“Terry also said that Simon’s been tasked with finding out who it is,” Gabe continued. “Victor is furious that someone’s interfering with his plans. He’s threatened that if Simon and Terry don’t identify the benefactor and stop the payments, they’ll both lose their jobs.”
Charlie tapped her pen against her notepad, thinking. This was valuable information. It confirmed what Holly had told her earlier as they drove back from the meeting with Simon. Someone was anonymously helping the Christmas family. But it also revealed that Victor was actively seeking the benefactor and saw this person as a genuine threat to his plans.
“Did Terry give any indication of how close they are to finding out who it is?” Charlie asked.
“No,” Gabe said. “But she warned us that Victor is ruthless. That he always gets what he wants, and if the Christmas family keeps fighting, they’ll end up with nothing.”
“She suggested we convince my dad to take the offer that’s coming,” Jane added, her voice tight with anger. “As if we’d just give up our family’s legacy.”
“Not a chance,” Charlie said firmly. “We’re not giving up the inn without a fight.”
After Gabe and Jane left, promising to let Holly know about their unauthorized meeting with Terry and give her phone back, Charlie sat at her desk, her mind working through the implications of what they’d told her.
Someone with significant financial resources was quietly paying off the inn’s debt. Someone who wanted to remain anonymous. Someone who cared enough about the Christmas family to help them but didn’t want recognition for it.
Her mind immediately went to William.
William Moore owned Moore’s Treasures and Treats, the beloved downtown St. Augustine shop locals called The Magic Candy Shop. But more than that, William came from old St. Augustine money. His mother’s family had founded the shop generations ago, but his father’s side had been involved in shipping. In a very lucrative shipping business that had made the Moore family quite wealthy.
And William was clearly in love with Julie Christmas. If anyone had both the means and the motivation to save the inn, it was William Moore.
Charlie made a decision. She would go to theshop and talk to William directly. Or if William wasn’t there, perhaps she could learn something from the store’s staff.
She grabbed her coat and purse, locked the library behind her, and headed out to her rental car.
The drive into downtown St. Augustine took about twenty minutes. Charlie found parking near the historic district and walked the few blocks to Moore’s Treasures and Treats.
The shop was exactly as she remembered from her brief visit with Logan a few days ago. Charming, eclectic, and absolutely magical. The large windows were decorated with twinkling lights and vintage Christmas ornaments. Inside, she could see shelves packed with treasures from around the world, jars of colorful candy, and a towering Christmas tree covered in wish cards.
A bell chimed softly as Charlie pushed open the door. The shop smelled of peppermint and cinnamon, with underlying notes of chocolate and an indefinable sweetness. Christmas music played softly in the background, and every available surface was covered with toys, trinkets, and treasures.
An older woman stood behind the counter, wrapping a purchase for a customer. She was perhaps in her seventies, with silver hair pulled back in an elegant bun and kind eyes that crinkled when she smiled.
Charlie waited until the customer left before approaching the counter.
“Hello,” the woman said warmly. “Welcome to Moore’s Treasures and Treats. I’m Gloria Bright. How can I help you today?”
“Hi, Gloria. I’m Charlotte Burke. Most people call me Charlie,” Charlie said, extending her hand. “I’m a friend of the Christmas family. I was actually hoping to speak with William Moore if he’s available?”
“Oh, I’m afraid William’s out at the moment,” Gloria said. “Can I get him to contact you when he’s available?”
Charlie glanced around the shop, noting the wishing tree and the fascinating array of items on display. “Actually, I wonder if I could ask you a few questions? About William and the Christmas family?”
Gloria’s expression grew curious but not suspicious. “I suppose that depends on the questions. But I’ve known William his whole life, and I’ve known the Christmas family just as long. What would you like to know?”
“How long has William been friends with the Christmas family?” Charlie asked. “I know he and Julie are close, but I’m curious about the history there.”
Gloria smiled, settling herself more comfortably behind the counter as if preparing for a story. “Well, the Moore family and the Christmas family go way back. Both families were born and raised here in St. Augustine. Their roots run deep in this town and Anastasia Island.”
“So William and Jack’s father were friends?” Charlieprompted.
“Actually, no,” Gloria said. “It wasn’t William who was James Christmas’s best friend. That was William’s twin brother, Harrold. Harrold Moore and James Christmas were inseparable from the time they were boys. Best friends all through school and into adulthood.”
Charlie’s pen stilled on her notepad. “William has a twin brother?”
“Had,” Gloria corrected gently. “Harrold died about fifteen years ago in a plane crash. It was a terrible tragedy.”
“I’m so sorry,” Charlie said sincerely. “That must have been devastating for the family.”
