14. Lottie

LOTTIE

C harlie, Carlotta, and I weave our way to the bustling Santa's workshop corner of the Jolly Holly Tree Lot as the air lies thick with the scent of pine, peppermint cocoa, and the soft murmur of holiday cheer.

Eudora Fairbanks stands chatting away with a customer with her fiery red hair peeking out from under her purple Santa hat. She's donned a cheery red coat and has a sparkling brooch of a candy cane on her chest that catches the light with her every turn.

An array of knit caps sits before her as customers poke and prod as they make their selections. Eudora closes out the deal with the customer at hand, exchanging cold, hard cash for three cute knit caps.

Eudora smiles and nods, but that smile doesn't quite reach her eyes.

Like mother, like daughter. Ivy isn't exactly the warm, fuzzy type either.

" Hot chockey for Thimby Wicky? " Lyla Nell looks back at me with the question and I can clearly see Noah's face in hers. Although at the moment, Noah's face is asking me what the heck I'm doing bringing our daughter to speak with a suspect.

"I'm not sure he drinks hot chocolate," I say, trying to appease her.

"Oh, come on, Lot." Carlotta bumps her elbow to mine. "Every elf worth their sassy salt drinks hot chocolate. That's practically what they're made of. And that's exactly why I'm going to take a bite out of that elf before midnight."

"Good grief," Charlie says, taking the stroller from me. "I think I'm going to take Lyla Nell to the petting zoo while you do your thing."

"Good thinking," I say, blowing a kiss to my sweet babe. "You're going to see some big kitties," I sing.

For some reason, Lyla Nell calls every animal she sees kitty , and at this moment in time, it's the only way I know to communicate to her where her aunt is hauling her off to.

" Cancake and Wackles ," Lyla Nell shouts with glee at the prospect of seeing large kitties.

Pancake and Waffles are essentially her besties. Even if they are mildly afraid of her.

Thimblewick floats next to Eudora and that green aura emanates from him and casts an eerie glow on the woman's skin. It sort of makes her look like an alien. And well, considering she is Ivy's mother, that would explain a lot—especially Ivy's out-of-this-world attitude.

Carlotta and I head over just as the customers clear out.

"Hey there, Red," Carlotta says, tossing the knit beanies before us as if she were tossing a salad. "Are people actually buying this janky junk?"

" Carlotta ," I hiss while batting her away from the merchandise. "Would you stop? These caps are gorgeous," I tell Eudora just as Suze crops up next to her wearing a similar purple Santa hat and a dowdy red coat.

Shoot.

Leave it to Suze to putz up my investigation.

Although she is rather nosey herself. She could assist me in a roundabout way. But then, I can't remember a single time when Suze Fox wasn't a hinderance.

Suze glares at me as if she heard my internal musing. And judging by the way she's glaring at me, she looks as if she could use a pair of knitting needles right about now.

But Suze Fox is no killer.

Or at least she had better not be. She shares genes with my daughter, after all. Oddly enough, Suze is transmundane as well. She's a beguiler, a person who has the power to make people do their bidding. But thankfully, Suze isn't very good at it.

"Lottie, Carlotta," Suze sings as she steps in close to Eudora and her head lands right in Thimblewick's floating lap.

Ugh. Now that's a vision that will live rent-free in my head for who knows how long. Honestly, it's the stuff of nightmares.

"What brings you ladies here tonight?" Suze continues. "Out having a little holiday fun?"

Carlotta snickers at the sight. "Not as much fun as you're having."

Thimblewick goes with it, and soon he's sitting square on Suze's shoulders.

"I'm with you, Carlotta," he says. "These caps don't impress me in the least."

I gasp up at him. It's one thing to have to teach Carlotta the value of a handmade gift, but an elf from the supposed North Pole? I'm starting to think he isn't an elf at all.

Thimblewick is just a cranky old codger who just so happens to have pointy ears.

Everyone knows there's no portal to Santa's workshop in the North Pole. I'll have to do some digging later and prove myself right. Although, where does one start digging to confirm such lunacy?

"I brought Lyla Nell out to see the trees," I tell Suze before swinging my gaze to Eudora. "Lyla Nell is Suze's granddaughter," I say, mostly to remind Suze who she is. As it turns out, Suze's dislike for me has transferred somewhat to Lyla Nell.

"A granddaughter?" Eudora looks back at Suze with surprise. "I thought you said you only had one grandson?"

Case in point.

And that grandson would be little Levi, Alex's son. He's all of five months old and just as cute as can be.

Suze is quick to wave it off. "Who can keep track these days? I've been so busy down at the bakery, life is just a blur."

"Tell me about it." Eudora sighs. "My shops have been inundated, too. Especially my vintage shop." She slices a cold glance at Carlotta. "You'd be surprised how many people love to scoop up janky junk this time of year. And you could put the Grim Reaper in that category, seeing that he scooped up Glenda."

Both she and Carlotta break out into a cackle.

And my mouth falls open just watching the two of them laugh at the expense of the poor woman who isn't even cold in the morgue just yet.