Key Lime Pie Perjury: Cozy Mystery (MURDER IN THE MIX Book 34)

by Addison Moore

  “Then give me half of everything you once owned,” Charlie snips. “Make Lottie do it. Prove that you love me.”

  Nell lifts her chin. “I’m afraid that’s legally up to your sister.” She nods to Carlotta. “And are you keeping out of trouble?”

  “You know me, Mama. I’m the Teflon con.” She gives a cheeky wink. “If I’ve got a will, I always find a way.”

  If that isn’t Carlotta in a nutshell, I don’t know what is.

  Nell sighs my way. “I’m afraid this isn’t a social visit. I’ve come to give you something—I’d hesitate to call it special, but I have a message for you Lottie, in the form of a vision.”

  Carlotta sucks in a quick breath. “Hear that, Lot Lot? The man upstairs is about to give you a sneak peek of what’s to come.”

  Charlie sniffs. “More like who’s going to land in her bed in the near future. That’s the only real mystery surrounding my not-so-sweet sister. So what is it?”

  “Yeah, Mama.” Carlotta nudges her. “I want in on this crystal ball action.”

  Nell gives a pleasant laugh, and Lyla Nell coos as she looks up at her namesake.

  “I’m afraid the man upstairs frowns heavily on crystal balls,” Nell says. “His visions are doled out a bit more organically than that, but for the sake of sharing it with all three of you at once…” She lifts her finger toward the wall of the bakery, and the air begins to ripple as an image appears over it. A scene begins to form. I can see the woods, then Noah and Everett staggering into the frame. Everett shouts something at Noah. They’re both pointing in front of them, arguing as Everett tells Noah to turn back. The distinct sound of a gunshot goes off, and Everett gives Noah a hard shove that sends him flying backward. Everett looks before him once again, and another gunshot goes off. Everett charges forward, but another shot comes and strikes him in the chest, then another, and another. Everett’s body bucks as he struggles to continue to step toward the woods, then he collapses in a heap. He begins to rise, and yet his body remains on the ground.

  “Uh-oh,” Carlotta smacks me on the arm. “This isn’t a good sign, Lot Lot.”

  Everett turns our way and looks right at me before the entire picture disappears into thin air.

  “What the hell was that, Nell?” I whisper with my eyes still fixated on the blank wall. “You have to stop it.”

  “I’m sorry, Lottie.” Nell floats before me, her hand still shielding Lyla Nell’s eyes, and thankfully so. “But I’m afraid you’re the only one who has the power to stop the horrific events that are set to happen.”

  “How?” My voice hikes as I look to her in horror.

  Nell lands the baby back in my arms and offers a peaceable smile. “That’s something I’m sure you’ll figure out.” And with that, she begins to dissipate into a spray of dazzling stars.

  “Wait!” I call out. “When is this set to take place?”

  “Within the next month, Lottie.” Her voice comes out in a whisper. “You’ll have to work quickly. I’d hate for you to lose him so very soon.”

  “No,” I say, incensed. “I’m not going to lose Everett at all.”

  Nell grows fainter by the moment. “By your own actions, you have the power to stop this.”

  “Then I will,” I whisper as Nell disappears for good. I shoot a look to Carlotta and Charlie. “Don’t either of you dare say a word of this to anyone, especially not Everett.”

  I spot Noah and Everett coming this way and head over and meet them halfway.

  “What was that about?” I snip as I nod in the direction those two mob monsters were holing up a minute ago. So help me God, if one of them dares gun down my husband, there will be hell to pay, and hell’s name will be Lottie Lemon.

  Everett blows out a breath of frustration himself as he glowers at Noah a moment.

  “Manny made bail.” Everett looks as if he’s fit to kill. “He says he didn’t have the money or the drugs, and the search teams didn’t find anything. Either he’s expertly hiding them or he’s telling the truth.”

  “What about the hits?” My heart does its best to drum right out of my chest. “Are they back on? Are the two of you a couple of walking dead men?” I didn’t mean for it to come out crude, but I’m so angry with whoever thinks it’s a good idea to point a gun at Noah and Everett, I’m fit to kill as well.

  Noah lowers his chin, and I can see it in his eyes that he has no intention of answering the question.

  “The arrest was a bust,” he says, and he only proves me right. “Jimmy and Luke said they sent their men to talk to Manny, and it turns out, Manny gave the briefcases away like a hot potato once he found out who they belonged to.”

  Everett’s chest expands. “And that means Luke expects me to find the money and wash it—and until then, I’d better wear a good Kevlar vest.”

  Noah nods. “And Jimmy has something planned for me, too. Exactly what, I don’t know. He says we’ll talk.”

  My heart thumps wildly. “Where do you think those briefcases are?”

  Noah draws in a deep breath. “Rooster either still has them or he gave them away for safekeeping.”

  “Safekeeping?” I hold Lyla Nell close. “Who do you think he gave them to?”

  “Well, lookie here.” Rooster comes up with a denim shirt and a ten-gallon cowboy hat on, looking as sleazy as ever, but his clothes are new, I can tell by the long sticker running down one pant leg with the 36 X 34 written across it. “Turn those frowns upside down. You’ve all got a beautiful baby there to take care of, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing. No reason to look as if a frog did his business in your coffee.”

  Noah’s chest grows in size. “You have them, don’t you? You do realize that parading around Honey Hollow with your newfound wealth is a surefire way of putting a target on your back.”

  Everett’s nostrils flare. “You’re being used, Rooster.”

  “Used?” Rooster’s body jerks as he shouts the word with anger. “Nobody uses Shelby Hardy Tuttle. I’ll have ya know, I’m the most powerful man in all of Vermont,” he crows as he stalks off in a fury.

  “I’d say he is the most dangerous man,” I whisper as Carlotta and Charlie come up.

  Charlie huffs in his wake, “I knew we should have killed him while we had the chance.”

  Carlotta nods. “Rooster always finds a way to rule the roost.”

  Noah shakes his head. “Not this roost.”

  Everett’s chest expands with his next breath. “I’ll find a way to get rid of him.”

  Here’s hoping he won’t get rid of Everett first.

  I don’t know who plans on pumping bullets into my husband’s chest, but I’ll do any and everything to stop them.

  And I will.

  Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed Lottie’s latest adventure in Honey Hollow!

  Up next: Things go from festive to deadly at the yearly Fourth of July spectacular. Grab it here today—>Red, White, and Blueberry Muffin Murder

  See you in Honey Hollow!

  Recipe

  From the kitchen of the Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery

  Lottie’s Key Lime Pie

  Hey all! It’s spring in my neck of the woods. It’s warm out, Honey Lake is brimming with tourists, and I’m baking up a storm of my favorite spring treats. Among the top of the list are my key lime pies. It’s easier to make than most people think, and it’s such a hit with my family that I’ve been known to make it in and out of season. It has just the right amount of tartness to keep you coming back for more. Careful with this one. It’s addicting! Happy baking!

  Graham Cracker Crust

  Ingredients

  15 whole graham crackers

  1/3 cup brown sugar

  6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 375°

  Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until well crumbled and texture is sandy. Add brown sugar and melted butter and blend. Place in pie pan (9 inch standard), molding it with the bott
om of a serving spoon. Work your way up the sides as well.

  Bake in oven for 10 minutes and let cool.

  Key Lime Pie Filling

  Ingredients

  28 ounces of sweetened condensed milk (two 14 oz. cans)

  1 cup plain yogurt (Can be Greek yogurt or ¾ cup sour cream) *I’ve done it both ways and it’s equally as magical. I usually let it come down to what I have on hand.

  1 tablespoon lime zest

  ¾ cup lime juice about 6-8 limes but have a few extra on hand just in case. They can be hard to squeeze so use a juice press. (Use key limes preferably but ordinary limes will do in a pinch.)

  *Feel free to substitute fresh lime juice with the lime juice found in the produce section if you like.

  Key Lime Pie

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350° *(a lower temperature compared to the pie crust)

  In a large mixing bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, yogurt/sour cream, lime zest, lime juice. Whisk together until blended well then pour into the graham cracker pie shell.

  Bake for 15 minutes, then pull out to cool and set. Once thoroughly cooled, place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

  Directions

  Whipped Topping

  Ingredients

  *Just a quick note. You can substitute with whipped topping purchased at the store to save on time. The stuff from a can works great, too!

  1 pint heavy cream

  2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

  ½ thinly sliced lime for garnish.

  Directions

  In a large bowl mix heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar. Whip until soft peaks form.

  Place in a piping bag or simply dollop around the edges of the pie. Add thinly sliced lime for garnish on top of each whipped cream mound. You can twist the lime slice for added flare.

  This pie is almost too pretty to eat, but you’ll have to take one for the team and have at it.

  Enjoy!

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  Paranormal Women’s Fiction

  Hot Flash Homicides

  Midlife in Glimmerspell

  Wicked in Glimmerspell

  Cozy Mysteries

  Meow for Murder

  An Awful Cat-titude

  A Dreadful Meow-ment

  A Claw-some Affair

  A Haunted Hallow-whiskers

  A Candy Cane Cat-astrophe

  A Purr-fect Storm

  A Fur-miliar Fatality

  Country Cottage Mysteries

  Kittyzen’s Arrest

  Dog Days of Murder

  Santa Claws Calamity

  Bow Wow Big House

  Murder Bites

  Felines and Fatalities

  A Killer Tail

  Cat Scratch Cleaver

  Just Buried

  Butchered After Bark

  A Frightening Fangs-giving

  A Christmas to Dismember

  Sealed with a Hiss

  A Winter Tail of Woe

  Lock, Stock, and Feral

  Itching for Justice

  Raining Cats and Killers

  Death Takes a Holiday

  Copycat Killer Thriller

  Country Cottage Boxed Set 1

  Country Cottage Boxed Set 2

  Country Cottage Boxed Set 3

  Murder in the Mix Mysteries

  Cutie Pies and Deadly Lies

  Bobbing for Bodies

  Pumpkin Spice Sacrifice

  Gingerbread & Deadly Dread

  Seven-Layer Slayer

  Red Velvet Vengeance

  Bloodbaths and Banana Cake

  New York Cheesecake Chaos

  Lethal Lemon Bars

  Macaron Massacre

  Wedding Cake Carnage

  Donut Disaster

  Toxic Apple Turnovers

  Killer Cupcakes

  Pumpkin Pie Parting

  Yule Log Eulogy

  Pancake Panic

  Sugar Cookie Slaughter

  Devil’s Food Cake Doom

  Snickerdoodle Secrets

  Strawberry Shortcake Sins

  Cake Pop Casualties

  Flag Cake Felonies

  Peach Cobbler Confessions

  Poison Apple Crisp

  Spooky Spice Cake Curse

  Pecan Pie Predicament

  Eggnog Trifle Trouble

  Waffles at the Wake

  Raspberry Tart Terror

  Baby Bundt Cake Confusion

  Chocolate Chip Cookie Conundrum

  Wicked Whoopie Pies

  Key Lime Pie Perjury

  Red, White, and Blueberry Muffin Murder

  Honey Buns Homicide

  Apple Fritter Fright

  Christmas Fudge Fatality

  Murder in the Mix Boxed Sets

  Murder in the Mix (Books 1-3)

  Murder in the Mix (Books 4-6)

  Murder in the Mix (Books 7-9)

  Murder in the Mix (Books 10-12)

  Murder in the Mix (Books 13-15)

  Murder in the Mix (Books 16-18)

  Murder in the Mix (Books 19-21)

  Mystery

  Little Girl Lost

  Never Say Sorry

  The First Wife’s Secret

  Romance

  Just Add Mistletoe

  3:AM Kisses

  3:AM Kisses

  Winter Kisses

  Sugar Kisses

  Whiskey Kisses

  Rock Candy Kisses

  Velvet Kisses

  Wild Kisses

  Country Kisses

  Forbidden Kisses

  Dirty Kisses

  Stolen Kisses

  Lucky Kisses

  Tender Kisses

  Revenge Kisses

  Red Hot Kisses

  Reckless Kisses

  Hot Honey Kisses

  Shameless Kisses

  The Social Experiment

  The Social Experiment

  Bitter Exes

  Chemical Attraction

  3:AM Kisses, Hollow Brook

  Feisty Kisses

  Ex-Boyfriend Kisses

  Secret Kisses

  Naughty By Nature

  Escape to Breakers Beach

  Breakers Beach

  Breakers Cove

  Breakers Beach Nights

  Escape to Lake Loveless

  Beautiful Oblivion

  Beautiful Illusions

  Beautiful Elixir

  Beautiful Deception

  A Good Year for Heartbreak

  Someone to Love

  Someone to Love

  Someone Like You

  Someone For Me

  A Totally ‘80s Romance Series

  Melt With You (A Totally ’80s Romance 1)

  Tainted Love (A Totally ’80s Romance 2)

  Hold Me Now (A Totally ’80s Romance 3)

  Paranormal Romance

  (Celestra Book World in Order)

  Ethereal

  Tremble

  Burn

  Wicked

  Vex

  Expel

  Toxic Part One

  Toxic Part Two

  Elysian

  Ephemeral Academy

  Ephemeral

  Evanescent

  Entropy

  Ethereal Knights (Celestra Knights)

  Season of the Witch (A Celestra Companion)

  Celestra Forever After

  Celestra Forever After

  The Dragon and the Rose

  The Serpentine Butterfly

  Crown of Ashes

&n
bsp; Throne of Fire

  All Hail the King

  Roar of the Lion

  Acknowledgments

  Big thanks to YOU the reader! I hope you had a wonderful time. I can’t thank you enough for spending time in Honey Hollow with me. I hope you enjoyed this bumpy ride with Lottie and all of her Honey Hollow peeps as much as I did. The MURDER IN THE MIX mysteries are super special to me, and I hope they are to you as well. If you’d like to be in the know on upcoming releases, please be sure to follow me at Bookbub and Amazon, and sign up for my newsletter.

  I am SUPER excited to share the next book with you! So much happens and so much changes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking this wild roller coaster ride with me. I really do love you!

  A very big thank you to Kaila Eileen Turingan-Ramos, and Jodie Tarleton for being awesome.

  A special thank you to my sweet betas, Lisa Markson, Ashley Marie Daniels, Amy Barber, Stacie Bucholtz, and Margaret Lapointe for looking after the book with their amazing beautiful eyes. And a shout out to Lou Harper for designing the world’s most beautiful cover.

  A mighty BIG thank you to Paige Maroney Smith for being so amazing.

  And last, but never least, thank you to Him who sits on the throne. Worthy is the Lamb! Glory and honor and power are yours. I owe you everything, Jesus.