Cold Case Christmas. Jessica R. Patch

suppose I am.” Rush frustrated her with his tippy-toeing around. She was beginning to think he was pacifying her with his promises to look into the past. He hadn’t done much of anything.

      They stopped inside the candle shop and Nora bought an orange-cranberry candle. Outside, Nora spotted Candace Fick. “Hey, didn’t she and Mom have lunches every Thursday afternoon?”

      “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she knows any more than we do.”

      Carolers crooned, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

      “You never know. I’m gonna hop over and see if we can have a lunch of our own. I’ll be right back.”

      Blue lights flashed in the distance. Looked like Rush’s Bronco inching its way up the road. Butterflies swam in her stomach. Oh, no. No. No. She was not going to let herself swoon over him. For many reasons. One, she wasn’t even staying in Splendor Pines. She was moving to Florida—hopefully.

      Two, he’d cheated on Ainsley, and if he’d cheat on her what was to say he wouldn’t cheat on Nora someday? There was no guarantee. And worst-case scenario, what if the rumors about her mother were true? What if Nora had her genes? Because if she were being honest she’d have to admit that even if she had known Rush was dating Ainsley, it wouldn’t have stopped her from spending time with him, holding his hand, embracing him, cuddling on the couch or even kissing him.

      She was pulled from the souring thought. Literally.

      A meaty hand yanked her by the collar behind the shops, thrusting her up against the brick, her face scraping against the rough exterior. “I told you to back off!” he hissed, and cut off her scream with his thick gloved hand. She flailed and elbowed him in the chest, but his heavy coat must have taken most of the blow. It barely slowed him down. Adrenaline coursed through her veins; blood swooshed in her temples.

      He yanked a strand of lights from the trim of the building and wound them around her throat, tightening them. She couldn’t breathe! She grabbed at them, the twinkling rainbow hot around her neck and flashing in her eyes. In the distance, carolers sang, “O Christmas Tree.” A serenade to her—Nora the human Christmas tree.

       Help! Someone!

      The cord dug into her neck, stinging. Her eyes watered and her throat swelled. Blood heated in her cheeks.

      Using her foot, she back kicked him. She missed his groin and knocked his upper thigh. He cursed and thrust her to the ground, never releasing his grip on her throat with the lights.

      Spots formed in front of her eyes.

      The snow burned cold on her cheek.

      He practically sat on her back as if he was roping a calf. She felt along the snow and found her bag with the candle.

      “Nora?”

      Rush!

      The attacker released his grip enough for her to gulp a breath of air and wiggle around to use the candle as a weapon. She held the handles of the plastic bag and swung it like a bat against the side of his face; he groaned and jumped off her.

      Rush moved in on him, but he scrambled and found his footing, racing ahead into the crowd. Rush radioed their location as he gave chase. She coughed and unwound the Christmas lights from her neck, breathing in the cold, fresh winter air.

      Jogging, Rush came back to her and knelt. “Are you okay?”

      No. But she had to show a sign of strength. “Just need to catch my breath.”

      He tipped her chin, searched her eyes. “Nora, be honest.” Concern pulsed in his. “Talk to me.”

      “I’m fine.” She hid her shaking hands. “How’d you find me?”

      Rush blew a heavy sigh. “Hailey said you went to talk to Candace Fick, but Candace said she never saw you. I got a gut feeling. Went looking for you from point A to B.”

      Nora rubbed the tender area on her neck. “Anyone tell you that you ought to be in law enforcement? Private Eye? Detective? Human Metal Detector?”

      “I’m glad you can find the funny in this.”

      Nothing about this was funny, but she didn’t want to admit she might have bitten off more than she could chew. Because she couldn’t back down regardless.

      “That’s me. The funny girl.”

      Rush pulled Nora to her feet. He brushed a gloved thumb across her cheek. “Nora, this is getting out of hand and I’m worried.”

      Join the club. “I’ll be okay. I’ve got you around.” She tried to play it off lightheartedly but it fell flat.

      “I’m not always around, though. If I hadn’t been just down the street...”

      She’d be dead right now. With no answers. She didn’t want to think about it. “Candace might know where Mom was going that night or who had been with her. They were friends.”

      “Why hasn’t she come forward, then?” Rush asked.

      “I don’t know.” Nora picked up the bag with the candle inside, brushed snow from it.

      Rush pointed to the sleigh rides. “Why don’t we take a break and hitch a ride back to the lodge.”

      “Isn’t your Bronco still here?”

      “Don’t want to go ‘dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh’ with me?” Rush winked and slung his arm around Nora’s shoulders.

      “As long as we don’t have to laugh all the way. My ribs won’t take it.” She ignored her heart’s warning to abandon his protective arms and charm and she leaned into him. Rumors were sure to abound.

      Snuggled under a quilt with Nora on the sleigh ride had brought back so many memories. Rush had been smitten with her since he made fun of her pink sparkly tennis shoes in third grade and she shoved him down the hill on the playground. She’d been full of spunk and spice and still was. Normally, he’d appreciate that but it was fueling her need to keep pushing into the past. She didn’t trust him to do his job, and coupled with refusing to let her feelings out, it was utterly disappointing. Didn’t she see they were in this together?

      Nora’s father stood on the steps of the chalet as the sleigh ride came to its end. Rush had texted him ten minutes earlier and filled him in on the newest attack.

      He met Nora as she stepped out and drew her into his arms. “Nora, how many times am I going to have to beg you to stop this? It’s going to get you killed.”

      She didn’t respond but pulled from his embrace.

      Joshua’s nostrils flared, but underneath the anger was fear. Fear for his daughter. “I’ve given the family staying next to you an upgraded chalet. Rush, you take that one until you don’t need it anymore. I understand appearances.” He peered into Nora’s eyes. “But if you won’t come back to the main house and let me take care of you, then I’ll feel better knowing Rush is six feet away. But again, I wish you’d come up to the house and let Rush look into the attacks. If you stop digging, they might stop.”

      Rush thought the same thing, but the killer may believe Nora found the incriminating photo. If so, he would be coming to silence her for it. Rush too.

      Nora looked at her dad and then at Rush. “If the results come back that there is no foul play involved, I’ll consider it. But something bad happened that night. I know it.”

      Rush believed it too. He didn’t think Nora would consider letting it go. He shook Joshua’s hand. “I appreciate the chalet. I’ll get my things later.”

      They stood quietly, a bit awkward, then Joshua tightened his scarf. “I’ve got some work to do.” He left them on Nora’s porch.

      “What now?” Nora asked.

      “We compile a list of names we heard rumors about and quietly