Page 8 of A Colby Christmas Rescue

“What’s going on here?” Santa demanded.

When Poe had peeled away from the curb, she glanced back to ensure the two followers were still dragging themselves off the ground.

“Not to worry, Santa,” she assured him. “We’re not sending you back to the North Pole yet.”

“Am I under arrest?” Santa demanded. “I need to see a badge. And aren’t you supposed to read me my rights?”

“What’s wrong with Wolverine?” Poe demanded from the front seat as he took a right on Sunset Boulevard.

Jamie checked behind them to ensure they weren’t being followed. “I had you figured for a Deadpool guy.”

“Where are we going?” Santa demanded.

“Don’t worry,” Jamie assured him. “We’re going to take very good care of you, Santa.”

Poe took Sunset all the way to where it transitioned into West Cesar Estrada Chavez Avenue and then a left on North Main to Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church. This was the drop point. If they were lucky, they would get in and get out without a confrontation.

No one wanted to cause turmoil in a house of God just days before Christmas.

They parked across the street and surveyed the area.

“If they’re in the church already...” Poe said without completing the thought.

Jamie understood. If the others were in the church already, they were in trouble. In truth, they had no way of confirming how many of theotherswere on this.

“Let’s assume we got here first,” Jamie offered.

“Whatever you say.” Her partner wasn’t so optimistic.

Poe got out and leaned against the closed driver’s side door to keep an eye on their destination.

While he got the lay of the land, Jamie needed to convince Santa to cooperate. “Look, I don’t know why you needed an exit strategy today, Santa,” she began, “but I would prefer to keep breathing so don’t give me any trouble. Got it?”

His face wrinkled with confusion. “What in God’s name is an exit strategy?”

Clearly the man had not watched enough James Bond. “Someone wants you dead and we’re here to make sure that doesn’t happen. We extracted you before you reached the location where you were supposed to die, on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and McFadden Place.”

“I was meeting my nephew for lunch.”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, but your nephew or someone close to him set you up.” She unlocked the handcuffs and tossed them onto the floorboard. “I need you to stay close to me, Santa.”

He nodded, the movement unsteady as if the news had knocked him for a loop. Probably had.

The rear driver’s side door opened. “We seem to be clear to proceed,” Poe said.

Which meant he actually couldn’t be certain. Evidently the communication link had dropped. The voices in Jamie’s ear had disappeared.

They were on their own without the assist of handy electronics.

Santa eased out and Poe stepped closer, shielding the older man’s body with his own.

Jamie emerged on the opposite side and surveyed the sidewalk and the strip mall beyond it on the passenger side, then she crossed around to the other side of the car with Poe and their Christmas package.

“Going in the front door.” Poe glanced at her.

Jamie nodded.

They hurried across the street and to the double entry front doors of the church, Santa in tow between them.

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