Holly in Hiding Read online

  Holly in Hiding

  The 12 Mysteries of Christmas, Book 6

  P. Creeden

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  About the Author

  Also by P. Creeden

  THE 12 MYSTERIES OF CHRISTMAS series:

  IN THE NICK OF TIME by Susette Williams

  GABRIEL’S SECRET by Alexa Verde

  GUARDING CANDY KANE by V.B. Tenery

  MURDER: UP ON THE ROOFTOP by Tina Dee

  JOY IN JEOPARDY by Lynette Sowell

  HOLLY IN HIDING by P. Creeden

  STARR WITNESS by Susette Williams

  NOELLE ON THE RUN by Alexa Verde

  GOLDEN BELLES ARE WRINGING by Gina Conroy

  DEATH BY FIGGY PUDDING by Tina Dee

  DANGER FOR GLORIA by Lynette Sowell

  MERRY WITHOUT MALICE by P. Creeden

  Holly in Hiding © 2018 P. Creeden

  Edited by Cassie Hess-Dean

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  Holly in Hiding

  Bethany has been acting as parental guardian for her younger sister, Holly, ever since the death of their parents in a car accident. She tries hard to make Christmas as special as she can for Holly’s sake. But when her sister meets a man online who wants to meet her over the holiday, Bethany puts her foot down. Her sister shows her rebellious side and disappears. Now a former police detective from Boulder is looking for the couple and suspects that the “Christmas Killer” from Boulder might have set his sights on their small town.

  Chapter 1

  Coffee was always one of those heavenly smells to Bethany, even though she didn’t much care for the taste of it. Still, she could just immerse herself in the smells alone, so she did. Kringle’s Coffee Shoppe’s main staple may not have been Bethany’s cup of tea… er… coffee. But she loved the paninis and she loved the people of Christmas Thyme, Colorado who came to stop at the shop to get their caffeinated fuel. She’d began as a barista at the shop when she first started working there out of high school but earned her way up to assistant manager a year ago when she’d finished her associates degree in business management.

  Jingle Bell Rock played through the speakers overhead. All twelve tables in the shop were full with customers, making Bethany work as back up waitress for the day.

  “Three Peppermint Macchiatos for table three!” she called out to the barista, then leaned and said under her breath, “Make them decaf.”

  The barista nodded and lifted a knowing eyebrow.

  Though they had a bar like the bigger coffee shops in Boulder, they also offered sit down service to the people who preferred it. Most of the town’s older crowd preferred it that way, and occasionally, so did the high school kids.

  Christmas was just a week away, making their shop just a little more crowded with the latter, since school was out. And many came to their little town for the festive lights display. The whole town took Christmas very seriously since it was in their name. And the lights display brought in crowds of people in the evenings.

  A gasp went up from the corner that drew her attention. The man at table three smiled to the woman across from her and opened a red decorated ring box while he knelt in front of her on one knee. Tourists. She didn’t know them by name, but still, Bethany’s heart fluttered. Though she hadn’t had time for romance in her own life, she was an utter believer in true love and the power it could have over people. It made her smile and her eyes watered. When the woman said “yes,” people at the tables nearby cheered and clapped. Bethany found herself clapping automatically.

  Red colored the man’s cheeks as he looked around and noticed everyone was watching. Still, he gave a little bow, and the woman planted a kiss on his cheek. Bethany had hoped for a romance like that for herself, but she hadn’t been on a date in years. Not since her parents died in a car accident, forcing her to drop out of college her sophomore year and take care of her little sister. That had been nearly four years ago, and though her sister was now eighteen, Bethany wasn’t ready for her to grow up and move on. She felt the need to stay close to her sister—the only family they had were each other.

  “Order up,” the barista, Roxie, called and smiled at Bethany. Roxie had become their best barista in no time, she could almost make Bethany change her mind and become a lover of coffee… but maybe that was because of all the sugar and cream added in the mix.

  Bethany returned the smile as she picked up the order of coffees and took them over toward the table. She set them in front of the teenagers. “Three Peppermint Macchiatos. Decaf. It’s after 8 p.m., and I wouldn’t want you lot staying up all night.”

  The girl with purple eyes—had to be contact lenses—rolled them. Her nose ring had a chain to her ear. “If I wanted an old lady to lecture me, I would have stayed home and let my mom do it.

  “Don’t give her a hard time,” the boy in the leather jacket across from her said, giving Bethany a nod of approval. “She’s not that old. Besides it’s almost 9 o’clock and we don’t need the caffeine.”

  The third member of their party hardly looked like she belonged with the other two, her preppy outfit and glasses would have made her seem too straight-laced for the others except that the tips of her hair were dyed pink. “It tastes the same; who cares if it’s decaf?”

  After rolling her eyes again, the first girl gave Bethany a purple glare. “Just don’t expect much of a tip when you add or subtract from a customer’s order.”

  Bethany sighed and shrugged. “I’ll consider it a good deed, no matter what reward I get… or don’t.” Then she walked away before the dissenting voice could cut in with another harsh word.

  A man lifted his glass in her direction, signaling he was ready for more cider. His dark hair had the slightest curl to it and his green eyes shined in the lights above him. Sitting at one of the few solo tables, he plugged away at a laptop, using the café’s Wi-Fi for the past hour or so.

  Bethany nodded toward him, so he understood that she'd seen his request and she quickly went to the counter to pour him one from the warmed tap they had just for cider and hot chocolate.

  The man smiled as she set the drink on the table in front of him and grabbed the empty glass. “Thank you, Angel. I swear I'm addicted to this cider.”

  Her heart fluttered a little at being called angel. The man was cute—not that Bethany was trying to notice. It surprised her when a giggle escaped. “Good thing it’s not alcoholic then.”

  “No worries there. I don't touch the stuff. Just cider for me… I don’t even drink coffee
.”

  She laughed again. “Good thing our café also serves this cider then.”

  “It certainly is a good thing for me.” He offered a grin that colored his eyes with playfulness.

  Her heart fluttered a little.

  “Then I will let you enjoy your cider.” Bethany turned and walked away. Wow, that was smooth. On the verge of corny even. Was she blaming her dateless status on her job and her sister? Now she wondered if it had nothing to do with either and everything to do with her own lack of “game.”

  After 9 o’clock, the last stragglers from the lights display came in to get their drinks and pastries. On nights like these, the shop sold just as much hot chocolate and hot cider as it did coffee. As the clock neared 10 p.m., the little shop slowly began to clear out. The two baristas and the waitress both left for the night after splitting tips from the jar. Once Bethany finished the last of her routine, she grabbed her winter coat and stepped out onto Mistletoe Drive.

  The cold air nipped at her cheeks, and fresh snow blanketed the ground. She took in a deep cleansing breath and smiled as she looked up at the stars. She walked slowly down Mistletoe Drive, her breath misting about her face. Strings and bows of unlit bulbs surrounded her in all directions. The town shut off the lights display overnight to discourage people from continuing to frequent the attraction. She passed by the unlit form of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and tapped it playfully on the nose. She rolled her aching shoulder as she continued to walk through the unlit display.

  Snow crunched beneath her feet with each step and she hurried her pace to keep warm as soon as she made it past the display and into the residential area of the drive. From the diner to her home usually took twenty minutes at a leisurely pace, but tonight she walked double-time, even though her feet ached from the long day.

  When she arrived home, the warmth of the wood heat furnace greeted her. With a smile she thanked the Lord that Holly had maintained the furnace faithfully throughout the day. Bethany closed the door behind her and slipped off her shoes.

  A tattered quilt sat on the back of the burgundy cloth couch. Their mother had worked on the quilt for several years. The walls of their house were a mixture of brick and drywall, and several pictures of their family as they grew up lined the walls. Bethany was glad for them, as they reminded her of her parents love even as it grew hard to keep up with mothering Holly through the tough teen years in high school.

  “I'm home!” Bethany called out as she hung her coat up on the hook by the door.

  “I'm in the kitchen!” Holly’s voice called back in a sing-song tone. Great, it seemed her sister was in a good mood. That always made life easier. A smile spread across Bethany’s face as she walked down the hallway and turned left into the open kitchen decorated with pigs and roosters. Holly sat at the small table in the breakfast nook with her phone in hand. She wore her pink footie pajamas which had a hoodie in the back with cute cat ears on it. If it was cute and fuzzy, Holly loved it. Her sandy-blonde hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and she had a pore strip over her nose. She hit the call end button and smiled wide at her sister. “I have good news.”

  “Oh?” Bethany lifted a brow and sat down in the metal chair across from her sister after adjusting the cushion. Not much had changed in their house since they’d lost their parents. Even the kitchen table and chairs, which should have been outdoor furniture remained exactly as they had left it.

  “Trey is coming to see me for Christmas.” Holly’s smile grew wider and she shook her hands in the air like a kid who’d just got her favorite gift.

  Bethany frowned and had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. Trey was Holly's online boyfriend. Bethany didn't like the idea of online dating even if she was stuck in a small town. There were other ways to meet men, and you could never tell if someone was lying on the internet. “Are you sure that's a good idea, Holly?”

  The smile began slipping from Holly’s face just a bit. “Of course, why wouldn't it be?”

  “He might not be who you think he is.”

  “Bethy you worry too much. He’s a nice guy.” Holly glared at Bethany with the same look she always gave her when she wasn’t getting her way. Her brown eyes narrowed.

  A knot formed in Bethany’s stomach. The cold metal of the outdoor furniture against her wrists suddenly felt like ice. “Don’t ‘Bethy’ me. Do you know how dangerous it is to meet anyone you met online?”

  “You worry too much. I’ve been talking with him for six months now, and we’ve skyped a lot, too.” Holly got that dreamy look on her face that she always got when she thought she was in love. “I think he may be the one.”

  Bethany ran her hand through her long, straight, hair—the same sandy blonde as her sister’s. The clock in the kitchen slowly ticked away while Bethany regarded her sister. That dreamy look in her eyes as she continued to stare off at something no one could see in the distance made Bethany’s uneasiness grow.

  “Holly…” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  Holly blinked like she was suddenly coming out of a daydream. “What?”

  Bethany clenched her jaw for a split second before trying again. “I said, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  Her lips twisted in a pout, and her hand slammed against the table as she stood up with defiance. “Well, it’s too late. I already told him he could come here and he’s driving up tomorrow.”

  That same icy cold Bethany felt on her wrists shot through her whole body as rage and fear surged through. She drew herself to her feet, just as her sister had, but she refused to raise her voice. Instead she used that deathly, growly tone that Mother would use when she was angry. “Well, he’s not staying here.”

  “Yes, he is. I told him he could.” Holly snapped back, her voice getting screechy as it went up an octave.

  “You didn’t ask me if that was okay first.” Bethany concentrated on her breathing. The last thing she needed right now was this fight. She really would have appreciated it if her sister could have given her just one night of peace and happiness instead of constant rebellious teenager.

  “I’m eighteen. You don’t get to dictate my life.”

  “Then act your age. Be mature enough to know that you should talk to your elder when you’re in a situation like this, it’s possible that they might know what’s best for you.

  “You’re not my mother; you’re my sister. You’re supposed to be happy for me, not try to tell me what I can and can’t do.”

  That stung. “I know I’m your sister, but how can I be happy for you when you’re always doing such stupid things?”

  The shock and tears that flooded Holly’s eyes instantly made Bethany regret that comment. For a long moment, they just stared at each other, the constant ticking of the kitchen clock was the only noise in the room drowning out the sound of Bethany’s racing heart. Finally, Holly grabbed her phone from the top of the table and ran to her room.

  “Wait,” Bethany called out to her sister’s retreating back, but the only answer she received was the slamming of the bedroom door.

  Bethany sat back down in the metal chair and ran her hands over her face. The knot in her stomach only tightened further. How could she say that to her sister? She knew it was one of Holly’s sore spots. All her life in school she was treated as the dumb blonde. She didn’t test well, so she often ended up in remedial classes. Was her sister actually dumb? No. Bethany knew she wasn’t. But once their parents had died, they did everything they could just to get her through finishing high school. College wasn’t even a consideration.

  Now Bethany had carelessly said exactly the thing she should have held back in saying. Normally she would have, but she’d just gotten back from work and it was especially busy while they were short-staffed a waitress. She shook her head. No. These were just excuses. She shouldn’t have hurt her sister like that. No matter what.

  She should apologize to her sister. That would be the right thing to do
, but she couldn’t raise herself from the kitchen chair. If she apologized to her sister, Holly might twist Bethany’s words, or manipulate the situation so that Bethany felt obligated to give in to her sister’s demands.

  They didn’t need a strange man staying with them, coming tomorrow. Lord help us. What if he really was one of those violent people that she’d watched on those unsolved mystery shows on television. Her hands clenched. Okay, maybe her imagination was over-exaggerating things, but the reality was, that they didn’t know him. Bethany half-wished she’d never even gotten her sister a smartphone. How could she even stop the man from coming right now?

  She looked up to heaven. “Lord… I don’t know what to do and I could really use some help right now.”

  Chapter 2

  The next morning, Bethany woke up with her alarm blaring in her ear. She groaned and slapped it off then dragged herself out of bed. Sunlight peeked through her fogged-up windows. When her feet hit the icy-cold, hardwood floor, she was glad she’d slept in cozy socks. Her bedroom was always the coldest in the house. Usually she left her bedroom door open to let the heat in, but she’d closed it last night after the argument with her sister.

  When she got to the kitchen, she found Holly sitting at the table eating breakfast cereal. Bethany hated dealing with issues first thing in the morning, so she kept silent.

  As soon as Bethany sat down at the kitchen table with her own breakfast, Holly stood up and disappeared into her room without a word.

  Ugh. Bethany took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her own bran and raisin cereal had no taste this morning as she chewed and swallowed each bite. Nothing was worse than when the two of them weren’t talking. Sure, they usually spent most days bickering over something small, like leaving laundry in the dryer, but this was different. This was bigger. She hated it when the two of them weren’t talking, but the only thing she could think of that would make Holly happy would be if she agreed to let Trey stay here.