Page 89 of Crazy In Love (Secrets of Suburbi 3)

I practically ran down the street, looking for the perfec

t hiding spot. But everything was lit up in spectacular fashion. White lights covered every bush. Icicle lights dangled off rain gutters. Even the lamp posts were wrapped in lights. Damn it! Why did my neighbors have to be such great decorators? It was almost impossible to hide with how bright my neighborhood was. I turned in a circle and smacked right into another Mrs. Claus. So hard that I almost dropped Snuggle Muffins.

“Watch where you’re going,” I said under my breath. Even though it had been me that wasn’t looking.

“Ensley? Is that you?” Charlotte grabbed one of my shoulders so that I’d turn to look at her.

Oh God. The last thing I needed right now was to be noticed. Especially by freaking gossipy Charlotte.

There was a half empty mug of eggnog in her hand. Maybe she was drunk. “Ho, ho, ho,” I said. “Nope.”

She laughed. “You’re an odd duck. You know that?”

I’m a fucking swan, Charlotte. I just smiled through the witty comeback that wanted to come out. Had she forgotten about my sick burn earlier today? I thought she’d be avoiding me.

“It looks like you’ll be spending Christmas alone.” She patted my check.

Yup, definitely drunk. A mean drunk at that. One that remembered my sick burn and was looking for revenge. But if she was trying to insult me, it wasn’t working. The only thing worse than spending Christmas alone would be spending it with her.

“How tragic,” she said.

I glared at her.

“Oh, by the way…you have a little something on your outfit.” She gestured toward the front of my costume.

There was a blood stain right between my breasts. I hadn’t thought Noah’s finger would be an issue because my costume was red, but there was a little white fur trim at the top. “Spaghetti.” I lifted Snuggle Muffins higher to hide my chest. “I had spaghetti and tomato sauce for dinner.”

“Mhm. Looks like I’ll be winning the costume contest and the lighting display this year. Again. I should go practice my speech.” She waved and started to walk away.

Your Christmas lights look pretentious. And I wore it better. I didn’t have to say it out loud to be true. I looked down at Snuggle Muffins who was licking the white fur trim of my dress. “Stop it.” I pulled him away from the blood. “And help me find a hiding spot.”

I turned in another circle. There was literally nothing…. Wait. Perfect. There was a row of bushes in a nearby side yard where the lights had just gone out. I nestled between them and a light-up reindeer like the one I’d gotten Aiden. I wasn’t completely hidden, but everyone was so drunk that it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I could see my car. I was even close enough to see Aiden through the passenger’s side window. He was still knocked out.

I placed Snuggle Muffins down. “Stay right by me, little man.”

He plopped his butt down in the snow and stared at my chest. Apparently my dog lusted for blood. Or maybe he just liked my boobs… Men.

I pulled out my phone and dialed 9-1-1.

It only took a few seconds before someone picked up. “911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher asked.

“My husband’s been murdered," I cried, pretending to be hysterical. “I thought he was just missing but…oh God, he cut him up into little tiny pieces and hid him in my garage attic.” I gave her the address, without waiting for her to ask. “He had an accomplice who even knocked out a detective,” I sobbed into the phone. Detective Torres couldn’t be certain that it was me who’d kneed him in the head and cut off his finger. And I needed to plant as much doubt as possible. “He threatened to kill me too, but I fought him off. I think he’s unconscious. He’s in a black SUV in the south exit of Windy Park. If you get there soon you might still catch him!”

“Ma’am, where are you right now? Are you safe?”

“Oh God, please get him before it’s too late! I don’t want him to get me too.” I hung up and tossed the phone into the snow before stomping on it. The screen shattered. Hopefully that was enough so they couldn’t track it. Hopefully I’d said enough on the phone to wrongfully accuse Aiden. Hopefully they’d get here fast enough. Hopefully they wouldn’t ask too many questions. Hopefully I had enough time to escape.

I stayed in my hiding spot, staring at my car. I could hear music somewhere off in the distance. Baby it’s Cold Outside came on, drifting through the air. I remembered Christmases past. Walking through the festivities hand-in-hand with my husband. Drinking hot chocolate. Laughing. But today, I was knee deep in snow and straining my neck around a bush to watch my lover get arrested. It wasn’t what I had in mind for the holidays.

“When we get to Canada, we’ll have a real Christmas,” I whispered and patted Snuggle Muffins’ head. “With presents and multi-colored lights. It’ll be just us for a while. Until…” My words froze in my throat.

Aiden stumbled out of the car, the backpack in his hands.

No. It was too soon. I’d told the police he was in the SUV. If they didn’t get here right now, Aiden could disappear. All my hard work framing him would be ruined. It felt like my heart was beating in my throat. I looked around to see if there was anything I could use to fix this. But a glowing reindeer wasn’t exactly going to help me. Rudolph couldn’t fix Mrs. Claus’ problems like he could fix Santa’s. Stupid reindeer.

I watched in horror as Aiden turned in a circle. He shook his head like he still thought he was dreaming. And for just a second, I swear he looked over toward the bushes I was hiding in. I threw myself down, the snow biting at my exposed skin in this stupid costume. God, this plan sucks. He was going to escape. I could still get caught. I should have gotten up and ran. But my whole body was frozen.

Aiden scratched the back of his neck and looked down at the backpack.

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