you to see straight where this awful man is concerned.”
“Me, too. So let’s follow him. And if he steals jewelry or does a drug deal or accepts a bribe, then I’ll know.”
“Gramma! Yiayia!” Pru called to them, and Gala tugged at her leash, eager to get to Pru.
“What will we tell them?” Finnie asked. “Can they go with us?”
Agnes watched the greyhound trot closer, his very presence catching every eye in the food court. “We’ll be too conspicuous with that dog. They should stay here,” Agnes said, glancing to see that Santa had been stopped by a kid again, giving her at least another moment.
“We’ve been looking all over for you,” Pru said, a little breathless as she threaded through the tables to Agnes and Finnie, getting ahead of Lucas and Tor. “How’s it going, you guys? Have you done any Santa stalking without me?”
“Not enough,” Agnes said.
“Have you ‘racked up’ Random Acts of Christmas Kindness points, lass?”
“Not enough,” Pru echoed. “But we were hoping to spread some cheer. And maybe get some food.”
Agnes glanced over to see Santa waving at the last group of kids, still heading toward Penney’s. “You stay and eat,” she said, whipping out her wallet to throw twenty dollars on the table. “My treat. Take your time. Finnie and I are going—”
“He’s wanted by the law!” Finnie burst out, just as Lucas and Tor reached the table.
“What?” The kids spoke in perfect unison, and Tor folded down next to Pyggie like he’d found a sleeping soul mate.
“Why did you tell them that, Finnie?” Agnes demanded.
“Because it’s the truth,” she fired back, her color high now, her Irish blue eyes lit like gas flames. “We overheard two gentlemen from the FBI planning to bribe him, then arrest him.”
Pru’s jaw dropped so hard it nearly hit the ground. “Are you kidding?”
“Who?” Lucas asked. “The Santa dude? The one right over there with the kids?”
Another group of youngsters had surrounded him, thank God, delaying his disappearance.
“Yes, that’s him,” Finnie said. “Aldo Fiore.”
Agnes snorted. “You don’t have to say his name like he’s Satan himself, Finnie.”
“Well, they said something about corpses and crime and a bribe. And a ghost! Isn’t that another word for a gun?”
Lucas and Pru shared a look of utter confusion.
“Do you mean a Glock?” Pru asked.
“If ghost is a nickname for that,” Agnes said. “Is it?”
“Hasn’t reached California yet,” Lucas told her.
“Whatever!” Agnes said. “I want to follow him.”
“Why?” Again in unison.
“Because…” She looked from one to the other. “What better act of Christmas kindness than to help bring in a wanted Mafia boss? If we do that, Bitter Bark High School would win for sure.”
Pru started to frown. “I don’t know about that, Yiayia.”
“She’s right,” Lucas said. “No way anyone’s going to do anything bigger or better.”
Finnie and Pru shared a look of silent communication, the connection of years and family and inbred caution easy to feel in the exchanged glance.
“’Tis a bad idea,” Finnie said, adjusting her crooked glasses.
“Just to follow him?” Lucas asked. “How?”
“Thank you,” Agnes said, her shoulders dropping in relief. “It looks like he’s trying to get to Penney’s.”
“Where all hardened criminals hide,” Pru joked.
“Finnie and I will follow him, and you stay here. With Tor. And the doxies.” She shoved the leashes into Pru’s hand. “There’s money for your lunch. Oh, and watch the men’s bathroom.”
“Excuse me?” Pru asked on a dry laugh.
“Watch for two men who will be coming out,” Agnes said. “One is about forty, with kind of hard, squinty eyes and a gray sweatshirt. That’s Sammy. The other is very tall and large, wearing a navy blue jacket.”
“With a bulge,” Finnie said, leaning in to whisper, “’Tis his ghost.”
The kids shared another look, just enough of a spark in their eyes to tell Agnes they weren’t taking this seriously.
But Santa was almost completely out of the food court area, and there was no time for another word of explanation or persuasion.
“I’m going after him,” Agnes announced, pushing a chair and anything else out of her way.
“Then I guess I am, too,” Finnie said, right behind her.
“Gramma! Yiayia!”
But Agnes didn’t wait to hear the rest or even turn when Gala panic-barked. After all the nice things Aldo had texted her this week, she was not going to just shrug and walk away.
If he was a criminal, then she was a fool.
If he was innocent, then she wanted to prove that.
Either way, she wanted to know the truth.
Chapter Seven
Pru dumped her backpack on the table as she sat,