Jingle Bells and Empty Shells

Cara’s life is spinning out of control. A double-wedding is canceled at the last minute. A baby comes early. Her son decides he hates college. But none of that is as upsetting as the death of a young acquaintance, a delightful food service professional with her whole life ahead of her.The drive-by shooting has left the cops without a suspect. Maybe it was simply a random act of violence. But Cara’s curiosity, and her innate sense of humanity, drive her to keep asking questions. Who killed the girl with the purple hair? And why?Of course, Cara has plenty to keep her occupied. “Season” in Florida is the short window of time when visitors from the North come to town and spend money. It’s a make-it or break-it time for a retail shop like The Treasure Chest. It’s also the worst time ever for Cara to learn that her ex-husband is withdrawing his financial support. How will her son finish his education? How will Cara pay the looming tuition bill when she’s knee-deep in the holidays? She can’t even take time off to talk to her banker, given his short Christmas/New Year working hours.But Cara is nothing if not resourceful. She’s a multi-tasker, and her mind never stops. Add in a generous amount of creativity, and Cara’s practically unstoppable. Except…except…there’s still that unsolved murder. It’s taking up a lot of her psychological energy.Can Cara keep her head above water? Can she keep her business afloat? Can she rescue her son’s college career? Or is she about to go down with the ship?