Page 50 of The Neighborhood Ghost

“Go get him?” Ez said as she snapped her eyes to Alice.

“It’s the only way and why I need your help. I don’t know how to get there. It would take us days, weeks, months . . . longer if I read through all your books. There’s one man who can help us. I need you to open a doorway to him.”

“You want me to open a doorway? To where? Who is it?” Ez asked as she stood straight.

“We need to go visit Nick. He’s the only one who can help us,” Alice answered.

“Nick?” Ez asked. “You want me to open a doorway to the North Pole?”

“Yes,” Alice replied. “Let’s go visit old St. Nick and ask him for an early Christmas gift.”

Chapter 15

A Visit to St. Nicholas

The smell of cinnamon, pine, and berries wafted through the opening as Alice pulled the door open. A bright light spilled into Ez’s library. Festive Christmas music followed. The sounds of fiddles, whistles, guitars, horns, banjos, and an accordion permeated throughout the great hall on the other side of the door. The sound and instruments seemed more fitting for a St. Patrick’s Day Irish band than Christmas carols.

Alice couldn’t help but smile. Her meetings with the Clauses were always in the more professional setting of Ez’s club. They had visited and struck up a great relationship, but she never received an official invite to their sacred place—the workshop at the North Pole. Alice was never slighted by the lack of such a gesture. She considered it the same as her inviting the Clauses to her wine cellar. They were private places not meant for prying eyes.

Still, finally being able to see into Santa’s workshop put goosebumps on her arms.

“I want everyone to be on their best behavior,” Ez said. “We’re guests and I would like the Clauses to continue to visit in their offseason. Unannounced visits through magical doorwaystend to be frowned upon. Catch them in the wrong mood, and the doorway could be closed off forever.”

“I’ll mind my Ps and Qs,” Oliver said.

“I wasn’t talking about you,” Ez said as she tapped Alice on the shoulder.

Alice didn’t glance back to the crowd following her. Her eyes focused on the light before her. A festive scene came into focus. The crack in the door only revealed curved beams inlaid into tan colored walls. Mint green baseboards and crown molding framed the wall. An intricate red design weaved its way through the boards. Garland dropped down the walls. She wanted more, needed more, but she waited until the coast was clear to enter the other side.

“I think it’s clear,” she said.

“Alright, let’s go,” Ez said. “I’ll do the talking. The elves don’t exactly like unannounced guests here at the North Pole.”

Alice pushed the door opened and stepped forward.

For being in such an isolated, desolate location, Santa’s workshop was rather warm. Not too hot. Not too cold. It was cozy, warm, and peaceful. They entered a hallway leading down to the commotion.

Max worked her way forward and rubbed her head against Alice’s legs. Oliver agreed to take her leash, but she still managed to find her way to the front. Alice reached down and scratched her ears, but she never took her eyes off the end of the hallway.

“So, what if they find us lurking around?” Oliver said in a low whisper.

“What would you do if someone showed up in the store’s back inventory without being announced?” Carol replied.

“Fair enough,” Oliver said.

“They will eventually know we’re here. I don’t want to cause a scene beforehand. They get very . . . defensive. Ever since theKrampus incident, they’re always on guard and tend to not ask questions first,” Ez said. “Wait here, and I’ll go introduce us.”

Alice forged ahead, not wanting to wait for Ez’s pleasantries.

“Alice, wait for me,” Ez whispered.

Alice carefully stepped so her thick soled black boots didn’t make too much noise against the hardwood floors. Max let out a small whine as Alice journeyed down the hall, but she was quickly shushed by Oliver. She reached the end of the hall and peeked around the corner.

The hallway led into a greater room, but she couldn’t see anything beyond the bright light. Two figures emerged in the light, one taller than her and the other much shorter. She pulled back behind the corner.

“Someone’s coming,” Alice whispered.

“Now, Legs, make certain the reindeer have fresh straw and are fully fed,” a higher-pitched voice said.

---