Page 99 of Brandt's Rule

“Where were you before you couldn’t find her?” Everly asked.

“The Christmas Festival. We were having a great time. Having fun.”

“What were you doing there? Right before you couldn’t find her,” Delilah asked.

“We were on the Ferris Wheel, then I saw somebody I had to go talk to, so I asked her to wait for a minute and when I got back, she was gone. Now she’s really gone. There’s a cup of hot chocolate, a couple of Christmas ornaments, and a scarf with a bear on it sitting on the kitchen counter. There’s nothing to indicate why she left.”

“Well, obviously you were Christmas shopping at the festival. Did something happen when you were shopping?” Janie asked.

“We weren’t shopping. That was what we were going to do next.”

“She obviously found time if she’s got ornaments and a scarf at home,” Valerie said.

“How long did you leave her alone?” Avaleigh asked.

Brandt started to answer, but got flustered and couldn’t. “I don’t know, I guess longer than I thought. But, I mean, to have found the Christmas shops, she had to be close to where I was…” His eyes widened and he got really calm. He looked around at all his aunts, his sister and his cousins planning Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner. “Do you think she saw me? Do you think she misunderstood?!” he demanded.

Daisy looked at her brother, at the desperation he was obviously feeling. “Who were you talking to? What could have been misunderstood?”

Brandt dropped into the only spare chair at the kitchen table. “Marie-Claire. I saw her from the top of the ferris wheel.”

“She’s back in town?!” Valerie demanded.

“Sonofabitch! What the hell is she doing back here?” Barron asked.

“It’s alright. It’s fine. I handled it. I had Tempest wait for me so she wouldn’t be exposed to her because you know how she is and she’d have tried to say something to upset Tempest, and I went and handled it. She’s just passing through. She knows she’ll be exposing herself to danger if she doesn’t move on soon, and that I’d personally be delivering it if she forced my hand. Told her it was the only warning she’d be getting. It’s taken care of.”

“So, you left Tempest alone on the midway, at a festival to rush to another woman’s side and didn’t give an explanation to Tempest,” Avaleigh said.

“No! I went straight to where I’d seen Marie-Claire and I pulled her between two of the vendor’s buildings. Tempest couldn’t see us.”

“In the shadows, between two of the Christmas shops,” Janie said.

“Yeah.”

“Where Tempest managed to buy Christmas ornaments and a scarf, while you were handling Marie-Claire,” Delilah said.

“Yes,” Brandt said.

“You still think she didn’t see you with another woman standing in the shadows between the two buildings while you left her alone for quite a while in the crowd?” Valerie asked.

Brandt’s eyes widened and he stood slowly. “Nothing happened! I despise that woman! She put her hand on my chest and I almost puked!”

“I never questioned your common sense until this very moment,” Delilah said, tsking as she started making notes in the notebook in front of her.

“Nothing happened! What do I do? Where did she go? Where is home?” Brandt demanded.

“Oh, baby,” Janie said, hugging him as best she could in his distraught state.

The back door opened and Maverik walked in. “What? What do you want? We was watching wrestling. Only damn chance I get to watch wrestling is when you’re over here. You don’t need me to plan Christmas!” he grouched as he went straight to Valerie and kissed her forehead lovingly despite his complaining.

Valerie smiled up at Maverik. “I know. Sorry. But I don’t think anybody but you can help Brandt.”

“You called Uncle Maverik?” Brandt asked.

Valerie held up her phone. “Texted.”

“How’s Tessa?”

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