Cowabunga Christmas by Anna Celeste Burke Read Free Book Online

path and a
cluster of trees. Brien kept me low to the ground as he scanned the path and
then the woods nearby. Perhaps he was gauging whether we could make it to cover
before Santa stopped, turned around, and came after us.
    “Bad
Santa!” I said. “What the heck is going on with the Santas in this place? Have
they all gone rogue?” Brien shushed me as he got up on his knees.
    “Stay
down,” he said, “I want to make sure Santa’s hurried on his way.” He winked as
he whispered those words before taking off in the direction Santa had fled in
that golf cart.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

7 Boardertown Or Bust!
     
     
    “ B ad
Santa,” I said, again, as Brien pulled me to my feet and helped brush me off.
My cute little white capris were stained with green from the grass and brown
from the dirt. I would have to tell Jessica to add ‘don’t wear white while
snooping,’ to her advice on what not to wear to a crime scene.
    “Are
we there yet?” I asked Brien when I was recovered enough to try to make sense
of what had just happened to us, and wondered how long a trek we had
undertaken. If it took much longer to get to Boardertown I worried we might be
making the return trip to our hotel room in the dark. The idea of being stalked
by Bad Santa in the dark did not appeal to me.
    We
would also be walking uphill, and it would be chilly, too, once the sun went
down. I know I shouldn’t put whining about mild physical discomforts on par
with being pursued by Homicidal Santa behind the wheel of a golf cart. That’s
how my mind works, what can I say? I noted that Bad Santa had morphed into
Homicidal Santa as adrenalin pulsed through my veins. I recognized it as another
aspect of my oddly out-of-whack, paranoia-prone mind.
    “I
don’t think it’s much farther. We’re almost at the woods now. There’s supposed
to be a trail off to the right up ahead that leads through the woods to
Boardertown. Maybe you should finish telling me what else you found out today.
We need all the facts we can get, Kim. As long as you’re okay—you’re not hurt
are you?”
    That
handsome face of his registered worried confusion or confused worry. A whole
lot of concern for me, anyway. I stood on my tiptoes and planted a big kiss on
his luscious lips. That put a smile back on his face. Hand-in-hand we walked on
as I continued.
    “I
should tell you a couple more things. There’s been a rash of burglaries the
past couple months—odd things stolen like diving gear, a spear gun, and a
marine tracking device, but personal items, too. The article didn’t say what,
but I’ll bet they were small items that can be pawned easily. Most were lifted
from boats at the dock, but a dinghy from a local sport shop was stolen, too.”
    “A
dinghy? Hmm, any stories about drug busts or anything else that’s drug-related
in the news? Maybe the cove is still a haven for pirates, Kim, and our dead
Santa got mixed up running drugs. The marine tracking device could be used to
locate a load of drugs dropped from a plane or thrown off a boat out in the
cove.”
    “That’s
an interesting idea, Brien. The thought had crossed my mind that Santa’s
troubles could be drug-related.” I had plenty of reason to think that way. In
California, as in many states, marijuana is a major cash crop. The plants don’t
need a lot of water, so even the recent drought isn’t much of a deterrent. Most
efforts to thwart illegal marijuana growing had centered on counties farther
north than here in the central coast.
    “There
have been several minor busts over the past few months involving marijuana; pills,
too, and a little crystal meth. San Albinus seems to be dealing with the usual drug
problems facing small towns all over the country. Nothing big.”
    “You
got a lot done in an hour, Babe. When it comes to computers, you do have
skills.” He put his arm around me and pulled me closer. He’s right. I do have
skills.
    “There
is one other thing I should mention. I sort