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Darryl winked and then his expression slid back into that of hard cop “It —”

“Which is who?” she interjected, knowing she wasn’t going to like what he said next

“The mayor, the captain,you off with a slap on the hand That your little skating escapade is not one this toill tolerate fro we need is for that fountain to becoe”

Penelope decided she was not a fan of the the strait-laced side of Darryl “Seriously?”

“Seriously”

Terrible things filled her etting slapped with an expensive fine she couldn’t afford “All right, so what’s my punishment? It’s not a fine, is it?”

“There is that possibility” He cocked his head, exa her “But that hardly seems very Christmas-y, does it?”

“Nope, not Christmas-y at all,” she said in relief She was barely able to pay her bills, living paycheck to paycheck During the high tourist season, she was rolling in cash, but all the traveling and relocating and finding new places to crash for a feeeks or months made all her money bleed out

He gave her a long look then settled into his seat “Here’s where we’re at: It’s either a thousand-dollar fine and possible 180 days in jail for drunk and disorderly” She died a little, and by the slight a to bethe police station events over the holidays, ending with a barn da

nce on Christmas Eve”

“But I leave the day after Christ your elf will take up all o”

He grinned back “But you’ll leave with a clear record”

She pondered her next steps There wasn’t a way out of this Besides,That could lead to ht? “Okay, so what’s the plan, then?”

“I’ll pick you up to at nine o’clock”

“Perfect,” she said with a bite of sarcaso find my Christmas spirit and see you tomorrow”