Page 28 of Christmas Mittens Murder

“I want the new iPhone, a horse, and I mean a real one, not a plastic one, I want a Barbie Club Chelsea Doll and Carnival Playset, a Bluey Mega Bundle Home, a Dressy Dotty Baby Doll, Magic Mixies Magical Misting Cauldron—”

“Whoa! Are you going to remember all this, Mrs. Claus?” Dick asked, turning to Doris.

Doris shrugged. “Sure.”

The girl pouted and snapped, “I’m not done!”

The parents laughed, under the mistaken impression that their daughter’s greediness and rudeness was adorable.

The second twin chimed in. “I want a Lego Pet Day Care Center Kit!”

“I’m not done!” her sister growled.

The father ignored their selfish behavior. “Okay, girls, smile. You too, Santa!”

Doris plastered a fake smile on her face and leaned in closer to get in the picture.

“Just Santa in this one,” the father insisted. “You can be in the next one.”

Stung, Doris flushed with anger and sat back down in her chair, fuming. Hayley seized the opportunity to send a quick text to Sergio. She had debated how to deal with this prickly development. It might have been better to try to talk to Doris first, but she also did not want Doris getting rid of the ring in the time it would take for Sergio to arrive. So she decided it would be best to fill him in on what she had just seen and allow him to handle the situation as he saw fit.

Five minutes later, after the twins had cleaned Santa and Mrs. Claus out of all their sugar cookies and candy canes and peanut butter fudge and were both now flying around the lot on an intense sugar high as their parents half-heartedly chased after them, a police squad car pulled into the lot. Sergio got out and made his way over to Dick, Doris and Hayley. Hayley was still loitering, pretending to look at Doris’s homemade Christmas stockings that were displayed on a nearby cardboard table.

“Ho ho ho, Chief. Merry Christmas!” Dick bellowed.

“Merry Christmas to you,” Sergio said quietly, staring at Doris somberly.

She instantly appeared nervous, suspecting something was up.

“We’re out of sweets, but we can offer you a hot cider,” Doris said.

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

Hayley picked up one of Doris’s knitted stockings, looking it over, but she was obviously eavesdropping.

“What can we do for you today, Chief? Do you and Randy still need to find a tree? I got a real nice balsam fir, big too, nearly nine feet, perfect for your living room with the high ceiling.”

“No, thank you, Dick, I mean Santa, we’re good. My husband the environmentalist prefers an arthritis tree.”

Hayley bit her lip, determined not to correct him and give herself away for snooping.

Dick guffawed. “I’ve never heard of a tree with arthritis! Must have some pretty stiff branches!”

“Do you mean an artificial tree?” Doris asked, suppressing a giggle.

“Sure, yes, a fake tree!” Sergio said, losing patience. “I am not here looking for a tree. I have recently received some information about the diamond ring theft at the church Christmas bazaar, and I was wondering if you would mind me taking a quick look inside your knitting bag, Doris?”

Doris sat up straight in her chair, stupefied. “What? Why? Who gave you this so-called information? And what does it have to do with my knitting?”

“Please, Doris, just help me out here,” Sergio said, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

“Do you have a warrant?” Dick asked.

Sergio sighed. “No, Dick, do I need one?”

“Of course you don’t,” Doris said. “I have nothing to hide. Here, knock yourself out.”

She scooped the bag off the floor and handed it to him. Sergio opened it up, glanced down, and then reached inside and plucked out the stolen ring.

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