Read In The Bleak Midwinter: A Special Agent Constance Mandalay Novel for Free Online Page A

“Oh…
You mean this?”
    “Clovis…”
    She cleared her throat then let out a
dramatic sigh and said, “Well, Skip, I’m not quite sure what to
say… I’m flattered and all, but you know darn well I’m already
married.”
    “Real funny,” Carmichael grunted, a slight
chuckle now replacing the impatience in his voice. “You’re a
regular comedian today.”
    Now that she had toyed with him for a bit and
delivered the expected sarcasm, she could safely embrace the
girlish excitement that was bubbling inside her.
    “So, should I assume this means…” she asked,
leaving the crux of the question hanging in the air with an
intentional pregnant pause to keep it company.
    “Yeah,” he replied with a nod. “That’s what
it means.”
    She grinned then scooped up the small box and
cradled it in her fingers as she carefully levered the clamshell
open with her free hand. At almost the very instant her eyes fell
on the intricate gold band adorned with a sharply faceted diamond,
she breathed, “Oh Skip, it’s absolutely gorgeous…”
    “You know the kind of stuff Kathy likes,
Clovis. Do you think it’s the right style? Is the rock big enough?
Old Man Turner said she’d looked at this setting a couple of times
before, but I could exchange it if I needed to.”
    “It’s perfect. Just perfect,” she returned.
“I was with her when she was looking at it. She’ll love it, Skip,”
she paused and then almost quivered with her now escaping
enthusiasm. “Okay, so when? Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?”
    “Christmas morning probably,” he said with a
nod then gave her a half shrug. “That’s the plan, anyway… If I can
wait that long… I know it’s only three days away, but… Well, you
know… I’ve already been putting it off for so long as it is, what
with her wanting to finish her degree and all… I talked to her dad
yesterday, so at least that part of it is out of the way.”
    “What did he say?”
    Skip tensed and deepened his voice for
effect. “‘Bout time, son. Just remember, deputy or not, if you hurt
my little girl I’ll hunt you down and kill you.”
    “That sounds like him,” Clovis replied. “Was
he smiling?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Then you’re fine.”
    He nodded and chuckled. “I know.”
    “Okay, so explain to me why it is I’m just
now hearing about this,” she pressed.
    “That should be obvious,” he answered,
shrugging. “You’re her best friend. I want it to be a
surprise.”
    She pouted an objection. “I can keep a
secret.”
    “You mean like the time you told her about
the surprise birthday party I had planned for her?”
    “We were in high school, Skip,” she
grumbled.
    “I’m talking about last year.”
    “Oh… That… Well… That was different.”
    “Different how?”
    “It just was. Really… I can keep a
secret.”
    “Yeah… Do yourself a favor and don’t swear to
that under oath or anything. Some of us know better.”
    “Who’s the comedian now?”
    “I wasn’t trying to be funny. Honestly, I
wouldn’t even have told you about this at all, except that I wanted
your opinion on the ring. I’m taking a big enough chance telling
you now as it is. You’ve got a whole three days to spill it and
ruin everything.”
    She ignored the gibe. “You know if you’d just
said something I could have gone shopping with you.”
    “What was I just saying, Clovis? Are you not
even listening to me?”
    She rolled her eyes at him then ogled the
engagement ring again.
    “I won’t tell her,” she assured him.
    “You’d better not. Besides,” he added. “It
looks like I picked out the right one without your help
anyway.”
    “Sure, but how long did it take you to decide
before you actually bought it?” she asked.
    “That’s not the point.”
    She chuckled. “It doesn’t matter, it’s
beautiful, Skip. You did real good. Kathy is going to be so happy…”
After a moment she furrowed her brow again and looked up at him.
Visible confusion spreading across her