Everett leans forward. “I just sent a text to both Cressida and Cormack.” His cheek flinches. “I let them know we were missing them.” His brows hitch because we both know it’s a lie. “They’re across the street at Swift Cycle. They said they’ll be here in a second.”
Swift Cycle just so happens to be owned by my ex-wife, Britney. She has a few of the gyms sprinkled around Vermont. When Brit came into town exactly one year ago, she initially wanted to keep Lottie and me apart, but we’ve since moved past that. Brit and I still share custody of our Golden Retriever, Toby, and for the most part, we’re friends again.
Sadly, Lottie and I never quite recovered from the drama of having Brit stroll into Honey Hollow. But we were on the right track, right up until yesterday when she disappeared.
“Cormack.” I shake my head, just thinking that she might have anything to do with this. “You know it wouldn’t surprise me.”
Everett winces. “I know. Same with Cressida. But they were with us at the lodge the entire time. They followed us up.” He raps his knuckles against the table. “Unless…unless…”
But Everett doesn’t have time to finish his thought.
Cormack and Cressida stumble in through the door, pushing and shoving one another out of the way as if they couldn’t get to us fast enough.
I nod to the entry. “It’s showtime.”
Everett
That silent rage that’s been brewing in me for the last two days rips through my veins like a fire line once Cormack and Cressida head this way.
Noah and I have been seated in the Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery for the last few hours, trying to make heads or tails of Lottie’s disappearance. We finally came to the conclusion it was time to talk to the two people who disliked Lottie the most—two of our wiliest exes, Cormack Featherby and Cressida Bentley.
Both women have their gym clothes on, their blonde ponytails whiping back and forth as they hurry to assault us.
Cressida lands in my lap, and I carefully land her right into the seat next to me.
“Oh, Essex.” She forms her hands to my face. “Let me take you home. I can make you forget all about this nightmare.”
“Maybe,” I say, not meaning it in the least, but that doesn’t stop Cressida from jumping in her seat with excitement. Her bird-like features and wide-set eyes light up with far too much hope as she giggles herself into a conniption.
I’m not above letting Cressida think she can have her way with me—so long as she tells me everything she knows about what might have happened to Lemon.
Cormack pulls a seat up next to Noah and begins pawing all over him like it was her job.
“Big Boss”—she coos—“don’t you worry. I’m sure everything will turn out just fine. I’m here for you. I’ve already packed a bag for your place. I’ll be there for you day in and day out. And, of course”—she curls her finger under his chin as her voice drops an octave—“well into the night.”
And that’s Cormack Featherby in a nutshell.
I shake my head at her. She’s a stunning blonde; they both are. And I’ve slept with them both, too. Cormack and I dated way back in high school. At the time I thought she could be the one. Boy, was I ever wrong.
Noah swooped in and snatched her away, and she didn’t even bat a lash. Of course, I was angry. Bruised ego. The whole nine rotten yards. But despite what Noah chooses to believe, I’ve long since been over it.
What I feel for Lemon is no revenge-based affection.
It’s genuine.
That woman has my whole heart like no woman has even been close to before. I’d die for her if I had to. And right about now, I’d give anything if I could trade places with her.
“Cormack, Cressida”—I try to keep my voice firm, yet kind, and it’s proving to be a real struggle—“do you have any idea of what could have happened to Lemon?”
Cressida smirks when I say her name. “How come you never called me Bentley?” She runs the cool tip of her finger across my lips and I try not to flinch.
“Bentley”—I nod her way—“if you have any relevant information regarding Lemon’s whereabouts, I promise you will be well rewarded.”
Cressida breaks out into another fit of giggles, fanning herself with her fingers as she looks to Cormack.
“Go on, Mackie.” She winks at her socialite counterpart seated across the table. “Tell them about the curse.”
Noah leans in. “The what?”
I spot Ivy watching from afar, looking rather intrigued by the entire exchange.
“Curse?” I say it stern as I press my gaze hard into Cressida’s blue eyes.
“Okay, fine.” She titters, scooting as close to me as she can get. “We hired Serena Digby to put a hex on that rotten Lemon.”
Cormack bounces in her seat with excitement. “But only to keep her out of your lives.”
“What?” Noah barks it out in a fury. “What do you mean by keep her out of our lives?”
Cormack swats him on the chest. “Would you keep it down? People are going to think we’re arguing.” She leans in so close she practically kisses him on the lips. “Let’s save all the arguing for when we’re alone—preferably in the bedroom where we can kiss and make up.”
I close my eyes for a moment.
Lemon is missing, and all these two can think about is landing us horizontally.
“Where is this Serena Digby?” I ask. “I want to see her.”
Cormack and Cressida exchange a quick glance.
“What is it?” The words come out with an edge to them, but the girls don’t say a word. “Spill it now,” I bark. And just like that, I’m all done pretending to keep my cool.
“All right! All right.” Cressida checks her manicure as if my anger had the power to chip a nail. “I sent a text to Serena this morning to meet us at the gym and she didn’t show.”
Noah shakes his head. “Where does she work? I’ll head over.”
Cormack blinks back. “Why would she work? She’s probably having a spa day at the Evergreen Manor.”
Cressida nods. “Or at the country club in Fallbrook.”
I pull my phone out. “Where does she live?”
Cressida and Cormack exchange a baffled glance as a bevy of odd croaking sounds emit from their throats.
Cressida finally scoffs. “Isn’t she in Fallbrook?”
Cormack makes a face. “I thought she was in Hollyhock?”
I glance to Noah and he slowly closes his eyes.
A thought comes to me. “What kind of a car does she drive?”
My phone buzzes in my hand before I can squeeze the answer out of them.
“It’s a text from Seven.” I lean forward as I read it out loud. “Found the Ford sitting in front of a market in Leeds. Owner says it’s been there overnight. The woman who it belongs to slipped on ice and ended up being taken to the hospital. Just checked. It’s a woman by the name of Serena Digby. Leeds Memorial room 302.”
Both Cormack and Cressida indulge in an audible gasp.
Cressida claws at her chest. “Oh my goodness. Something has happened to Serena!”
Cormack touches her hand to her forehead. “We need to get to her right now. Who knows what will become of the curse if something horrible happens to Serena? I’m sorry, boys. We have to go.”
They jump out of their seats and Noah and I are quick to follow suit.
“Don’t worry, ladies,” I say, snatching up my coat. “We’re coming with you.”
Leeds Memorial Hospital is just about as depressing as the rest of the town. The walls are gray, the floors match, the elevator sputters, and it holds the scent of despair and hopelessness. But not for me. And I’m pretty sure not for Noah either. I’d venture to say we were the only two people actually thrilled to be here.
The four of us make our way to room 302 in record time to find a brunette with her foot elevated, flipping through the channels on the television with the distinct look of boredom on her face. Her hair looks freshly washed and
she’s wearing a yellow hospital gown that neatly covers her from the neck down.
“Oh thank God!” She tosses the remote in her hand as both Cormack and Cressida fall all over her. Once the screaming and the air kisses come to a halt, Noah and I step in.
Noah doesn’t waste any time flashing his badge. “Serena Digby, my name is Detective Noah Fox.”
Both Cormack and Cressida titter amongst themselves, clearly turned on by the moronic act.
I wouldn’t have recommended it.
Anyone knows you don’t come at a woman with hostile intentions.
And if that badge is perceived as anything when it’s flashed in your direction, it’s downright hostile. But then Noah has never been able to hone the fine art of finessing a woman. Case in point, he can’t seem to keep from losing Lemon time and time again. I threw him a bone when I backed off from my relationship with Lemon. But I did it for her, not him. And I’m beginning to think his time is up in that department, too.
This time, he’s lost her both literally and figuratively.
We both did.
Serena’s eyes grow ten times their size. Serena is a pretty woman by anyone’s standards, but there’s a ruthless gleam in her eyes that she can’t disguise. I’ve always had an advantage when it comes to reading people. And even though I move strictly on evidence in my courtroom, I’m right, regardless, one hundred percent of the time.
“Have I done something wrong?” The woman clutches at her chest. “Am I in trouble?”
Cormack waves the notion off as if it were ludicrous. “Heavens no. Larissa has gone on a shopping spree or something and forgot to tell her mother, and now we all have to wallow in misery as if she’s never coming back.”
A tiny laugh brews in Cressida’s chest. “Of course, she’s coming back. But in the meantime, the four of us have grown closer than ever.” She picks up my hand, and I don’t deny her the right.
I’m not Noah. I’m not closing these women off. If holding Cressida’s hand is what it takes to get Lemon back, then I’ll hold it all day long.
I’d hold the hand of just about anyone for her.
“No, Serena, you’re not in any trouble,” I say as I wave Noah’s prowess away until he lands that badge back in his pocket where it belongs. “We’re just looking for someone. And we thought you might have seen her.” I pull out my phone and flash a picture her way.
Serena blinks hard at the screen. It’s an older picture of Lemon and me, toasting with champagne flutes by the lake. And what I wouldn’t do to be drinking anything next to any place just so long as I had that beautiful woman by my side. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.
“Why, that’s Lottie.” Serena looks up at Noah and me. “Is she the one that called for help?” Her eyes widen a notch, and instantly I sense she’s hiding something.
“Called for help?” I can tell by the sound of Noah’s voice he doesn’t know whether to be relieved or terrified.
I feel about the same.
“Yes.” Serena gives an exaggerated nod, another physical trait of bordering on telling the truth at best. She’s still holding information close to the vest.
Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ve got all day. And I plan on utilizing whatever modality I can to make her speak.
Serena sits up a notch, her gown falling off her shoulder on one side.
“First of all”—she says—“when I fell and twisted my ankle, I lost my phone somewhere in the snow.” She looks to Cressida and Cormack. “So when the ambulance brought me here, they were able to pull up my files because I was in the system, but without my phone I couldn’t even call the two of you to let you know what happened to me.” She glances to Noah. “I couldn’t even call my own mother. Can you believe it? I don’t have anyone’s number memorized. Trust me when I say it was like being on a desert island.” Both Cressida and Cormack sit on either side of her, cooing and moaning at her every word. “Anyway.” She tosses her hands in the air. “I guess Lottie figured it out.”
Noah shakes his head. “How would Lottie figure it out?”
“Well, she was with me.” She blinks up at the two of us and I can feel my heart starting to palpitate at the news.
I glance to Noah and give a slight nod.
This is the woman who picked up Lemon. There’s no doubt about it. And she’s also the woman that both Cressida and Cormack paid to cast some ridiculous hex on her. And I will certainly deal with that later.
I lean in and offer my most affable smile for all of two seconds. “Serena, when did you last see her?”
Her mouth opens as she sputters and scoffs.
“Why, at my place.” She holds up a hand. “I’m sorry, girls”—she looks to her friends—“I know you wanted a weekend away with your men and, believe me, I wanted you to have it, too. But I wanted to have some R&R myself, and I wasn’t quite sure where the lodge was so I picked up Lottie. She sounded thrilled to head on up with me.”
Cressida growls as she leans back, “Why would you do that? You could have ruined everything.”
My anger spikes to unnatural levels. I am most certainly about to ruin everything, starting with this good time.
Cormack’s mouth falls open. “Wait a minute! You really are a genius. Once Lianne saw the four of us having a great time, she would have stormed right back to Honey Hollow.” She wrinkles her nose. Cormack outright refuses to say Lottie’s proper name, and I don’t doubt for a minute she’s doing so mindfully. “No offense, but I’m glad you never made it. I guess your little accident really was a lucky break. Big Boss and I have already discussed plans to move in together.”
I lift a brow in Noah’s direction and watch as he closes his eyes a moment, shaking his head ever so slightly. It’s apparent to both of us we’re dealing with a fragile ecosystem of minds here. Clearly, delusions are running rampant.
“Where’s Lemon?” I grunt. “If she’s hurt, she could be freezing to death out there.” And that thought alone grips me with terror.
Serena shakes her head emphatically. “Oh, she’s probably fine. I left her at my place. Conditions were quickly turning into a blizzard and I ended up taking the highway back to Leeds instead of Hollyhock. By the time I realized my error, it was too late. It was really coming down. I told her she could stay with me until it lifted and she agreed.”
Something isn’t adding up.
“Why wouldn’t she call us?” I ask.
“She did.” Serena is far too eager to nod once again. “At least she tried. Her phone went dead as soon as I turned off into Leeds. She was real upset about it, too. I told her she could borrow my phone charger, but we have different devices so it was useless to her. And, of course, she didn’t have your numbers memorized either. Anyway, she was frantic about searching my room. It was odd behavior. She said something about looking for cookies?” She shakes her head over at Cormack and Cressida, and they share a small laugh at Lemon’s expense.
Noah and I exchange a glance ourselves.
Lemon was looking for evidence of those death threats. And I have a feeling she might have been right to look—but perhaps not wise.
Serena shrugs, adjusting the gown over her shoulder. “She eventually went to the bathroom and I told her I’d go to the market and get her some stinking cookies. I figured she was my guest. It was the least I could do if she was hungry.”
Noah tips his head back. “I thought you said the conditions were too horrible to drive?”
“They were.” She motions to her foot. “And too horrible to walk as well. But the market was just down the street. I figured it would be fine. Boy, was I ever wrong.”
“Where do you live, Serena?” It comes from me curt, demanding.
I’m still not sure if I’m buying what she’s selling.
“Why? What’s with all the questioning?” She sputters and coughs her way through every word. “Did Lottie accuse me of something?”
Noah takes a breath, clearly at the end of his rope with her stall tactics�
�as am I.
“Lottie has been missing since yesterday.” Noah leans in. “Ever since she got into that car with you.”
“What?” Her eyes swell with fear, and this time it seems genuine. She cuts a quick glance out the window. “Why, it’s almost dark. An entire twenty-four hours at least since I saw her last. I have a phone in my room. Surely she could have called someone—anyone by now. Oh dear, you’d better head over to make sure she’s all right. She’s not diabetic, is she? I mean, she was practically rabid looking for heart-shaped cookies. I felt terrible for the poor thing.”
“No, she’s not.” Noah bites the air with his words. “Now tell me exactly where you live.” His voice reverberates off the walls and the silence in his wake is deafening.
Serena looks to Cressida and Cormack with watery eyes. “I’m embarrassed to say it. I hope you girls won’t think less of me. I’ve fallen on hard times.”
“Address, now,” I demand with twice as much fervor as Noah just displayed.
“Fine.” She crimps her lips my way. “I’m staying at the Hard Knocks Motel on First Street. I’m the last room on the right as you head up to the second floor.”
Noah and I take off running for the nearest stairwell.
We’re coming for you, Lemon.
And this time—we’re less than a few blocks away.
Lottie
“Oh God, oh God,” I moan as I butt my shoulder to the door once again, trying hard to dislodge whatever’s holding it shut from the other side. I’ve already got a mean bruise brewing and I’m running off of less than a half hour’s worth of sleep. But honestly? Who could get a decent night’s shut-eye in a dingy looking shower stall?
The bathroom.
Of all the places in the world to lock me away in. What is Serena thinking?
I knew—I knew she was as nefarious as those cookies she’s been slinging my way for the last few weeks.
Of course, she denied it.
Of course, she hid the evidence fantastically well, knowing that she’d drag me to her lair and lock me in the bathroom like some caged potty-trained animal.
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