White Colander Crime by Victoria Hamilton

Stubbs.
    Just at that moment all the women looked past Jaymie, smiles on their faces.
    â€œIsn’t she the cutest little thing!” Mrs. Frump cried, clapping her hands joyously as she, too, emerged from the booth.
    Jaymie turned and saw Jakob and Jocie, hand in hand, Jocie in a hot-pink snowsuit with white faux-fur trim and white galoshes. Jakob was in a heavy parka and dark jeans, his curly hair uncovered by any hat. Her heart thudded with joy. She clutched the pamphlets to her chest and walked toward them, shyly sharing a hug with Jakob and reaching down to peck Jocie on the cheek. She turned and together they walked back to the booth.
    â€œJakob, do you know these folks?”
    â€œ
I
know him,” Dee volunteered. “Hey, Jakob. My hubby is heading out to the junk store Monday. He needs a file cabinet for the shop.”
    â€œWe have a few, four drawer and two. Tell him to say to Gus that I’m giving Joe a good deal.”
    Dee smiled. “Have you and Jocie met my mother-in-law, Mrs. Stubbs?”
    â€œI don’t believe so,” he said, and Dee made the introductions.
    He took his daughter by the hand and led her over to the elderly woman, who bent forward, smiling down at the little girl. Mrs. Stubbs put out one gnarled, wrinkled hand and touched Jocie’s smooth, plump cheek, pinkened by the cold. Jaymie watched and her eyes misted; the juxtaposition of the wrinkled hand and the child’s perfect skin was heartrending and strangely beautiful. She swallowed hard, past a lump. Jakob glanced over at her and took her by the arm, pulling her toward Mrs. Stubbs.
    The elderly woman looked up at them, then at their linked arms. She nodded. “Your child is beautiful, Mr. Müller.”
    â€œJakob, please, ma’am. Thank you. Jocie is the joy of my life.”
    Jocie looked up at Jaymie and her father, then to Mrs. Stubbs. “And Papa is the joy of
my
life,” she said, in a clear tone.
    The adults laughed. Jaymie introduced Jakob and Jocie to Mrs. Bellwood and Mrs. Frump, then the group broke up. Jaymie and the Müllers strolled briefly and chatted, with a cup of cider each.
    â€œI’m so glad you could get away. Were there a lot of people at the tree lot tonight?”
    â€œIt was busy, but Gus is there and Cody, too. He’s been helpful. I had a chance to talk to him briefly, but I told him I wanted to talk more tomorrow,” Jakob said, with a significant look to her. “He’s coming to the junk store for a cup of coffee.”
    She nodded. He was going to have a chat with the guy as he promised, and that was good. She had a feeling Jakob was the kind of man who always kept his promises. They talked a bit more, then he had to get Jocie home. Jaymie watched them leave with a sigh. It was going to be a busy few weeks for all of them. Who knew how much she would be able to see a man who ran a Christmas tree lot? She got back to her task, which was making sure that every person in Queensville that evening had one of the pamphlets and knew about the historic home’s grand opening the next day.
    It was cold, but she was warmly cloaked, so she strolled and talked herself hoarse and encouraged families to come visit the Queensville Historic Manor. She met up with Heidi and gave her most of the brownies she had brought to sell, all money going into the donation jar at the cider booth. But Heidi was soon cold and bored; once all the brownies were gone she headed home to sit by a roaring fire.
    It
was
tiring. Two hours in and she was starting to feel the numbness in her toes. As she finished one complete route from the village proper to the band shell in the waterfront park and back, Valetta waved at Jaymie from the Emporium porch. Jaymie climbed the steps and sank down in one of the chairs. “I’m exhausted!” she said, wiggling her frozen toes in their booted confinement.
    â€œTake a load off for a few minutes at least. No one wants you to