Free Mall Santa Murder: A Cozy Christmas Mystery (Gemma Stone Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Willow Monroe Page A

tell. Most of the cameras are trained on the entrances and exits, the bathrooms, places like that.”
    “Did you see Santa stealing?” Gemma wanted to know.
    Ross shook his head. “Saw him entering and leaving GNC a good number of times.”
    Gemma nodded.
    “But he spent just as much time at the lingerie shop, Mona Joys, and Bath and Body Works.”
    “Where the ladies shopped,” Gemma said.
    Ross nodded and then his attention seemed to be drawn to something behind her.
    “Detective.” It was Grady Jackson.
    “Mr. Jackson,” Ross said, standing and extending his hand.
    The two men shook and then Grady said, “I have some information you might be interested in. If you’ll stop by my office later...”
    “Absolutely,” Ross said. He and Gemma watched the head of security walk away.
    “Is he ex-military?” Gemma asked. “He always looks so...so,” she struggled to find the right word, then frowned. “Shiny.”
    Ross laughed. “Yeah he is. He’s tried two or three times to get into the state police academy but can’t pass the entrance exam.”
    Gemma nodded and then out of the corner of her eye she saw Ralph the Elf ordering his lunch at the Mexican restaurant. He nodded at the two of them when he saw them together but moved to a table far away. There he pulled out his cell phone and made several calls while eating.
    “He’s always in costume,” Gemma muttered.
    “Yeah, weird, huh? He said that was one of the reasons he didn’t like Sam. He sometimes didn’t wear his hat. He wasn’t a true Santa.”
    “And he was pretty much always drunk,” Gemma reminded him.
    “Yeah, there’s that.”
    “Which again begs the question, how did he get away with stealing anything?”
    Before Ross could answer Bill Chambers sauntered by their table, looked at the different food choices and seemed to have trouble deciding. He turned toward them at one point, smiled and waved and then continued on out of the food court without buying anything.
    Seeing him reminded Gemma of her conversation with Edna that morning. “I heard something this morning that might be of interest to you,” she said.
    His cell vibrated loudly on the table between them and he gave her an apologetic look when he decided to answer it.
    “Chief,” he whispered to her and then rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir. Yes, sir, I’m on it.”
    “Trouble?” Gemma asked when he ended the call.
    “Yeah, afraid so. I’m gonna have to run,” he said, gathering up their empty paper plates, cups and napkins.
    “Well, thank you for lunch,” Emma said as they walked back to her kiosk.
    “You’re welcome. I was really glad to have you along the other day. It made that interview easier,” he confessed. “And I’d forgotten all about Santa’s ‘plan’. I was glad you brought that up.”
    Gemma smiled. “I want to do something for that family by Christmas. Not toys. God knows they don’t need toys, but something.”
    “I know they’d appreciate it,” he said to her. “And I meant what I said. As soon as all of this is over, I want to take you to someplace nice.”
    “I’d like that,” Gemma said, smiling up at him. “I really would.”
    “Good. Now let me see what Grady Jackson has for me and then I need to get back to detecting,” he said. “Santa isn’t my only case, you know.”
    “Ah, but solving Santa’s murder might be your biggest case ever,” Gemma teased.
    “We’ll see,” he said, and brushed her cheek with his fingertips. The tender gesture surprised her.
    Gemma stood there watching him walk away, thinking that she hadn’t felt this excited by someone of the opposite sex for a long time. Nick was wonderful, sweet and kind but she’d known him all of her life. He was more like a best friend than a boyfriend and would always be a huge part of her life.
    But Ross Ferguson certainly had her attention, she thought, touching her face where his warm fingers had been.

Chapter Ten
    “N ow who’s grinning from ear to ear?” Holly