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“Yeah.” He stares at the box as if it’ll explode.
I lean over as Oliver raises a hand to lift the lid. He hesitates, then flips it. We both stare inside.
“It’s empty,” I state the obvious. “Why is it empty? This is ridiculous.”
I start the car and throw it into reverse. Oliver scrambles to put his seatbelt on. “Where are we going?”
“To Sadie’s house. This is her treasure hunt, and apparently, we’ve reached the end of it. She’s got some serious explaining to do.”
“Do you think the book’s been stolen?”
I stop for a pedestrian crossing Main Street under the wide arches of sparkling garland. “No, I don’t. That box can’t have been there more than a few hours. It snowed last night, but the box didn’t have any snow on it. I think Sadie never put the book in there. I think this whole thing is a giant trick.”
ChapterEleven
Oliver
“I admit it was a trick.” Sadie Foster shrugs as she takes the empty metal lockbox from Amelia.
“Aha!” Amelia jumps and jabs her finger in the air.
Sadie stares at her. “I already admitted it. You can relax.” She shakes her head. “Yeah, I was trying to come up with another clue, but y’all solved it before I could. I put the box out there, but I hadn’t quite figured out where to point the next clue to yet. And you just solved them all so much faster than I expected. I was hoping you’d maybe solve a clue a day. That would’ve taken us safely past Christmas.”
Amelia and I regard each other with shared disbelief. “Why did you want us to solve it after Christmas?” I ask.
She gives me a look like I’m obviously not a Cherry Creek local. “Because then the book would be out of circulation for another year. I wouldn’t have to worry about it bringing another couple together for a whole other year. It’s not good for my business.”
Amelia folds her arms. “Sadie, where’s the book?” The glare she levels at the older woman shoots switchblades across the room.
“I’ll get it for you.” Sadie waddles off to the dining room, and we follow.
“Are you serious?” Amelia says. “You’re going to just give it to us now? Why didn’t you hand it over the first time we were here asking for it?”
“I was delaying, remember?”
“And yet you didn’t destroy it. You could have thrown it in the fire,” lawyer-me feels duty bound to point out her inconsistent reasoning.
Sadie and Amelia both turn around and glare at me like I just suggested burning the Declaration of Independence.
Sadie pulls herself up to her full height of maybe five foot one. “I’m a businesswoman—not a monster.”
She scrambles under her dining room table, pretty spry for her age. “I’ve got it!” She emerges a second later and presents the book to Amelia. It’s a forest green hardbound book, no dust jacket, with gold lettering spelling outOnce Upon a Christmas Kisson the cover. A small sprig of mistletoe is imprinted below the title. Amelia takes it into her hands and holds it close, almost hugging it. I’m suddenly jealous of the thing.
“Thank you,” Amelia says.
“Well, I guess it had to get back out there sometime.” Sadie’s voice is gruff.
Amelia flips the book over and gives the back a good look. It’s not every day you get your hands on a legend. I wouldn’t mind taking a look myself. “It’s not much competition for you, really, is it? Maybe one Cherry Creek couple a year?” she asks.
Sadie sighs. “It’s true. And my online business is booming. The book can’t go online now, can it?”
Amelia and I glance at each other and try not to laugh. “It certainly can’t.”
“Well, good luck to your sister, Amelia. I don’t mind losing the book to you. With all she’s been through, Felicity is a tough case. It’ll take more than my matchmaking powers to match her.” Mrs. Foster escorts us both to the door.
“Thanks, Sadie. I think Felicity needs all the luck she can get.”
We get into the car and wave at Sadie Foster as we drive away.
