The Santa Sleuth Page 4

  "Why not?" Virginia asked.

  "Because." Amanda looked at Kirk, who, in typical male fashion, was being no help whatsoever. Coward. "Because ... because Santa had an emergency."

  "What kind of emergency?" Virginia wanted to know.

  "One of his reindeer ... stepped on an elf."

  "Stepped on an elf?" Kirk repeated.

  Amanda glared at him. She was trying to save his bacon. Couldn't he see that?

  "Santa's got his reindeer at the mall?" Virginia's eyes widened.

  "Well, not at the mall--"

  "Then where are they?"

  Good question. Too bad Amanda didn't have the answer.

  "He had to take them back to the reindeer stables. It's time for them to eat," Kirk responded, surprising Amanda. "And it takes Santa awhile to drive out there," he elaborated when Virginia seemed to accept this explanation.

  Looking from one adult face to the other, Virginia asked, "Why can't one of the other elves feed the reindeer?"

  It was Kirk's turn to blink. "Because ... "

  Virginia waited. Kirk's mouth worked.

  "Because it's against union rules," Amanda said, coming to the rescue.

  Rosalie, who'd been lingering by the door, began coughing. "I'm going home now," she said, ducking her head and yanking open the door.

  Kirk had the strangest expression on his face. He ought to be grateful, the wretch.

  "What's the union?" Virginia asked.

  "It's a group of workers," her father answered.

  "You mean Santa's workers? The elves?"

  "Yes," Amanda said. "And the elves have a very powerful union. You don't mess with elves." She looked Virginia right in the eye.

  Virginia turned to her father.

  "Ms. Donnelly's right. I make it a point never to argue with elves. They have nasty tempers," he added with unnecessary embellishment.

  "They do?"

  "Yes. And they're already mad about this reindeer thing," Amanda said, hoping Kirk would quit while they were ahead.

  "Oh." Virginia mulled that over while Amanda and Kirk exchanged looks.

  Amanda didn't have the slightest idea if Virginia believed them or was just humoring them. She still clung to their hands, preventing Amanda from making a getaway.

  "Besides, the reindeer have to eat now and so do you." Kirk dropped Virginia's hand and switched off the lights.

  "Then when am I going to be on TV?" Virginia asked, still holding Amanda's hand.

  She arched an eyebrow at Kirk.

  He hesitated, his hand on the doorknob. "Tomorrow? Three o'clock?" His look dared Amanda to disagree.

  And, of course, she wouldn't. "West entrance. Woodbrook Mall." Kirk didn't deserve to get off so lightly.

  But the smile he gave her was almost worth it.

  ***

  "Amanda Donnelly, please."

  "Speaking." Amanda wasn't the least surprised to hear Kirk's voice on the other end of the line. She'd half-expected him to call sometime this morning to thank her for graciously saving his handsome hide yesterday. Until he'd smiled, she hadn't fully appreciated how handsome that hide was.

  Propping her feet on her desk, Amanda sat back and prepared to receive her accolades.

  "M ... Amanda?"

  "Hello, Kirk," she said cheerfully. He obviously wondered if he could still call her Amanda, rather than reverting to the Ms. Donnelly she'd been in their last conversation. She'd encourage the informality. It might make him feel guiltier.

  "Amanda," he repeated, firmly this time.

  She waited, a smile on her lips.

  "I have a conflict this afternoon."

  These weren't the words she wanted to hear.

  "And I won't be available to drive Virginia to the mall at three o'clock."

  Amanda reached for a pencil, nearly snapping it. "Do we need to reschedule?" Honestly, this Santa story was entirely too much trouble.

  Kirk drew a long breath. "I'd rather not. As I said, my schedule is so erratic--"

  "How fortunate for you," Amanda said, knowing she shouldn't have.

  There was a brief silence. "I've been trying to sell a rather unusual house in Memorial for more than two years," Kirk explained in a tone that said he didn't feel he owed her an explanation. "I have a potential buyer who wants to see it immediately after lunch."

  "Congratulations."

  He ignored her sarcasm. "If you can drive Virginia to the mall, I'll send a note to the school so you'll be allowed to pick her up."

  "Then what?"

  "I’ll try to get there, but if I don't make it to Woodbrook by the time you’re ready to leave, bring her back to the agency."

  "Oh, goody. I've always wanted to run a taxi service on the side." Let him dispatch somebody from his office.

  "You can always choose another child," he pointed out with maddening serenity.

  Right, so he could blame her for Virginia's inevitable disappointment. Not this time. "Tell the school I'll be there."

  After she’d hung up, Amanda sat a few moments longer, wondering how she, a reasonably intelligent woman, had been so neatly manipulated by one completely unreasonable man.

  But however exasperated she might be with Virginia's father, Amanda shouldn't be angry with Virginia. She concentrated on tamping down her impatience as she drove to Cameron Elementary. The Hello Houston crew was headed for the mall with instructions to find Santa and sit on him, if necessary.

  Turning the corner to the school, Amanda slammed on her brakes. A line of cars crawled through the circle drive. By the time Amanda realized that she was in line, she was trapped.

  It was like an obstacle course--with mothers. Amanda noted the great number of women clad in business suits-dragging children between cars, vans and other children. Crossing guards beeped whistles and school buses lumbered past.

  How could she get out of here? She couldn't. So she found herself inching along, glad it wasn't summer when her car would be in danger of overheating.

  No wonder Kirk wanted to avoid this mess. Amanda fumed silently, annoyed that she seemed to spend and awful lot of mental energy being angry with Kirk McEnery.

  At last she pulled in front of the school. A row of children sat on the concrete walk, backpacks beside them. Amanda spotted Virginia, wearing a non-Christmas outfit, but with the same holiday bow in her hair. Mentally positioning her on Santa's lap, Amanda decided that with the jolly old elf's arm draped around the little girl, no one would be able to see what she was wearing, anyway.

  A car horn honked behind her. Mrs. Hull, the principal, approached Amanda's car. Virginia stayed where she was. Great. Did Kirk forget to take care of the red tape?

  Mrs. Hull peered in the car. "Oh." She beckoned to Virginia. "Now don't forget to tell Santa that you go to school at Cameron Elementary," Mrs. Hull said as she checked to see that Virginia's seat belt was fastened.

  "I won't," Virginia promised.

  Mrs. Hull looked satisfied as she waved them off. Virginia settled into Amanda's car as if she'd done so many times before.

  Amanda hardly knew how to handle such trust. "Hi, Virginia. Your dad couldn't get here, so he asked me to come and get you."

  "I know." The blue eyes regarded her without surprise, question or concern.

  It hit Amanda suddenly that these same circumstances must have occurred over and over again. She remembered snippets of conversation she'd overheard in the real-estate agency. A list of approved people ... housekeeper ... Rosalie picking up Virginia when Kirk hadn't even voiced his request.

  Amanda didn't know what to think. But it wasn't her business. Her business was taping this story. "Do you know why you're going to visit Santa?" Amanda asked.

  "Because it's Christmastime," Virginia answered, making Amanda wonder exactly what she'd been told.

  "Yes. A lot of boys and girls visit Santa at Christmastime. And--" Amanda stopped. She'd been about to blow the Santa myth sky high. Did Virginia still believe? Completely? How was Amanda going to exp
lain all those Santas at all those malls?

  "You know Santa has lots of helpers, don't you?" Amanda gingerly picked her way through the Santa-myth mine field.

  "Yes." Virginia nodded. "The union."

  Amanda bit her lip. "Right, the worker elves and all that. I was thinking more of the 'helpers'. He, uh, can't be everywhere at once."

  They'd come to a stop light, and Amanda glanced sideways to see how Virginia took this revelation.

  "Oh, I know." Virginia shifted in her seat. "He's too busy right now making all the toys. That's why he sends his helpers to the mall."

  "What do you think of those helpers?"

  Virginia lifted a shoulder.

  Hmm. Amanda merged onto the Southwest Freeway. "Do you think they do a good job?"

  Virginia blew out her breath. "Sometimes." She shifted again. "I thought we were going to see the real Santa."

  "The North Pole is a long way away."

  "The North Pole! Give me a break!"

  Amanda clutched the steering wheel, afraid to ask what Virginia meant. She was only six, right? She didn't sound six. She sounded thirteen. "Where do you think Santa lives?"

  "Well, he lives there, but he checks out the malls to get the reports from his helpers."

  "Reports?"

  "On what kids want. Then he goes to the toy stores and tells them what to order."

  Amanda decided not to comment on the twisted logic of commercially supplied toys versus Santa-supplied toys. "So the malls are just like big information centers."

  "Uh huh." Virginia nodded vigorously. "And sometimes he takes his helpers' place for a while."

  Amanda thought she was beginning to understand the reasoning of a child. Facts with a fantasy twist. "Maybe to show them how to act like Santa Claus."

  "Maybe."

  Amanda eased into her request as she exited the freeway. "Well, Virginia, what we want you to do is find the best Santa's helper in Houston. Or even uncover Santa himself." She glanced down at the little girl, whose eyes were wide. "We need to talk about what makes a good Santa."

  "His beard," she said without hesitation. "Santa has a real beard."

  "Okay," Amanda said, encouraging her. Spotting the Hello Houston van in the mall lot, Amanda found a place to park not too far away. "What else?"

  "Well ... his clothes. Once I saw a Santa in tennis shoes. The real Santa wears boots. And he should have a soft lap. He's fat, you know."

  "Probably all those Christmas cookies he eats," Amanda murmured, thinking her own lap was getting a bit soft. "So, you'll be checking out his beard, his lap, and his boots?"

  "He should sound like Santa, too," Virginia said as they got out of the car. "And it's nice if he gives you a present after you visit with him."

  "I'll guess you'll have to wait until Christmas morning for that."

  "No, I mean, like a coloring book or stickers. Sometimes a candy cane."

  "What's your favorite?" Amanda smiled down at the little girl.

  She responded by casually taking Amanda's free hand. "A candy cane," Virginia said and grinned, revealing her missing tooth. It didn't look bad at all.

  "A woman after my own heart. See if you can nab an extra one for me."

  "Okay," Virginia agreed.

  Once they reached the mall crossroads, Virginia looked both ways and headed unerringly for Santa's house.

  Velvet ropes held in place by giant candy canes marked the path to Santa. He sat on a high-backed chair in front of a cottage that looked like the gingerbread house in an amateur production of Hansel and Gretel. Off to the side, Rudolph and a friend stared unblinkingly at the waiting children. Well, maybe the reindeers' eyes didn't blink, but Rudolph's nose did.

  Virginia approached this scene warily. Amanda's cameraman, Ron, was already in place. He hoisted the camera to his shoulder, but at a signal from Amanda, the lights remained off. She didn't want to spook Virginia before preparing the little girl.

  But Virginia appeared oblivious to the camera equipment. She picked up a handful of rubber snow and scratched the plastic foam of the candy canes. "Fake," she announced.

  Amanda sighed.

  "Where do we go next?" Virginia brushed the snow from her fingers.

  "Whoa, we're not finished here. You haven't seen Santa yet."

  "Don't need to. He'll be fake, too."

  Oh, no. Waving at Ron to sit down, Amanda drew Virginia away from the scene. "Of course the props are fake!" she said in a hearty voice. "Real snow would melt and make a mess all over the floor and the candy canes would draw bugs."

  "Can I go to the toy store?" Virginia had dismissed the Santa scene altogether and was pointing to a conveniently located purveyor of children's material dreams.

  "No." Amanda sat on a circular bench surrounding a tree and pulled Virginia down next to her. Virginia ran her hands over the bark. "This is real."

  Amanda captured her hands. The little girl reluctantly faced her. "Remember what we talked about? That you're looking for the best Santa in the malls? When you talk with him, listen to his voice, check out his boots and beard. Can you think of anything else to look for?"

  Virginia shook her head.

  "So you have a pretty good idea of the real Santa?"

  "Oh, yes."

  Virginia spoke so confidently, that Amanda was surprised. "How?"

  Virginia swung her legs. "I'll just know."

  Amanda wanted something more concrete, but they'd feel their way this first time. "Okay, then, let's talk about what will happen. You'll stand in line--" but not for long, she thought, if Amanda had her way, "--and Ron over there ... Do you see Ron?" Amanda pointed and waved.

  Virginia peered down the mall as the cameraman waggled his fingers.

  "Yes, that's Ron. He'll take your picture when Santa is talking to you. Now, he has a very big camera, and it needs lots of light. There isn't enough light here in the mall, so we brought our own."

  Amanda pointed to the lighting tech, but the woman was staring into the window display next door. "See the lights? Don't be startled when they come on. They're very bright."

  Virginia nodded.

  Amanda stood and started walking back toward Santa. "We want to hear you when you talk with Santa, so I'll clip a microphone to the strap of your jumper."

  "What do I say?"

  "Just what you say when your dad takes you to see Santa."

  "He doesn't take me to see Santa."

  Amanda froze. "It's still early," she said carefully. "December doesn't begin until this weekend."

  "He's busy."

  Swallowing rising anger, Amanda reminded herself that Virginia's situation wasn't any of her business.

  "Grandma took me last year. And there was real snow."

  An intriguing bit of information. Amanda wanted to question Virginia, but it was best not to comment on Kirk's parenting or pump Virginia for information on her family situation. And why should she be interested, anyway?

  "We don't get snow much in Houston, do we?" As Virginia spoke, Amanda scanned the area and saw Virginia doing the same thing. She's looking for her father. Amanda knew, because she was looking for him, too.

  And he was nowhere in sight.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  His absence was no surprise, but Amanda didn't like to see Virginia disappointed. Apparently Kirk had no such qualms.

  "Virginia, let's put you over here." Amanda positioned Virginia with Santa's gingerbread house in the background. "Stay there a minute."

  Stepping away, Amanda turned to her cameraman. "Ron, tape some filler and let's see how she reacts to the camera."

  With a nod, he positioned the camera on his shoulder. Amanda signaled for lights, expecting Virginia to squint or flinch.

  But Virginia ignored everything in her search of the crowd.

  Amanda hoped Kirk would come, but knew better. He had no intention of cutting his house-showing short. Fuming inwardly, she attached the microphone to the strap of Virginia's jumper. "Can you drop the cord inside
?" Amanda asked. "Right beneath your arm."

  Virginia threaded the microphone cord until it dropped past her knees. "Virginia--" Amanda bent to clip a plug to the cord. "--when I spoke with your father, he didn't think he'd come until we were through. And he might not be here then, either." She straightened and stared down at the silent little girl. "But don't worry, if that happens, I'll take you to his office."

  "Can't we wait a little longer?"

  It was hard to deny the pleading in those big blue eyes, but Amanda had to. "We need to get started." She patted Virginia on the shoulder. "You'll do fine. Okay?"

  Looking deflated, Virginia nodded.

  Great. Amanda needed enthusiasm. Happiness. Muttering under her breath, she approached Ron. "How's she look?"

  "Pale."

  Amanda peered over his shoulder into the viewfinder. Blonds did wash out under the lights. "I've got some blusher in my purse." She set her notebook on the floor and dug in her shoulder bag.

  "Is that makeup?" Virginia asked with renewed interest.

  Amanda started dabbing pink on her cheeks. "Yup." Maybe this would distract her.

  "I get to wear make-up?"

  Amanda surveyed her handiwork. "Just for television."

  "How do I look?" Virginia held her head at an angle and made kissing noises with her lips.

  "Gorgeous." Amanda grinned and propelled Virginia toward the line of waiting children and their parents. A small sign announced that there would be a twenty-minute wait from the end of the line. Remembering Santa's reindeer-feeding break the day before, Amanda picked a spot in the line about five children away from Santa and positioned Virginia in there.

  "Hey!" The protests began immediately.

  Amanda stuck out her hand toward the nearest mother and said the magic words. "Hi, I'm Amanda Donnelly with Hello Houston. Could we tape your child as--" Amanda glanced down "--he waits in line for Santa?"

  As she expected, the parents around them were more than cooperative. The parents out of camera range still grumbled.

  Ron obligingly panned the waiting people. Amanda knew they'd edit later.

  A green-clad elf carrying a camera wandered over. "Will you want her picture taken with Santa?"