The Kid Who Stole Christmas by Linda Stevens Read Free Book Online Page A

Shannon maintained. “It’s a problem of mine. I just thought maybe I could help.”
    Rick took a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. He looked at her, and the concern he saw in those lovely green eyes touched his heart, a part of him that hadn’t been treated very well.
    “It’s being handled, okay?” he told her. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d really rather not talk about it anymore.”
    When the elevator stopped at the main level, everyone got out, including some bemused shoppers who must have wondered what was going on between Santa and his redheaded companion. They made their way to the toy department, where she helped him glue on his beard, then got back to work herself.
    It was about nine when Paul came to see her. He looked worried. “Have you seen Leo, Shannon? I can’t find him anywhere.”
    “Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen him for quite some time,” Shannon returned. “Maybe Pop called for the car to come get him early.”
    Paul shook his head. “Pop just called for it now and told me to go round him up.”
    “Did you check electronics? He’s absolutely addicted to that new video game with the wolves in it.”
    “I know. I checked there first thing.”
    “Hmm.” Shannon thought for a moment. Then she shrugged. “Well, it’s no use driving ourselves crazy looking for him all over the store. He could probably hide so well in here that we’d never find him. I’ll just page him. That’ll bring him running.”
    But it didn’t. Shannon tried again, thinking he might not have heard the first time, with the same result. No Leo.
    “Could he have fallen asleep somewhere?” Paul wondered.
    “Maybe,” Shannon said. “But he’s been so wound up lately. He wouldn’t have left the building, would he?”
    “Never has,” Paul said. “Not without asking, I mean. Besides, it’s snowing like mad out there.”
    Thinking that could be the answer, Shannon went to the locker where the boy kept his coat. It wasn’t there. Encouraged, she took a quick tour around the building, looking out every window. At any moment she expected to spot him out there building a snowman. But all she saw was falling snow and irritated shoppers.
    Concerned now, they started a department-by-department search, asking every clerk. But since Leo had been around off and on all day, no one could pinpoint a time when they had noticed he hadn’t been around for a while. The last time Shannon had seen him was when he’d been coaching Rick.
    “Nope,” Rick said when they asked him. “Once he finally got it through my head that Dopey wasn’t one of the reindeer, he left me on my own. I don’t remember his saying he was headed anyplace particular.”
    By this time, the store was getting ready to close, and Shannon’s normally buoyant attitude was starting to crumble. She paged the boy again, the worry in her voice plain.
    “Leo! Leo Lyon! You report to me this instant, young man! Or you’ll get enough coal for Christmas to open your own power plant!”
    When that failed, too, she started to cry. Even the fact that it was Rick who held her didn’t fully register.
    “Hey,” he cajoled softly, “don’t worry. We’ll find him.”
    “I’m not so sure about that,” Paul announced, returning to the toy department after making his final check of the store. “I’ve looked high and low and yelled until I’m blue in the face. He’s not here.” Then he held up a piece of paper. “And I found this in the dollhouse.”
    Shannon snatched it from him, impatiently brushing away her tears so she could read it. Even then it was a struggle, since Leo had written it himself.
    Shannon read the note aloud so the employees gathered around could hear. “`I can’t say much about my mission. Spies are everywhere, and the government agents have sworn me to secrecy. We’re off to fight evil, and deliver Arnie to all the boys and girls of the world.’” Tears sprang again to Shannon’s eyes. “And he signed it Agent