’m glad you have company.”

I looked into the globe again. “Thanks, Mom. Anyway, that’s about it. I really appreciate the stuff you sent. Tell Aunt Martha I said thanks, too, okay?”

“I will, honey. You take care of yourself. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

The snow settled, and her face disappeared.

I put the globe back on the side table and settled in to watch a little TV until Greyson arrived. Spider came over and sat next to me, putting his front paws on my leg.

He looked up at me. “Your mama thinks Spider is cute.”

I scratched his head and smiled at him. “Everyone thinks you’re cute. Because you are.”

He started purring and shoved his head harder against my fingers. A few minutes later, his eyes were closed and he was curled up next to me asleep. We stayed like that until Greyson knocked on my door.

Which was ten minutes after seven. Greyson wasn’t always early like Cooper, but he wasn’t the kind of guy to show up significantly late either.

The look on his face said something was up. I took the pizza out of his hands as he came in. “What’s going on? More magical mayhem?”

“Yes. All the signs on Main Street have had their letters reversed.” He sighed and gave me a look. “Except on Santa’s Workshop.”

Snowballs
. “Great. So I’m under some kind of protection because I’m the one who let it loose?”

“Apparently.” He leaned on the kitchen counter while I got plates out. “Hugh Ellingham released a statement saying it was the result of a young witch’s spell gone wrong and would be corrected as soon as possible.”

“Great, one more thing for the witches to get mad about. Like the black wedding dresses weren’t enough.”

“Actually, the story was Corette’s idea.”

“Really? Wow. Nice of her to cover for me. And nice of Hugh to put it out there.”

“Agreed. But despite those efforts, people in town are starting to talk. They’re not idiots. Most of them have lived here long enough to know when something’s planned and when something’s not.”

“Starting to talk?” I snorted as I opened the pizza box. “You’d think they’d be neck-deep in discussions about this by now.”

“I mean about you. Word is out that you’re responsible for freeing this magic, and now with your shop not being affected…people aren’t happy.”

I was losing my appetite. A little. I put slices on both plates. “I’m sure they aren’t, but I can’t help it. I’m going to see Francine tomorrow. I don’t know what else to do, but I’m open to suggestions. Do you have any?”

He nodded. “Go see her tonight.”

I closed the pizza box and handed him a plate. “If only I could.”

His expression darkened a bit. He took the plate and set it on the counter. “You can if you want to. I can make it happen.”

“Greyson, getting an appointment with her took some serious finagling. If you’re telling me you can just call her and it’s a done deal, then why didn’t you offer to do that sooner?”

“I’m not talking about calling her.” The muscles in his jaw tightened, and the light in his eyes took on a hard, metallic gleam. I’d seen that light before, but not combined with this dark demeanor. “I’m talking about going over there and demanding she explain this mess. And using whatever means necessary to make that happen.”

“I’m not that kind of elf.”

“Maybe not, but I can be that kind of vampire.”

“I don’t know. That sounds dangerous. We don’t know what Francine is capable of. What other magic objects or devices she might have up her sleeve.”

“No, we don’t.” The hard line of his mouth relaxed. “But I’ll be there to protect you.”

I studied him a moment while I thought about all the nonsense my little purchase had caused. I did not want a reputation in this town as a troublemaker. It could ruin the shop’s business. Plus, I was the Winter Princess. Someday I was going to have an entire kingdom to safeguard. There was no better time to practice those skills than now.

“I’d better change.”

“We’ll go after we eat.” He opened the pizza box. “Some things are better done under the cover of darkness. Even in this town.”

The Greshams’ old Victorian looked a lot different at night than it had yesterday morning. For one thing, it had gone from slightly creepy to full-on eerie, and for another, its potential to be a haunted mansion seemed more like a probability now.

I stared at the house from the safe interior of Greyson’s Camaro. “I think it’s only fair to tell you that this is freaking me out a little. The house looks…menacing. That’s really the only word I can come up with.”

He laughed.

I looked at him. “You think my fear is funny?”

“Not at all. But it amuses me that a house can scare you when you’re sitting next to a vampire, one of the most dangerous of all the supernaturals.”

I squinted at him. “If this was all some elaborate plot to turn me into your dinner, I’d like to remind you that an ice dagger leaves no trace when it melts. So you’re also sitting next to a very dangerous supernatural. Just saying.” For added emphasis, I lowered the temperature in the car by about thirty degrees.

He shivered. Probably more for show than anything. I didn’t get the sense that vampires were much affected by temperature. Unless they were frozen solid. Hmm. Come to think of it, he might not have been acting considering what had happened a few months ago when he actually had been frozen solid. He put his hand on the door handle. “Point taken. But this needs to be done.”

We got out of the car and walked up the long drive to the front door, the deep shadows of twilight fast turning into the full black of evening. I hugged the shopping bag to my side. There were a few lights on in the house, but the curtains were drawn, and the place was silent. No television, no radio, no music, no tortured wailing from anyone being held captive. Just saying.

He knocked. We waited. Nothing.

Then the lights went out.

He grunted. “I guess we’re doing this the hard way.”

I put my hand on his arm. “You’re not going to hurt her, are you? She
is
an older woman living alone. And we’re knocking on her door after dark. I’d be wary too.”

“I’m not going to hurt her.” He frowned. “But we need some answers. I’ll be as nice as I can.” He leaned in and kissed me, a fast little peck of reassurance. “Be right back.”

And then he was gone in a blur of movement that was barely discernible in the dark. I stood there, waiting, looking around for any neighbors who might be watching. I didn’t see any. I heard some soft noises. A faint rapping sound, the scrap of a window sash, quiet voices. Then silence.

Which was finally broken by footsteps and the door opening.

Francine Gresham stared out at me, a thin woman with a pinched face and a permanent frown. Greyson stood deeper in the foyer, his gaze on Francine. She looked me over, then sighed. “Come in.”

It was about as cheerful a greeting as one might expect from a woman in a nightgown with a scowl on her face and a vampire at her back. I tried to smooth things over. “I really appreciate—”

“Save the small talk,” she snapped as she turned around.

I raised my brows but followed her as she swanned past Greyson. She led us into the kitchen. It was one of the few rooms in the house that still had furniture in use. At least on this floor.

She faced us, but her gaze was on the shopping bag hanging off my shoulder. “I understand you have my box.”

I was dying to know how Greyson had gotten us in, but that would have to wait. “I bought a box from your estate sale, yes.”

“Bryn told me you’d be bringing it tomorrow morning, so I expect you brought it tonight. If not, this conversation is over.” She glared at Greyson. “No matter what you think you’re owed.”

“She has the box,” he answered. “But we want answers first.”

Hard to believe Francine’s frown could deepen, but it did. “What kind of answers?”

Greyson moved closer to me. “What’s in the box?”

“A little magic. Nothing for you to be concerned with. Now hand it over.”

Greyson didn’t give up that easily. “What kind of magic?”

A moment of silence was followed by a long sigh of exasperation. “I don’t know. I bought it sight unseen with only the promise that it held something of reasonable power. That happens in my business sometimes.”

“Your business?” I asked. “I thought the shop was closed.”

“It is. But I still have clients that I acquire for. It’s enough of a business for me.” She lifted her chin. “More than I need, actually. And it will allow me to leave this house and this dreadful town behind and start a new life.”

“So you don’t know what’s in the box?”

She shrugged at me. “I only know it’s what my client wanted and I brokered the deal. Bryn put the box out for sale not realizing what it was. Then she lost your receipt and we couldn’t find you, so you bringing the box to me is appreciated. That’s the only reason I’m willing to share as much as I have.”

Greyson gave me a short nod. I opened the tote bag and pulled the box out, gripping it in my hands. I’d stuck the lid back on as tightly as possible on the way over. I wasn’t sure it would pass as being unopened, but it also didn’t matter. At some point we were going to have to get around to the fact that the lid had come off.

Greyson crossed his arms. “You’re lying. You know more.”