The Christmas Gift: The Westport Mysteries

By Beth Prentice

Lizzie's back! It's her first Christmas with Riley and time for a new tradition. This year it's a real tree that Lizzie wants. So a visit to 'Happy Christmas Trees' is on the to do list. And with the help of Earl, the elderly gentleman with a limp, she even finds the perfect tree.
But the tree comes with a mystery gift – a beautiful etched glass bauble that sends prisms of light dancing around the room.
But why did Lizzie get the bauble? And why has no one at 'Happy Christmas Trees' ever heard of Earl?
These holidays Lizzie will stumble along a journey where the past merges with the present, and where she learns the true meaning of Christmas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Beth Prentice
• Release date: Aug 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9780648130642

Beth Prentice

USA Today bestselling author Beth Prentice was born in Manchester, England, but after moving backwards and forwards across the world 13 times in 14 years she decided that at the age of 18 that Australia was to be her home. She now lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia where every day is a good one. She is the lucky mother of two grown up children, and, along with er ever-patient husband, she is the proud but sometimes flustered owner of four dogs, a cat, and a canary. She has always had a love of reading, and even though her background is in accounting, she has now discovered her love of writing. Her main wish is to write books you can sit back, relax with, and escape from your everyday life...and ones that you walk away from with a smile! When she's not writing you will usually find her at the beach with a coffee in hand, pursuing her favorite pastime —people watching!

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

I blame the shops! I stated looking at Riley, my arms crossed over my chest. He looked back at me and sighed. If they didn’t put up their decorations in September then I wouldn’t be quite so impatient to put up my own! And this is my first Christmas in this house so really, how can you expect me to wait?

I’d bought this house about six months ago and had inherited many problems with it—the least of which was dry rot. But I did get Riley because of it.

Lizzie, it’s not even December yet. Your mum said it’s bad luck to put decorations up before December the first, replied Riley, running his hands through his short blonde hair. His patience was wearing thin. Riley was usually a very patient man, so I must be really pushing him here.

Oh, I replied, waiving my hand around dismissively. Take no notice of her. She has a superstition for everything. Explain to me how putting up our Christmas tree exactly three days early can change our luck. I looked at Riley and felt victory sweep over me. He had nothing. Come on give me a hand. It’ll be fun!

He looked at me doubtfully. No, fishing with my brother is fun. Fooling around with you is fun. Putting up a Christmas tree is definitely not something I consider to be fun.

That’s because you’ve never put a tree up with me, I explained. This was also the first Christmas that Riley and I have been together so he has no previous experience with just how excited I get.

It’s my favorite holiday and has been for as long as I can remember. The only other people in the world who feel the same level of excitement for it are children and my siblings, Molly and Danny. Actually, I can probably put us all under the children banner when it comes to Christmas. We all love it.

I pulled over one of the boxes that I’d stored under the stairs and ripped back the tape holding it closed. Inside, peeking out at me, were the white branches of my tree. Excitement coursed through me as I pulled out the first branch and lay it on the floor, ready to place others in piles around it. Approximately one minute later, the box was empty and I had five neat piles of foliage. I straightened up and moved the box to the side, out of my way. I smiled at Riley as he sat on the couch watching me. Just wait. It’s a really beautiful tree.

It’s plastic, he stated, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Yes. What’s wrong with that?

He shrugged. Nothing I guess, but in my family we have real trees.

Oh, well…we like plastic. We’ve never had much luck making real trees last long enough. They always die and look really horrible by the time January comes around, I explained, disappointed that Riley wasn’t feeling my excitement.

That’s probably because you put them up too early, he commented. I’m sure you’re right though. This one will be awesome, he said, once again smiling, and making me forget about the tree altogether as I felt the world move on its axis. Riley’s smile is so amazing that it can actually make the world stop turning. Well, my world at least. We’ve only been together for six months now, but it still takes my breath away.

Shaking myself to clear my head, I knelt on the floor and put the base of the tree together. Carefully, I fitted the trunk then pushed the branches into place, fluffing them as I did so. This process took about five minutes.

Standing back up, I felt the anticipation as I looked down on it standing approximately one meter tall. Humph.

Wow. It’s awesome! stated Riley, giving his best attempt at hiding his smile. He stood up and moved to stand in front of it. The tree didn’t even make his waistband. Being the tallest, you’ll want me to put the angel on top, right?

Smart-ass. I remember it being bigger than that, I mumbled, feeling the disappointment sit heavily in my chest. Riley seemed to sense my mood and pulled me in close. He kissed the top of my head.

That’s because you shared a very small apartment with your friend Aimee and it wasn’t in a living room with twelve foot ceilings, he said, kindly. But I’m sure you’re right. It would have been beautiful. And the upside is, it won’t take long to decorate. There’s that bloody smile again.

I leaned into him, feeling his heat seep into me, and contemplated how I could make the tree look bigger. I could put it on a box but then that would probably look stupid. Or maybe I could put it on the window seat but then Cat would probably knock it over. He was very protective of his spot on that seat. I folded my arms over my chest and sighed. Maybe I should just replace it.

I know, I cried. We’ll buy a new one. And because I love you we’ll make it a real one, I stated, excitement starting all over again. I felt Riley’s sigh as I pulled away to look at him.

You’ll pay for this later. He smiled.

I’m counting on it, I replied breathlessly. Making me ‘pay for things’ was one of Riley’s favorite pastimes, if you get my drift. And I will admit that I spent a lot of my day thinking up things that I needed him to do just so that I would have to ‘pay for it later’.

I reached for the back of the chair to steady