3.5 Roasted in Christmas River by Meg Muldoon Page B

Deb hadn’t been angry with Frankie for letting Jack Daniels out of his cage. She’d just been thankful that the mystery had finally been solved.   
    Maybe it had been a little crazy, adding four last minute guests to my Thanksgiving table roster. It was the kind of thing that would have caused most home chefs to lose their mind over. But I didn’t care so much about the extra work. There probably wouldn’t be any leftovers because of the four additional seats at the table. But as I looked at everyone sitting there, laughing, I realized that that wasn’t such a bad thing.
    There were more important things than food, possessions, and money.
    Like the incessant ramblings of an old man.
    Or the joy of new love between two people.
    Or the feeling you get when you help someone in need.
    Or a smile from a kid whose life hadn’t given him many reasons to smile.
    Frankie broke out giggling at something Warren had said, and I suddenly found that my eyes had grown moist.
    I turned around, turning my back on the cozy, warm scene.
    I thought my heart might just burst if I kept looking at it.
    I stared out, the snowflakes swirling and glimmering in the warm light spilling from the dining room.
    And then suddenly, just for a split second, I thought I saw something just beyond the light, in the darkness of the woods.
    Something short and plump and feathery.
    Something with a red neck and jiggly jowls.
    Something that had no business being in my backyard.
    I rubbed my eyes, then peered into the woods again, doubting what I had just seen.
    I heard a rustling through the sagebrush surrounding the deck, and within a moment, whatever had been there had vanished into the darkness.
    A wild, uncontrollable smile broke across my face.
    Maybe it really had been Jack Daniels there in my backyard. Or maybe it was just my imagination. But either way, it seemed right to me that the bird was out there in the woods somewhere, continuing to live his turkey life on this Thanksgiving, rather than roasted on a table.
    Because Jack Daniels wasn’t just any ordinary turkey.
    He’d brought us all together this Thanksgiving.
    And for that, maybe Jack Daniels deserved his freedom.
    “Look at that snow.”
    A pair of strong arms fell around my shoulders, warming me up more than a cup of cocoa on a December afternoon.
    “Isn’t it special out here tonight?” he said.
    I smiled, my eyes bleary with joy.
    “It’s special in there too,” I said, nodding to the bright window.
    Another round of laughter erupted from inside.
    I looked back up at my husband. He was looking so handsome this evening in his bolo tie and pressed collared shirt, I could hardly stand it. I relaxed into his arms, feeling for the first time that night the real meaning of fatigue and exhaustion.
    But I was content.  
    Daniel gazed back at me, his clear green eyes meeting mine, setting my soul on fire like they always did.
    “We have it good, don’t we Cinnamon?” he said, clasping my hand.
    We stared out into the Christmas River woods. Into our little corner of the world that would always belong to us, no matter what. Into our past, into our present, and into our future.
    “Daniel,” I said, pulling his arms tighter around me. “We have it better than anyone.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    The End
     

Coming in Winter 2014
     
    Mischief in Christmas River: A Christmas Cozy Mystery
    Murder on Mistletoe Row: An Exiled Elf Cozy Mystery Novella
     

 
     
    Murder in Christmas River: A Christmas Cozy Mystery (Book 1)
     

     

 
    Mayhem in Christmas River: A Christmas in July Cozy Mystery (Book 2)
     

     

 
    Madness in Christmas River: A Christmas Cozy Mystery (Book 3)
     

     

 
    Malice in Christmas River: A Christmas Cozy Mystery (Book 4)
     

     

 
    Burned in Broken Hearts Junction: A Cozy Matchmaker Mystery
     

     
     

 
    About the Author
     
    Meg Muldoon loves writing cozy mysteries. A former small town news reporter, Meg has always had a special place in her