Chapter 4
Brad accepted the hot cup of coffee. It felt strange standing inside of what appeared to be a castle. Brad had never been to the island Candy was determined to transform into a Christmas wonderland. The island had been private and off-limits. “I feel like I've stepped into a completely new world.”
“We still have a lot of work to do. When the snow leaves us in the spring, we'll begin work on the outside buildings.” Candy sat across from Brad. Chris and Peppermint were also sitting at the table. Betty had taken Sandy, Ralphie, and Marty to the library. “We have a great deal of work ahead of us.”
Brad studied Candy's sweet face. Candy, in his eyes, made him think of Mrs. Claus. And Chris, a man he had never met, made Brad think of...well, Santa Claus. Chris' eyes glowed with a warmth that Brad had never seen before. Peppermint...well, Peppermint looked like the type of man who could work as a lumberjack one minute and then cart laughing kids around on his back the next. He was not only a rough-looking man but also a very kind-looking man. “You're probably wondering why I drove all this way in the snow.”
“Haley?” Candy dared to ask.
“Before you answer,” Peppermint spoke up, “I need to tell you, Chief, that you're not likely to get back to Pine Snow. I managed to clear the island road for you, but the snow is coming down like nothing I've ever seen. The main road will be snowed under.”
“I feared that as I was driving out here,” Brad told Peppermint. “Pine Snow will be okay until I get back. We don't get much crime...well, until recently. I was surprised when I had to arrest Gary Fields for helping a criminal. Gary is...was...a family man.”
“And now you're wondering if I'm a criminal?” Candy asked.
Chris folded his arms over his sweater. He studied Brad's eyes with careful attention. “No, I don't believe that's what he's wondering, Candy.”
“Me neither,” Peppermint agreed. He sat back, folded his arms over his red and black lumberjack- style shirt, and nodded. “I think the Chief is here because he's on our side. Right, Chief?”
“That's right.” Brad took a sip of his coffee and then put the cup down. “Candy, I'm two years older than you. I was a junior when you started high school. I saw you around for two years before I graduated, and I saw you around town. We never talked much...just a casual hello here and there. I had my life and you had yours. But I was always the observant type. I knew you were a decent girl, and you grew into a decent woman.”
“Thank you, Brad.”
“No thanks needed,” Brad assured Candy. “My wife works at the toy factory. You saved her job. I don't make much wearing a badge, at least not in this town. My wife and I depend on the extra income she makes at the toy factory.”
“Lots of people do,” Candy informed Brad. He agreed. “I intend to build a toy factory right here on this island, too. I want to build aChristmas Toy Islandthat will bring joy to the hearts of countless children.”
“I believe you will, but Candy, before you break ground, I need you to listen to me very, very carefully.” Brad drew in a deep breath, asked everyone to listen as closely and carefully as possible, and then began explaining about the phone call between Haley and Rita. Brad spoke in a slow, methodical voice that didn't leave out a single detail. “And that's why I'm here,” he finished.
Silence dropped. Candy, Chris, and Peppermint all glanced at each other with uneasy eyes. “If I was a betting man, which I ain't, I'd say criminal activity was happening on this island, too, after what you just told us,” Peppermint finally told Brad.
Chris slowly unfolded his arms. He rubbed the back of his neck and then stood up. “My ex-wife...her father...I always knew that man was...a false scale. I just never realized just how false.” Chris spoke in a deeply troubled voice. “And for Sandy and Ralphie to be connected the way they are, there must be a reason for all of this.”
“I sure don't know what.” Peppermint shook his head. “You and Candy both know Sandy and Ralphie are as harmless as doves−goofy as anything I've ever seen−but harmless as doves. And Marty...Marty wouldn't hurt a fly. He was married to an angel.”
“But yet, everyone is connected...well, almost everyone,” Candy pointed out. Before she could finish, a large white wolf walked into the kitchen with a little dog trailing behind him. “Blizzard...Snowball, now isn't the time.”
Blizzard sat at Peppermint's right leg and let out a little whine. “He's hungry,” Peppermint told Candy. “It's past his feeding time.”
“Is it?” Candy checked the time. “It is...oh, Blizzard, I'm sorry.” Candy stood up. “I'll feed him.”
“His steaks are in the fridge,” Peppermint told her.
Brad watched with curious eyes as Candy retrieved five cooked steaks. She put the steaks down onto a plate sitting on the floor. To Brad's amazement, the wolf ripped off a bite of the steak and dropped the bite of steak at the feet of the little dog. The little dog licked the wolf on the face and then went to eating.When the little dog finished eating, the wolf would give him more steak. All in all, the little dog consumed an entire steak by himself, while the wolf consumed four steaks. “Amazing.” Brad smiled.
“Yeah, Blizzard feeds Snowball. Those two are a pair,” Peppermint told Brad.
“I'll get the ice cream.” Chris retrieved a large bowl of vanilla ice cream—a very large bowl. He put the large bowl down onto the floor. Blizzard and Snowball both wagged their tails and went to have dessert. “Blizzard treats Snowball with a tenderness that humans lack.”
“That wolf would die for that little critter,” Peppermint agreed.
Blizzard and Snowball ate their dessert. Once finished, Snowball licked Blizzard's face clean. Blizzard then lowered himself down onto the floor. To Brad's shock the wolf used his right paw to pull Snowball close to him. The little dog cuddled up to the wolf as tight as possible and settled down for a nap. “Yes, most humans lack such love.” He sighed.
Candy took her seat at the kitchen table. “Brad, what are your plans?” she asked.
Brad waited until Blizzard closed his eyes and went to sleep before speaking. “I warned Haley to steer clear of you, but she vowed to fight me. My sister is determined to ruin you, Candy. She has a vendetta against you for some reason.”
“What do you think Haley will do?” Candy dared to ask.
