A Christmas for Katie Read Free Page B

need to get some more information. But if she was trying to steal from you?”
    “We’ll have to investigate things along a different avenue,” another man muttered.
    “Well, this is shocking. And at Christmas, too.” She flinched when she noticed all three men looking at her in amusement. “What’s so funny?”
    “It’s odd, but this is Jacob’s Crossing, Miss,” the first man said. “Strange things have been known to happen on occasion.”
    “My name is Miss Donovan, Jayne Donovan,” she supplied.
    “Jayne, please meet Deputy Gomez and Sheriff Jackson. They’re with Jacob’s Crossing Sheriff’s Department, too.”
    Too rattled to say much, she nodded a greeting.
    He seemed to notice. With a gentle grip on her arm, he led her to one of the big comfy couches near the children’s area. “You better sit down.”
    Sheriff Jackson pulled out a notebook. “Miss Donovan, I need to ask you some questions.”
    “I understand.”
    “So, have you seen Mrs. Jensen here before?”
    Jayne tried to recall, but at the moment she was too shaken up to trust her memory. “Maybe. She kind of looks like one of the ladies who always come in for the new mysteries, but I can’t really be sure.”
    “Do you talk to the patrons much?”
    “Some. Those who ask for help.” Thinking of her busy days, she struggled to explain. “Even if I have chatted with her and checked her out, we have a fairly large membership. She could be any number of women.”
    Her stomach dropped as the three men exchanged glances and Sheriff Jackson wrote down notes in his notebook.
    “Have you ever seen anyone lurking around the building at night?”
    “Like a man? Like a mugger?” She was starting to get alarmed again. “But . . . I thought you thought she might have been out stealing my nativity.”
    “She might have . . . but we just want to make sure we’ve followed every lead. So . . . have you seen anyone suspicious around lately?”
    “No. But I don’t leave by the front door, I go out through the back.”
    The questions continued. Some felt like they were the same exact ones, phrased and rephrased over and over. With each one, her nerves became more frazzled.
    Finally, she said, “Should I be worried?”
    “Jayne, I can’t promise anything,” Connor said. “But I think you should definitely keep your eyes open. You never know what could happen.”
    “But it’s almost Christmas.”
    “Crazy things happen at Christmas, ma’am,” Deputy Gomez said as he zipped up his jacket. With an exaggerated shiver, he said, “Lots of crazy things.”
    The two men left soon after, leaving her alone with Connor again.
    “How about I walk you to your car, and then follow you home?”
    “There’s no reason to do that. I’m okay.” Of course, she wasn’t, but he didn’t need to know that.
    “Let me do this. Remember, I live on your street, so it’s not like it’s out of my way. Besides, you’re rattled.”
    She couldn’t deny that. “I am pretty shaken up, but I’ll be fine.” Eventually. When the shivers running up and down her spine subsided a bit.
    Sympathy entered his eyes. “I’m sorry, I should have told you to call a friend or your boyfriend.”
    “I, um, don’t have a boyfriend,” she blurted before she thought to keep that little tidbit to herself. Before he could ask more questions that would lead her to admit just how empty she felt at the moment, she pasted on a smile. “Look, I’m going to be okay. You certainly don’t have to follow me home. But don’t forget your books.”
    Looking at his neat stack of books on the counter, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Boy, so much has happened, I almost forgot why I came in here.”
    “You’ll remember when you’re knee-deep in one of those thrillers. Enjoy your evening, Connor. I’ll go ahead and lock up.”
    “I think I’ll stay and walk you out.”
    “Sure?”
    “Positive.” He stood still while she bolted the locks on the front doors, made sure