A Family For The Holidays. Sherri Shackelford

housebreaker?”

      “Don’t pretend you don’t know who. The ruse doesn’t suit you. The view you were enjoying the other day faced the barbershop. When I saw Vic at the restaurant, he had a blue handkerchief in his pocket. I found the same blue handkerchiefs with Emil’s belongings.”

      While Jake admired her investigative skills, he didn’t want her involved in the case. “Coincidence. There’s only one store in town. Why break into someone’s room for a handkerchief?”

      “The place was dusty. Vic is clearly fastidious. He searched the rooms, wiped his hands on the handkerchief, then stuck it in his pocket out of habit.”

      Jake stifled a groan. “You’re too smart for your own good.”

      Keeping her out of danger was going to be impossible at this rate.

      “Don’t mock me.” Furious color suffused her cheeks. “I think Vic had something to do with Emil’s disappearance. I believe he may be after Sam and Peter for their inheritance.”

      “What brought you to that conclusion?”

      He didn’t doubt her, but he was curious about her reasoning.

      “Vic just informed me that the Tyler children were now a part of this jurisdiction, and the sheriff has decided that Vic Skaar should assume their guardianship.”

      “Those are some awfully fancy words for Sheriff Koepke.”

      “My thoughts exactly.”

      Jake rubbed the back of his neck. He’d had some time to think while he was locked up. Whatever Vic was searching for, he hadn’t found the item. Jake had watched Vic exit the building looking grimmer than when he entered. There was still something missing from his motivations. If he’d been responsible for Emil’s disappearance over his poker debt, why search his rooms? Dead men didn’t collect debts.

      A sudden realization dawned on Jake. Vic hadn’t found out about Emil’s grandchildren until after he’d searched Emil’s rooms. He also hadn’t discovered what he was searching for, which meant he needed a new plan.

      Lily, Sam and Peter had dropped into his lap like a gift. Vic and Emil were definitely tangled in some trouble.

      None of that explained why Lily wanted to bust him out of jail. Especially considering she’d practically put him there.

      “Why are you here?” Jake asked. “I still don’t know what you want from me.”

      “I think that’s obvious. You’re a gun for hire, aren’t you?” She extended the pistol she’d held on him earlier, the muzzle down. “Here’s a gun. I want to hire you.”