Eggnog Trifle Trouble (Murder in the Mix #28) - Addison Moore Page 0,47

I need to say hello to first.”

Noah and I part ways, and I snap up a few of my gingerbread cookies as I make my way under the tent marked North Pole. A few women dressed as elves glance my way as I make a beeline to the throne.

“Excuse me,” I say as come upon the head elf himself as he tugs and struggles to adjust his beard.

“How’s it looking?” He gives his chin a quick pat, and I take a moment to straighten his beard for him.

“Perfect. You make a great Santa. You played Santa the other night, didn’t you?”

“I sure did.” His expression darkens. “It wasn’t such a joyous occasion. But tonight is all about the kids. I’ve put all that out of my mind for now.”

Not too far out of his mind, I hope.

“Well, before the kids line up, I thought I’d bring you some of my sweet treats.” I hand him the plate of cookies I’m holding. “I own the bakery down the street.”

A spray of miniature red and green stars erupts just above his left shoulder, and sure enough, a chubby little mouse appears with what looks to be a cookie he’s noshing on.

Kringle offers a rather garbled greeting, and I give him a discreet little wave in return.

“Dear Lottie”—Kringle gives his ample belly a squeeze—“I haven’t realized how much I missed the tasty fare of this planet until I met you. Where do I see about putting in for an extension once we capture the killer? I’m afraid there is no eggnog trifle such as your own in paradise.”

A tiny chuckle bounces through me as I shake my head, letting him know the extension is pretty much dead in the water.

“Eh?” Kringle shrugs, a dusting of green stars falling off his shoulders. “Perhaps I’ll arrange for a very unfortunate accident to befall you. If I can’t take the baked goods to paradise, I suppose I can try to take the baker.”

I gasp at the thought.

Ebenezer squints my way. “Your bakery? That must mean you made that trifle Gloria was raving about the night she was killed.” He sheds a full smile, and his teeth glint in the light like knives. “I guess I should thank you for giving her one last ray of happiness before she went off to the big sleigh in the sky. “It’s odd, though—about her being happy. Gloria wasn’t exactly the jolliest soul.” He clutches at his belly.

“It sounds like you knew her well. Wait a minute.” I pretend to have an epiphany. “I think she mentioned you were her fiancé?”

“Oh heavens no. Boyfriend would be the correct term, but it seems silly to me. That term seems better suited for someone in their teens. We were seeing one another for a time. She was thinking marriage. Things were a bit unsettled there in the end, but such is life. Truth be told, I’ve never been able to hang onto a woman.”

“I’m sorry to hear it.”

He belts out a hearty ho ho ho of a laugh. “Well, it’s been both a blessing and a curse. As much as I like having a woman around, I like having a couple of women around, if you know what I mean. It doesn’t make the woman I’m with all that happy. But such is life. Some women take it harder than others. And some take vindictive behavior to another level.” He glares out into the darkness a moment, and I get the feeling Gloria fell into that vindictive category.

“Ebenezer, what do you think happened that night with Gloria?”

“Many things happened that night with Gloria.” He ticks his head wistfully. “First, I heard her threaten an old friend of hers—Elodie Frost. Something about you’ll never hold that over me again. I’m not sure what that was about, but Gloria was always very secretive about her past.”

That visual of Gloria outright slapping Elodie comes to the forefront of my mind. Whatever Elodie knows about Gloria, it must be huge.

He gives that giant belt buckle of his a quick tug. “And then there was that incident with Chris—he’s the accountant with Christmas Angels. Boy, she let into that kid.”

Chris was the man in the pale gray suit with the honey-colored hair. He’s the one who said he spotted Suze heading out into the parking lot that night. In fact, he’s the one that could put Suze away for a very long time if she is the killer.

“Why would Gloria let into him?” I don’t hesitate to