Are you up for unlocking a mystery? The lab just called and said I can come down and open that envelope.
I gasp as I read it and send a message right back. Don’t move a muscle. I’ll meet you down at the station.
I text Everett and let him know there’s been a change of plans.
We’re meeting with Noah, and I have a feeling we’re about to find out what really drove someone to break in and steal that book.
Chapter 14
The Ashford Sheriff’s Department is a boxy building with white floors, walls, and woodwork inside. The only thing that warms the place up is the tan and olive uniforms the deputies wear. Actually, Noah can wear whatever he wants as the lead homicide detective. Keelie’s father, Jack Turner, is the sheriff, and he’s the one that hired Noah a few years back. And as it turns out, he also hired the woman I’m staring at now.
“Ivy,” I say, less than enthused. Detective Ivy Fairbanks rarely has a smile for me, or anything great to say to me either.
Noah walks up behind her with his dimples digging in and out.
“Lottie.” He pulls me in lands a kiss to my cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Great. A little hungry, but that can wait.”
Ivy growls out a tiny laugh. “Call me a prognosticator, but I knew we’d eventually get here. Noah here tells me you’re really expecting this time. I suppose what happened last month was merely a dress rehearsal.”
Last month, Carlotta started a rumor that I was knocked up. And as fate would have it, that rumor turned out to be true.
“Yes, I am expecting.” My hand lands protectively over my stomach in hopes to shield my sweet child from Poison Ivy’s ramblings. “And I’m very excited.”
“As am I,” Noah adds.
Ivy chuckles to herself. “As is Everett, I hear. So how is this going to work? Noah says it’s Everett’s turn with you. What happens if Noah is the father? You dump Everett and Noah moves in?”
My mouth opens as I look to Noah.
He shakes his head. “Lottie and I are complicated. I screwed up. I’m the one that put the crack in the armor, and Everett was right there to catch her when she fell. If that baby is mine, it will all work out the way it’s supposed to. The rest is entirely up to Lottie. I’m not fighting her for anything. And I refuse to use our child as a bargaining chip in hopes to rekindle a romantic relationship with her.”
I press my lips tightly, and my chest bucks. “Noah.” I wrap my arms around him as all of the pent-up emotion I’ve been feeling for the past few weeks comes flooding to the surface. And I weep, right here in the sheriff’s department, in front of God, the deputies, and Ivy.
“Here we go with the waterworks.” She sighs. “I’ll trust you to tell me what you find, Detective Fox.” And with that, she does a disappearing act.
“I meant every word,” he whispers. “We’re going to be okay. And we’re going to come out stronger. Whatever that might mean.” He lands a kiss to my temple. “Come on, Lot. Let’s get to the lab and see what this is all about so we can get some food in you afterwards.”
We head around the building just as Everett pulls up.
“Lemon.” He pulls me in. “What’s happening with Evie? Is everything okay? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. As far as Evie goes, I have no idea. Carlotta has her involved with something, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s more dangerous than a street gang and the mob combined.”
Everett’s brows swoop low, and it’s a vexingly comely look that ignites that insatiable heat inside of me. Darn hormones.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it.” He nods to Noah. “Lead the way.”
We head into the lab with its steel countertops and white glossy floors. The scent of antiseptic slightly burns my nostrils, and the sight of all those lockers filled with evidence sends my stomach spinning for reasons unknown. There’s an air of something nefarious lurking just below the surface, and yet a layer of ache as if those bits and pieces of evidence were somehow crying out for justice all on their own.
A couple of men in white lab coats bring out the envelope in question on a steel platter and provide Noah with a razor sharp letter opener and a pair of tweezers. He dons a pair of gloves and gets straight to work.
“Here goes nothing,” Noah says as he carefully slices the envelope open.
He pulls a letter out and unfolds it carefully.
Both Everett and I lean in to get a better look.
Written in shaky handwriting, it reads:
Mrs. Waters,
Deliver $200,000 to the split rock trail if you ever want to see her again. Unmarked one hundred dollar bills only. Once the money is deemed worthy of acceptance, she will be turned over to a public establishment. Ignore this, and she dies.
“A ransom note,” I pant. The T’s are crossed at a severe angle, and the letter A is written with a curlicue on the end of it.
“Mrs. Waters.” Everett gives my hand a squeeze. “That was Robin Meadows’ mother—Desmond’s wife.”
Noah nods. “Ramilda Waters. She’s the one that ended up with the kids afterwards.”
I angle in to get a better look at the note.
“I guess this implies they weren’t planning on killing Robin.” I pull out my phone and take a picture of the note before Noah can stop me.
“Or pretend they weren’t going to kill her.” Noah puts the letter away and seals it back up in the evidence bag. “Whoever had this book didn’t open that letter.”
Everett nods. “It begs the question if they knew it was there to begin with. Or if they knew exactly what it said because they wrote it.”
I look up at him. “Maybe they knew it was there, and they knew not opening it would make the book more valuable?”
Everett considers this. “Possible. But human nature dictates otherwise.”
We leave the lab and head back to Honey Hollow with more questions than we came with.
Someone killed Brenda Phillips. Someone stole that autographed copy of Desmond Meadows’ book from my house. And someone wrote that letter.
So many mysteries. And perhaps the biggest mystery of all is whether or not all three are tied together.
Wouldn’t it be something if they were?
Stranger things have happened.
Chapter 15
The next day, Everett tells me to dress to the nines for an early dinner that he promised I wouldn’t soon forget. And all day I dream about the perfect date with just Everett and me. It’s been so long since we’ve done anything like this, I think we’re due. Although, just cuddling up on my sofa next to a roaring fire while sipping on hot apple cider is a dream date with him as far as I’m concerned.
But once I hear Carlotta and Evie shouting at one another to hurry up and get ready for the big surprise, I get the feeling Everett and I won’t be alone for this adventure.
Both Carlotta and Evie run in and out of my bathroom, dipping into my makeup cache, raiding my closet at record speeds as if they were getting ready for prom, and the whole scene leaves me suspicious. Although, I think it’s adorable Evie would even bother to open my closet. Her wardrobe puts mine to shame in both style and girth. But she borrows a scarf, and it makes the little black dress she’s wearing look a touch more modest. But just a touch.
And Carlotta indeed looks as if she’s headed to prom—the eighties edition with a white lace number and fingerless lace gloves to match. Don’t get me started on the hundreds of black rubber bracelets she’s wearing.
Hey? Maybe we’re not going to a snazzy restaurant? Maybe we’re headed to karaoke, and Carlotta plans on nailing those Madonna songs to a wall?
But when Noah comes over in a sleek dark suit and offers to drive Carlotta and Evie to the venue, I realize this was never a one-on-one date between Everett and me to begin with. I guess it was wishful thinking on my part, but I’ll admit, I’m more than happy to have dinner with everyone I love.
Everett looks lethally handsome in his standard-issue dark
, inky suit set off by his red and gold striped tie as he drives us for nearly forty minutes over dark highways while I ogle him freely from the side.
“You know, I was kind of hoping it’d just be you and me tonight.” I was thinking it, so I figured I might as well say it. “I’m craving a little alone time with you that requires us to get all dressed up and have a good time. Not that we don’t have a good time when we’re not wearing any clothes. In fact, one could argue that’s my favorite way to have a good time with you.”
“I’ll make sure it happens.” His lips curl up one side, and he’s got that look in his eye that lets me know he’s envisioning exactly how and when it will happen.
“Which part? The going out or the naked time?”
“Both.” He sheds a short-lived grin my way. “But tonight,” he winces, “I’m almost afraid to let you in on too many details.”
“Wow, this must really be scary, because the Judge Baxter I know isn’t afraid of anything. What’s on the spooky agenda?”
He glowers as he looks out the windshield. “My mother will be joining us.”
“Is that all?” I slap my knee, filled with relief. “I happen to love Eliza. And since when are you afraid of your mother?”
He shakes his head, his eyes never leaving the highway. “It’s not my mother I’m worried about. It’s Noah’s.”
I take in such a sharp breath, and I nearly inhale the pendant dangling from my necklace—an adorable rose gold rose that my mother gifted me for Christmas.
“Suze is coming? Why on God’s green earth did you have to involve her? Have I mentioned that I’m wearing an eighty-five dollar dress from the Scarlet Sage Boutique? And heels—in my condition? Suze is so not worthy of heels on any given day of the week.”
A horrible moan comes from me.
“What’s the matter, Lemon? Is it your morning sickness? Is it hitting you hard right now? We could turn around. I’ll have us in bed within twenty minutes.”
“Why, yes, I think maybe we should go with that.”
“Fine by me. Text Carlotta to tell Noah to go ahead and enjoy the boxcar without us. Just let them know you’re not feeling up to it.” He starts to turn off the highway, and I take ahold of the wheel and navigate us right back into it. “Whoa, Lemon.” He takes full control of the wheel as he looks to see if it’s safe to merge back into traffic. “What was that about?”
“You know what that was about. Martin Smulder is running that Railway Restaurant, and he just so happens to be the last person on my suspect list. I have to talk to him. And unfortunately for the both of us, it means enduring dinner with Suze Fox.”
He tips his head to the side. “That’s not everyone. Your mother and Wiley will be joining us, too. And Mayor Nash.”
“What in the world possessed you?” It comes out a bit more incredulous than I meant for it to.
“Noah.” He shrugs. He figured since we had an entire boxcar to ourselves, we might as well invite the whole family. Besides, both his mother and mine are curious as to how you’re doing, and I thought this way you could tell them yourself.”
“I guess you’re right.” I blow out a breath. “We’ll make the most of it. And by the way, thank you for holding out the details from me until the last minute. At least I didn’t lose the entire day stressing out about it. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I mean, what could really go wrong? I’ll be trapped on a train for two hours, eating delicious food with the people I love. It’s going to be a good time.” Or a recipe for an inescapable disaster.
A dark laugh rumbles from him. “I noticed that you didn’t say you would have a good time. At least you’re a realist.”
“Just knowing that you pick up on even the slightest details gets me hot and bothered.”
His lips are right back to curving. “Your place or mine, Lemon. Lady’s choice tonight.”
“Ohh,” I squeal. And just like that, my night is looking up again. “I’ll keep it as a surprise. I plan on keeping you on your toes.”
“I like that.”
We finally arrive in Fallbrook, at the Smulder’s Railway Restaurant to be exact, and soon the entire lot of us is stepping onto a glossy red train that looks as if it was plucked right out of the nineteenth century.
An entire staff of cheerful waiters and waitresses greets us as they usher us into a large boxcar with an enormous table running down the length of it. Windows line either side of it, and there’s still plenty of sun up for us to enjoy the fall foliage we’re about to be treated to.
The train starts to move, and we’re all handed menus to peruse. As soon as that first jerk gives way, I realize I’m facing backwards. That, coupled with the fact we seem to be moving past the scenery outside at an alarming clip, has me fearing those donuts I ate for lunch today are about to make a reprise.
Suze, Noah’s mother, is seated directly across from me. She’s sandwiched in between Eliza, Everett’s mother, and my mother. Wiley is seated next to my mom, and Carlotta is seated next to him. Then there’s Mayor Nash seated across from Carlotta, then Noah, myself, Everett, and Evie.
Everett forces his lips to twitch upwards. “I’m glad you could all make it tonight.”
“Yes,” Suze says it stern like a punishment. “Now we can finally discuss what to do about that child,” she growls it out my way.
And why did she make my child sound as if it was a problem for her?
“Mom,” Noah says it rough enough, but Suze doesn’t flinch.
Her blonde bangs swoop low across her forehead and are forced into submission with enough hairspray to qualify her as a combustion risk. If she antagonizes me enough, I suppose I can light a match.
“Don’t worry, Suze,” I say in an equally curt tone. “You don’t have to do anything about my child.” I brighten a bit. “I can handle everything all on my own.”
“Lottie.” Mom shakes her head ever so much. “Suze.” She looks to the woman by her side that she’s dared to befriend over the last few months. My mother always has been a daredevil in the relationship department. “I can assure you, both Noah and Everett are already proving to be quite the doting partners to Lottie. They care about the baby. And I’m sure once the little angel arrives, you’ll fall in love with that tiny face, too.”
Suze looks to Noah. “Do I have to?”
“Yes,” Noah answers with an incredulous tone in his voice. “If that baby is mine, I’d like for you to at least take an interest.”
Wiley and Carlotta snicker to themselves at the other end of the table, and I moan because I have a feeling I’ve just had a sneak preview of where the next two hours are headed.
Wiley leans in toward his original ex—technically, Eliza is his ex, too. I’m hoping my mother will follow the trend.
“Come on, Suze.” Wiley shakes his head at her. “Live and let live. The baby is already on its way. Let Noah and Lottie, or Lottie and Everett, or Lottie and whoever have their moment.”
“Wiley.” Mom shakes her head disapprovingly at Noah’s older, definitely not wiser, look-alike. “That was rude,” she whispers. “It’s Lottie and—” She tips her head my way as her blonde curls cascade over her shoulders.
“No, it’s okay, Mom.” I blink a smile his way. “He’s right. It’s an odd situation, and it puts everyone here in an odd situation.”
“Not me,” Evie is quick to assert. “I’m happy either way. I’m still going to be a big sister.”
Mayor Nash nods. “And I’m still going to be a grandpa.”
“What’s that?” I couldn’t help it. He all but startled me with the proclamation.
A group of scantily clad waitresses in short uniforms that hardly cover their buns of steel come over to take our orders, and I can’t help but make a face. They look more like naughty French maids than they do a reputable waitstaff. Ten bucks says this army of granite bottoms have been spending their early morning hours on Hot Hannah’s front lawn. It wouldn’t surprise me. In fact, not a lot would surprise me anymore.
&nb
sp; I note Carlotta making wild eyes at Evie from across the table and pointing to the waitress next to her.
“The uniforms,” she all but mouths.
Evie nods her head. “I know, right? They’re like perfect.”
“Perfect for what?” I ask as I look her way.
Carlotta slaps her hand over the table. “Miranda, don’t you have another steamy read coming out next month?”
“I sure do,” My mother trills.
Eliza leans her way with a look of intrigue. “Where do you get your inspiration for these tawdry tails?”
Mom chortles as she pulls Wiley in by the arm.
“I can thank this man right here for every moan-worthy move in my novels.” Her smile expands as she looks to each of us held captive at the table. “I can assure you every move has been tried and tested.” She gives a little wink. “Don’t try this at home, kids.” She giggles.
Eliza’s expression sours. “Well, if that wily fox had anything to do with it, I’m afraid I can’t read it.”
Wiley grunts. “I always knew you’d hold a grudge the longest.”
“That’s because you stole the most from me,” she’s quick to counter. And I must admit, it’s a good comeback.
Now it’s Evie tittering away at the end of the table while snapping candid pictures of us all. As she should. I’ll frame them and give them to Noah and Everett for Christmas, and maybe that will stop this dumpster fire from repeating itself.
“Come now.” Suze pulls a stack of papers out of her purse and hands them to Everett. “Please go over these in detail.”
“Sure.” Everett takes them from her apprehensively.
That’s what he gets. Homework on what was supposed to be a fun sightseeing adventure that involved twice-baked potatoes and maybe some sexy time in the caboose.
“Mom?” Noah nods her way. “What’s this about?”
Suze folds her hands together, and judging by that vindictive smile flickering to life on her face, she’s about to throw this mad dinner party into the deep end of the rabbit hole.
Poison Apple Crisp Page 16