Guarding Candy Kane (The 12 Mysteries of Christmas Book 3) Read online

  Sean snagged a roll from the oven and took a seat at the table.

  Candace joined them looking fresh as a daisy despite the horrible night they all just spent. “I thought I looked bad in the mirror this morning, but you guys look like zombies.”

  Sean bit into the roll. “That’s how we feel . . . like the walking dead, but I’m getting there. The food and coffee are working their miracles.”

  Frank waved her to a chair at the table. “Have a seat and I’ll bring you some coffee and a roll.”

  He brought the food to Candace then he and Doyle joined them at the table.

  Sean turned to Doyle. “How is Hilda this morning?”

  “Still sleeping. After last night’s tragedy, I gave her another pill Doc left and she managed to go back to sleep. I’ll fix her breakfast in a few minutes and take it up to her.”

  Sean’s gaze traveled around the room and settled on Candace. “Since the gang is all here, I want to run an idea by you. I still have access to Sam Green’s jet. I propose I take everyone to Florida until we must come back for the funeral next week. This place has too many unhappy memories at present, and we need to let Teddy have Christmas away from here.”

  He moved to the coffee urn and refilled his cup. “The guesthouse has three bedrooms, and I’m sure Sam would open up his home for you and Hilda. He would enjoy having the company.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Candace said. “Nana and Teddy could use some sunshine. All we have to do is convince Nana to leave.”

  Doyle finished his coffee and stood. “I don’t think that will be too difficult. She will probably feel the same way about the atmosphere here. It isn’t healthy for her or for Teddy. I’ll take her breakfast tray in and sell her on the idea.”

  The doorbell rang. Frank looked at Sean. “Are we expecting anyone?”

  “Not to my knowledge. I’ll get the door.”

  Sean made his way to the front entrance and through the glass doors saw Lottie, Dusty, and Clay Kane standing on the steps. He held the door wide for them to enter.

  “We brought Mrs. Kane a Christmas present,” Lottie said.

  Sean ushered them into the warmth of the foyer and closed the door behind them. “Wow, this is truly a miraculous gift. How did you guys pull this off?”

  “Clay’s attorney did the heavy lifting by applying pressure on the sheriff. Sheriff Dawes caved and called a judge friend of his and got the release. Quite an accomplishment on Christmas Eve.”

  Sean held out his hand to Clay. “Welcome home. How are you doing?”

  “Glad to be out of that cell. I never truly appreciated the smell of fresh air before.” His gaze became empty as he stared into the distance. “But I’ve seen better days. I’m devastated about Velma and poor little Teddy. Not so much about Logan.”

  Sean clasped his shoulder. “I hear you. Your grandmother is going to be very glad to see you. It’s been a bad week for her.”

  Clay nodded. “I know how she feels. I’ll go see her first. Perhaps I can make her feel better. Do Dad and Uncle Tyler know about Logan?”

  “Doyle called them. They’re coming back for the funeral.”

  Clay shook his head and shrugged. “Nothing more or less than I expected.” He turned to Lottie and Dusty. “Thanks for the lift home, guys. You want to come in for coffee or breakfast?”

  Lottie shook her head. “We have to get back. We’re part of a handful of officers who are on duty over the Christmas holidays. Good luck, Clay.”

  Sean wished them a Merry Christmas and watched them return to their vehicle and drive away. “Good people.”

  “Indeed,” Clay said and hurried off to see Nana.

  Sean returned to the kitchen and sat back down beside Candace. “You heard?”

  She nodded, tears in her eyes. “Thank God Clay is free. It will mean so much to Nana. Too bad her sons didn’t feel it necessary to come offer comfort to Clay and their mother.”

  Candace leaned in close. “I would like to give you your Christmas gift before we leave. I left it in the library so we could have some privacy.” She took his hand and led him to the room he had first entered when he arrived at the chalet over a week ago.

  Candace grinned. “I asked the jeweler what kind of watch a macho man would wear. He assured me it wouldn’t be a Paiget or a Rolex. He recommended instead a Special Ops Cobra. It even sounds macho.”

  She removed his tracker watch and fastened the Cobra on his wrist. She handed him his old watch. “Keep this safe somewhere in case we need it again.”

  He leaned in and kissed her softly. “You won’t believe this, but I’ve admired this watch in jewelry stores more than once. Thank you.”

  He cleared his throat. “You will remember that I had very short notice that I was coming here for Christmas so I had no time to shop.

  “I asked myself what I could possibly get for the girl who has everything. My only thought was . . . an engagement ring.”

  Candace squealed and clapped her hands. “You got me an engagement ring?”

  “Well, not exactly. Remember I had no time to shop. This will have to do until we can get to a jewelry store.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold cigar band. “Hold out your left hand.”

  She gave him her hand and he slipped the foil band on her finger. “Candace Kane, will you marry me? I don’t want to ever let you out of my sight again.”

  Candace threw back her head and laughter bubbled from her throat. “I thought you would never ask.” She put both arms around his neck then held out her hand and admired the ring. “It’s most unusual, a little big, but I love it. It’s so you. I can tape it on with Scotch Tape.”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t have time to get it sized and the smoke shop in the airport didn’t have any skinny cigars.”

  Sean called Sam Green, who called Kevin Carter to make arrangements for the plane to pick up the houseguests. Four hours later, the entire entourage, Frank , Doyle and Nana, Clay and Teddy, and Sean and Candace, boarded the aircraft headed for Florida’s warmer climate.

  Opa Locka Airport

  Key Biscayne, Florida

  The flight was smooth and they landed safely at the Opa Locka Executive Airport in beautiful seventy-five degrees of welcoming sunshine.

  Colorado was amazing with its snowcapped mountains and wild forests but Sean was happy to leave the gray skies and tragedies behind.

  Sam’s chauffeur waited for them on the tarmac. When they were loaded, he headed out I-95. It was a mere thirty-four-minute drive to Green Acres.

  Sean normally flew in to Miami International which was closer but it took twice as long to get out of the airport. Owning your own private jet had its perks.

  They had only been on the road five minutes when Sean’s phone buzzed. He answered and put it on speaker.

  “Sean, this is Kevin again. Sam is on the way to the hospital. He had problems breathing. Considering his age and the Parkinson’s, his doctor sent him for tests and observation.”

  “I’ll drop off my friends at Green Acres and meet him there,” Sean said.

  Candace squeezed his arm. “I’m coming with you.”

  The chauffeur dropped the rest of the party at the mansion’s front door and the housekeeper met them. They were in good hands.

  Sean gazed out the limo’s darkened windows. “I hope this isn’t the end for Sam. He’s a wonderful old man. He told me to marry you and name our first son Samuel Sean McGregor. He wanted to live long enough to bounce him on his knees.”

  “I’ll pray for him,” she said. “I’ve wanted to meet him. He’s been very kind to you.”

  “That he has.”

  It was a short drive to the South Miami Hospital where the ambulance had taken Sam.

  “Do you want me to wait for you, sir?” the driver asked.

  “No. I don’t know how long we’ll be. We’ll take a cab home.”

  “As you wish, sir.” He rolled up the window and drove away.

  Kevin me
t them in the lobby.

  “How is he?” Sean asked.

  “He’s doing well. Better than I expected. I wanted to catch you before you saw Sam. He recently changed his will and wanted me to let you know.” Kevin laughed. “When he left home, he thought he was dying. Now he thinks he’s going to pull through, but asked me to tell you anyway.

  “Don’t get your hopes up, he didn’t make you his heir. The bulk of his estate will go to the nation of Israel. However, I think you’ll be pleased. He’s leaving you two buildings. One is an office building in the center of the business district to reopen your personal security firm. The second is a B&B. He said something about you needing lots of bedrooms for a family of eight. I thought he might have had a stroke, but he was adamant. This is to be effective immediately. You don’t have to wait for his death.”

  “I’m not sure I can let him do that. I keep telling him he doesn’t owe me anything.”

  Kevin shook his head. “I don’t think you can stop him. I’ve already put the paperwork in motion.”

  “Can we see him?”

  “Yes, the doctor says he can receive visitors and I think he’d like to meet your lovely fiancée.” He glanced down at Candace’s ring finger. “She is your fiancée?”

  Sean grinned. “She is indeed.”

  “Most unusual engagement ring.”

  “I love it,” Candace said. “I’m going to have it duplicated in twelve carat gold and diamonds.”

  Kevin nodded. “She and Sam will get along just fine.”

  They took the elevator to the top floor and found Sam sitting up in bed, giving someone on the phone a hard time.

  He waved them in and finished his call. “This is the young woman you were reluctant to marry? You need your head examined.”

  “I’m going to like you,” Candace said. She walked to his bedside and kissed his cheek.

  Sam gave her his lopsided grin. “If I were sixty years younger, I’d take her away from you and marry her myself.”

  “I see you’re still trying to run the world. How are you feeling?” Sean said.

  “Better than I’ve felt in ages.”

  “Fantastic. Now about these buildings—”

  Sam held up his hand. “No arguments. It’s a done deal. I’m doing it so Samuel Sean McGregor’s father has a job to support him. When’s the wedding?”

  Candace patted his hand. “As soon as you’re out of the hospital and can give the bride away.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Six Months Later

  Green Acres

  Key Biscayne, Florida

  S

  ean McGregor crossed the lawn to the terrace where Sam sat with his afternoon mint julip in a tall frosty glass. He looked like a new man. His face was beginning to acquire a tan and the tremor in his hand was barely noticeable.

  Sam watched Candy and Teddy frolicking in the pool. “I’m going to miss you guys when your house is finished. It’s been a pleasure getting to know Teddy and your wife. They’re special people.”

  “You won’t get any argument from me on that score. It’ll be another month before the renovations are complete and we’ll make sure to visit you often.”

  Sam inclined his head towards the pool. “Those two have brought laughter and joy into this stodgy old mausoleum. Teddy seems to have taken the death of his mother well.”

  Sean nodded. “He never spent much of his young life with her. He was at school most of the year. Holidays and summers were spent at the chalet with Nana. His biggest concern was if she had hurt when she died. Candy assured him her death was painless, although there is really no way to be sure of that.”

  “How’s business going?” Sam asked.

  “I’ve hired a full crew of former Marine Recons and SEALs to head up the security side of the business. We’ve picked up a couple of big name clients. I’m mostly working the PI end. Nothing much happening there. Mostly investigative work for attorneys. Sometimes boring but it pays well. I’m mostly a paper shuffler now,” he grinned. “Occasionally I manage to keep my hands on a case.”

  Sam watched Candy on the diving board as she made a perfect dive. “She doesn’t look like she’s pregnant.”

  “That’s because she’s not. Give us a little time. We’ve only been married five months. Besides we already have a four-year-old son.”

  “You need to hurry up if I’m going to live to see my godson.”

  Sean chuckled. “That’s one of the reason’s we’re in no hurry. You’re hanging on until you see our first son. The longer we delay, the longer we’ll have you around.”

  Sam snorted. “That might work in theory but could backfire in practice. Have you talked to Hilda recently? If I were twenty years younger, I’d marry that woman.”

  “Don’t let age stand in your way. I spoke to her yesterday. She’s doing fine and is planning to visit when we get the house finished. You can start practicing your proposal.”

  His warm eyes darkened with a gleam of interest. “I just might do that if I thought I had another ten years ahead of me.”

  “Coward,” Sean said. “Faint heart never won fair lady.”

  Candy and Teddy climbed out of the pool. She slipped into a white cover-up and wrapped a towel around Teddy’s shoulders. She dried his hair as they strolled towards the terrace.

  Teddy ran ahead toward Sean. “Daddy, come swim with us!”

  The daddy title had been Teddy’s idea. He still called Candy by her name but he decided to call Sean daddy. Because, as Teddy put it, he never had a father before.

  “Maybe later. How did the visit to school go today?”

  “I liked it. I don’t live there and I don’t have to march. I get to come home after school every day.”

  “You were checking out schools this morning?” Sam asked.

  Candy sat in Sean’s lap.

  “You’re wet.”

  She leaned back against him, getting him even wetter. She turned and kissed his cheek. “Are you complaining?”

  “Not me,” he said. “I’m home for the day anyway.”

  Candy turned her attention back to Sam. “There’s a Christian Academy that has 4K and 5K classes close to our new home. I think it’s going to work out fine for him. We decided not to send him back to the military school after—”

  She glanced down at Teddy then continued. “He’s very advanced for his age and we felt it would be okay to just start him this fall.”

  “Sam, you want to play checkers?” Teddy asked.

  “Sounds good to me. I’ve been practicing with the pool boy so I’m ready for you.”

  Teddy giggled and ran inside to get the board and game pieces.

  Sean and Candy walked hand-in-hand back to the guesthouse so he could change into a swimsuit. He joined Candy in the double sized lounge chair by the pool.

  They sat and watched the little boy and old man play their game.

  Candy snuggled in close to Sean. “I think Teddy has been good for Sam.”

  Sean nodded. “And Sam has been good for Teddy.”

  “Nana gave me an update on Clay today. He’s doing a fantastic job as CEO and is pulling the firm back into shape. She also told me there’s a new woman in his life. Nana thinks he’s serious about her. I’m so glad things are working out for him. All is quiet on the Western Front.”

  A big sigh. “You know, Sean, I’m so happy it scares me sometimes. I know this can’t last forever.”

  He kissed the top of her head. “Don’t borrow trouble, sweetheart. Just enjoy it while it lasts. God gives us the valleys so we will appreciate the mountains.”

  She squeezed his arm. “I know, and I’ve got my big, strong bodyguard beside me when the valleys come.”

  A deep laugh rumbled in his chest and he kissed the tip of her nose. “And don’t you forget it.”

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