Page 5 of Sleigh My Heart

She snuck a peek at Nick, pulling her attention from the layout of the room she was sketching. With his hands in the front pockets of his dress pants, he rocked back on his heels. His badge on his belt said VP of Security. He looked good.

Stop staring at his midsection. She grimaced and dropped her gaze back to the work tablet.

“The sleigh was over here.” His voice echoed from across the room.

What? When had he moved? She really needed to get her head in the case. Carefully, she made her way across to where he stood.

Skid marks in the dust showed where the sleigh was dragged to the large overhead doors. She snapped a photo.

“Where were you between Friday evening and this morning?” she asked, as she took in the scene, photographing the various angles.

Done, silence took the place of the snapping. Had he slipped out when she wasn’t looking? The man had the stealth of a ninja. Was he special forces or something? She made a mental note to check what his Military Occupational Specialty was.

Nick stood a few feet away, analyzing her every move. A shiver zipped down her spine. She pocketed her phone and rested her hand on her utility belt, mere inches from her taser.

Tick… Tick… Tick… Several seconds clicked by before he blinked. “I worked until six last Friday. I had the weekend off. Spent the day running errands, then Saturday night and Sunday at home.”

“Can anyone confirm your whereabouts?” She pulled out her tablet again and waited for his response.

“Ava.” The grit on that one word had her wanting to take a step back.

Who was Ava? A girlfriend? His wife? “Can I get her last name and number?”

He sighed. “Jolley. And she doesn’t have a phone.”

Her jaw ticked. She scribbled a word on her notes... Wife. He had a wife. At one time, she’d thought that would be her. Let it go, girl.

“No phone?” Her gaze connected with his.

The blue of his eyes sparked, and his nostrils flared. “Can we leave her out of this?”

“For now, but if something comes up, I’ll need to speak with her.”

“Fine. Are we done here? I have someplace to be.” His shoes clicked this time as he crossed to the door. Long fingers held it open for her.

Subtle, but she was done here for now. Michelle slipped out, careful not to inhale as she passed him. Cologne, pheromones, she didn’t know, but Nick Jolley smelled intoxicating.

Following him down the hall, her teeth worried her lip. She could leave it at this and let him find out about the murder from Jim, but this was Nick. Something in her gut wouldn’t let her leave him hanging, even if they parted on less than happy circumstances years ago. She stopped halfway to the office. “Nick.”

He peered over his shoulder. When he saw she wasn’t moving, he paused. A brow rose.

“This is more than just a stolen sleigh. Jim will want to talk to you.”

Nick may have only been back a short while, but Ashwood wasn’t that big. Surely, he knew her brother was a homicide detective.

He nodded.

Okay. She’d done all she could here. With one more peek at him, she headed toward the liquor store for her father’s gift, and maybe a bottle of whiskey for herself. The beer in her fridge wouldn’t cut it for a run-into-your-ex drink. Nope, she needed something a whole lot stronger.

Chapter 2

Nick scanned his surroundings. He didn’t expect to find pickpockets or bomb threats, but after twenty years in the military, and now the last three months as head of security at the mall, he couldn’t simply turn it off. Sure, the room was festive with its decorative snowflakes and paper stockings on the walls, but it was the twenty-four third graders hopped up on sugar cookies and candy canes squirming in their seats that had him concerned.

“Thank you all for coming to our holiday party. The children are excited to perform a special holiday play for you today. So, sit back and enjoy.” Their teacher stood at the front of the class in a Fa la la sweater with real blinking lights. She clapped her hands, and the room exploded like a mortar going off. The noise level ratcheted to a twelve. Between the squeals of children and the screeching of chairs on the linoleum floors, it almost triggered a post-traumatic panic attack.

Nick focused on his knees, inches from his face. Could they have provided adult-size chairs? He inhaled and held as much air in as he could. One… two… three. Feeling the tightness in his chest release, he exhaled. He could do this.

His phone pinged. He glanced at the message. At his boss’s short command, Nick groaned. A one-on-one meeting in his office first thing in the morning. Well, shit. The man must have heard about the sleigh. Nick hoped for a day to figure out a way to get the sleigh back before Mr. Silver found out.