Page 53 of Holding Out For A Holiday Hero

Aliyah’s image flashed through his mind. The wistful smile on her lips as she gazed after her sister and her niece. His gut said the woman was legitimately kind. But with True’s life in danger, he needed more than gut instinct.

“I don’t think anyone else knows,” True added, but there was uncertainty in her voice. Her hands fell away from him. “And before you get all suspicious, whatever is happening, Aliyah isn’t involved.”

“Are you saying that because she’s your friend or because you have some kind of proof?”

“Being my friend is the proof.”

He shook his head. “No, sweets, it isn’t. People you trust can be the ones to wreck you the hardest.”

“It’s not her.” True was adamant. “A man shoved me in the sarcophagus. Someone very strong. That wasn’t Aliyah.”

“Someone wanted your list to vanish. Let’s go find out why.” He wasn’t going to rule out any suspects. Not yet. Maybe more than one person was involved. Everyone would be staying on his damn list.

Including the drunk-ass ex-husband.

Because Richard’s sudden appearance was too coincidental. Jake had never believed in coincidences. Not coincidences. Not fate. Not Christmas magic.

Or at least…

Not until the Ghost of Christmas Past walked in my door. Then he’d started to believe in all kinds of new things.

“Before we leave, we’re fixing your back door.” No way would Jake just rush out and leave it open so someone else could get inside. Thanks, but no thanks. “Then we’ll hit the museum.”

“True?” Robert Moss had just unlocked the museum’s front door for her. “You’re not supposed to be here. The place is closed on Sundays and Mondays, you know that.”

And since it was nearing Sunday night…

Surprise, surprise, Robert is on duty again.

Robert stood in the doorway. Though he had unlocked the door, he did not move back so that True and Jake could enter. True forced a smile as she stared at the guard. Robert had always been friendly. Been kind to her. But now she couldn’t help but feel suspicious as she gazed at him.

During the car ride to the museum, she and Jake had talked about their possible suspects. If this nightmare really was about the museum—and artifacts in the museum—then Jake believed someone employed at the museum had to be directly involved.

Someone who worked at the museum would’ve had the access needed to be in the Egyptian display room during the first attack—and the one last night.

But the people who worked there were her friends. There was no way Aliyah was involved. True just would not buy that Aliyah would hurt her. And Robert showed her pictures of his grandchildren all the time. He wasn’t some killer.

Was he?

“The cops have the Egyptian room taped off,” Robert informed her. “Uniforms just left a bit ago. They told me no one was to go inside that space.”

“I’m not going in there,” she assured him. That room was the last place she wanted to be. “Just forgot something in my office. Jake and I swung by real fast to pick it up.”

Robert frowned.

She held her breath. Lying had never come easily to her. Could Robert tell she was making up the story?

But he nodded. Backed up. “I’m always forgetting stuff, too,” Robert told her with a grimace. “Happens to us all.”

Her breath rushed out as she hurried inside the museum. As soon as True crossed over the threshold, goosebumps rose on her skin. The place just felt cold.

Or maybe being back inside made her feel too scared. She hated that fear because she’d loved working at the museum. Or, she had loved it, right up until the moment she’d been locked in a sarcophagus. Do not think about that right now. Do. Not.

Jake followed her inside, and he immediately took her hand as they headed for her office.

Robert scrambled and stepped into their path. “You two an item now?”

“I—” True stopped.

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