Visions of Sugar Plums

  Mary Alice opened the box and looked inside. "It's beautiful," she said.

  It was a horse. Carved from curly cherry wood.

  Mary Alice held it in her hand. "It's warm," she said.

  I felt the horse. It was cool to my touch. I raised eyebrows in question to Sandor.

  "A special present for a special person," he said to me.

  "A special person with special abilities?"

  He smiled. "There are signs."

  I smiled back at him.

  "See you in court," he said.

  * * *

  I awoke at dawn and gently slid away from Morelli. I padded through my dark apartment to the kitchen. The mall tree was lit with tiny twinkle lights, and Diesel was leaning against the counter.

  "Is this good-bye?" I asked him.

  "Until next time." He took my hand and kissed my palm. "It was a good Christmas," he said. "See you around, sunshine."

  "See you around," I said, but he was already gone.

  And he was dead-on right, I thought. It was a very good Christmas.

  END OF VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS