Free The Blonde Before Christmas: a Barb Jackson Mysteries holiday short story by Anna Snow

he's dead."
    He was going to kill Smith. I couldn't let that happen. I thought of what it was like for me when my family had died. I couldn't let that happen to Smith's kids.
    I didn't even think, just reacted. I summoned my inner JJ Watt and sprang up from the chair, hitting Eric in the stomach with my shoulder like a linebacker on the football field.
    He grunted and stumbled backward. My weight wasn't enough to take him off of his feet. Fortunately, Kelly was anticipating my move. She slammed into my back a second later, and we all three fell to the floor in a tangled mess of limbs.
    The gun flew out of Eric's hands, but I couldn't get to my gun because I was crushed between Kelly's and Eric's bodies.
    Eric wiggled out from under us and scrambled for the gun. Kelly finally rolled off of me and quickly stood. She kicked the gun, it slid across the floor, and it came to rest in the farthest corner of the room.
    Eric stood and threw a hard right hand that connected with Kelly's jaw, dropping her instantly. I struggled to catch my breath and reached behind me to grab my gun, but before I could get a good aim Eric kicked the gun out of my hand and shoved me over onto my back.
    I didn't have time to worry about whether or not Kelly was all right. Eric sat on my chest and wrapped his meaty hands around my throat.
    His fingers dug into my skin. I couldn't breathe, and panic started to set in. I slapped and clawed at his face and hands, but he continued to snarl down at me.
    I felt around beside me for anything to hit him with but came up empty.
    That's when I realized that I really was going to die.
    "Such a shame," Eric growled down at me. "Why couldn't you just mind your own business?"
    I grew light-headed, and my vision started to swim.
    "Where's that boyfriend of yours now?"
    The words had barely left his mouth when I heard what sounded like the door being flung open. A shot rang out.
    Eric's grip loosened, and his expression shifted to one of disbelief as he fell to the side, off of me.
    Smith rushed across the room and scooped me up into his arms.
    "Barb? Open your eyes," he begged as he brushed the hair away from my face.
    My eyelids felt like they weighed about a million pounds each, but I opened them and peered up into Smith's worried face.
    "Thank God you're alive." He pressed my head against his chest.
    "Kelly?" I croaked out.
    "She's alive," Smith said, then smiled down at me. "You're both alive."
    A second later, everything went black.

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    "This turkey's a little dry."
    I cocked a brow in Mona's direction. "Would you rather I have cooked it?"
    "Not only no but heck no." She laughed and shoved a piece of turkey into her mouth. "Delicious," she mumbled around it.
    I looked around my kitchen table at my strange little family and a few new but welcome faces and said another silent thanks for being alive.
    Mandy and Kelly were neck-deep in the cherry pie that Smith's wife had brought, and Smith's teenage son Jonas was sweet-talking Mona over a plate of sweet potatoes.
    Smith was seated to my right, sipping his coffee and watching his wife and I chat.
    After my run-in with Santa-killing Eric the night before I'd spent several long hours at the hospital getting checked out and then at the police station filling out a statement.
    I was running on fumes, and Kelly was sporting a huge black eye, but we were just happy to be alive.
    "I'm just relieved that the two of you are alive," Mona said.
    "That makes two of us," Smith said over the rim of his mug. "I've already told my replacement, Tyler, to watch out for you."
    I pictured his replacement and felt a slight shiver at the memory of his intense green gaze, muscular form, and thick, black hair.
    I glanced at Smith and his wife then smiled. I couldn't help but think that I wanted a love like Smith and his wife's. Throughout the evening they'd shared secret looks and tiny touches. It was obvious how much they loved each other.
    That's what I wanted.
    "We all are,"