Tracy Tam: Santa Command by Krystalyn Drown Page B

brushed himself off, trying to restore whatever dignity he'd lost by falling. “Um, hey, Chris.”
    “Jared.” Chris smiled like the two were old friends. “How is your aunt?”
    “Good. She's good. Um, I was just…” He nodded toward Tracy.
    “Ah, yes. You're here for Miss Tam?”
    Miss Tam? Tracy hadn't told him her first name, much less her last. “Hey, how did you—?”
    “How do we get back?” Jared seemed irritated, just like he had back in the library. Apparently, he had no other emotions. “The door is gone. Is that room on a turntable or something?”
    “Hmm.” Chris pressed his lips into a fine line. “That's one explanation.”
    Jared bounced back and forth from one foot to the other. He was so big, he should have looked clumsy, but it almost looked like he was dancing. “Can you turn the room back to where it was so we can get going?”
    Chris stuck his head just inside the room, looked around, then came back out. “No.”
    “No?” Jared whined. “Beth is gonna kill me if I don't bring her back.”
    “The portal disconnected. It looks like tonight is turning out to be quite interesting.”
    “Portal?” Tracy asked. “What are you talking about? We want the door.”
    Chris patted her shoulder with a sad look on his face. “Don’t worry. You'll understand before the night is over.”
    “But the door?” Jared asked.
    “In time,” Chris said. With that, he turned on his heel and marched back down the hallway. After about five steps, he snapped his fingers and a door opened to his right side. He stepped through, then leaned his head back out to call out to Tracy and Jared. “Well, come on you two. The night is fading fast. We have lots to cover.” He let out a deep, rich laugh, then disappeared through the door.
    Tracy and Jared looked at each other and shrugged. What else could they do but follow him?
     
    ***
     
    They found themselves outside, standing in snow about six inches deep. Wind whipped through the surrounding forest. Both Tracy and Jared shivered, but he wasn't lucky enough to be wearing a Santa coat. All he had on was a sweatshirt and jeans. Tracy felt sorry for him as he scrubbed his sleeve across his watery eyes and wrapped his arms around his middle. Her sorrow was short-lived though as the snow began seeping in around the edges of her thin canvas sneakers. It took exactly five seconds for her feet to become frozen popsicles.
    “Where are we?” Tracy quietly asked Jared while Chris marched on ahead of them.
    “Same place you've been all night.” Jared kicked at a mound of snow. The powder flew through the air and blew back against Tracy's legs. “Nothing here is real. I'm sure there's a snow machine hidden somewhere and about a hundred mirrors.”
    Tracy murmured her agreement while looking around to see if she could spot where any of them were hidden. She stuck her hand in her pocket to make sure the camera was still there.
    Jared blew into his hands and rubbed them together. His skin had turned pink from the cold. “Why are you here anyway? My aunt called me in the middle of the night to come get you because she had to get back to her job. It's your fault we're stuck following him.”
    Chris called to them without looking back. “My dear Jared, please don't blame Tracy for things you don't understand.”
    Tracy and Jared exchanged a glance.
    “How did he hear us?” Tracy silently mouthed the words.
    Jared shrugged. Clearly, he was done speaking to her.
    Chris turned around and waited until the two kids caught up. “You'll find I know a great many things that defy explanation. My wife is constantly baffled. She has a scientific mind like you, Tracy.”
    Tracy smiled. It was something she was very proud of. But how did he know that?
    He must have seen the question in her eyes, because he said, “My wife learned to believe, and one day, so will you.” He waggled his eyebrows, and the stars danced in his eyes. “Maybe even tonight.” He turned back around,