A Christmas to Dismember, Addison Moore [howl and other poems .TXT] 📗

baffled why he’s given it to you. But I wish you and yours a merry Christmas.”

He takes another step toward the street, and I throw myself in front of him once again.

“Telenational was a fledgling company when you took it on,” I pant. “But you turned it around with misleading financial accounts. You exploited anyone and everyone who was willing to do business with you. There were so many schemes and scams you had running, I bet it took Quinn a while to catch on, but when he did, he was horrified. Quinn Bennet knew enough to stay above board when it came to business, and you were so far beneath it you might as well have been on the ocean floor. You established numerous limited liability special-purpose entities.”

“Completely common in the telecommunications game.”

“But perfectly illegal once you started using them to transfer some of your liabilities so they wouldn’t appear in your account—therefore, allowing you to increase a robust stock price for the company, making it that much more appetizing to investors. It turns out, many of your recorded assets are inflated, aren’t they, Warwick? And some are fraudulent or outright don’t exist. More or less the exact advice you gave me when I asked how I could increase profits at the inn.”

He searches my features as his lips part. Quinn must have spoken with her. But why bring it up now? Something’s not right. “You have no proof.”

“I do and so does the Seaview Sheriff’s Department. I’ve forwarded the entire cache of Quinn’s emails over to them. You’ll be charged with illegal accounting practices, wire fraud, and God knows what else. The company will go bankrupt, as it was destined to do in the beginning. But that’s the least of your worries. You killed Quinn, didn’t you?” Fish’s ear twitches as I ask the question, and both Sherlock and Rudolph sit rapt at attention.

His lips pull tightly. “Yes, I killed him, Bizzy.” His eyes darken. “Quinn was a fool to think anyone’s business acumen would be enough to save that money pit he acquired. I did what needed to be done. And when he discovered my tactics, he had the nerve to be outraged. I thought he’d be proud. And after a lengthy email exchange, he made the decision to fly out this way. It was his last-ditch effort to get me to comply or he’d rat me out himself. He didn’t do it, Bizzy. I didn’t give him the chance. But you did—you ratted me out.” His expression goes cold as he walks my way, and I back up into the street until my knees get cut off and I fall backward into an empty sleigh.

Warwick covers my body with his own, and Fish lets out a wild screech as she struggles to get out from between us.

Sherlock barks as he hops into the sleigh, as does Rudolph, and the horse manning this wonder whinnies and hops back onto its hind legs before taking off with a start. The crowd screams with horror as the sleigh takes off down Main Street at horrific speeds.

“Perfect.” Warwick gives an unsteady laugh as he looks down at me. “We’ll make it look like an accident. You cracked your skull on a runaway sleigh. And I’ll simply runaway.” He clamps his hands around my neck and instantly I can’t breathe.

My legs flail as my fingers struggle to pluck him off me.

Fish shrieks once again and wraps her entire body around his head, scratching and clawing in a fury.

Rudolph yipes and barks nonstop as he jumps over Warwick’s back and starts biting his neck.

Don’t worry, Bizzy. Sherlock lets out a ferocious bark. I know just what to do. He hops onto Warwick’s back as well and Warwick’s body crushes over mine that much more, but his hands are unrelenting in their pursuit.

Suddenly, Warwick’s chest bucks as he lets out a horrific howl, and his hands release just enough for me to scoot back a good foot until my head hits the other side of the seat. It looks as if that skull cracker is still in the cards.

The sleigh bucks violently, and before I can process what’s happening, Jasper’s face appears above mine ever so briefly as he does his best to snatch the reins and grab onto Warwick at the very same time. The horse slows, and Jasper drops the reins long enough to bash Warwick’s head into the side of the sleigh and cuff him.

And just like that, it’s over.

“He did it,” I pant. “He killed Quinn.” I struggle to catch my breath as my hand claws at my neck. “And he almost killed me.”

As soon as the sleigh rolls to a stop, Leo jumps in and pulls Warwick off. I catch a glance of the man’s face, and it looks as if he’s gone through a war.

“You really did a number on him,” I say breathlessly as I pull Fish over to myself and kiss her. “Good work.”

Jasper helps me sit up and wraps his arms around me while dropping a hot kiss onto my forehead. He pulls back as the snow falls gently between us.

“You have got to stop taking down suspects like that, Bizzy.” His gray eyes shine like lightning in the night. “But I don’t think you’re going to.” His lips flicker with a sad smile as he lands a kiss to my lips. “I love you, Bizzy Baker Wilder. You scare the hell out of me, but I love you.”

And I show him exactly how much I love him without words.

Kissing Jasper in the snow while on a sleigh ride is exactly how I wanted this night to end—along with a little justice served up on the side.

And it looks as if I’ve gotten my wish.

Chapter 17

When I was a child—and my family was still intact—Christmas Eve was a night filled with wonder for my brother, sister, and me.

My mother would read the Christmas story to us right out of the family Bible,