Page 6 of No Angels

This is unexpected and like it always did when I engineered an epic prank as a kid and had to face the consequences when I was caught, my stomach drops to my knees. “Can I help you, Sheriff?”

Is he here to run me out of town because of public opinion? My mom’s a fixture in Willow Creek, and I’ve been fielding judgmental stares since I got back last week. The general consensus is I’m a terrible daughter and a despicable human being for letting her deal with her cancer alone. It wasn’t all mychoice – she reassured me that she had a network of support and I shouldn’t worry. That she could easily find someone to ferry her back and forth from her appointments and sit with her after the chemo treatments.

“Ms. Cassidy, I have a favor to ask.”

He’s twisting his hat in his hands like he’s nervous. This is a first, so I decide to put him out of his misery. “Okay. What is it?”

“I’d like to make participating on the pageant part of the public service requirement for the Donaldson twins.”

“And you need my permission?”

His laugh is acerbic. “Not really, but I don’t want to create animosity.”

“Why would assigning them to me create animosity?”

He cocks his head. “I take it you haven’t met them.”

“No, but I wasn’t exactly a field of daisies growing up. It can’t be that bad.”

“They teepeed town hall and put something in the fountain in the square that makes the water look like a blood bath. We caught them on the surveillance cameras.”

I can’t let on how impressed I am by their ingenuity or how badly I want to know how they managed it. “Why make the pageant part of their punishment?”

“Well, my fiancé Emma told me she thinks they could use some churching to learn proper manners, and maybe if they have a bunch of parts to memorize they won’t have time to brew more mischief.”

That never worked for me. It always seemed like the busier I was, the more trouble I managed to find. “I could use some shepherds.”

“I’ll have their mom bring them over after school today.”

“I’ll be here to show them the ropes, and I think Mike is working on the set this evening.” He’s been avoiding me like the plague since our close encounter behind the curtains four days ago, so I’m assuming he’ll be here.

Sheriff Hayes nods again. “He’s used to their antics. He can help you keep an eye on them.”

The inclusion of the troublesome twins has me wondering how big their family is. What if there really is a clan like the Herdmans here in Willow Creek?

“Is it just the twins or will their siblings be joining them?”

The cop swipes his hand over his face. “Just the two of them, thank God. I don’t think Willow Creek could handle more than that.”

So I’ll get just a taste of the Herdmans, not the full cohort. “We’ll keep them in line. Maybe the play will teach them a lesson about the Christmas spirit.”

He ruefully shakes his head. “Not likely. They’ve been pranking it around town since they were in kindergarten. Their mom has tried everything.”

“Then I probably shouldn’t tell you thank you. They sound like public enemy number one.”

“You definitely shouldn’t tell me thank you. You’re going to cuss up a storm behind my back once you meet them.”

The sheriff was right. The Donaldson twins are a menace. One of them already smeared peanut butter on the dressing room doorknob, and they’ve managed to make Mary and one of the angels cry. To top it off, the stepdaughters of the town’s tourism director are hanging on their every word and action with big, worshipful eyes. Farrah’s been one of the only friendly faces I’ve met since I got back and I don’t want to jeopardize that.

Mrs. Donaldson reminded me of Molly Weasley, just a little more frazzled. She was on her way to work the evening shift atthe diner out on the interstate, and clasped my hands. “They have good hearts,” she reassured me before she left with a wave over her shoulder.

I don’t believe her yet. I’m debating how to tactfully separate them from everyone else when I sense Mike behind me.

“How ‘bout I teach them how to use a saw and a hammer?”

I close my eyes against the flutter of his breath against my nape and the way the timbre of his voice in my ear sends shivers down my spine. “That would be fantastic,” I mutter.

He glides his fingers down the back of my upper arm before he steps away.

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