The Meaning in Mistletoe - Rachael Bloome Page 0,10

her lap, a puzzled expression clouding her features.

Kat frowned. “Do you have any idea what it means?”

“I’m afraid not. The clues weren’t usually this difficult. I suppose Dad figured I could handle more challenging ones in college.” She smiled again, but Kat didn’t find the situation amusing. She didn’t have time for games.

Pacing the floor, she furrowed her brow in thought. “If we put our heads together, surely we can solve it. Would you mind reading it again?”

Penny obliged, but hearing the words a second time—or even a third—didn’t lend any more clarity.

Kat ran her fingers through her hair in exasperation. “We’ll never find the brooch at this rate.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Penny said cheerfully, rising to her feet. “We just need to give it some time. And perhaps some food and a good night’s sleep.”

“Oh, I didn’t plan on staying,” Kat reminded her quickly. “I didn’t book a hotel or pack a bag.”

“I can call Trudy at the Morning Glory Inn and see if she has a room available,” Penny offered. “And I have several racks of vintage clothing downstairs. I’m sure we can find something that will fit. As far as bath and beauty products go, the inn provides lovely hospitality kits. And anything Trudy doesn’t have you can borrow from me.”

Kat’s frown deepened. First of all, she couldn’t afford to spend the night at a run-down motel, let alone an inn. Secondly, spending more time with Penny would only complicate the situation. Not to mention give her sister more opportunity to bring up the one subject that was off-limits—their mother. “I don’t know….”

“One night,” Penny persisted. “I’m sure we’ll have the clue figured out by this time tomorrow.”

“I guess one night would be okay,” she relented out of desperation. While less than ideal, her credit card could cover the room charge.

Finding the brooch needed to be the priority above everything else.

“Hooray!” Penny clapped her hands in excitement, skipping toward the door. “I’ll call Trudy.”

Kat wrenched her phone out of her coat pocket. Somehow, she’d have to inform Fern she wouldn’t be coming home tonight without revealing her secret mission. No reason to get her hopes up in case the plan didn’t come to fruition.

And based on the latest wrinkle, there was an extremely good chance it wouldn’t.

After taking a few minutes to clear his head, Jack returned to the kitchen, determined not to let his sister’s bad news affect the rest of the day.

“You’re never going to believe this.” His tone awestruck, Colt stuffed his phone in the back pocket of his jeans.

“What’s up?”

“I just got a call from Penny.”

“We should alert the Poppy Creek Press,” Jack teased.

“Har-har,” Colt said wryly. “It’s what the call was about that’s newsworthy.” He paused theatrically as Jack grabbed a russet potato and peeler.

“Spill it, Davis. And while you’re at it…” He nodded toward the cutting board.

Colt grabbed a chef’s knife and waited for Jack to hand him the first peeled potato. “Penny’s long-lost sister showed up today,” he announced in a hushed tone, glancing over his shoulder to see if anyone else in the kitchen had overheard him.

The peeler slipped from Jack’s grasp, nearly taking off a chunk of his thumb. “Penny’s sister?”

“Crazy, right? After months of no response, she showed up out of the blue.”

“What do you know about her?” Jack couldn’t contain his curiosity. She had to be the woman he’d encountered in front of Thistle & Thorn earlier that afternoon. And if the two women were related, there might be a slim chance he would see more of her after all.

“Not much. Penny couldn’t talk long. But she sounded a little disappointed.”

“How so?”

“She said her sister planned on leaving town today. Apparently, she only came to pick up a piece of jewelry that belonged to their mother and didn’t seem interested in getting to know Penny at all. Strange, right?”

Jack let Colt’s words sink in, disheartened on Penny’s behalf. And his own, if he were honest. He’d felt an instant connection to Kat, but based on this new information, his first impression might have been wrong. “Has she left already?”

“I guess there was a hiccup in her original plan, and she’s staying another day or two. They’re stopping by the diner in a few minutes.”

This time, the peeler made contact with his flesh. “Ouch!” Jack flicked his wrist, waiting for the sting to pass. Luckily, he hadn’t drawn blood.

“Are you trying to add something new to the menu now?” Colt smirked once he’d made sure Jack hadn’t