Lucian de Ville nudged the remnants of the crèche with the cane he carried. “There’s no need to fret, it means nothing. Never did mean anything.”

Carol took a step forward. “You need to leave.”

“Oh, no, dear. I’m in charge now. This place is mine and come Monday morning, you all will be gone.”

Ivy shook her head. “But that’s Christmas Eve.”

Lucian lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Nothing but another day. You will be out of here.” He looked around the central room. “I have plans for this place and they do not include some makeshift meeting place and after-school daycare.”

The little girl with the teddy bear burst in to tears. “But I can’t go home. Mommy works double shifts.”

“Not my problem.” He started for the door. “Monday. After that, I can’t be responsible for what happens.”

Carol ran to the telephone on the wall as soon as the man was gone.

Frank turned to his brother. “What happened?”

Joe shook his head. “I want to go home.”

Laura looked at her youngest son and nodded. “Yes, of course. Carol—” She broke off, seeing Carol on the telephone. “Robby, tell Carol, I’m going home. My husband is digging in the attic, maybe he’ll find our old crèche and we’ll bring it.”

Robby nodded and Laura and Frank followed Joe out of the community center. Frank looked around the area, saw a long black limousine gliding down the road away from them. He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“Let’s go.”

“Joe—”

“Let’s go, Frank,” Joe said tightly, getting in the back seat. He’d barely remembered to hold the passenger door for his mother.

Once they were in the van, Frank headed home. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t going to like what he heard. He drove home, taking every shortcut he could. When they got there, Fenton was waiting for them in the living room. “Gertrude said something happened at the community center.”

Laura gave an absent nod. “Someone broke in, broke the crèche and manger scene.”

“Do they know who it was?”

“Lucian de Ville,” Joe muttered, pacing in front of the fireplace.

Fenton turned to look at him. “How do you know that?”

“The man showed up to gloat. And lay claim to the community center,” answered Frank. He turned to his brother. “Joe—”

Joe shook his head, still pacing. Suddenly, he ran up the stairs and slammed his door. Frank moved to go after him but Laura touched his shoulder. “Give him time.”

Fenton looked from Frank to Laura. “What happened?”

Frank took a deep breath. “Joe remembered. Everything.”

Fenton went pale. “And it has to do with Lucian de Ville?”

Laura nodded. “Yes.”

*****

I don’t remember ever being this angry before. Hah, nice turn of phrase there. I wanted to break something, kick the door, rip something. Instead, I took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. A second later, I was up and pacing again.

I remembered now what happened that day. I’d left the house, list in hand to buy Christmas presents for Aunt Gertrude, Frank and Vanessa. I’d just left the Ornament Shoppe when those two goons I’d seen at the tree farm cornered me.

I tried to be nice but they made me join them for a walk outside with a nudge from their guns. They’d shoved me in this long black limo and I found myself face to face with Lucian de Ville.

Didn’t know him from Adam, mind you but instantly I didn’t like him. There was just something about him. But he definitely knew me, which had bothered me right then and there.

Then he started in on my regrets, my guilt, how Iola’s death was my fault, how Vanessa nearly getting killed was my fault. He’d brought up so much stuff that I couldn’t stand to listen to it anymore, much less remember it. I think I just shut down and then the blow to the head added to it.

A tap sounded on the door and since I was in the process of pacing in that direction, I yanked it open. Frank stood there, his hand raised to knock again. “Joe...”

“Mind games.” I took a deep breath. “He told me Iola’s death was my fault, that Vanessa nearly getting killed...” I shook my head, not wanting to say anything else.

“Joe, it was never your...” He broke off and looked at me. “That’s why he got to you. You did blame yourself.”

“What do you expect, Frank? That car bomb was meant for us. She walked into it, knowing nothing.” I sat down at my desk, slammed a palm on the social studies book. “I did think it was my fault. But then I realized that it wasn’t. It took a long time for me to understand that. And then Vanessa came along...”

Frank touched my shoulder. “Joe, I’m sorry.”

“For what? I left to go shopping alone because I still had to get your present. Kind of hard to shop for you with you right there.”

“What do you want to do?”

I looked over at him. “Don’t ask me that if you’re not prepared for brutal honesty.”

“Short of killing him or beating him to a pulp, what do you want to do?”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “Considering the conditions, I’d settle for stopping him from doing whatever he’s planned for the community center. Seeing him behind bars would go a long way with me.”

Frank nodded. “All right. I think we need to get some more information.”

“The Internet?”

“I’m thinking going to visit the De Santos. I want to know what’s going on.”

I thought for a moment and frowned. “Did I notice Dad looking a little uneasy when I mentioned De Ville’s name?”

Frank nodded slowly. “Yeah. Maybe we should talk to Dad first. Let’s go.”

I gestured to the open door and he led the way back downstairs. Mom and Dad were on the sofa and they both looked over at me as we came into the living room.

Dad moved to get up. “Joe, what—”

I shook my head and quickly explained what I’d told Frank. Mom looked upset but Dad looked angry. He got to his feet. “Nicholas seemed to imply that it might be because I’d thwarted De Ville...”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Nicholas’s company was suffering from industrial espionage. I ran security checks and found the leak. Thomas Starling was passing information on to Lucian de Ville. Before I could bring formal charges, Starling vanished.”

“What does Nicholas do?” asked Frank.

Dad took a deep breath. “He owns a chain of toy stores across the nation as well as a chain of shoe stores, craft and hobby stores. He owns two saw mills, one on either side of the country. He also has vested interests in several other independent stores that sell glassware, antiques, et cetera.”

“Why would anyone be after him?” I asked.

“I think it’s personal,” Dad said. “On the business side of things, the industrial espionage was minor, not that big a problem. Either we nipped it in the bud early or it was never meant to a major issue.”

I shook my head. “Almost sounds like a setup to push Nicholas to hire you. But why?” I turned to Frank. “You think Missy is short for Mistletoe?”

Frank gave me this look that made me want to crack up right there. Finally he sighed. “Where in left field did that come from?”

“Well, the other two are named Holly and Ivy. Mistletoe...” I shrugged. “It would fit.”

Dad shook his head. “I think we’re getting off track here.”

“Right. We need to stop him from taking the community center,” I said. “He’s kicking everyone out on Christmas Eve.” I stopped, feeling a brush of deja vu. “Didn’t I see this in a movie once?”

Frank let out a very loud sigh this time and turned to Dad. “Is there any way you can find out if De Ville really does have claim to the community center?”

Dad nodded and got to his feet. “Good start.”

I watched him head into his study and then realized both Frank and Mom were looking at me. “What?”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Mom asked.

“Of course I’m sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well...you’re jumping subjects more than normal, even for you,” said Frank.

I rolled my eyes. “You should be used to it. Let’s go see if we can help Dad.”

*****

Fenton Hardy hung up the phone as his sons walked into the study. He heaved a sigh. “I have bad news.”

Frank shook his head. “No, you mean De Ville owns the community center?”

“Technically, not yet. He’s made a bid on it, on the condition of remodeling and rezoning it into a business.” Fenton shrugged. “Apparently, there are several city council members out of town for the holidays and until they can vote on it, the community center isn’t owned by anyone.”

“So he’s acting all high and mighty.” Joe sat down in one of the chairs facing his father’s desk. “But then he really can’t oust the kids from the community center, can he?”

“Not legally.”

“So they don’t have to be gone by Monday.” Frank sat down too. “That’s a relief.”

“Something tells me De Ville doesn’t acknowledge legalities, Frank. I don’t know what he will try but I’m sure that if he just walked in and smashed the manger scene, he’ll think of more drastic measures to get everyone out by Monday.”

The phone rang and Fenton picked up the receiver. “Hello?....Yes, I know....Yes, we’re discussing ways to keep him from following through on his threat...Nicholas, maybe you’d better let the police deal with this. It wouldn’t do to do anything rash....All right, Nicholas, be careful.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Joe, looking puzzled, as Fenton hung up the phone.

“Nicholas says the time has come for him to deal with De Ville.” Fenton shook his head. “There’s something about all this that bugs me.” He glanced at Joe. “Maybe you’re right, maybe it was some sort of setup.”

“But why? Who?” asked Frank.

Joe got to his feet. “That’s what we have to find out.”