Holiday Advent Story 23

You don’t expect a case on Christmas Eve but there she was. She walked into my dad’s garage with a cross look on her face. She was angry about something and that was clear. What she wanted, I couldn’t have guessed at that. All I know is she was about to deliver the weirdest case I’d ever received in my twelve years on this earth.

“I hear you solve mysteries,” she said.

“I dabble,” I told her.

“I need someone with a keen eye to check into something,” she said. “You got the time?”

“It’s Christmas Eve,” I said. “I got time, but it’s in short supply.”

“It’s a rush job,” she said. “But it needs doing.”

“You tell me the case, I’ll tell you if I got the time.”

“I need you to prove to my dad my stepmom’s no good.”

It was a time honored tale. Younger kids tend to get fed on the dream fed by fairy tales and cartoons. Stepmom is evil and not living up to standards. Now I’m pulled into the middle of it. There were a couple of quick questions to ask.

“Have you told your real mom?”

“She’s gone,” she said and in a way that said it was the long gone sort of way you don’t come back from.

“Have you talked to your pops?”

“I tried,” she said. “He wouldn’t have none it.”

“What makes you so sure she’s up to no good?”

“Saw her with my own eyes,” she said. “She was getting’ close to the jolly man himself.”

“Santa?” I asked. “You sure.”

“Yeah I’m sure.”

“All right,” I said. “What do you want me to do?”

“I need proof to show my dad,” she said. “I need him to back off.”

“I ain’t got long,” I said. “It’s Christmas Eve and were doing the family thing in three hours. I need to be in my seat with a button shirt, face and hands clean before the knife hits to turkey or there’ll be heck to pay. But, I think I can give it a look.”

“Good,” she said dropping a fin on my table. She knew my rates. She did her research. She also dropped a page with her address and digits on it. “That’s my house and phone number. Call me when you got it.”

“I’ll need a name,” I said. “I don’t work for nameless any more. Had a bad experience once.”

“Linda.” She turned and walked out and I had a case. I grabbed my kit, put on my jacket and scarf, and hopped on my bike.

I’ll be honest, I should have passed. These domestic cases are nothing but trouble, but this one had a wrinkle I was intrigued by. Santa. Sure I knew the big guy. Saw him once a year at the mall, wrote him letter, I even left out cookies. From what I saw he was a nice guy; jolly old salt. His involvement was a bit rough. Looking back, I’m pretty sure I took it to prove her wrong more than anything. But sometimes a case takes a weird turn.

I reached her house and parked my bike around the side. It was early and the folks would be inside getting ready for the evening. I needed a quick look around before things go to weird. If the big man had been there I needed to look at the scene of the arrival and escape.

It had snowed a few days ago and it still clung to the roofs of houses. Linda’s house was no different. Her old man had a shed and I ducked out to it and checked the door. Unlocked. He’d probably forgotten when he did the lights this year.

I slipped inside and grabbed his step ladder. Hauled it to the side of the house and climbed to the roof. I looked around, clean untouched snow. Then didn’t have a proper chimney, just a bit of venting for the dryer. Maybe he hadn’t come this way? I slid down and checked the yard. I’d seen the front on the way up. Other than a snowman and the associated divots there was no sign of a sleigh and eight to nine reindeer. The back yard was clear as well.

I rounded the house to the far side just to be sure. Clear again. If Santa had been here, he didn’t bring the sleigh. Maybe he used Uber? I don’t know how he gets around the rest of the year. No sleigh tracks didn’t rule him out, but it made it harder.

I walked to the front door. I needed to see the scene. I knocked. The door opened. It was the stepmom.

She looked nice enough. Smiled easy, twinkled her eyes. She wore one of those sweaters with the reindeer and trees. She had on an apron dusted with flower. She looked down on me and said, “Hello.”

“Hi, ma’am,” I said, cause I got manners. “Is Linda home? I wanted to wish her a Merry Christmas.” It was a lie, but you don’t get in this business to see the better side of people.

“Of course,” she said then she hollered for Linda. “Come in. Would you like a cookie?”

There was a plate near the door. All decorated with bright colors. I thanked her and took one; a snowman. Sugar with royal icing. Nice. They were good and I said as much.

Linda walked into the room. She had that cross look on her face. The one that says, why are you here eating her cookies?

Stepmom left the room and headed back to the kitchen.

Linda turned on me, “Why are you here?” she asked. “And eating her cookie.”

“I need to see the scene of the crime. Only way in was you. As for the cookie, it’s best not to raise suspicions just yet.”

“She’s gone and you’re still eating it.”

“It’s still good,” I said. “Shame to waste a fine snowman like this.”

She sighed. I have that effect on girls.

“It’s in the family room.” She walked away leading me deeper into the house.

It was a nice place. Warm colors, comfortable furniture, and lots of phots. There was love here. At least until I did my job.

The family room was gigantic. All done up for Christmas. The tree was well done with twinkle lights and tinsel. Candy canes hanging all over it.

Linda pointed at a spot by the tree. “It was right there. I saw them kissing, right there.”

“Has your step vacuumed since then?”

“No.”

I pulled out my magnifying glass and checked the area. Not sure what I was looking for but there was a distinct lack of it. No fireplace soot, coal dust, or reindeer hair. Not even a stray white beard hair.

Nothing.

There was one more place to look. It was dangerous but I had to take a chance.

“If anyone asks I’m using your bathroom,” I told Linda and headed for the back of the house.

I crept down the hallway listening for footfalls of the parents but I could hear them talking in the kitchen.

I reached the door to their bedroom and let myself in. I’d only have a couple of minutes but I had to look. Maybe find a memento, letter, or photo of stepmom with Santa.

I dug through drawers, shelves, and even checked under the bed. Finally, I braved the closets. That’s when I found it. The one piece of evidence that wrapped the whole case up. I nodded, closed the closet door, and walked back to the family room.

“Show me,” I told Linda.

She stood and walked with me towards the door. “Did you find it?”

“I got your answers,” I said. “Not the ones you’re looking for but pretty good ones.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. “Can you prove she kissed him?”

“I searched your folk’s room,” I said. “It was in your dad’s closet. The proof. There were a pile of gifts, a bag of candy canes, and a Santa suit.”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw your family photos,” I said. “Your dad’s a big fella. Nice beard. Has suit, resents, and candy canes in the closet. Your stepmom kissed Santa Claus. Of course she did. Your dad is Santa Claus. All the proof is there.”

“That can’t be,” she said. “I would know.”

“Would you?” I asked. “They wouldn’t tell you because they still want to be as excited as everyone else. I’m sure in few years when you’re older they’ll run you up to the pole and show you the workshop.”

“Why wouldn’t we just live there?”

“No schools,” I said. “No other kids to be friends with. You’d be alone, cut off from everyone else. They moved here because they love you kid.”

She looked at me for a long moment. A smile crept across her face. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the rest of my fee.

I told her to keep it. Not sure why. Just felt like the Christmas thing to do.

end
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus