Christmas In Snowflake Canyon Read Free Page A

the rest?” Genevieve suggested. “It can only be an improvement. It will save you a fortune on hair spray.”
    “Can you really be as stupid as you look?” Larry shook his head. “We’re district attorneys. Do you have any idea what that means? We decide who faces criminal charges. Officers, I insist you arrest both of these people.”
    Rachel didn’t look thrilled about being ordered around. “On what charges, Mr. Kirk?”
    “Assault, disturbing the peace, drunk and disorderly. How’s that for starters?”
    “It was just a bar fight,” Jamie protested. “The same thing happens a couple times a week here at the Lizard. Isn’t that right, Pat?”
    “Don’t bring me into this,” the bartender protested.
    “So are you pressing charges, Ms. Turner?” Officer Redmond asked.
    “Look at my nose! You’re damn right I’m pressing charges.”
    “Pat?”
The bartender looked around. “Well, somebody needs to pay for these damages. It might as well be Mayor Beaumont.”
    “Oh! That’s so unfair!” Genevieve exclaimed. “If you hadn’t bought that stupid digital jukebox, none of this would have happened.”
    “You probably want to keep your mouth shut right about now,” Dylan suggested. “I’ll pay for the damages.”
    He ignored Jamie’s rumble of protest.
    “That’s all I care about,” Pat answered, reaching out and shaking Dylan’s hand firmly, the deal done. “Caine is right. We have bar fights in here a couple times a week. As long as somebody replaces those broken tables, I won’t press charges.”
    “It doesn’t matter whether you press charges or not. You still have to arrest and book them for assault,” the prick of an assistant district attorney said.
    “Sorry, Dylan, Ms. Beaumont, but I’m going to have to take you in.” Despite her words, Rachel didn’t sound at all apologetic.
    “You can’t do that!” Genevieve exclaimed.
    Rachel tapped the badge on her chest. “This sort of says I can.”
    The officer reached around and started handcuffing Genevieve. With all her blond hair, silky white sweater and that little stream of blood trickling down her cheek, she looked like a fallen Christmas angel.
    “Stop this. Right now,” she said, all but stamping her foot in frustration. “You can’t arrest me! My father will never allow it!”
    “Believe it or not, there are still a few things around Hope’s Crossing William Beaumont can’t control.”
    Like most of the rest of the town, it sounded as if Rachel had had a run-in or two with Mayor Beaumont, who tended to think he owned the town.
    “Why aren’t you arresting her?” she demanded with a gesture to the assistant district attorney. “She’s the one who wouldn’t stop playing the stupid songs on the jukebox. And I think she broke my foot with that hideous shoe.”
    Rachel seemed unaffected as she turned her around and started reciting her Miranda rights. Her partner turned his attention to Dylan.
    “Turn around and place your hands behind your back,” Pete ordered.
    “I’ll do my best, Officer,” Dylan answered. He twisted his right arm behind his back and twisted his left, with the empty sleeve, as far as he could.
    “Dylan,” Jamie chided.
    Redmond apparently realized the challenge. “Um, Olivarez, what am I supposed to do here?”
    Rachel paused in mid-Miranda and looked at her partner in annoyance that quickly shifted to more of that damn pity when she looked at Dylan.
    “You could always let me go,” he suggested, fighting down the urge to punch something all over again. “I was only coming to the rescue of a damsel in distress. What’s the harm in that?”
    “Or not,” she snapped, and before he realized what she intended, she reached for the cuff on Gen’s left wrist and fastened the other side onto his right.
    Oh, joy. Shackled to Genevieve Beaumont. Could he stoop any lower?
    “You can’t do this!” she exclaimed again. “I’ve never been arrested before. I can’t believe this is happening,