No, no. He was looking past her. And yes, his look was more than confounded as he stood. It was horrified.
She looked back into the mall, and her gaze landed right on…the men from the FBI, both of them staring at the current Santa, checking their phones, and looking around.
“Oh, Agnes. I’m in trouble.”
No kidding.
“Can you help me?” he asked suddenly.
She fried him with a look. “Help you avoid the FBI?”
“How do you…” He dropped back on the seat. “Oh, you’re in on it. You’re part of…of this. What? Did you set this whole thing up? Some big, massive elaborate ruse to…” He choked softly. “What a shame.”
“A shame?”
“Yes, a shame. I really liked you.”
“Oh, as much as you really liked that young mother you hit up for her phone number? The one you said is ‘the one.’ I know your type, Aldo. Sadly, I know it all too well. It was one thing to be a moron for a man when I was eighteen, but at eighty? And, yes, I’m eighty.” A little more, actually, but no need to get crazy and tell him that. “And you…you are…”
But he was shaking his head and holding up his hand. “Wait, wait. What young mother?”
“The one you flirted with when you were Santa. Got her phone number and everything.”
“I got her phone number for my grandson. I’m trying like hell to find him the right woman, and after you told me that you’ve done some matchmaking, I thought I might try it with all my grandkids. I was even going to ask you for some help when we had our date.” He sounded genuinely sad and genuinely…genuine.
Could she be all wrong about him?
“What about the lady friend? The one you were shopping for when Finnie—”
“That was you!” He gave a dry, disbelieving choke. “I wanted to bring a gift to our lunch and surprise you. I wanted to…” His handsome expression formed a scowl, nothing but confusion and doubt etched on his face. “Did you come here to spy on me or to help…” He notched his head toward the men in the middle of the mall. “Them?”
“I came here because…” She glanced at Finnie, who was getting closer to the FBI agents. In a matter of seconds, they’d be over here to arrest him. And her little Aldo interlude would be over. That was fine. Finnie was right. She didn’t need anyone else, but wow, it had been fun.
“Why are you here, Agnes?” he demanded.
“Because I thought I might like you, and I wanted to see you as Santa,” she admitted softly. “I had no idea you were…wanted by them.”
“Wanted?” He rolled his eyes. “They’re not after me. They’re after my sons. They just think they can bribe me to get to the real power in the operation.”
She sighed. “So it’s true, then. You are…that kind of man.”
“What kind of man is that?”
“The kind…wanted by the FBI.” She pushed up and gathered her bag. “I heard them talk about a corpse and that one of those men is carrying a ghost. They’re going to sting you with a bribe, so there. I’ve helped you. But that’s all you’ll get from me. I’m choosing my friend over…a criminal.”
He just stared at her, disbelief and hurt in his eyes. “Do you always judge people so harshly, Agnes?”
She let out a sad sigh. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.”
“Have you ever been wrong?”
“Rarely. But this time, the judgment is warranted. Goodbye, Aldo. It’s been nice.”
Pivoting, she walked toward the FBI men, who were already talking to Finnie. She didn’t turn and look back, no matter how much she wanted to.
Why bother? No doubt he’d taken off already. But that was fine. Agnes chose Finnie, the truest friend she’d ever had. And friends were better than men anytime.
Chapter Eleven
The train started chugging along after the stop in front of Santa’s Workshop, and Tor pulled them to follow it.
“He wants to run alongside it,” Lucas said, jogging with the dog to let him get a little speed.
“That train is no match for him,” Pru noticed as they easily kept up with the choo-choo full of kids, many with their parents folded into the undersized seats.
But Tor was determined, trotting along and making the kids turn and wave to him. He stopped at one car and sniffed and barked, then ran to catch up with it as it got away. The whole time, Lucas was threading through the crowds holding the leash, bopping back