Page 69 of The Scrooge Effect

But when I glared at him, he quickly changed his tune.

“You know, I can handle all that. We’ll just get going now.”

19

HARPER

Storming into the OPS offices, I headed straight for Cash’s office, knowing he would get me answers. When I flung his door open, he casually looked up, quirking an eyebrow at me.

“I want answers, and I want them now!”

“Perhaps if I knew what you wanted answers about.”

“I got a call from Lock, and he was in a hospital. A hospital, Cash! And he was about to tell me something, and then he dropped the call!”

“And you want me to…”

“To tell me what the hell is going on!” I snapped, slamming my palms down on his desk, knocking Betty off her box.

I heard the sudden intake of breath, but ignored it. I was pissed, and I wanted answers.

“Look, I get you’re upset,” he murmured, replacing Betty. “But I don’t know anything.”

“Well, as the owner of this company, don’t you think you should find out?”

The man sighed at me. Sighed! Like I was a frustrating problem he had to deal with. Seriously, I was up to my neck, completely frustrated with the way Christmas was going, and now— when I just got a call that sounded extremely important— no one had a thing to say to me?

“Look, Harper⁠—”

“Don’t you dare,” I hissed. “He’s off on a job right now, and when someone calls from the hospital, it always means trouble. Do we have trouble?”

“Right here in River City?”

That voice. I ground my teeth, willing myself not to snap at the man who I knew was standing inches behind me. Slowly turning, I forced a smile on my face. “Fox.”

“Did someone say trouble?” he asked, lazily leaning against the doorframe as he popped a Funyun in his mouth.

“Lock called from the hospital. Do you happen to know anything about that?”

“Nope.”

“Then what good are you?” I snapped.

“Fox, let me handle this,” Cash started.

“But I can find out for you. Let’s see…we’ll need a sleigh, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree,” he grinned.

“Fox, this is serious.”

“Oh, I’m deadly serious. Come on,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the office.

“Cash!”

But Fox was already tugging me down the hall, giving me no chance to escape his clutches.

“Fox, I really don’t think⁠—”

He spun, pressing his finger to my lips. “Now, I know you want to argue with me right now, but trust me, this will go a lot more smoothly if you don’t follow your instincts.”