She pulled back. ‘And maybe I have special ways to thank you tonight.’
‘Well I look forward to that.’
‘Will you stay?’
‘All night?’ Quinn queried. ‘What about Zara?’
‘We’ll deal with any questions she might have about that tomorrow.’
‘Then yes, of course. But now you’ve figured it out, a deal is a deal. You get one custom bauble of your choice.’
‘Then I’d like one of Jacob, for Immy.’
‘I’ll have it ready for Christmas Eve.’
‘And I meant what I said before,’ Alex added. ‘I’m going to make you a bauble too, something you really want. Just as soon as I figure out what I can make for you.’
‘You don’t need to do that. I didn’t do it for any kind of reward, just to put a smile on people’s faces.’
‘I want to.’
‘OK.’
‘Quinn!’ Zara called from upstairs. ‘I’m ready for my story.’
‘OK! I’m coming.’
He gave Alex a brief kiss and pulled out of her arms.
‘Make it a short story,’ Alex said as he ran out the room.
‘Oh I will.’
CHAPTER 17
Alex was just trying to finish her breakfast when Immy came downstairs still in her pyjamas. She’d finished work for the Christmas holidays now and wouldn’t be going back for a week. Quinn had left early, not to avoid awkward questions with Zara but because he needed to go back home to get changed.
‘Hey,’ Immy said, stretching and yawning sleepily. ‘How did the stakeout go last night?’
‘Well, we saw someone in disguise delivering a bauble. He was wearing one of those inflatable T-rex costumes. The poor guy was staggering and sliding all over the place and then he fell over and Quinn went to help him out.’
That was all truthful but Alex wouldn’t be telling her sister that she’d finally found out it was Quinn all along, not unless Quinn told her she could tell Immy. She’d promised him full anonymity and, while she knew she could trust Immy completely, she didn’t want to go backon her promise. She felt a bit bad about having to lie to Immy and Zara but it was only a little lie or a workaround of the truth.
‘So did you find out who it was?’ Immy asked.
‘No, Quinn didn’t think it was fair.’
‘I can’t believe you saw St Nick last night and you’re still no closer to finding out his identity. You had the perfect chance to unmask him,Scooby-Doostyle, and you didn’t take it.’
‘It didn’t really seem fair, the poor guy had fallen over.’
Immy took a sip of her coffee that Alex had made for her. ‘I think I know who it is.’
‘You do, who?’
‘I think it’s Quinn.’
Alex’s eyes widened in surprise that Immy had figured it out too.
