Page 5 of The Great Reindeer Caper

“We’ll bring it; we’ll bring it to you. But you . . . what . . .” he said with dismay, then looking to the masked man at the door and continuing with, “What if someone comes in?” he asked, fear and anxiety in his voice.

The man at the door started to laugh. “No, old man. No one is coming here. They’re all caught up in my action, the great, the brilliant reindeer caper!”

Well, Benedict and Terrance hadn’t caused the pile-up; they’d only made use of it!

Still, Angela knew that EMTs were on the way—even if they were being held up by his “great reindeer caper.”

“We will move quicky!” she said. They needed to get the man out of the shop.

Then she and Jackson could go after him, and they would catch him!

She kept Mr. Austin’s arm around her and led him toward the back hall. The man was talking worriedly as they went, saying, “I didn’t believe the kid, I just didn’t believe him! That kind of a gold-inlaid ivory flute is rare, so rare . . . I just wanted it for my collection. I never imagined . . . I know the kid needs it now for a court case, but the man at the door . . . what the hell does he want it for?”

“It can only be one thing,” Angela said quietly.

“And that’s—”

“He’s working for the killer,” Angela told him. “An appeal won’t make it through the courts if he can be assured that the murder weapon will never make its way there as evidence.”

“But how . . . oh, never mind! Right now, keeping everyone out there alive seems to be the greatest importance!”

They reached the case where the offending object was to be found. And to look at the thing . . . it was beautiful. It appeared to be an intricately carved ivory flute, complete with swirls of gold inlays.

“How did anyone murder anyone with this thing?” Austin wondered as he keyed in the code to open the case in which it was displayed.

“Just like Terrance said. It’s medieval—and people lived in dangerous worlds back then, too,” Angela murmured. “May I see?” she asked, as he took the object from the case Angela quickly donned a pair of gloves she kept in her pocket. Dozens of people might have touched it since it had been used—as it seemed many people used it to commit murder. Still.

First up, of course, she studied it as a whole,

Quickly.

Then she noted the inlays, took a step back, and pressed one hard.

A slender, piercing blade shot out from the far end of the object.

It was still covered with dried blood.

“So, now we must give it to that man at the door, and he’ll see to it that the thing disappears, and a man who committed heinous murders—” Austin began.

“We will give it to him, but trust me,” Angela told him. “We’re not going to let him get away.”

“So, you really are—”

“Agents.”

“Chasing the guy.”

“No, we were just headed for McSorley’s enjoying the Christmas decorations everywhere,” Angela said. “And then—”

“The great reindeer caper began!” Austin said dryly.

“Something like that,” Angela said.

“And you need to get out there! Now!” the ghost of Benedict’s mom said desperately. “It was one thing . . . my husband and I. But please! Don’t let them hurt our son!”

“We’re going, we’re going!” Angela said, causing Austin to look at her strangely. She smiled. Mr. Austin evidently hadn’t “felt” the ghost at her side.

She headed back toward the main room of the shop, Austin at her heels. Knowing she had her husband, the best backup in the world, she strode straight to the man at the door.