Meow for Murder Mysteries Boxed Set

by Addison Moore

  “In fact, I’m thrilled you girls are here.” She points to a trio of beakers on the counter next to her. “We’re auditioning scents for our next gender neutral perfume, but regardless of the unisex implications, I want it to drive men wild—especially while on the neck of a beautiful woman. Why don’t you girls come here? I’ll dab a little behind your ears and we’ll see which one these two men prefer.”

  You don’t have to tell Tilly and Regina twice. They’re at the front of the proverbial line getting doused by Kiera and her little glass wand. Jackson heads over to observe the delicate operation while I scoot on over to the hunky homicide detective giving me the stink eye.

  “Did you get anything?” I whisper. “Never mind. Don’t answer that. It was clear from what I saw, you were about to get something.” I make a face at the thought.

  Shep’s chest vibrates with a silent laugh.

  “I was just getting to the good part when you barged in.” His brows dip down into a hard V, like a bird in flight. “Bowie, I asked you not to investigate. You don’t follow orders very well.”

  “Now you’re catching on.” A thought comes to me and I take in a quick breath. “Hey? I bet whoever poisoned Madeline Swanson had access to all sorts of dicey ingredients. Maybe they acquired it via their very own lab?” I tick my head over to Kiera, aka the potential killer, but Shep merely exhales as if he were exasperated with me.

  Tilly waves me over. “Bowie? It’s your turn. Hurry up. I want to get to the sniffing.” She snorts and giggles as she looks over at Jackson.

  I head over and Kiera quickly dabs a little of the oily solution behind each of my ears as the scents of gardenias and plumerias overtake me.

  “Ooh, wow, I like this,” I muse “But are you sure it’s considered genderless? I mean, it’s a bit floral—in a good way.”

  She nods as if she’s already considered this. “It’s supposed to be on the lighter side. Tilly has the fresh cotton on a tropical isle scent, and Regina is wearing sandalwood and ash.”

  The fact that Regina smells like the aftermath of a bonfire seems fitting.

  Kiera lines us up about six feet apart and Jackson sniffs Regina first.

  “Excellent scent.” His lips come shy of hers and she strategically turns her head in time and we’re forced to watch lips brush over one another. They share a dark laugh as he makes his way to Tilly, and my bestie wastes no time in doing the same.

  “I’m two for two.” Jackson laughs as he looks over at Shep.

  But Shep isn’t laughing as Jackson makes his way over to me. In fact, Shep looks downright angry.

  Jackson Mortimer towers over me by a head as he bows in close and I can feel his breath tickling my neck.

  He touches his nose to my ear, and I break out in a string of giggles as if the cute boy in class just asked me to dance. Although, I get the feeling Jackson here wants to sniff his way around more than my ear.

  A hand lands over Jackson’s shoulder and effectively plucks him off me.

  Shep frowns my way a moment before stepping in close. Those glowing eyes stay magnetized to mine.

  “My turn, Kitten.”

  I roll my eyes even though every time he calls me that my insides quiver. It’s so not fair to feel one way emotionally about someone and have your body respond in the opposite sexual direction.

  Shep leans in just enough and takes in a full breath.

  “Excellent,” he whispers as he pulls back. His eyes snap back to mine as if they never left. “I like this one best.”

  A spear of heat drives through me, and I can’t help but shoot a gloating smile over to Regina.

  Kiera curls her finger at Shep. “All right. It’s the boys’ turn.” She quickly dabs a new batch of her bubbling brew onto their necks, and before we know it, every woman in the facility flocks around them for a quick—or rather not-so-quick sniffaroo.

  Tilly and Regina get quickly crowded out as Kiera calls us over.

  “Please, girls”—she pets one of Tilly’s chunky highlights as if it were a cat—“there’s a bin of all three scents, bottled and ready to go right over there.” She points to a chocolate brown woven basket sitting on the counter. “And next to it are samples of my harmless harvest cocoa lipsticks with a propriety blend of ingredients that are guaranteed to garner a kiss from your man.” She points to a stack of hot pink bags stacked in the corner of the workstation. “Grab a tote bag and fill it to the brim.”

  Both Tilly and Regina waste no time flying over to the bins in question with their promises of casting just the right spell on unsuspecting men. But I don’t move a muscle. Instead, I flex a brief smile at the blonde before me while she examines both Shep and Jackson as if she couldn’t make up her mind between the two. Or more to the point, as if she couldn’t make up her mind which one to cast a pox on first.

  “I’m sorry about your friend.” I wince because, honestly, it feels as if I’m having to remind her about it. You would never know she was grieving—if, in fact, she is.

  She looks momentarily confused.

  “Oh right. The masquerade ball.” She makes a face as if the ball in question was a disaster for far less mortality-laden reasons. “That’s just like Maddie—making a dramatic exit.” She averts her eyes as if the thought truly irked her.

  Wow. Not only did she potentially slip the girl a deadly Mickey, but she’s unremorseful about it, too. A classic sociopath if ever there was one. A socialite sociopath if you want to get technical.

  “That she did.” I lean in. “I bet she had it coming, right?” I tip my ear her way, hungry for a confession, but Kiera groans instead as if my words were in poor taste.

  They were, but that’s beside the point.

  “She did, though.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “That was our Maddie. Always stirring the pot. Always having her way with whoever’s boyfriend she wanted.”

  So that’s the bee that’s buzzing around in her bonnet—a cheating boyfriend with a wayward stinger.

  “Is that what she did to you?” I cluck my tongue. “My old fiend Gina Gillespie thought she’d take my boyfriend Johnny out for a test drive, and do you know what I did to her?”

  Here’s the part where she suggests the cyanide solution.

  But Kiera doesn’t follow the script. Instead, she leans in with a curious look as if she were morbidly interested in what happened to Gina.

  I shrug. “Gina was getting her hair colored at my aunt’s salon. Let’s just say I used my familial connections to make sure she had an unusual allergic reaction that left her with a few strategically placed tufts of hair.” True story.

  But in hindsight, I should have let her have Johnny. Then she would eventually be wanted by the feds and the Morettis, and I could have jumped into one of my luxury cars and driven up to Starry Falls in style.

  I sigh at the thought.

  It’s hard not to envision Starry Falls as a part of my story with or without my legal debacle.

  Kiera’s mouth rounds out like an oval as she gives me a high-five.

  “I knew I liked you.” She gives a sly wink.

  “So what did you do?” I nudge her with my elbow. “You know, to the woman who tried to steal your man?” I think we both know we’re talking about Madeline, but I don’t dare mention her name and break the bond I just procured with the killer at hand.

  Kiera pouts at the thought. “I didn’t get a chance. The wicked witch bit the big one before I could carve her up the way I wanted.”

  So she’s saying she would have preferred to use a knife? I’m not falling for it. Kiera must know I’m onto her. Why else would she make something up like that if she didn’t want to throw me off?

  “So who do you think did this to Madeline? I mean, certainly it wasn’t you. Who else had a bone to pick with her?”

  She gives a brief glance around before scooting in a notch.

  “I don’t know. But if I had to guess, I’d point that hot homicide detective in Sophia Hathaway’s direction. Sophia
had been acting strange around her ever since Maddie took that philanthropy position at the Hathaway Foundation.”

  “The Hathaway Foundation? Sophia’s family owns it?”

  She nods. “Her father. Anyway, I’m not really sure if that actually had anything to do with it. But around the same time, Sophia started making the moves on Lucas.”

  “Lucas Lane?” That was the guy in the red suit last night—Madeline Swanson’s boyfriend.

  “That’s him.” Her cheeks heat with color, and that vision I had comes to mind.

  It was of Kiera and Lucas outdoors at night and he said, “Nobody needs to know,” while shaking her.

  And then she said, “Nobody tells me what to do. I should have done this the very first night and saved myself the trouble.”

  Saved herself the trouble…

  What could that mean?

  “So don’t keep me in suspense,” I say. “Did Sophia succeed in stealing Lucas?”

  Her lips twitch. “I don’t know how far she got, but let’s just say Maddie didn’t seem all that bothered with it.”

  “Why is that?”

  She shrugs. “Last I checked, dead women tell no tales. Rumor has it, she had a thing for Parker Goldman—Sophia’s boyfriend. I thought we were about to see a power couple switcheroo. But I guess we’ll never know if anything came of it.”

  Jackson and Shep manage to part the sea of women clawing at them as the two of them head this way.

  Tilly gloms onto Jackson and Regina wraps her arms around Shep, both of which are dotted with rogue lipstick prints on and about their cheeks.

  We thank Kiera for the good time and make a beeline for the elevator. The doors yawn open and we drift on in while Tilly and Regina rummage through their Goober haul.

  Shep steps in front of me, his eyes pinned to mine, that no-nonsense expression of his stone cold and hard.

  “You spoke with her,” he says it flat.

  “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

  The elevator gyrates and forces him to lean in for a second before the door whooshes open.

  He holds my stare once again.

  “You smell nice, Binx.”

  He frowns as we get off the elevator, but I can’t hide my gloating smile.

  Shep thinks I smell nice.

  And ten bucks says he’s about to grill me for all I know.

  I’d better stop by the café and load up on Nana Rose’s lasagna.

  It’s time to test my grandmother’s theory about men and their lust-driven stomachs.

  Something tells me she’ll be right.

  Chapter 6

  After all the neck sniffing that went down at Goober, we finally make our way back to Starry Falls. Jackson dropped Tilly, Regina, and me back at the café while he went upstairs to visit with Opal.

  The café was still hopping, but with all hands on deck we handled it just fine. The highlight of my day—other than having Shep Wexler within sniffing distance—is the fact the replica of my Nana Rose’s lasagna turned out brilliant. Not Nana Rose brilliant, but pretty decent for a first-timer. Next time I’ll toss in more cheese and less garlic, but hey, you gotta start somewhere. Since it’s not on the menu just yet, I let the staff all have a slice and boxed the rest for Shep in the event he felt the need to interrogate me later. And I don’t need to be a psychic to know he will.

  I head home to my cabin a little after six, shower and put on a pair of hot pink sweats with the word delicious spread over my hiney like a sequin rainbow. When your wardrobe is solely comprised of thrift store acquisitions, you have to work with what you got.

  No sooner do I pop the lasagna in my oven and scent the house with all things delicious, a rather hostile knock erupts at my door.

  “Ooh.” I scoop Pixie up and we make our way to the entry. “Who do you think that could be?” I trill as I look through the side window to see Shep standing there, sans his suit jacket. “Fancy meeting you here,” I say as I swing the door wide open.

  He frowns for less than a millisecond before his eyes widen and he steps in blindly with his attention fully turned to the kitchen.

  “What’s cooking?”

  “Your dinner. And hello to you, too,” I flatline. “Rough day at the office, Honey Bunch?”

  He shoots me a look before heading back my way. I’m guessing he wouldn’t be too thrilled to know that Tilly and I have been referring to him as Sexy Wexy and Stud Muffin behind his back. On second thought, it might inflate his ego. He’s already at Goodyear Blimp levels of self-worth. No use in tempting fate and having the cabin float away with him in it.

  Shep’s white dress shirt is rolled up to his elbows, and I can see his gun strapped to his waist in a dark leather holster. The sight of a gun has never bothered me. Growing up in Hastings, my sister and I were taught to handle a weapon before we were allowed to date. Now that I think about it, one probably had a lot to do with the other.

  He grunts my way. “My day would have been better had you not insisted on barreling your way into my investigation, Sweet Cheeks.”

  “Sweet Cheeks?” A genuine growl works its way up my throat. “You do realize I loathe that nickname.”

  “You prefer something a little more exciting? Sugarpuss perhaps?” he asks while taking Pixie from my arms.

  “That’s disgusting.”

  “What?” He holds back a smile while touching his nose to the adorable little feline’s in his arm. “We think it’s cute.”

  “Say it again and I’ll hold back evidence.”

  “I might be okay with that so long as you don’t hold back whatever you’ve got in that oven, Kitten.”

  “That’s better.” I make a face his way. “Start up a fire and I’ll plate up some Italian goodness for you.”

  He does as he’s told, and soon we’re both noshing on my heavenly lasagna while seated on the sofa, staring at the crackling flames and moaning into our food. The cabin is small but homey. It has a black and white checkered sofa that makes you feel as if you’re sitting on a cloud, and the entire cabin looks as if it’s made out of Lincoln Logs both inside and out.

  “I guess you know what you’re doing in the kitchen,” he says, shoveling in another bite.

  “Thanks.” I shrug over at him. “Do you know what you’re doing with Madeline Swanson’s murder investigation?”

  His brows dart down, and judging by that hard expression he’s shooting my way, I’ve managed to stick a pin in his ego.

  “I’m telling you,” I practically whisper the words. “I’m convinced Kiera Hillerman did it. Or in the least, she’s involved.”

  “What did she say?” he asks, taking in another forkful.

  “She said she thought Madeline was sleeping with her boyfriend. Anyway, she said Madeline died before she could exact her revenge.”

  “Revenge?” He takes the final bite of his food and lands the plate on the coffee table. Shep stretches his arm over the sofa, and his fingers land within an inch of my shoulder. “What else did she say?”

  “Nothing we didn’t already know. She mentioned that Madeline worked for Hathaway Enterprises, Sophia’s dad. She was the redhead in the lavender dress. Kiera made it sound like Sophia was making moves on Lucas Lane.”

  He gives a quick blink. “Madeline’s boyfriend.”

  “Yup. But I’m telling you, Shep, something is up with Kiera and Lucas.”

  He inches back as if I stunned him. “That came out of the blue. What gives?”

  Pixie trots over and sniffs my plate before I land it on the coffee table and scoop her into my arms.

  “I just have a gut feeling.” I nod while giving him the crazy eyes. There’s no way I’m telling Shep about my visions, but it doesn’t mean I can’t play it off as a mean hunch.

  He stares me down a good long while.

  “All right. I’ll look into it. I’ll talk to Lucas.” He leans in a notch. “As in I’ll talk to Lucas alone. And for the love of all things holy, do not tour his office.”
<
br />   “Ooh—Lucas has an office, what does he do?”

  Shep’s lips knot up. “None of your business. But do you know what is your business?” He picks up his plate. “A mean lasagna. I’m going for seconds. You want in?” He picks up my plate as well.

  “A man who is willing to serve?” I tease. “You’ll never see me refusing that offer.”

  Pixie and I watch as Shep makes his way to the kitchen.

  I pull the sweet kitty close. “Now those are some hot buns he’s wielding.”

  “What’s that?” Shep asks as he comes back and lands a few inches closer to me this time on the couch.

  “Nothing,” I bite down on a smile. “I can’t help but note you’re within cuddling range. Is that what happens next, Detective Wexler?”

  He takes a breath. “I was hoping the offer to go over one of my manuscripts was still open.”

  “A consultation on the mob? You bet. Speaking of which, I can’t thank you enough for letting me talk to my father a few weeks back. Oh, and before you go, you have to see the placemat I’m working on for my Uncle Vinnie. I figure it’s been a couple of months since I sent him that pillow I cross-stitched, and he’s probably worried sick about me.”

  His brows twitch as he swallows down a bite.

  “What’s the design this time?”

  “Since our safe word is meow, I found a pattern of a cat dangling from a tree by her tail. I’m adding the meow part myself. I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to get into a domesticated hobby. The old me would have hated doing something so tedious. She was a partier and a night owl, and have I mentioned she had poor decision-making skills?”

  “I was able to deduce that myself.” The underpinnings of a genuine smile curve on his lips.

  “You’re not funny.”

  He tilts his head. “Do you know what else isn’t funny?”

  “The fact you’re going for thirds?”

  “That.” He winces as he lands the plate on the coffee table and pulls out his phone. “And this.” He fiddles with his screen. “I got this in the mail. No name on the envelope, so I opened it. I’m guessing it’s for you.”