The Present Predicament, A Jericho Falls Holiday Novella: Jericho Falls Cozy Mysteries

By Brook Peterson

Cat + Christmas Tree = The Present Predicament

 

It's Christmastime and Jericho House's halls are decked to such an extent it resembles a mansion in the North Pole, not the Nevada mountains. There's only one problem, Elliot, the tuxedo cat keeps climbing the behemoth Christmas tree in the parlour and breaking priceless, antique ornaments.

When Grandma Lily and Chloe decide the solution is to divert him with lots of presents around the tree, it sets off a domino effect of predicaments, culminating in the complete loss of Grandma's Christmas spirit.

 

Will Chloe be able to revive Grandma's holiday cheer despite being somewhat of a grinch herself? And what about handsome Police Chief Garner? Will he come to Chloe's aid? Join Chloe, Grandma Lily, their furry friends, and the rest of the Jericho Falls cast for a small-town Christmas caper.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: GS Books
• Release date: Dec 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393622741

Brook Peterson

As long as she can remember Brook Peterson has been reading mysteries. By the time she was ten, she was writing her own and turning them into little stapled paperbacks to share with her family. Her cozy mysteries are sure to include long held secrets, an antique or two, and a little bit of romance.

Book preview

The Present Predicament

A Jericho Falls Holiday Novella

Brook Peterson

GS Publishing

THE PRESENT PREDICAMENT

First Edition, December 2020. Updated November 2022

Copyright © 2020 Brook Peterson/S.E. Mordhorst

Cover Design By Beetiful Book Covers

Edited By Melaney Taylor Auxier

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system (except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review) without permission in writing from the author.

image-placeholder

A Note

Hi, I’m Chloe, from the Jericho Falls Cozy Mysteries. This Christmas story takes place several months after my first sleuthing adventure in Jericho Falls as told in A History of Murder. I promise not to give anything away in this story about that first mystery I helped solve last summer.

But here are a few things to help set the scene:

I’m twenty-eight years old.

I have a love-hate relationship with the historic gold-rush town of Jericho Falls, Nevada. This is where I used to spend summers with my grandparents and where I’ve recently returned to live full time.

My Grandma Lily owns Jericho House, a turn-of-the-century Victorian mansion. She’s also the youngest seventy-something you’ll ever meet.

Elliot, a tuxedo cat, and Jed, a young golden retriever, help keep us company.

I hope you enjoy this holiday story. Boy, were Grandma and I surprised by the way things turned out.

Okay. Now, let’s get started.

image-placeholder

1

image-placeholder

Bobbles and Bulbs

I thought I heard wind chimes ringing out from the parlour. But wind chimes? Inside? That didn’t make any sense. Then I realized the noise I heard was actually the sound of the ten-foot, heavily decorated, Noble Fir crashing to the floor. Again.

When I got there, the responsible party—Eliot the tuxedo cat—was nonchalantly bathing in the middle of the room. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, though. So I knew he felt at least a little guilty.

Elliot, I scolded.

Grandma was going to cry when she came home to find that Elliot had done it again. The two of us had already spent countless hours over several days decorating the mansion’s (count them) five Christmas trees. This one, in the parlour, being the most impressive. The room’s high ceilings allowed for a genuinely mammoth tree. And so, Grandma never failed to place one here, in the front window, to be seen inside and outside of the massive house.

The tree’s full, strong branches had saved most of the sturdier decorations, but many fragile bulbs had shattered into pieces. I fetched the broom and dustpan to sweep up slivers and shards of broken ornaments.

Naughty kitty, I said to Elliot as I worked.

The persnickety and intelligent cat went to curl up on a rug near the crackling fireplace as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

I’d cleaned up most of the mess when Grandma Lily arrived home. I cringed in anticipation when I heard the back porch door open. She came through the kitchen, down the hallway, past the grand cherry staircase, and into the parlour. The bright smile she wore disappeared instantly when she saw the massive tree tipped over on its side.

Elliot climbed it again, I told her with remorse.

Oh, dear. Grandma hurried to inspect the pile of broken pieces. Not the German mercury-glass bulb. It’s been in the family for years.

I know and the salt-dough snowman I made for Grandpa when I was little broke too.

Grandma shook her head sadly. Come on, let’s stand this behemoth back up.

Together we raised the Christmas tree, rearranging bobbles and bulbs, so it looked impressive once again. Still, Grandma Lily seemed sad.

I know what will cheer you up, I told her.

She looked my way.

Tea.

2

image-placeholder

Silver Garland

I brewed a pot of Grandma Lily’s favorite sweet and spicy blend. As the tea steeped, familiar scents