8 Sandpiper Way (29 page)
“Sheriff Davis gives me too much credit,” Roy said. “We got lucky. Once we had a photo of Duncan and pictures of the missing jewelry, it was just a matter of doing a little legwork. So the sheriff sent a deputy to a few of the higher-end pawnshops—and everything fell into place.”
Dave Flemming owed the sheriff and Roy a debt of gratitude. He knew they’d say they were only doing their jobs, but they
could
have taken the evidence at face value. He would be eternally glad they hadn’t.
“Are we free to go?” Emily asked.
Sheriff Davis nodded. “One question first.”
“Sure.”
“What do you want me to do with the gold watch?”
Dave didn’t hesitate. “Return it to her family. Can we go now?”
The sheriff grinned. “You’re taking up space in my office, Pastor Flemming. It seems to me you’ve got a Christmas program to prepare. Am I right?”
Dave looked from one man to the other. “I do. And…and,” he stammered, “thank you. Thank you both.”
“Thank you so much,” Emily chimed in.
Dave and Emily left the police station and practically ran to their car. Dave unlocked the doors and once they’d scrambled inside they hugged each other fiercely. “It’s over, it’s over,” he told Emily.
“Thank God,” she said. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I’m sorry for everything.”
“Given the same set of circumstances, I’m sure I wouldn’t have behaved any differently.”
“But I’m your wife!”
“Yes, you are,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “My beautiful, beautiful wife.” And then he kissed her.
Sheriff Troy Davis stood at his office window and watched Dave and Emily below. He smiled as he saw them hug and kiss. He was glad that, with a little help from his friend Roy McAfee, he’d been able to arrest the man responsible for the theft—and, in the process, clear Dave Flemming’s name. So far his department had been able to track down all the missing jewelry except for a couple of pieces.
Troy had already contacted Martha’s two daughters with the news and the recovered jewelry would be turned over to them. Although Troy believed that Martha had sincerely wanted Dave to have the watch, the pastor had insisted on returning it. He had nothing to prove to
Martha’s children that their mother had given it to him, and Dave wasn’t comfortable with even the slightest doubt. Troy admired that.
Turning away from the window, he pinched the bridge of his nose. At least that case was satisfactorily resolved. The body discovered in the cave two days ago had yet to be identified, though. All he knew was that the skeletal remains appeared to be those of a male teenager, and that was an educated guess on the pathologist’s part. An autopsy would be conducted in the new year. It was hardly a priority, as the doctor had rather acerbically pointed out. Troy suspected the boy was a runaway.
This case had the potential to stretch the limits of his department. County records didn’t show anyone missing during the time period the pathologist had indicated. But
someone
must have seen him, talked to him, known him. A cold case was always difficult, but no matter how long it took, Troy was determined to find out who this young man was and what had led him to that cave.
If solving a twenty-year-old mystery wasn’t enough, it also happened to be Christmas.
Christmas without Faith.
Three hours later, Sheriff Davis left the office. His day was finally over and he was going home. 92 Pacific Boulevard was a lonely place these days. Maybe he’d put up the Christmas wreath Megan had bought him and try to imagine what his evening would be like if he was spending it with Faith.
Next month, come back to town. Visit with Olivia, Grace and Cliff, the McAfees, Dave Flemming and some of your other friends. And meet Mary Jo Wyse—young, pregnant and on her own (except for her brothers, the three Wyse men!).
A CEDAR COVE CHRISTMAS is available in October from MIRA Books.
Then, next September, you’ll want to drop in at 92 PACIFIC BOULEVARD, Cedar Cove. It’s Sheriff Troy Davis’s home. You can ask him if there’s any hope for his relationship with Faith. He’ll also be able to tell you how Megan’s doing. You’ll want to check up on Olivia, too. Then there’s Shirley Bliss—what’s new with her and Tanni? And what’s going on with Will Jefferson? What about the skeleton in the cave? It’s the coldest of cold cases, but Troy’s determined to solve it…
Read 92 PACIFIC BOULEVARD for answers to all these questions—and more!
If you’ve been reading Debbie’s books, you’ll know how much she loves Christmas! Every year, she publishes a new Christmas story. Her upcoming book,
A Cedar Cove Christmas,
is coming out next month.
In the following interview, we ask Debbie some questions about Christmas.
1. YOU OBVIOUSLY
LOVE
CHRISTMAS. CAN YOU TELL US WHY?
When I was growing up, Christmas was always the biggest and most important holiday in the family calendar, taking precedence over birthdays and other celebrations. So many wonderful childhood memories revolve around Christmas—baking cookies with my mother for family and friends, wrapping gifts while listening to Christmas music, shopping for the perfect gift, cooking. My father was the youngest boy in a family of eight and we all lived close together, so I had lots of cousins nearby, which meant big family gatherings, too.
2. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS?
Well, other than the things I mentioned above, it’s midnight Mass with my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. After Mass we’d drive home and open our gifts. Sometimes we didn’t finish until three or four in the morning, and then we’d all go to bed, happy and excited. Late the next morning we’d get up, ready to celebrate some more!
3.
A CEDAR COVE CHRISTMAS
IS A REAL TREAT FOR YOUR READERS. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
In a way I guess it’s obvious—the original Christmas story inspired this one. When I was trying to work out how to incorporate the town in a Christmas book, I thought about someone—a young pregnant woman—arriving in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve. About this time, a Comfort Inn opened in my hometown, which made me wonder what could happen if there was “no room at the inn” for this traveler. Of course, I knew that Grace and Cliff just happen to have a stable (well, a barn) with an apartment that’s recently become available—and from that point on, the story fell into place, Wyse men and all!
4. CEDAR COVE IS LOOSELY BASED ON YOUR HOMETOWN OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON. AT CHRISTMAS IS PORT ORCHARD LIKE THE CEDAR COVE WE’VE JUST READ ABOUT?
It is. There are the boughs draped across the main street and there’s a tree-lighting ceremony by the new city hall. The waterfront is beautifully decorated, as are the shops in town. Port Orchard’s charm is always evident, and especially so at Christmastime.
5. WHAT’S YOUR IDEA OF A PERFECT CHRISTMAS MEAL?
This may surprise you. It’s not the traditional turkey ’n trimmings meal—and here’s why. Other than our children, now all married, my husband, Wayne, and I don’t have relatives in the immediate area, which is a very different experience from the way I grew up. During the first few Christmases with our young family, I cooked and baked and wrapped and decorated; in short, I tried to re-create the Christmas of my youth. What happened was that I spent all of Christmas Day in the kitchen, slaving away. The children were far more interested in playing with their new toys than in sitting down to a fancy dinner. After about two years of this, Wayne and I decided to set up a buffet instead. During the day on Christmas Eve I cooked. Each of our children could request a special salad or other dish for Christmas, which I then made. I also ordered a huge deli tray and sandwich makings. Then, early afternoon on Christmas Day, I put out the spread and everyone could eat whenever and whatever they wanted. Now that our children are adults with families of their own, we do a Progressive Dinner the weekend before Christmas, which has proven to be a lot of fun. We have a course at each house, starting with appetizers and ending with dessert. That way we get to celebrate and socialize together—and our children are free to set up their own family traditions for Christmas.
6. WHAT’S THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT YOU EVER RECEIVED?
I have two answers to this—a spiritual one and a more worldly one. From a spiritual perspective, this question is easy to answer. Jesus, who is, after all, the reason for this celebration in the first place. (And don’t forget that the origin of “holiday” is “holy day.”)
My second answer is something that happened in 1994. Our oldest son, Ted, and his wife, Lana, were returning from their honeymoon just before Christmas and their flight was canceled. They managed to get a flight to Portland, Oregon, and arrived at the airport on Christmas Eve. Wayne and I drove all the way to Portland to get them, and then the rest of the family—the kids and my parents—came from their homes to ours on Christmas Day. Having the whole family together, especially when we weren’t expecting to, was such a gift!
7. WHAT’S THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU EVER GAVE?
This past Christmas my entire family went on a cruise around Hawaii. It wasn’t the traditional Christmas, that’s for sure! But it was a very special time, since we spent it with our children, their spouses and our grandchildren. It’s been quite a few years since we were all together on Christmas Day, and it’s certainly a holiday every one of us is going to remember.
8. TELL US ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S CHRISTMAS STORY.
For Christmas 2009, I’m returning to romantic comedy. The title is
The Perfect Christmas.
My heroine goes to see a matchmaker who insists he’s found the perfect man for her. But before he introduces her, she has to complete three tasks (all of them Christmas-related). I can promise you’re going to laugh.
9. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES AND STORIES BY OTHER AUTHORS?
Naturally I love the classics in both books and movies. Among movies,
The Bishop’s Wife
is a great favorite, as is
Miracle on 34th Street
(the original, although the remake isn’t bad).
A Christmas Carol
by Dickens is a perennial must-read (and I like the various movie versions—but no Scrooge has yet equaled Alastair Sims). I’ve also enjoyed Christmas Regency novellas by Mary Balogh and Mary Jo Putney.
10. WILL YOU VISIT CEDAR COVE AT CHRISTMAS-TIME AGAIN?
I’m sure I will in upcoming Cedar Cove books, but I don’t know whether there’ll be another Cedar Cove title that’s strictly Christmas. It’s too early to say…
Look for A CEDAR COVE CHRISTMAS from MIRA Books next month.
ISBN: 978-1-408-90382-7
8 Sandpiper Way
Copyright © 2008 by Debbie Macomber.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, MIRA Books, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1SR.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
MIRA and the Star Colophon are registered trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited, used under licence.
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