I held up the envelope with my name and focused on my sister. “Apparently, my husband has died.”
To her credit, Susan didn’t even flinch.
My mother, on the other hand, swooned. She would have fallen out of her chair if Dad hadn’t caught her. She’d definitely earn an Emmy at this year’s awards ceremony for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series.
It took a second—or five—for everyone else to pick their jaws up off the table.
“Husband?” Aunt Zoe repeated. Apparently, she was struggling with that word the same as I had.
“Holy wedlock!” Harvey said through a mouthful of dinner roll.
“When did Mom get married?” Addy asked her brother.
Layne frowned at me. “Was he our real dad?”
“Is this some kind of practical joke?” Natalie looked back and forth between Peabody and me and then toward the front door. “Is Quint hiding in the foyer?”
“It’s no joke,” Mr. Peabody said. “I’ve been trying to get hold of Violet Parker for a couple of weeks, but she wouldn’t return my calls from the number listed or reply to my letters sent to the post office box I’d been given. I figured Christmas Day would be my best chance to catch her in person at her parents’ known address.”
“And he was right.” I shot Cooper a smirk. “Maybe the Deadwood Police Department should hire him to replace your barking partner.”
Reid crossed his arms. “What’s the cause of death?”
Good question. I hadn’t even gotten that far yet what with still trying to digest that I had somehow gotten married.
“I hope you have an alibi for this one, Parker,” Cooper said, aiming a smirk right back at me.
“This can’t be happening,” my mom said, her voice wavering.
“Denial is the first stage of grief,” Cornelius pointed out. “Will somebody pass me the mushroom caps?”
“Oh, hell. Here we go again.” Dad pushed away from the table. “Anyone else need a drink?”
“Violet.” Doc stood and pulled out my chair. “Maybe you should come sit down.”
I shook my head at him. There was no way I could think about eating at the moment with the way my gut was burning. It was all I could do not to open my mouth and blast my sister with a fireball of rage. “If you all would please make our guest feel welcome, I’d appreciate it. You know, ‘tis the season and all that Christmas spirit shit.”
Before I said something I’d regret later, I left the room and made a beeline for the front door, grabbing my snow boots on the way. I didn’t even bother with a coat. I was so hot under the collar that I’d probably melt all of the snow in a one-block radius.
Once outside, I tore open the envelope and scanned the contents. My hands trembled as I read, and then my vision turned red. Huffing like I was heading into labor, I looked up and saw the snowwoman Addy had made decorated with Susan’s scarf and hat.
“Perfect!”
After yanking on my boots, I grabbed the snow shovel from where it leaned against the porch railing and tromped across the yard.
How could she? Married in my name, hiding behind my fucking Social Security number.
I wanted to kill her.
No, wait. Death would be too quick. Maiming would be better after several rounds of torture first.
With a growl at the sky, I raised the snow shovel and swung, knocking the snowman’s head clear off in one blow. Susan’s hat went with it. The second blow took a big chunk out of the chest cavity. The third finished the job on the middle.
When I raised the shovel for a fourth whack at it, someone grabbed the handle.
“Violet!” Doc’s voice cut through my raging torrent of cursing. “Stop!”
I turned, my breath coming hard and fast. “She …” I swallowed a blazing ball of fury. “She stole my identity and married some guy.” I let him take the shovel from me. “Married, Doc. What kind of twisted, mentally fucked-up person does that to her own flesh and blood?”
He buried the shovelhead in the snow.
I covered my face with my cold palms, dragging my fingers down my cheeks. “I feel so … so … so violated.”
Without saying a word, Doc wrapped his coat around my shoulders and pulled me into his arms.
I bounced my forehead against his sternum, wishing I could snap my fingers and make this mess go away. “I knew she was up to something. Mom said I was just being a pessimist again and looking for problems where none existed, but I knew deep in my gut.”
“Susan came clean to your parents after you left,” he said, stroking my hair. “Your mom left the table in tears. Your dad is consoling her in their room.”
Turning my head, I rested my cheek against his warm chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. “Are the kids okay?”
“They’re confused, but Natalie is helping them understand the situation.”
“What about everyone else?”
“Harvey told them to eat while the food was hot, so they are, including Mr. Peabody.”
“Good. I didn’t want to ruin Christmas.”
His chest vibrated. “I think your sister took the top prize for that today, sweetheart. But your daughter might be a bit hurt about the damage you inflicted on her poor snowman.”
I leaned back and looked at the aftermath of my storm of rage. All that was left was the bottom ball. Susan’s scarf was half-buried under the snow. I grimaced. “Good thing snowmen don’t bleed.”
“Remind me never to piss you off when there’s a shovel within reach.”
I turned back to him. “What am I going to do, Doc?”
He blew out a breath. “One way or another, we’re going to figure out how to unravel you from this spider web.”
“I could go to the police and claim identity fraud, but that hurts my parents more than Susan.” I didn’t even want to think about how much of a mess this would be with the IRS.
“Lucky for
