Murder in the Mix (Books 4-6)

by Moore, Addison

  “I did, didn’t I?” He plucks his arm free and shoves Darjeeling at me so hard it nearly knocks me to the ground.

  Ned bolts for the great white tent, and Dutch bounds right after him.

  “That’s right, boy”—I pant as I do my best to keep up—“stay on him.”

  Inside the oversized tent it’s brightly lit, the sound of laughter mingles with the powerfully loud Christmas carols belting out overhead, and it’s a miracle people aren’t passing out from the rumbling of the bass alone.

  Each of the hundreds of trees is delicately decorated from head to toe in a specific theme—an under the sea extravaganza, an Americana delight, the ode to baking catches my eye, and that tree that features a bevy of feathered masks that my sister has her eye on. Near the back, a twelve-foot noble nearly capsizes, and my guess is that it has to do with a nervous murder suspect who’s just been outed. I speed in that direction and the barking picks up.

  It’s sparse of both trees and people this far back in the tent, and I spot Ned’s boots walking slowly behind a tree festooned with fishing gear, small poles, hooks, and long metal lures in a rainbow of colors, some with plastic skirts that give them the appeal of a squid.

  “You did it for love,” I say, my voice shaking. “I get it, Ned. And the sheriff will understand that, too. You’re not the first person to get caught up in the heat of the moment. You can plead momentary insanity.” Or long-term, judging by how he chooses to spend his downtime.

  Ned steps out of the shadows, his chin tucked toward his chest, his eyes still very much pinned on mine.

  My God, he looks absolutely out of his mind. And I must be the same to have chased him this way. Dutch leaps supernaturally in and out of the tree between us as if he couldn’t be bothered to interrupt his good time with the standoff I’m currently embroiled in.

  “It’s true,” Ned says it low with a growl. “I never intended for that to happen. I was in a blind panic when I saw her leave and him lying there in the snow. I knew she didn’t kill him. I couldn’t risk him telling Hannah. He would be furious with Kelly when he came to. But Kelly—she’s innocent.” He shakes his head as if coming to himself. “I’m leaving tonight, Lottie. Just stay out of my way and you’ll never see me again.”

  I’m about to make a run for it myself when his eyes widen at something behind me, but before I can turn around, Ned has my back against his chest, the business end of one of those lures pinching at my neck. He’s holding me so tight I can hardly catch my next breath.

  Noah stands before us, his hand on his back before he slowly raises both hands, empty of any weapon.

  Ned jerks me back as he drags us toward an opening in the tent. “Stay there or she gets hurt!” he shouts to Noah. And unfortunately for me, Noah does as he’s told.

  A patrol car rolls up into the lot, and Ned speeds us back deeper into the tent.

  “Freeze!” Noah shouts, his weapon already drawn. His eyes are laser-focused on Ned’s. The muscles in his jaw pop as do those biceps and, my God, I think I’m far more attracted to Noah at this inopportune moment than I’ve ever been before, and that’s saying a lot. And if I can manage not to get my throat slit, I predict we’ll be having our own rockin’ Christmas Eve—but hopefully much, much sooner, like say tonight.

  Maybe I can convince Ned that I’m on his side, be the liaison between him and that Glock Noah has pointed our way?

  “He didn’t mean to—”

  “Shut up!” Ned tenses beneath me, and that metal hook he has pinching my neck feels as if it just took a bite out of me. “I’m taking her with me,” he shouts to Noah, and Noah’s eyes expand with a level of rage I’ve never seen in them before. Okay, well, maybe once before when he was dealing with Everett, but this budding rage is all due to how much he loves me and I’m finding it very vexingly attractive. It’s safe to say my body is begging to put an end to this Darjeeling sponsored drought. Hey, that dummy really did cramp my style!

  Ned gives me a violent yank as he drags me back behind the fishing themed tree. He hoists me up on his hip as if I were one of his wooden idiots and I try to break free, but that hook feels as if it’s about to rip out a vocal cord or two.

  Noah steps around the tree carefully and am I ever glad to see his scruff-peppered face again.

  Ned bucks beneath me. “I said stay back! My car is in the lot. I’ll leave her here if you don’t follow. I won’t take her with me.” His voice shakes as he inches his way toward the crowd. I’m not sure either Noah or I believe him.

  Dutch bounds at us from out of nowhere, barking and growling, his crimson eyes spasming like flares.

  “He did it for love,” I say to Noah, hoping Ned will want to stick around long enough for the rest of the sheriff’s department to join in on the fun.

  “You’re right,” Ned pants close to my ear. “Kelly and I had a good thing. We weren’t hurting anybody. She left Mason because it wasn’t right that she was seeing the two of us. He’s my stepson, for God’s sake. But she chose me and I knew she would. We have something special. Something Hannah could never give me.”

  “So, why not leave her? Why cheat on your poor wife?” I shout up at him. I’m pretty sure if a madman has a hook to your throat it’s a pretty lousy time to get in an argument with him.

  The razor-sharp tip scratches at my flesh. “Kelly and I were happy just the way things were. Enough of that.” He wraps his arms around me.

  “Is that why you smothered Tanner? Because he was going to ruin your good thing?” Of course, he’s all but confessed to me, but it’d be a nice touch if I could get him to pipe up for Noah as well.

  “I said enough!” Ned riots into my ear, and Dutch snarls and snaps as he jumps right through both Ned Sweeny and me.

  Ned staggers backward, taking me with him, and before we know it, Noah is on us, freeing me from Ned’s grasp as he wrestles him to the ground.

  In an instant, this desolate end of the tent is filled with men in blue, weapons drawn, until Ned is finally cuffed and helped to his feet. A crowd has amassed, women are screaming, and Dutch is doing an odd complication of backflips and cartwheels.

  Ned looks my way and shakes his head. “How did you know? How did you know I had anything to do with this at all?”

  “Call it a hunch, call it my thirst for justice, or call it the fact you had half of Tanner’s wig hanging from your arm.”

  Noah comes at me and pulls me into a monstrous hug.

  “But mostly, it had to do with a very real need to end one serious dry spell.”

  Noah brushes a kiss to my lips as they haul Ned away. “I smell rain.”

  “Not quite yet.” I relay everything regarding Bella to the sheriff’s deputies in our midst, and they take off for the Evergreen. By the time we hit the entrance, Bella is being escorted out with her hands behind her back, her amber curls falling over her face every which way.

  Her eyes hook to mine, and she takes a few steps in our direction. “I didn’t mean it.” She shakes her head at me. “I knew that night at the restaurant that you were onto me, and I almost told you everything then. He just got me so mad. When I saw him with that other girl—the same girl that was seeing my brother, I just lost it. I grabbed an icicle off the ground and followed him into the field. I wanted to fight, but he said he needed to get away. There was never enough time for me—so I did it. I pierced his neck. As soon as he saw red, Tanner passed out. He never could stand the sight of blood. I took off, too.”

  “That’s when you hit your stepfather’s minivan.” I nod as if affirming the fact.

  “How did you know that? Were you watching me the entire time?”

  “And Ned didn’t make a big deal out of it because he thought it might have been Kelly speeding out of the lot.”

  “He thought Kelly stabbed Tanner?” She shakes her head. “But I thought he did that for me. I told him tonight I was going to confess everything to my mother. He got so upset. He must have thought I was outing his affair.” She closes her
eyes a moment. “I never meant to hurt Tanner. I’m so sorry.”

  They take her away toward the same lot I had chased Ned Sweeny in just a little while ago, and a thought comes to me.

  “Noah, that silver Buick—the getaway vehicle from the package thefts, I’m pretty sure it’s out there. I saw it myself. It’s in the back,” I shout to a nearby deputy, and he assures us he’ll check it out.

  Noah rumbles with a quiet laugh as his gaze penetrates mine. “Lottie Lemon, is there anything you can’t do?”

  I bite down on a smile. “Yes, I can’t seem to find any alone time with you.”

  Noah winces, and suddenly it’s clear to me that tonight isn’t looking so hot either.

  “Fox!” an all too familiar female voice shrills from behind, and I glance over his shoulder to find Detective Ivy Fairbanks looking both stunning and angry in a long red coat. “We need to process these suspects now. There’s a mountain of paperwork to be done tonight.”

  “I’ll be right there. I’m just taking a statement from a crucial eyewitness.” He presses a kiss over my lips, and it warms me straight to my toes. “It sounds like I’ll be working late tonight.”

  “I know. Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. Try to pencil in that dinner at the B&B.” I’d give a playful wink, but there’s not anything playful about it. “When will I see you again?”

  “Soon.” He backs up, and that serious as death expression lets me know he means it. “Real soon.”

  But something tells me it’s not soon enough.

  Chapter 19

  Christmas Eve at my mother’s bed and breakfast is a sight to behold. The cavernous dining room is festooned with twinkle lights and a grand blue noble in the corner that stands ten feet tall bejeweled with ornaments that span our entire family history. There are baubles of every shape and size dangling from each branch, and an animatronic angel sits on top, opening and closing her wings in a rainbow of fiber optic light. The tablecloth is candy apple red, and my mother has her gold chargers on display—on top of each of those sits my grandmother’s fine china with the holly pattern encircling each dish like a wreath.

  Stockings are hung above the fireplace, and a small mountain of gifts wait patiently for Christmas morning tucked under the tree. The B&B has drained of all its holiday guests, and it’s just my mother, Mr. Rutherford—I may have frowned at him more than once this evening, Lainey and Forest, Keelie, Naomi, their mother Becca and their grandmother Nell, and, of course, Everett and Noah who each sit dutifully on either side of me. The three of us actually drove out together and a war didn’t break out. Go figure.

  A soft bark emits from near the tree as Dutch looks to me while happily attempting to chew on the packages. And thankfully, Dutch seems to be sticking around, too, although I may never know why. But I’m glad about it.

  I look to Everett and Noah, and I can’t help but smile as the last of our feast lands on the table. I’m glad about a lot of things.

  Lainey stands to her feet and lifts her glass. “I would like to give a toast—to a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. I can’t think of a better way to spend the holidays than with everyone in this very room.”

  The rest of us lift our glasses and give a unanimous cheer.

  “And”—she holds a finger up, and the room grows quiet once again—“to my sweet and slightly certifiable sister, Lottie. Thank you for giving me, and I think I speak for all of us here, thank you for giving all of us a wonderful gift—the gift of getting some decent shut-eye.” The room breaks out into a warm laugh. “You not only have a knack for finding dead bodies, you have a knack for bringing their killer to justice”—she looks to Forest, and her cheeks pinch pink—“and perhaps a knack for reuniting old flames.”

  Forest stands, and they share a tender kiss.

  Sometimes things do go as planned in life. You have an argument, you end up with the wrong person, but seasons change. Fate and destiny interweave their plans for you, and if you can manage to escape the suspect list of an active homicide investigation, then you just might find yourself in the arms where you’ve belonged all along. It sure worked out for my sister.

  Noah wraps an arm around me, and I lean against him with a dreamy look in my eyes.

  And it worked for me.

  Dinner goes off without a hitch, without anyone throwing a dinner roll at anyone else—and, believe you me, both Mr. Rutherford and his wandering hands had me tempted. Dessert is served, a traditional Yule log I’ve been gracing our Christmas table with for years, and, of course, a platter of my now infamous gingerbread cookies.

  Soon, the table is cleared and bodies are mingling around the room.

  “Mom, Lainey”—I say as the three of us congregate near the fire—“I have a gift for you, Mom, but it’s not exactly from me.” I give my sister a sly wink as I hand the small gold box with a shiny red bow on it to our mother.

  “What in heavens?” Mom peels off the bow and opens the box, her mouth contorting in every shape and size. “Oh my.” Her voice quivers as she pulls the silver ring out of the box. “Oh, Lottie, how did you ever?”

  “Consider it a Christmas miracle.”

  Lainey and I admire our father’s ring as Mom quickly works it onto the chain dangling from her neck.

  “He’ll be right here”—she pats her chest—“next to my heart where he belongs.” A tear rolls down her cheek as Lainey and I offer her a hearty embrace.

  The Christmas carols pick up, and the mood in the room shifts to something more jovial as we continue to mingle.

  Keelie traipses up with a small red bag. “I’ve got a little something for you!”

  “Keelie! No gifts, remember? I thought we said we were going to take one another shopping in Ashford for all the after Christmas sales?”

  “We are, but I thought you might need this sooner.” She thrusts the bag my way.

  “What is it?” I carefully extract its contents before shoving them right back in. “Keelie!” I can’t even pretend to be mad at her. “How did you know?” I pull it out just enough to ogle at the tiny nightie that would make St. Nicholas’ ruby red cheeks remain flushed for a year. “I love it. Thank you.”

  “Oh, honey, it’s not for you. It’s for Noah.”

  “Well then, I thank you on his behalf.”

  “Besides, you lost the first one. It’s the least I could do.” She wrinkles her nose over my shoulder, and I follow her gaze to where Naomi is all but tackling Everett.

  “I see a man sending out an SOS if ever there was one.” She bites down on her lower lip seductively. “Excuse me while I rescue me a tall, handsome legal eagle. You’d better hide that nightie from me or I might just snap it up for myself.” She takes off with a wiggle in her hips, and I’m about to make my way to Noah before Nell hobbles my way and blocks me off at the pass. Nell will be ninety-three in January, and I can’t wait to help celebrate her birthday with her. She doesn’t know it, but Becca is planning to host a giant bash at the Honey Pot Diner.

  “Merry Christmas, dear one.” She lands a kiss to my cheek, and Dutch hops up as if he wanted one of his own. She turns to him and chortles. “Oh, goodness. You are a lively one, aren’t you?”

  I’m about to laugh and agree when suddenly the air is knocked right out of my lungs.

  “You can see him!”

  Nell looks up, her mouth agape, her eyes set wide. “Oh me, oh my.” She lifts her hand to her mouth and seals it. “I’m sorry, Lottie. I should have told you sooner.” She looks over her shoulder as Becca comes over with Nell’s coat extended.

  “Goodnight, Lottie.” Becca gifts me a warm embrace. “I’m afraid it’s past my bedtime. Yours, too, Mother.” She helps Nell with her coat and begins hustling her away.

  “Nell,” I say, shaking my head, stymied by what’s just happened.

  Nell takes a step back and grabs ahold of my arm, her head inching toward mine. “It’s time I told you everything, child.”

  “Mother”—Becca rolls her eyes with a jolly
laugh bouncing from her chest—“you can tell Lottie all the stories you want after the big day tomorrow. William is coming into town, and we need to get up early to start the turkey if we plan on eating at three.”

  “Oh, you.” Nell is quick to wave her off, before reverting her full attention back to me. “I promise you, dear.” Her pale eyes fill with tears. “I will tell you everything. No truth will I withhold from you any longer. It’s high time you knew,” she whispers before the two of them head for the exit.

  Noah breaks away from Mr. Rutherford and wraps his arms around me. “Everything okay? You look as if you just saw a ghost.”

  I glance past him at Dutch who has resumed the task of trying to open the gifts himself.

  “A ghost. Imagine that?”

  We head out ourselves, and Everett joins us as we take off and head for Country Cottage Road, for home.

  * * *

  Noah parks in my driveway, and the three of us—four of us if you count one rambunctious Golden Retriever—amble out, and I invite Everett in because I happen to have a gift for him.

  “You parked in her driveway.” Everett ticks his head toward Noah. “Did you pencil that in last week?”

  Noah growls, and I can’t get the door open fast enough. We burst in, and I turn on the lights, rousing Pancake from the luxurious nap he was having on the sofa.

  “I have a gift for you,” I say, looking to Everett as I turn on the twinkle lights wrapped around the tree, and the room explodes in holiday wonder.

  “I’ll start a fire,” Noah volunteers as I fish the small package out from under the Douglas fir, which seems to be losing needles at an alarming rate. It’s safe to say there are actually more needles on the floor than on the branches, but thankfully neither Pancake nor I are bothered by it.

  “Here you go.” I hand the small red box to Everett, and Dutch hops up onto the sofa as if wanting to see it for himself. “I insist you go first.”

  Everett lifts a brow as he looks to Noah. “Take note, Fox. I’m her first of the night.” He unwraps the package with ease and opens the lid to the small box, revealing a pair of sterling silver cufflinks.