Page 39 of Santa Slays

There was a silence, heavy and uneasy, broken only by the sound of Bryant returning, shutting the door with more force than necessary.

He sat next to Grace, close enough their knees touched. “Doors are fine. No signs of forced entry. Frank will do a sweep, but I’m not hopeful.”

Caroline finished her drink and refilled it, which seemed more like a ritual than a need. “Maybe it’s a warning,” she said. “Maybe they just want to scare us.”

Grace shook her head, the coin still swinging. “It’s a promise. The next killing is going to happen on Valentine’s Day.”

Olivia met her gaze, eyes unblinking. “Then we’ll be ready. Won’t we, Bryant?”

He nodded, once. “Yeah. We’ll be ready.”

The rest of the day was quieter, the music softer, the laughter a little more forced. But they stayed, none of them left, not even when the sun set and the sky went purple behind the stained glass. Grace played chess with Bryant on the new set, letting him win two games before she won one. Anna started a puzzle on the coffee table. Caroline mixed more drinks. Olivia watched the fire, silent and sharp.

When everyone finally drifted off, Grace stood at the window, looking out at the snow and the darkness. She wore the green scarf, but her hand kept returning to the necklace in her pocket.

She knew the killer was out there. Maybe close, maybe watching. Already plotting the next move.

But for the first time, she didn’t feel alone. Even when she was.

She turned off the lights, locked the door, and sat by the fire until it burned down to embers. The silence was heavy, but she didn’t flinch.

She’d seen what was coming.

And this time, she was ready to fight back.