Santa's Posse Read online

  Santa’s Posse

  By

  Rosemarie Naramore

  All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  SANTA’S POSSE

  © Copyright 2012 by Rosemarie Naramore

  All rights reserved.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter One

  Kellie Sanders walked along the upper tier of the mall. Like a queen surveying her kingdom, and pleased by what she saw, she broke into a wide smile. It was hers. All hers. As one of the youngest mall managers on the West Coast, she’d finally arrived. Technically, she’d arrived two days before.

  She shot a glance at her watch. It was a few minutes after noon and she was headed to the upstairs food court to grab a quick lunch. The mall’s large food court with its diverse offerings of fare made grabbing lunch so convenient. She knew she could try a different meal every day for several weeks before she would ever have to duplicate a meal. She would never need to drive off site for lunch again.

  It was what she liked about the mall—the convenience, as well as the hustle and bustle of activity, the diversity of shops—everything from small boutiques to national chains—and all offering everything a shopper could ever want. In a short span of time, she could pick up a pair of boots, a new outfit, and a big screen TV. She could even indulge in a plate-sized, frosted cinnamon roll, an oatmeal cookie, or a box of hand-selected chocolates—without leaving her workplace. Did it get any better than that? she wondered.

  As she strode along, taking in the sights and sounds around her, Kellie’s eyes lit on an empty retail space. When she spied a second, and then a third, the smile on her face vanished. She knew she would have to get busy and assure those storefronts boasted occupants sooner than later. In the current economy, that might be easier said than done.

  Preoccupied by her plans to lease the spaces, she was suddenly pulled from her thoughts. She saw a young teen, perhaps fourteen years old, walking along the mall corridor. Suddenly, a group of boys charged up behind him. To her horror, the gang of boys circled him. Before she or the boy could register what was happening, the tallest of the group snaked out an arm and hit him hard in the face. Kellie gasped in horror as he clutched his jaw and braced for another punch.

  “Not in my mall,” she muttered, and then strode angrily toward them. She reached them just as the teenager was about to hit the lone boy again.

  “Don’t even think about it!” she shouted, pushing her way through the kids and planting herself firmly in front of the injured child. She blocked him, her arms splayed out protectively.

  “Hey, lady,” one of the boys said, “this ain’t any of your business.”

  “It just so happens it is,” she said firmly. “If any of you even think about harming this boy again, I’ll see to it you’re never allowed inside this mall again. In fact,” she declared, glancing around her to imprint their faces in her memory, “none of you are allowed inside this mall again—ever.”

  The tallest—clearly the leader of the pack—laughed menacingly. “Oh, yeah, you think you can keep us out?” He puffed out his muscular chest and his cohorts laughed. One sauntered close to him and gave him a high five, while another let out a low, approving whistle.

  “Oh, I can stop you all right,” she said, standing to her full five-foot-two-inch height—plus two inches courtesy of her pumps. “I can definitely stop you.”

  He only laughed derisively and swiped at the long bangs that hung in his eyes. Kellie wondered how he managed to see with all that hair in his face. Suddenly, he tugged a cap from his jacket pocket and settled it on his head. He followed by adjusting his bangs so they still hung in his eyes, and then took a step toward her, glaring at her from behind his hair.

  She refused to be intimated by him. She held her ground, still maintaining a protective stance in front of the injured boy.

  When the teens began to hoot with laughter, she glanced around furtively. Maybe this hadn’t been her smartest move. She knew what could happen courtesy of a mob-mentality. She should have called mall security, or the police, before she put herself squarely into a dangerous situation.

  She cleared her throat, attempting to sound calm and authoritative when she spoke. “We’re leaving…” She reached behind her and gently took the boy’s arm, simultaneously meeting the gaze of the biggest kid. “And … you’re leaving,” she said in measured tones.

  She intended to lead the injured boy to safety, but he didn’t budge. She turned and caught his eye, and realized with a jolt of surprise that he watched her hostilely. She didn’t have time to contemplate why, since he yanked his arm away from her and shoved his way out of the circle. She watched after him, stunned, but was more surprised that the others allowed him to leave.

  With as much courage as she could muster, she turned her attention back to the others. “I’ll tell you one more time, it’s time for you to leave this mall.”

  “Oh, yeah?” The biggest kid took a step closer to her, his voice low and threatening when he spoke. “And what are you gonna do about it if we don’t…?”

  She gulped. This kid was older than the others, probably seventeen. With his cohorts nearby him, what did she think she was going to do?

  He gave a sinister chuckle. “Well, lady, what are you gonna…?”

  Suddenly, his words trailed off as a large form penetrated the circle. Kellie barely had time to register what was happening as a man grabbed hold of him and hauled him away from her. She watched as the man—a cop, she realized from his brown uniform—not-too-gently shoved the teen toward a waiting sheriff’s deputy.

  “Tag!” the waiting cop said in a saccharin tone, “up to your old tricks, I see.”

  She watched as he was cuffed and escorted away. A third deputy stared down the long mall corridor, spotted the injured boy, and took off in a jog to retrieve him. When the same man walked past her a moment or so later with a hand on his arm, the boy shot her an angry look. Why was he angry at her? Numbly, she turned back to the first cop, and watched him turn slowly within the circle of boys.

  “Anybody want to follow Tag to the precinct?” he asked, his mouth set in a grim line. When none of them spoke up, he continued, “What is this? Eight against one.” He caught Kellie’s eye. “Make that eight against one kid and one very brave young woman.” He severed eye contact with her and scoffed loudly in the direction of the kids, who now stood huddled together. “You think that’s fair?”

  They remained silent, most now studiously staring at the floor.

  The cop raked a hand through his sandy blond hair. “You think Tag’s your friend? Hang with him and kiss your futures goodbye,” he declared with an angry shake of his head.

  Suddenly, his eyes lit on one of the boys—the smallest of the group. Kellie saw his blue eyes narrow in recognition. The deputy shook his head in obvious frustration. “Daniel!” he said in a stunned tone. “Why aren’t you in school? And what the heck are you doing hanging out with these guys? You think your dad would approve?”

  She eyed the little boy curiously. She hadn’t notic
ed him before. He was shorter than the others by several inches, and with his shock of red hair and freckles, he seemed sorely out of place among the group of older teens. She didn’t miss the visible wince that marred the little boy’s face. The guilty expression was short-lived, however, and was soon replaced by an unaffected scowl. His hazel eyes narrowed and he glowered at the deputy, who barely bit back a smirk.

  “Oh, you’re a real tough guy, aren’t you, Daniel?” He aimed an angry finger at the boy. “Don’t move!”

  When he turned to Kellie with the same command, briefly laying a warm hand on her arm, she was so startled, she didn’t move, nor did she speak. She realized he probably needed her to stick around to give a statement, but he could have asked her more politely.

  She stood back as he began talking to the kids again, warning them about the repercussions of a future encounter. “I don’t want to see you back in this mall for a month,” he said. “Do you understand me? All of you?”

  She almost spoke up then. A month! They were juvenile delinquents! They didn’t belong in her mall—ever.

  One by one, each boy skulked off toward a mall exit. When the smallest started off, the cop’s deep voice boomed, “Not you, Daniel!” The little guy met his angry eyes, albeit briefly, and then dropped his gaze to his feet. “Wait for me at the precinct. You and I need to talk.” The boy nodded almost imperceptibly and slowly walked away.

  Kellie glanced at her watch, and then up in time to meet the deputy’s gaze. Before her green eyes, his angry blue eyes appeared to morph from a piercing ice blue to a kinder, gentler sea blue. He smiled winningly. “And now it’s time for me to have a chat with our Good Samaritan here.”

  Was he being sarcastic? she wondered. She couldn’t tell by his tone. Surely he wasn’t being sarcastic. Was he?

  He took a hold of her arm and began leading her through the mall. Where was he taking her? she wondered. She really didn’t have a lot of time right now, and came to a stop to tell him so. She realized she should have spoken up before coming to an abrupt halt, since her quick stop nearly resulted in her taking an undignified face plant. Fortunately, he kept her upright by tightening his grip on her arm. He paused to steady her, and then gave a questioning glance, which she returned equally questioningly. “Was there something you needed?” he asked.

  “Well, yes. I have to get back to work soon. Not to mention, I’m missing my lunch hour. I’ll be … happy to write up a statement and drop it by…” She shook her head. “Wherever … you want me to.”

  He smiled. “We can talk in the food court. Didn’t you say you’re hungry?”

  She frowned. She didn’t say she was hungry, did she? No. She’d mentioned missing her lunch hour but…

  He began leading her along the crowded mall corridor again. She practically had to run to keep up with him, which wasn’t easy in her pumps. When they reached the busy food court, he paused. “What sounds good to you?”

  She shot him another questioning glance.

  “I need to take your statement, but I’d hate for you to miss lunch.”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh,” he said with a grin. “What looks good to you?”

  She glanced around the assorted restaurants, deciding a turkey sandwich sounded appetizing. She nodded toward a nearby deli and moved to place an order. Once done, she reached for her purse.

  “I’ll have the same,” the deputy told the cashier. “I’ll get hers.”

  She eyed him curiously then, wondering why he was buying her lunch. “No, that’s all right,” she told him. “I’ve got it.”

  The cashier glanced past her and to him, ignoring the bill in her outstretched hand. She took a twenty from him instead, prompting Kellie to give him a quizzical glance. He only arched his brows, confusing her further.

  Her eyes lit on his face then. It was a handsome face—chiseled, rugged, but it was his eyes that gave her pause. She saw a sparkle of humor in them, but there was something deeper there—something she couldn’t readily identify. As compelling as those eyes were, she realized she couldn’t stare at him any longer without being too conspicuous. She turned away. The last thing she wanted was to appear flirtatious. She was a professional, also in a position of authority, and she didn’t want to give him the wrong idea.

  After the cashier rang up the order, the couple stood back to wait for their sandwiches. Kellie glanced around uncertainly, still wondering why he had sprung for lunch. She turned toward him when he cleared his throat. He smiled broadly, his right hand extended to her. “I’m Miles Blake. I work out of the precinct at the east end of the mall.”

  She suddenly remembered that the sheriff’s office retained a precinct on-site, from which deputies were dispatched to calls both at the mall and at other East County locations. Her predecessor had explained that the arrangement for law enforcement to work from a mall had begun six months before, and that it was working out well. She had to concede that having them here had proven beneficial to her well-being today.

  When she didn’t introduce herself, he prompted, “And you are?”

  “Oh, sorry,” she murmured, taking his hand. “I’m Kellie Sanders.”

  “Good to meet you,” he said, but glanced away when their order number was called out. He released her hand and retrieved the tray of food. She followed him to a table near a window overlooking the mall’s southern parking lot. He deposited the tray on the tabletop and held out a chair for her. She sat down and still eyed him quizzically.

  He smiled. “You look … perplexed.”

  “I am. Why … did you pay for my lunch?”

  “It’s not every day I encounter a real life hero,” he said matter-of-factly. He sat down and took a bite of his sandwich.

  Was he teasing her? she wondered—perhaps being sarcastic again. She eyed him skeptically, and he chuckled.

  “Really, I’m being serious. I saw you stand up to those boys…”

  “You did? How?”

  “Cameras,” he said succinctly.

  She nodded and then a light bulb went on in her head. She remembered her predecessor mentioning that cameras had been installed at various positions along the mall corridor, to assure that both mall security and the local deputies could keep an eye on the goings-on there. The security system was called Mall Watch, and allowed law enforcement to watch both the inside and outside of the mall via a series of monitors within the precinct. Lucky for her.

  “Accosting them like that probably wasn’t the best idea,” he observed, interrupting her thoughts.

  Accosting them?

  “Wait a minute,” she said crisply. “I wasn’t … accosting anyone. I was merely attempting to stop those boys from assaulting that other boy again.”

  He nodded. “Which is why we were on our way, and lucky for you, too, since there’s no telling what those kids might have done to you. They’re wannabe gang- bangers.”

  She swallowed hard. “I was doing fine,” she said in her own defense, watching him through narrowed eyes.

  He dropped his sandwich onto the plate and leaned toward her, his muscular arms bracing his broad, upper torso on the tabletop. “The tall kid, Tag, he’s a mean one. He has a rap sheet a half-mile long. The last time we picked him up, he had a knife along with the bad attitude.”

  She considered his words, her brows furrowed as she met his eyes. “I couldn’t very well let those boys hit that kid again. He was just walking along, minding his own business. I … had to do something. They were going to hit him again,” she murmured.

  “You’re very fortunate they didn’t hit you.”

  She glanced out the window. What did he want her to say? That she regretted helping the boy. She didn’t regret helping him. If more people got involved when others were in need, the world would be a better place.

  “I couldn’t just stand by and watch them hurt him again,” she repeated, as much for herself as him. “Would you expect me to look the other way?”

  “Most people would have,” he interru
pted. “In the future, call us, or mall security.”

  “Okay, yes,” she admitted, “I probably should have called for help before I rushed in. To be honest, I forgot how close you are. But, I couldn’t let them hit him again. He wasn’t big enough to stand up to so many.”

  “You’re not so big yourself,” he said with a smile. “What are you, maybe five foot tall?”

  “I’m five two!” she said, and then regretted answering his question. She just couldn’t decipher whether he was being condescending or not. Usually, she could read people, which had been a beneficial trait in securing her current position. She checked her watch and rose from her chair. “I really have to go.”

  “You haven’t finished your lunch. Heck, you haven’t started your lunch.”

  “Duty calls,” she said.

  “Look, I do need to take your statement, and I’d be glad to call your employer to explain why you’re late getting back to work.”

  She sat back down with a sigh and waved off the offer. “Let’s get the statement done,” she said tiredly.

  “Let’s eat first,” he suggested with a wide grin, and once again, she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

  She ate quietly for a moment. She just couldn’t read this guy.

  “What do you do for a living?” he asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

  She met his curious gaze. “I’m the new director of mall security.” She felt a pique of remorse for misleading to him, but she wanted to make a point. Besides, she was the boss of the director of mall security, so her assertion wasn’t entirely untrue.

  He appeared taken aback. “I thought Doug Dell was…” He shook his head. “Are you really?”

  “No, but I could be,” she told him, folding her arms and leaning back in the chair to watch him with a challenging gleam in her eye.

  He laughed and raised a hand in a conciliatory gesture. “Hey, I’m not trying to suggest you’re not capable and that you couldn’t do the job, but… Come on. You have to admit it wasn’t the best idea to approach those kids without at least alerting authorities first. There were eights kids back there, and a few weren’t so little. A couple of them were nearly as tall as me. Those were lousy odds for anyone, even a director of mall security if she happens to be all alone trying to handle several volatile individuals without backup.”