Santa's Secret

Living in a small town has its benefits along with its drawbacks. One of the perks is I don’t have to

have a partner when I’m on patrol. I suppose being alone all day could make my day seem boring, but it’s not. I like the flexibility of eating when I want, stopping when I need to or hanging out at the station when the chief is in a good mood. The drawback is everyone knows your business.

By the time I park my car and get out, people are telling me how jealous they are that I’m going to watch the Bruins tonight. I swear it hasn’t been ten minutes since Dominic asked me, and yet people already know. And when I step into the diner, after the bells have stop chiming, three others make comments.

“News travels fast, sweetheart,” Wanda says as I take a seat at the counter. She pours me a cup of coffee. On weekdays, I can come for breakfast and eat for under five dollars. This diner has been around since the early nineteen hundreds and has been in the same family the entire time. A fire once threatened it, but the town folks came out in droves to help the local volunteer firefighters extinguish the flames before they did too much damage.

“How come when someone commits a crime, people don’t know who did it before we do?”

“Dunno, sugar. Maybe we only like to chatter about the good stuff.”

That has to be it because we all know mums the word when we’re trying to find who stole a bike, smashed a mailbox or stole an inflatable snowman out of the Smiths’ yard. Wanda sets my breakfast down, but doesn’t leave a bill. “Where’s the check?” I ask. She points toward the other side of the restaurant, where Delaney is sitting, watching me. Delaney motions for me to join her. I hesitate for a moment before picking up my plate and cup of coffee.

The tables I pass say hello, and one even makes a comment about me joining Delaney for breakfast.

“You picked up my tab,” I say as I sit down.

“I saw you sitting there and thought, why not.”

“Because I’m capable of taking care of my own checks,” I tell her. Immediately, I realize how harsh my words are and shake my head. “I didn’t mean it like that. It just, first lunch the other day, the hockey ticket this morning and now this.”

“I didn’t mean anything—”

I hold up my hand in a silent plea for her to stop. I don’t want her apologies, not when I owe her one. “I’m sorry for what I said, Laney. I’m not used to people looking out for me. Not since Heather died.”

“That’s how it works, right? When people get sick or die, others come out and help. They make food for weeks, they stop by and make sure everything is okay, and then it all stops. Everything you became dependent on disappears rather quickly.”

I look at her for a moment, wondering how she knows this. Everyone in her family is still alive and as far as I can remember, she’s never dealt with a loss of any magnitude. “Did you play a widow in a movie?”

“No, Mindy’s father died when we were in high school. I was there. I remember her mother saying something one time. I imagine it’s the same, right?”

“Why are we talking about this?” I ask.

Delaney leans back against the booth and shakes her head. “I don’t know. We can change the subject. I met your daughter yesterday.”

“You did? Where?”

“At school. I’m helping Mrs. Winters with the festival play, just like you suggested.”

I can feel my cheeks getting higher and higher as my smile becomes wider. “That’s great. I’m sure the students will love having you on board, especially Holly, although I’m surprised she didn’t say anything to me about meeting you.”

“Maybe she’s not as big of a fan as you thought.”

“No, that’s definitely not the case.” I use this opportunity to finally take a bite of my breakfast. Wanda comes by to refill our coffee and drop off Laney’s order of pancakes, no syrup but with whipped cream. Wanda doesn’t stay to chat or ask if we need anything else before she’s barking orders.

“Still putting whipped cream on your pancakes?”

Delaney nods as she sticks a fork full into her mouth. Her eyes close as her lips wrap around the fork. “So good,” she mumbles with her mouthful. After she swallows, she points her fork at me. “You know, I like being home in Ramona Falls.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because no one cares that I’m here. I mean look around, this place is packed and yet not a single person… oh wait that guy is staring, but still.”

I turn and look at the man she’s referring to. I haven’t seen him around before, which does seem odd since I know everyone in town. It’s clear he’s not from around here and by the looks of it, he’s alone. “People care, Laney. They respect your privacy.” Even as I say it, I’m not sure they do. “Where’s your bodyguard?”

“Calvin?”

I nod, wanting to know why she’s alone. Not that I can’t protect her, but she does pay someone to do it.