A Christmas to Dismember

head. “I’m not going with diamonds.”
Fish mewls, Figures. Mackenzie requires a stone made of blood.
Leo tips his head. “Should I ditch diamonds?”
“You’re going with diamonds, for sure,” I tell him before reverting to my brother. “And for you, how about one of those twist tie wires you find on bread packages? I think it’s terribly romantic.”
Hux frowns my way. “And I think you’re a terrible liar. You’re making me think I recruited the wrong sister.”
I flick my wrist at him. “You got the right sister. If Macy were here, she’d be fighting Georgie to date the security guard. What are you thinking for Mack?” I refrain from suggesting fool’s gold.
“White sapphire,” he says, nodding at a row of stunning rings set out on the counter.
Jasper dots a finger to one of them. “And they only run a couple hundred bucks.”
“Really?” I muse to my brother. “With the way you’re snapping up future ex-wives, I think it’s the only economical choice. I like this one.” I pick up a square cut stone with a halo of mini white sapphires all around it.
Jasper shoots me a look. “You sure? That looks an awful lot like your ring.”
I gasp as I look down at my bejeweled hand.
Fish chortles. Oh goody. You and Mackenzie can be twinsies. I’d be careful not to touch rings, or the two of you are liable to open the portal to the underworld.
Leo bucks with a laugh. “Fish, you are one smart cat.”
I twitch my lips. “On second thought,” I say, picking up a silver ring with a teardrop shaped stone. “This is exactly what you should give Mackenzie.”
Good thinking. Fish sniffs in the direction of the dainty ring. There will be tears involved. Let the ring serve as a harbinger.
I nod. Only too bad my brother won’t heed to its warning.
“Great.” Hux snaps it up and holds it out to a blonde woman standing behind the counter. “I need this in a size seven. I’ll swing by in a week to pick it up.”
“That’s it?” I balk. “No agonizing, no hemming and hawing? No vacillating and having nightmares over mortgaging your soul in an effort to afford it?”
Hux shoots Leo with his finger. “That would be Granger’s job. I’m old hat at this. Besides, who are we kidding? The real prize Mack is getting in this marriage is me.” He flashes a cheesy smile. “Gotta run.” He pulls me in for another quick hug. “I’m meeting Mack for lunch.” In a hotel room with a bag of burgers. The burgers will be for dessert. Right about now, Mack’s my favorite meal.
“Please get going,” I say, giving him a shove as he jets out the door. At least this way I won’t have to hear any more about his ravenous appetite.
Leo groans. “TMI. And might I recommend telling your brother about your little talent? He’s got a one-track mind.”
Jasper inches back as he looks at me. “I thought you said you hear white noise when things get freaky.”
“I do,” I tell him. “But Hux was walking a fine freaky line.”
Leo leans in and studies a couple dozen rings the blonde jeweler has set out on the counter. “I think Hux is right. I’m going to have to mortgage my soul.”
“I said that,” I correct him as we peruse the glitzy selections. “Don’t think about the price. Think about how lovely these will look on Emmie’s finger—for the next fifty or seventy years. I know Emmie. She’s practical. She’ll want to wear it as a wedding ring, too.”
Jasper picks up a rectangular emerald cut diamond that makes me drool on sight.
“That would pair nicely with the ring I have now.” I hold my hand out flirtatiously. “You’re not a secret millionaire, are you?”
Fish brays out an unmistakable laugh. The man wanted to cut out my Fancy Beast cat food, Bizzy. A millionaire? I think not.
Jasper winces. “She’s still upset about the cat food, isn’t she?”
Leo ticks his head to the side. “You don’t come between a girl and her favorite meal.”
Fish mewls at Leo, I knew I liked you.
Jasper picks up another ring. “Well, I’m not a millionaire. In fact, I’d better get back to work before they stop signing my paychecks. I think I’ll stop by forensics and see how it’s going. They’re searching the body for foreign material and DNA.”
“Sounds exciting,” I say with a wry smile. “I can’t believe someone had the nerve to kill Quinn at his own event, at his own inn. Speaking of the case, I was thinking about it this morning and I couldn’t help but note that Arthur was missing last night after the room was cordoned off.”
Leo glances to Jasper. “She’s right. I didn’t see him either.”
Jasper’s cheek hikes a notch. “That was the guy Quinn introduced as his accounts manager?”
I give a single nod. “I think we should start there first. I bet he had to leave early to dispose of his clothes after he splattered Quinn’s blood all over them.”
“Then that’s where I’ll start.” Jasper slides the ring back to the counter. “Bizzy, the holidays are here. The inn is bursting at the seams, and more than anything, I want you to be safe. How about as an early Christmas gift, you let me have at this case all by my lonesome?”
“I’ll help,” Leo is quick to volunteer before he looks at me. “And that will free up more of your time to figure out when and where I should get down on bended knee.”
“The when will be Christmas Eve; the where will be a little trickier to figure out. Hux wants my input, too, but I can assure you Emmie’s proposal will be spectacular.” I bite down on my lip as I look to Jasper. “How about this, once you track down Arthur to have a word with him, you bring me along? I can read his mind. I’m an invaluable part of your team.”
“I can read minds,” Leo says, holding up a tiny diamond and I shake