The Inn at Holiday Bay: Christmas in the Country

Book 31: The Inn at Holiday Bay

by Kathi Daley

Genres: Holiday books; Animal Cozy Mysteries; Cozy Mystery

Synopsis

A cozy seaside Christmas with all the trimmings.

The Inn at Holiday Bay is a heartwarming cozy mystery series about losing everything, taking a chance, and starting again.

After suffering a personal tragedy Abby Sullivan buys a huge old seaside mansion she has never even seen, packs up her life in San Francisco, and moves to Holiday Bay Maine, where she is adopted, quite against her will, by a huge Maine Coon Cat named Rufus, a drifter with her own tragic past named Georgia, and a giant dog with an inferiority complex named Ramos. What Abby thought she needed was alone time to heal. What she ended up with was, an inn she never knew she wanted, a cat she couldn't seem to convince to leave, and a new family she'd never be able to live without.

In book 31 in the series, an anonymous Christmas Angel gifts a group of people who have never met one another and appear to be totally unrelated a free stay at the Inn at Holiday Bay the week before Christmas. Once the group gets together and begin to compare notes, they start to wonder who paid for their stay and how they are related to both the benefactor and each other.

 

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Release date: December 17, 2024

Publisher: Kathi Daley Books

Print pages: 160

Sample

Chapter 1

“I’m picking up a special order for Abby Sullivan,” I told the clerk handling the special-order
desk of the large computer store in Portland, Maine. I’d taken a day off from my daily
obligations to make the trip to Portland with my best friends, Georgia Carter-Peyton and Lacy
Parker. It was just eight days until Christmas, and even though we’d started shopping weeks ago,
all three of us had a few last-minute gifts to pick up, hence the trip.
The man raised a brow. “I see that you special ordered some top-of-the-line equipment.”
I nodded. “Two of the very best laptops money can buy.” Since I was required to prepay for
the computers when I ordered them, I handed him my receipt. “My girls are in college. Or at
least one is in college, but I hope to convince the other to start soon. They’re bright girls with big
lives ahead of them. They’ll need the best equipment to reach their goals.”
By this point, I supposed I was oversharing, but I was so proud of my “adopted daughters,”
Haven Hansen and Bailey Provost, that I couldn’t help but brag just a bit.
The clerk smiled. “Your daughters are lucky to have a mom willing to go all out. These
laptops are at the forefront of modern technology. I’m certain your girls will be thrilled with
them.”
I hoped that was true. While Haven and Bailey weren’t technically my daughters, they were
both dear to my heart. I truly wanted to find them the perfect gift for our first Christmas together
as a family, and I admittedly may have gone slightly overboard. I’d bought so many gifts for
Bailey’s daughter, Hazel, that Georgia teased me that I’d need to build a larger cottage to have
adequate space for everything I’d bought.
Once I had the computers, I asked Georgia and Lacy what they wanted to do next. We only
had a few hours, and I wanted everyone to accomplish their most important errands.

“I need to go by the sporting goods store and pick up the equipment I ordered for the
triplets,” Lacy informed me. “After that, I need to go to the mall to find outfits for the twins, and
then finally, a trip to the toy store to find something for Maddie seems to be in order.”
“That works out fine with me. I need to pick up something for Tyler.” I referred to my
boyfriend, Police Chief Colt Wilder’s nephew, Tyler Hudson. “Even though the kids are visiting
relatives for Christmas this year, I still want to get something for him and Mackey. I’ll follow
your lead for Tyler’s gift at the sporting goods store and an outfit for Mackey at the clothing
store.” I referred to Colt’s niece, Mackey Hudson.
“Actually,” Lacy said. “I know the perfect thing for both of them.”
I was glad to hear that because I didn’t have a clue. Since Tyler was close in age to Lacy’s
boys and Mackey was close to her older girls’ age, I’d hoped she’d have suggestions.
“Georgia?” I asked.
“I’m close to being done, but I’d like to stop by Forever 21 and pick up a fun outfit for
Nikki.” Nikki Peyton was an ex-inn employee who’d been a friend of Georgia’s and mine for
many years, and, in addition to being a friend, she’d become Georgia’s sister-in-law this past
Thanksgiving when Georgia had finally married Nikki’s brother, Tanner Peyton.
“Forever 21 would be a good place to shop for outfits for Haven and Bailey,” I said. “And I
may pick up something for Annabelle as well.” Annabelle Cole lived on the estate I owned in
Holiday Bay, along with her aunt and uncle, Mylie and Jeremy Slater, and baby cousin, Danny.
She was only thirteen, but I knew she’d get a kick out of getting an outfit from the same store as
the older girls.
“The mall has a baby store as well as a teen store,” Georgia said. “I want to get outfits for
both Danny and Hazel.” She grinned. “Who would have thought that Georgia Carter-Peyton
would ever be so excited about baby outfits.”
In all honesty, I was somewhat taken aback by Georgia’s enthusiasm for all things baby-
related. Until recently, Georgia had been quite sure that children weren’t in her future, but now
she spoke of the idea of a child of her own as a real possibility.
Once it was decided that we’d start by heading to the mall for clothing for the kids, followed
by lunch, we piled into my SUV. I was having the best time Christmas shopping this year. With
three teenage girls to buy clothes for, two babies who needed clothes and toys, and Colt’s niece
and nephew, I had an opportunity to purchase fun things I would never buy for my adult friends.
“I appreciate the fact that the mall went all out with their decorations this year,” Lacy said as
we headed toward the teen shop where Lacy wanted to find outfits for her twins, Meghan and
Mary. The teen shop was on the other side of the mall from the baby store, which was the shop I
personally was most looking forward to poking around in, but I supposed it wouldn’t be a bad
idea to leave that for last. “They used to do it up really nice, but I’ve felt like they barely made
an effort for the last few years.” She paused in front of Santa’s Castle. “I may need to make the
trip back and bring the kids once school is out for winter break. We have a few Santa’s in
Holiday Bay, but that castle is really something.”
“It does seem that the decorating committee went all out,” I agreed. “But aren’t your boys too
old to sit on Santa’s lap?”

“They are,” Lacy agreed. “But they’ll appreciate the castle and can hang out in the courtyard
and play video games while I take the girls to see Santa.”
I couldn’t wait until Hazel was old enough to want to sit on Santa’s lap. She was only two
months old this Christmas, but Bailey and I were already talking about and looking forward to
taking her to see Santa once she got a little older. I’d never had the chance to take my son to see
Santa since he’d died just before Thanksgiving, so I was excited about establishing new
traditions with Bailey, Hazel, and Haven.
The teen shop had trendy clothes for girls in the preteen and early teen age group. Lacy found
outfits for both Mary and Meghan and then steered me toward a fun outfit for Mackey. I thought
the skirt was a bit short for someone only ten years old, but Lacy assured me that once the skirt
was off the hanger and on Mackey, it wouldn’t look that short and that she would love it.
Once we’d purchased outfits for the younger girls, we headed toward Forever 21. Georgia
picked out an outfit for Nikki, while I selected pants and a sweater for Annabelle and a skirt,
sweater, and leggings for winter for both Haven and Bailey. We decided to head to lunch next
and then the baby store. Since the sporting goods store Lacy wanted to go to was across the
highway, we decided to drive there to avoid the need to cross the busy street.
“Does anyone have a preference for lunch?” I asked.
“I was thinking the food court would be quick,” Lacy offered.
Georgia wrinkled her nose. “Are we talking corn dogs or pizza?”
“No. Not at all,” Lacy assured her. “I brought the kids to the mall for back-to-school
shopping and was happy to find that they added several higher-end options, including a pub that
offers fish and chips, fish tacos, salads, soups, and even beer and wine.”
“That sounds good to me,” I responded.
Georgia agreed.
The food court would likely have been packed on a weekend in December, but it wasn’t too
bad on a Wednesday, so we ordered our meals and then scouted out the best table in the food
court.
“So what are you thinking for Tyler?” I asked Lacy once we settled in at a table next to the
giant Christmas tree. “I thought of baseball or football equipment, but given his current school
status, I’m not sure he’ll be allowed to play either sport.”
Colt’s nephew, Tyler, had punched a kid in the middle school hallway for no apparent reason
and had been asked to permanently leave the facility. He was currently being home-schooled by
his grandmother, Colt’s mother, and he attended counseling sessions in Bangor twice a week. At
this point, the hope was that he’d do better in high school since he’d be a freshman in the fall.
The high school’s principal had already agreed to allow him to enroll in September, but it would
be up to Tyler to prove that he should be allowed to stay. If he was kicked out of the local high
school, I knew Colt would be forced to make a difficult decision regarding private schools out of
the area.
“My boys are getting new hockey skates,” Lacy answered as she dug into her fish tacos. “I
think Tyler would enjoy skating as well. My boys play hockey at the public rink, and I don’t see

any reason why Tyler couldn’t join them. Since these are pickup games, they are open to
everyone, as long as they bring their own skates and a hockey stick.”
“Hockey skates might be a good choice, especially if your boys will be getting them.” I had
to admit that I was somewhat worried about putting a hockey stick in the hands of a boy known
for random attacks of violence, but Tyler did seem to get along with Lacy and Lonnie’s children,
so maybe he’d behave while he was with them.
“How is Colt feeling about the kids leaving for two weeks on Friday?” Lacy asked as I
nibbled on my seafood salad.
“Conflicted,” I answered. “On the one hand, I know Colt wishes it would have worked out
for the family to have Christmas together. This is Tyler and Mackey’s first Christmas living with
him. On the other hand, he’s had such a struggle with Tyler that I think he’s looking forward to a
break from parenting duties, and I know he’s looking forward to a break from his mother. Not
that he doesn’t love his mother, but with his parents living in the house right behind him, I think
he feels like a kid again who needs to check in with them about every little thing.”
“Colt’s mom has been pretty intense since Tyler was kicked out of school,” Lacy agreed. “I
think this break will be good for everyone.”
I, for one, was really looking forward to the fact that with the kids out of town, Colt could
spend a lot more time at the cottage with me. It had been a while since we’d had any quality time
together.
“Check out those kids on roller skates,” Georgia said, changing the subject.
I looked toward the large department store just to the left of the food court and saw twelve
kids who looked to be teenagers or possibly preteens. They were wearing reindeer costumes,
complete with antlers and a tail. They seemed to be having fun as they waved their arms about
while skating up and down the hallways of the moderately crowded mall.
“Do you think they’re entertainment hired by the mall?” I asked.
Georgia shook her head. “I don’t think so. I watched them enter through the side door while
you and Lacy chatted about Tyler and Mackey. They wore the skates but had coats on over their
reindeer costumes. Once inside, they tucked the coats into a couple of backpacks a girl not
wearing a costume took custody of, and then they slipped the antlers on their heads. They were
watching for security the whole time.”
Lacy pointed to two members of mall security as they ran down the main hallway that
connected the two major department stores, anchoring the smaller stores to each other. “It looks
like the kids have taken it upon themselves to provide a unique form of entertainment without
permission from mall management.”
“I wonder why these kids who looked to be high school-aged would even bother to do such a
thing,” I said. “And why on a Wednesday at lunchtime when none of their peers are around?”
Lacy shrugged. “They’re probably just here on a dare.” She glanced at Georgia. “How was
your clam chowder?”
“Not bad. Not as good as mine, but not bad.”

“The fish tacos were okay, but I felt like they needed a spicier sauce,” Lacy said. She glanced
at me. “How was your salad?”
“Boring but nutritional.” I shoved my half-empty plate aside and picked up my wine glass.
“The wine is exceptional, however.”
“It is quite good,” Georgia agreed. “I might even look into buying some for the inn.”
“So, are we going to the baby store next?” Lacy asked.
“That sounds good to me,” I agreed. While lunch was pleasant, and I enjoyed picking out
gifts for the girls, the highlight of the outing for me would be the baby store. I must admit to
having developed a shopping obsession after Hazel was born. I supposed I was compensating for
not having had my own babies to buy clothing and toys for. Lacy had reminded me on more than
one occasion that babies grew fast and that it was likely that some, if not all, of the outfits I’d
purchased would only be worn a time or two before she outgrew them. The reality was, I really
didn’t care. Dressing Hazel was like dressing a doll. Picking out the outfits really was half the
fun.
“This is perfect,” I said as I held up a thick terrycloth onesie designed to look like a fuzzy
reindeer with a thick brown coat. “I can imagine Hazel wearing this while I rock her and give her
the before-bed bottle that has become our custom.”
Georgia reached out a hand and squeezed the fabric. “It’s so soft.”
“It really is,” I said, tossing it into my handbasket with the other outfits I’d already selected
for Hazel and Danny.
Georgia held up a heavy fleece bunting for outdoors. “This would be perfect for a baby’s day
out in the winter.” It was pink with white snowflakes and absolutely perfect for a little girl. “I
think I’m going to get it.”
“Didn’t you already get Hazel an outfit?” I asked.
“Yes, I did, but this one is ‘speaking’ to me.”
I watched as she held it to her face and rubbed the soft fabric against her cheek. She closed
her eyes, and at that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was imagining Hazel wearing the
thick bunting or the child she might have one day.
“Sometimes I miss having a little one to shop for,” Lacy said, holding up a white fleece
bunting that looked like a polar bear. “I know Lonnie and I already have six children, and trust
me, six is enough, but there was this moment when Maddie turned five when I seriously
considered one more.” She hugged the thick bunting to her chest. “I guess I’ll just get this for
Danny. I’m sure Mylie will let me hold him while he wears it.”
“I’m sure she will,” I agreed. “You know you are welcome to come over and hold both
babies whenever you want.”
“I know.” Lacy sighed. “But it isn’t the same.”
I sympathized with Lacy as she dealt with what she likely saw as the end of an era. Maddie
would begin first grade in the fall, marking the official conclusion to the Parker family’s baby
and toddler era. I was sure that raising six children was a challenge all on its own, but given my

maternal pull as of late, I truly understood why Lacy might want to hang onto that for a while
longer.
“We took longer at the baby store than I anticipated we would, so we may need to prioritize a
bit,” I said to the others as we exited the mall. “Georgia and I have a staff meeting at seven, and
we really need to be there on time since Mylie and Jeremy are providing dinner for the staff in
the carriage house.”
“That sounds nice,” Lacy said, “but seven seems late for a staff meeting, even if dinner is
involved.”
“We wanted to get the guests fed and the inn’s kitchen cleaned up before the entire staff
headed to the carriage house,” Georgia informed Lacy. “Jeremy, Haven, and Bailey are taking
care of dinner while Mylie watches both babies and prepares the meal for the staff.”
“Normally, we’d just have a staff meeting in the late morning between breakfast and lunch,
but we have the Christmas in the Country group checking in on Friday, and we wanted to make
sure everyone was up to speed,” I added.
“Christmas in the Country?” Lacy asked.
“It’s an idea Brad Kingman came up with,” Georgia explained. Brad Kingman was a
billionaire who owned the cable television station that produced Cooking with Georgia. Brad’s
goal was to film Georgia’s segments in locations other than the studio, and he frequently used the
inn as a backdrop. When the inn was used to film a special, the guests who gave their consent
were utilized as extras, but instead of random extras, this time, the entire inn had been leased out
from December twentieth through the twenty-sixth, and the “guests” were being provided by the
station.
“So the guests who will be with you over Christmas are actors,” Lacy clarified.
“No,” Georgia countered. “Not actors. I think they are regular people who might have won a
contest or something like that.” She frowned. “Honestly, I’m not sure how the guests were
selected. I was given a list of names, ages, and preferences, but Brad was somewhat vague as to
how the guests were chosen in the first place.”
“So, will the entire film crew be at the inn for Christmas?” Lacy asked.
“No. In fact, the only ‘crew’ who will be filming are Mylie and Jeremy. Brad wants the week
to have a natural feel. He’s looking for a home movie sort of vibe. His idea for the segment is to
tell the story of an inn full of guests who meet for the first time over Christmas and then form a
bond as they share their experiences. I’m to provide meals, and the cooking portion will be
highlighted. Mylie has agreed to provide activities for the group to participate in each day. Mylie
and Jeremy will use small handheld video cameras to film segments of the cooking, meals, and
activities, which the cable television station’s crew will splice into a sixty-minute special to be
aired later.” She frowned. “I get what Brad is going for, but I’m not sure how the amateur hour
video segments will work out in the long run. I asked Brad about it, but he was completely
unconcerned about the quality of the film, so I decided to go along with the plan and leave the
worrying to someone else.”
“That sounds like the best approach,” Lacy said. “It’s Brad’s idea and Brad’s cable television
station, so I guess you should just let him be the one to worry about the finished product.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much what I decided.”
Lacy shifted her bags from one hand to the other. “I guess I get the idea, and it might actually
turn out to provide the quaint feel of an old-fashioned Christmas, which I assume is what Brad is
going for, but I’m surprised the two of you agreed to this since it seems like you haven’t been a
fan of these large groups.”
“I was a bit hesitant about the whole thing at first, but Brad’s paying us twice our normal rate
for the use of the inn over Christmas, and he’s thrown in extremely generous bonuses for every
member of my staff,” I explained. “I was still hesitant since I really hoped to avoid drama at
Christmas, but when I saw how happy the staff was with their giant tips, I decided not to let my
fears about the project get in the way of their happiness.”
“The project does sound interesting, and it is at least possible that everyone will get along. If
not, I guess you can find a way to sequester the guests. I’ll need to stop by and check in on things
once everyone shows up,” Lacy said. “I can’t wait to see who Brad picked for the project. In the
meantime, I suppose we should finish up. The only stop I must make is the sporting goods store,
so let’s go there next.”

Chapter 2

Dinner for the guests was in progress by the time we’d dropped Lacy off at her house, and
Georgia and I made it back to the inn. Georgia wanted to drop off the items she’d bought at her
home before the staff meeting, so I lent her my SUV since I’d picked her up that morning, and
she didn’t have her Jeep with her. She promised to return by seven, and I suggested we meet at
Mylie and Jeremy’s. Bailey was at the inn helping with dinner, and Hazel was with Mylie, who
had planned to keep an eye on both babies until everyone arrived, which meant I’d have a few
minutes free to stash today’s bounty where none of my staff would happen across it.
Bailey had left the Christmas lights on in the cottage when she left, so a festive atmosphere
welcomed me. I greeted my dog, Molly, Georgia’s dog, Ramos, and my cat, Rufus, before
pouring myself half a glass of wine, turning the stereo on, which had already been cued up with
Christmas music, and heading toward my bedroom to stash the gifts in my closet. Once that was
done, I headed toward the bathroom to wash up and change into soft jeans and a faded Christmas
in Maine sweatshirt. The sweatshirt had once been a bright red, but I’d worn it a lot since I’d
bought it six years ago, so the bright red color had faded.
Once I’d washed up, freshened my makeup, and changed my clothing, I headed into the
living room to call Colt. The girls and I had talked about our husbands, or, in my case, my
significant other, throughout the day, and for some reason, I felt the need to check in with him.
Colt had been struggling since Tyler’s departure from school, and I knew he was just a bit
overwhelmed with the new responsibilities in his life.
“Hey. How was your day?” he asked the minute he answered.
“I had a wonderful day. We had a nice visit, and I believe we got all the gifts on our
respective lists. While I still have a few more small things to pick up, I’m mostly finished.”
“And how many outfits did you buy for Hazel?” He chuckled.
“Five. Today,” I qualified since I’d already bought a bunch in town before our trip to
Portland. “But each and every one of them is special. Just wait until you see the reindeer onesie I
got for her. It’s adorable.”

“I’m sure it is.”
“And just so you know, I got hockey skates for Tyler. Lacy was with me, and she helped me
pick them out. I bought Tyler the same skates she selected for her triplets. Lacy’s boys play
pickup hockey games at the public rink, and we thought Tyler might enjoy joining them. I
wanted to mention it so you don’t get him the same thing.”
“I’ve been so busy I haven’t gotten the kids anything yet. My mom offered to add my name
on the items she bought for them, but I want to get them something from just me.”
“I don’t blame you. I can help you if you want to meet in town tomorrow. The kids are
leaving on Friday, so it’s tomorrow or nothing.”
“Actually, I would really appreciate the help. I may call Lacy as well. She always has good
ideas. What did you get for Mackey?”
“An outfit from the teen shop in the mall. It’s very similar to what Lacy got for Mary and
Meghan. I was worried the skirt would be too short, but Lacy seemed to think it was fine.”
“I’m sure it is. Lacy seems to know what is tasteful and what isn’t.”
I glanced at the clock. “I really need to go. We have our staff meeting tonight. How about
you call me in the morning, and we’ll work out the details for shopping and lunch. I’m actually
pretty open.”
“Okay. I’ll most likely call early to ensure we get organized. Probably after I drop Mackey
off at school.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve been missing you.”
He let out a long breath. “And I’ve been missing you as well.”
After disconnecting the call, I took a moment to steady my emotions. Things with Colt used
to be more comfortable, and while I’d expected things would change once Tyler and Mackey
came to live with him full-time, I just hadn’t realized how much they would change. Not that I’d
have it any other way. Not really. Tyler and Mackey were good kids who’d gone through
something unimaginable, and Colt’s being thoroughly committed to being there for them for as
long as they needed him only made me love him even more.
Since I doubted that Bailey would return to the cottage before heading to Mylie and Jeremy’s
after the dinner dishes were done, I turned the stereo and fireplace off. I figured I’d leave the
Christmas lights on so we could enjoy them when we returned to the cottage after the meeting,
but I turned all the overhead lights off and notched down the heater. Once that was done, I
grabbed my jacket and headed out into the cold.
Mylie made a delicious chicken and penne casserole in a creamy white sauce for our staff
dinner. She served it with salad and fresh bread from the bakery heated in the oven. Georgia
seemed to have a lot of things to go over, as evidenced by the long list she held, so she jumped
right in once everyone was served.
“As you already know, Christmas in the Country is the brainchild of my boss at the cable
television station, Brad Kingman.” Georgia paused, took a sip of her wine, and continued. “To be
perfectly honest, I was shocked when he first came to me with the idea this past summer. For one
thing, I was amazed that he was already thinking about Christmas when we were barely into

June, but when I asked him about his idea, he said he knew the inn would be booked up if he
didn’t reserve the space early. We had already received a few inquiries for the dates Brad wanted,
but no deposits had been accepted, so I told him I’d speak to Abby about it. For reasons that I
don’t fully understand, the project is important to Brad, so when I wavered a bit, he agreed to pay
twice the normal rate we would charge for a complete rental of the inn over the holidays, plus, as
you all know, he offered every staff member a generous bonus.”
“And I just want to say that Jeremy and I are thankful for the extra income,” Mylie said. She
looked at me. “Not that we don’t do just fine on our salaries, but the bonus will allow us to
finally pay off the hospital bill for Danny’s delivery and take that family trip to see my relatives
we’ve been talking about.”
“The money is going to be nice,” Haven said. “There are a ton of books I’ve wanted to get
my hands on now that books are back on my radar with school and all.”
I glanced at Bailey. She smiled and responded. “I’m just happy to have money to put aside to
pay for my expenses.”
Danny let out a long baby screech. It appeared that he was happy about the bonus money as
well.
“So what exactly is the deal?” Jeremy asked, bringing the topic of conversation back to the
subject at hand.
Georgia responded. “The deal is that nine adults and six children will check in on Friday. The
guests were chosen by Brad, or maybe by a friend of Brad’s, who is working on this with him.”
Georgia frowned. “I’m really not certain how the guests were chosen since Brad has been tight-
lipped about the whole thing, but he has made comments about a friend of his being involved in
some way. While I don’t have the details, I know the individuals are real people and are not
actors.” She laughed. “Not that actors aren’t people, but you get what I mean.”
We all agreed that we did know what Georgia meant.
She continued. “Also, as you all know, Brad wants this to be real life and down to earth. No
one from the station will be on-site, not even the crew, to handle the cameras and lighting. Brad
wants the feel of a family Christmas, which is to be recorded by Mylie and Jeremy using
handheld video cameras. The cameras are a step up from using a cell phone to record the scenes,
but nowhere near as professional as the cameras we use on the set.” Georgia glanced at Mylie.
“In addition to the meals which will be filmed each day, I understand that Brad wants you and
Jeremy to film the events the inn sponsors each year from Pamela’s list.”
“That’s right,” Mylie answered. “We have a lot of fun events planned, including the sleigh
ride and bonfire, the snowman-building competition, sledding, caroling, wreath-making, cookie
decorating, and a bunch of other things the guests can choose from.”
“That all sounds perfect,” I said to Mylie. I watched as Bailey got up from the table to get
Hazel, who had started to fuss. Given that the kitchen, dining area, and living room shared an
open-concept layout, Bailey remained in the same space, so I asked Georgia to continue.
Once Georgia filled in a few more blanks, Jeremy asked about the guests. I, too, was curious
about the guests, so I asked Georgia to go over each guest and how they might relate to the
others.

Georgia took out the sheet of paper she’d brought. “I will provide a copy for everyone, but
for the moment, please listen as I review the suite assignments. We’ll start at the top and work
down to the bottom.”
Everyone agreed with Georgia’s plan.
She continued. “Suite six will be occupied by a man named Xavier Landerfeld. Mr.
Landerfeld is a retired college professor who spent most of his life in research. Brad seemed
resistant to offering too much personal information on any of the guests, but he said Mr.
Landerfeld invented a piece of medical equipment. Or maybe it was a medical procedure.”
Georgia frowned. “Anyway, the guy invented something that made him famous in his circle.
He’s been written up in journals and everything.”
“Will he be attending alone?” I asked.
Georgia nodded. “With regard to the man’s personal life, Landerfeld remained alone, never
marrying or having children.”
I knew several academics living in Holiday Bay who were now retired but had been married
to their work and had never married nor had children, including two of my good friends, Joel
Stafford and Savannah Garrison. Joel and Savannah seemed to have a lot of friends, and I’m sure
they would say that they had led fulfilling lives, but I often wondered if either of them had ever
regretted the choices they’d made along the way.
Georgia continued. “In suite five, we have the Bloomington family. Harland and Leticia are
dedicated doctors who found time amidst their hectic schedules to marry and have three children.
Baylor is ten, Bennett is seven, and Bryson is four. It will be tight with five people in the suite,
but Brad assured me the family is confident it will work. The younger two will sleep on the pull-
out sofa, and we’re bringing in a rollaway bed for Baylor.”
“I’m happy to hear kids are in the mix,” Mylie said. “The events are always a lot more fun
with kids.”
“The couple in suite four likewise has a child. Dustin and Nancy Bakerfeld have a two-year-
old daughter named Alicia.”
“And suite three?” Mylie asked.
“Bodie Ossington. Bodie is single and a professional snowboarder. I don’t know why he was
included in this group, although his twin sister, Azure, and her family are booked into suite two.”
“Siblings. That might be interesting,” Jeremy said.
It might be at that. I just hoped that Bodie and Azure got along okay.
“You said Azure is here with her family,” Mylie inquired.
Georgia nodded. “Azure is married to a man named Gus Valiance. They have two children.
Eight-year-old twins named Ellington and Conway.”
“And suite one?” I asked. So far, it sounded as if we had an eclectic group, and other than
Bodie and Azure, I didn’t see a connection between anyone. Not that they had to be connected to
have been chosen for the project, but Brad must have had criteria for choosing which individuals
would get the all-expense paid trip.

“In suite one, we have Collette Springfield,” Georgia informed me. “Like Xavier, Collette is
a scientist who works for a major university. She’s an academic married to her work and has
never married or had children.”
Okay, so Xavier and Collette were scientists who lived and worked in an academic situation.
Xavier was retired, and Collette still worked in the field, but I supposed that their occupations
did provide somewhat of a link. Additionally, it appeared that Xavier had invented a medical
procedure or device, which I presumed might have established a link with Harland and Leticia,
given that they were both doctors. I wasn’t sure, however, how the individuals from this group
could be linked to a professional snowboarder named Bodie. Maybe I was trying to find links
amongst the group when none existed.
“Is there anything else we should know about the group?” Mylie asked.
Georgia shrugged. “I honestly know less about this group than most of our guests. When I’m
the one making the reservation, I always ask a lot of questions, which usually nets me a basic
background as well as a few juicy tidbits. When I spoke to Brad, however, all he would or could
tell me was the name, age, marital status, and occupation of each guest. If we want to know
more, I’d say that we’ll need to dig around for it ourselves.”
Experience has taught me that when a group of individuals is sequestered in an intimate
setting, not only do their backgrounds tend to emerge, but their secrets do as well.
“Does anyone have an updated weather forecast?” I asked.
Jeremy answered. “We’re supposed to get up to six inches of snow tomorrow, but after that,
it’s mostly dry until after Christmas. There are a few days where flurries are called for, but that’s
about it.”
“At least there’s already plenty of snow on the ground for the sleigh ride, snowman-building
competition, and other activities requiring snow,” I said.
Jeremy nodded. “We should be fine, especially if we get the six inches predicted for
tomorrow. I drove by the sledding hill today, and it’s been nicely groomed. It sounds like we’ll
have a few guests who may be interested in heading there one afternoon.”
“I’ve scheduled indoor and outdoor activities every day so that our guests will have a
choice,” Mylie said. “If the weather turns, we’ll be covered.”
Mylie got up to clear the table, but I offered to handle the chore. I wanted to ask about the
schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but I figured I could wait until the food from
dinner was put away and the dessert was served. Georgia headed outside to make a phone call,
and Bailey and Mylie headed into bedrooms to change the babies and nurse. Haven offered to
help me load the dishwasher, but Annabelle had something in her bedroom that she wanted to
show her, so I assured her that I had it covered. Jeremy pitched in to put the food away while I
rinsed the dishes and loaded the dishwasher. I think it was nights like these that I cherished the
most. Nights when the entire family shared a simple meal and then worked together to tackle the
chores associated with the meal.
“I noticed that you added lights to the big trees along the drive,” I said to Jeremy.
“I hired a service with a bucket truck to do the lights. We had lights in the small trees along
the drive, so I wasn’t going to bother with the large trees, but Brad wanted lights in the large

trees as well and offered to pay for both the lights and the labor to hang them, so I decided to do
as he asked.” He opened the refrigerator and made room for the leftover casserole. “I have to
admit that the trees do look nice.”
“They really do. And it was nice that Brad paid for them to be decorated, but his attention to
detail on this one has me wondering if there might not be more going on than we’ve been told.”
“Like what?”
I shrugged as I continued to rinse plates. “I’m not sure. At first glance, everything seems
open and honest, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more going on than we’ve been led to
believe.”
“More? Like what?”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure. I can’t put my finger on anything specific. It’s just more of a vibe.”
“I guess I know what you mean. Brad does seem to be overly involved. He’s usually an idea
guy who comes up with the plan and then turns it over to others to bring it into reality. At this
point, I guess all we can do is do our part and let whatever is going to unfold do so.” ...