Poison Apple Crisp

by Addison Moore

  “Come to think of it”—Ginger floats my way—“my mother was always telling Brenda to stop humiliating her brother. I’m afraid it’s something she rather enjoyed.”

  I nod, making a note of it.

  Martin looks to the floor. “I don’t know. I’d hate to peg just one person. In fact, if I’m being truthful, it would be hard to peg just one person.”

  “What about Cokie?”

  “Good one, Lot.” Carlotta slaps her hands together. “Cutting right to the Cokie chase.”

  My mouth falls open as I look to her in disbelief.

  “Cokie?” Martin nods. “She did accuse Brenda of stealing me from under her. And for the most part, it was true. Brenda wanted to be in the power position at all times, and Cokie was the one who wore the pants at the school—pardon the sexist pun. Swiping me was just one of the ways Brenda took aim at Cokie. And I’m afraid I played right into Brenda’s hands with that one. Cokie and I often argued over it. In fact, we argued over it the night of Brenda’s murder.”

  That must have been the heated exchange I witnessed between the two of them.

  “What about a woman by the name of Alyssa Thomas?” I ask. “Did you ever hear Brenda mention her?”

  “Alyssa? Sure I did.” He chuckles. “That was a terrible thing.” A heavy sigh comes from him. “Alyssa’s husband took off with his secretary. He was a preacher, so it was particularly tough. I guess she liked to tell people he disappeared, and that she may have been responsible. Weird, huh? Brenda dug deep for the truth on that one. Turns out, Alyssa was vying for top dog at the PTA, but Brenda demanded she step down or she’d reveal the truth. And it turns out, Alyssa liked her version of the truth too much to fight her on it. She had already told a handful of people her convoluted side of the story—she feared the fallout might humiliate her kid. She told me several times she was thrilled he was finally a senior so she could be rid of Honey Hollow High. But I knew she really meant be rid of Brenda.”

  That shoving match Everett and I witnessed between Brenda and Alyssa comes back to me—or more to the point, the exchange we witnessed while watching their shoes.

  “Martin? Did Brenda have another reason to blackmail Alyssa? Or threaten her?”

  He purses his lips. “Blackmail is too strong a word. Alyssa wanted in on a few dance committees, but Brenda was determined to shut her out of everything. She went as far as suggesting she might tamper with her son’s graduation day. Brenda could be bitter as a cup of vinegar when she wanted to be.”

  Carlotta huffs, “Sounds like she was madder than a wet hen.”

  I shoot her a look, but it’s no use. I can no sooner control Carlotta from spouting off than I can my stomach from trying to discharge all of its contents.

  Martin laughs. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  Carlotta elbows him in the ribs. “So are you getting the band back together and making some new music with Cokie?”

  Ginger howls out a laugh. “I was just thinking of asking that myself.”

  He gives the back of his head a scratch. “I’m not so sure. But I guess never say never, right? She invited me to the fundraiser this Friday night. I think I’ll show up and see where it goes.” He nods our way. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d better check on the guests.”

  He takes off, and dinner wraps up before we know it. Our train ride comes to a merciful conclusion, and soon we’re all exiting the horror express.

  Suze all but snarls my way as we say goodnight, prompting Noah to apologize profusely for her.

  Eliza offers me a warm embrace and whispers into my ear, “Don’t mind her. She was burned by Wiley, and she’s been making others pay for it ever since. Sometimes you have to forgive and move on. It’s what I chose to do, and I do believe it’s the healthier option. Don’t let her ruin your moment.” She pulls back and looks to Everett and me. “Enjoy this time, both of you. Heck, all three of you.” She pulls Noah into our midst. “Having a baby is one of the most magical things this life can offer. Don’t let anyone rain on your parade. Absorb everything this happy time in your lives is trying to give you. It won’t last forever. Soon your baby will go off to have babies of their own.” She sniffs back tears as she pulls the three of us into a strong hug.

  We head back to Honey Hollow, and I ponder the things that Eliza said—and the things that Martin said, too.

  “Well, Lemon?” Everett asks as we park in his driveway and he helps me out of the car. “What’s it going to be? My place or yours?”

  “Yours,” I say and Evie grunts.

  “I’m wearing earphones and sleeping with three pillows over my head. Goodnight.” She looks to Carlotta. “Don’t forget what we talked about. The first game is coming up, and I’ll need those uniforms.”

  “What uniforms?” I ask, and Carlotta shoots Evie a look with a threat embedded in it.

  “What’s that?” Carlotta cups her ear to the street. “I think that’s Harry. He said he’d be over in a blink. I’d better go put on my uniform.” She winks to Evie. “Night, all. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, Lot.”

  I shake my head as both she and Evie scramble off.

  Everett and I make our way inside, and I head straight for his bedroom, while he heads to the kitchen to get us some water and snacks. I’ve basically conditioned him to feed me before bedtime. I can’t help it. My desire to eat is just as strong as it is to do other far more carnal things these days. I blame this surge of hormones on both.

  Everett comes into the room, and I pat the spot on the bed next to me. He lands a couple of water bottles on the nightstand and a box of my sweet treats I brought over before we left.

  “Hey”—his lips curl—“I found something you left here, lying in front of the laundry room, and I like it.” He dives next to me and dangles a smidge of peach fabric in front of me. “Do you want to put them on so I can pull them off?”

  “What’s that?” I take it from him and shake it out to reveal a pair of skimpy underwear that look to be made of strings. A tiny laugh stifles in my throat. “Everett, these aren’t mine. These are Evie’s.”

  “What?” He tosses them across the room as if it was a fireball in my hands. “Geez.” He falls back on the pillow and stares up at the ceiling in a daze.

  I can’t help but laugh as I land beside him.

  “No offense to Evie”—I say, wrapping my arms around him—“but they’re nothing I’d want to wear day in and day out. It’s like putting dental floss where dental floss should never be. And those women that swear they’re oh so comfortable? I think they’re lying to themselves. Evie just wants to be grown up and feel pretty.”

  He grunts at the thought. “She’s growing up too fast.” He warms my stomach with his hand. “And my mother is right, this little sugar cookie will grow up quickly, too. We really need to enjoy the ride.”

  “Aw, Sugar Cookie. I love that nickname. Can we call it Sugar Cookie until it arrives?”

  “We can do whatever you like.” He dots a kiss to my nose.

  “I’m glad you see things that way,” I say, turning off the light next to us. “Because there are so many things I’d like to do.”

  And Everett makes sure we do them all.

  Chapter 16

  The next day at the bakery is hectic. It seems as if I’ve baked more apple crisps than there are apples in all of Vermont. And to make things a little more hectic, Lily has a date with some random person she met off a dating site, which means I have to close up shop. So much for her monogamous relationship with that beefy security guard, Seven. And I was really rooting for them. But Carlotta showed up to help me close, and so did Noah. Everett would have, but he’s having a late night himself at the courthouse, trying to sift through details for an important upcoming case.

  Ginger and her ghostly new boyfriend, Thirteen, are here as well. They’ve been running back and forth from the Honey Pot and back again until I put a cream pie on the counter for them to decimate.

  Carlotta stops s
weeping the dining room and sits on her broom as if she expects it to take flight.

  “I take it you won’t need a ride home,” I say as I wipe down the counter.

  Noah laughs as he steps up beside me. “You walked into that one, Carlotta.” He slides a glass of water my way. “Keep hydrated, Lottie. It helps keep up the production of amniotic fluid.”

  “Aw, Noah,” I coo as I take up the glass. “I just love how you’re so interested in every aspect of this. Sugar Cookie and I really appreciate it.” I let Noah in on the nickname this morning because in no way do I want him out of the loop. Although, I might have left out the detail of Everett coming up with it in bed.

  His expression sobers. “Where are you with the case? Ginger’s here, so it must be on your mind.”

  “You know me well.”

  Ginger looks up lazily from the pie and I take up Noah’s hand so he can hear her, too.

  She lets out a sharp bark. “Lottie, I never want to leave. And as if Pancake and Waffles weren’t enough, I’ve got Thirteen now. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if another handsome man walked into your life?”

  “No,” both Noah and I say in unison before we share a laugh. I let go of Noah’s hand, seeing that the conversation has nothing to do with the case and everything to do with my hormones.

  Thirteen yowls. “Dare I say you have your hands full, Lottie Lemon. A bakery and a baby? You won’t have time for men.”

  Carlotta chuckles. “Have you met her?” She gives the sparkling onyx cat a wry look. “My Lot Lot would give up a lot of things, but men isn’t one of them.”

  “Hear, hear,” I say, rubbing my belly absentmindedly. “But I don’t want to focus on that. I need to think about Evie’s sweet sixteen. It’s coming up, and there’s still so much to do.”

  Carlotta huffs, “The kid is still set on having it at her daddy’s place. I told her, for a nominal fee she could hire me to turn that sleeper of a party into a keeper, but she outright refused my services. I think you’re raising her wrong, Lot Lot.”

  “I think that’s a perfect example that we’re raising her right.”

  A dry laugh pumps from Noah. “I agree.” He sweeps those evergreen eyes over me as he grows serious. “Do you want to talk about the case?”

  “Please.” Anything but Carlotta’s efforts to do beer runs for the underage population of Honey Hollow High. And I have no doubt that was on the party-planning agenda.

  Noah tips his head back. “So who’s on your suspect list and why, Detective Lemon?”

  “Cokie.” I shoot him the side-eye. “And don’t think for a minute I’m not onto that wily redhead’s ways. That woman wants you, and you know it.”

  “Aw.” Carlotta zips over. “Now look what you’ve done, Foxy. She’s pouting like a three-year-old. What’s the matter, Lot? Are you finding out the hard way you can’t have your cake and eat it, too? Who do you think you are, a mere mortal? Well, I’m here to tell you it’s not true. You’re Lottie Dottie Lemon. You can have your way with the judge with a grudge, then march right across the street and have a sliver of Foxy pie. It’s the Sawyer women way.”

  I roll my eyes. “That’s not how this world works, Carlotta. That’s against the rules, not to mention every code of ethics known to man.”

  “Since when do the rules apply to you, anyway?” she fires back. “You’re a trailblazer. Other women look up to your floozy ways. It’s inspiring the way you’ve eschewed societal norms and dived right into the deep end of debauchery with two of the most handsome men Honey Hollow has ever seen. You winnowed out the best and said to heck with the rest.”

  My hand pats my belly. “And now my wicked ways have come home to roost.”

  Noah leans in. “Maybe so, but in the very sweetest way.” He dots a kiss to my cheek. “Do you have anything on Cokie?”

  “Just the fact she’s kooky.” I shrug. “I couldn’t help it. Her name walked right into that one.” Something comes back to me. “Last night, Martin mentioned that she was a crime buff. He thought maybe Desmond Meadows’ book once belonged to her.”

  Carlotta jabs her broom at us as if she was staving off an attack.

  “I say we head over to the school and raid her office for clues. That woman spends more time there than she does in her own home. I bet she’s got the place filled with ransom notes she’s dying to use on troublemaking students.”

  Ginger lifts her head a notch. “Can we go? Can we?”

  Noah shakes his head. “No way. Who’s next?” He steals a cookie from the bakery shelf while awaiting my answer.

  “Alyssa Thomas. She’s a weird one. Her husband left her. And to save face, she flipped the script like her therapist suggested and has people believing she might have killed him.”

  Noah tips his head. “A lot like the Meadows’ case, don’t you think?”

  “Yup,” I say. “Too much so. Anyway, I don’t know. I guess she could have poisoned Brenda. She was angry that night. They had a fight.” I steal a cookie out of the bakery shelf right along with Noah. “And then there’s Rachelle. She was being humiliated left and right by Brenda. Martin said he didn’t know what dirt Brenda had on her. I guess I can ask Rachelle. I feel like we’re genuinely friends now. But if I do, the poor thing will probably think I’m going to play the same game Brenda did.”

  Carlotta waddles up with that broom tucked beneath her once again.

  “What about Martin, Lot?” She comes shy of winking and inadvertently does a great impression of an ornery witch. “He seemed awfully glad to be rid of her.”

  “I agree,” I say. “I guess the thrill was gone after he was no longer cheating on Cokie. For some men, it’s all about the thrill of the chase.”

  Noah twitches his brows my way. “For the record, I’m not chasing any other girls, Lottie. You’re it for me.” He brushes his thumb over my cheek. “And I want you to know I’m content with it. I mean it, too.” His verdant eyes float over my features. “I’m just happy I get to be in your life.”

  His gaze dips down to my belly, and I know what he’s thinking.

  I pull his hand over and kiss it.

  “Hey?” I whisper as I make him look me in the eyes. “No matter how this turns out, no matter what, you’re always going to be in my life, Noah.”

  He gives a slow blink. “Thank you, Lottie. That means everything to me.”

  Carlotta tosses the broom down and takes off her apron.

  “All right, Ginger, get your boyfriend’s face out of that cream pie. It’s time to take a ride to Honey Hollow High.”

  I bite down on my lip and nod in agreement.

  “Lottie?” Noah shakes his head. “No way. This worries me.”

  I give a little shrug as I take off my own apron. “Then come along, Detective Fox, and you won’t have to worry.”

  The large, white, rectangular buildings that make up Honey Hollow High are backlit with blue lights, giving the place an ethereal feel. I take a breath as I soak in the sight of my old alma mater after dark.

  A deep, husky howl emits from the left, and I turn my head that way as I spot a large shadow over by the woods that line the street. It looks to be a creature with red glowing eyes, a body at least as tall as I am, but I can tell from here it’s seated on its hind legs. It lets out another otherworldly howl and a bone-chilling shiver rides through every molecule in my body. I step out that way, but just like that, the shadow disappears and it makes me wonder what it was that I just saw.

  “This is a bad idea,” Noah says, mostly to himself, as we walk boldly into the back service entrance. Carlotta used her crooked know-how to pick the lock. And apparently, there are no security cameras because it’s a public school. How I wish I were kidding.

  We walk the dimly lit halls until we reach Principal Hickman’s office.

  “Here it is,” Noah whispers. The only reason he agreed to come was because he wanted to ensure Carlotta and I didn’t end up arrested or shot. He says he’s our cover. If we get caught, he’ll pull rank
and say he’s conducting a late night search of the property. He let us know Cokie gave him full permission and access to search the school whenever he wanted. It will still look dicey if we’re spotted, but I like Noah’s willingness to accept the fact my lunacy can’t be stopped.

  Carlotta picks the lock to the office as well, and soon we’re in the holy land, or the devil’s playground—take your pick.

  “I’ll search the filing cabinet,” Carlotta says.

  Noah nods. “And I’ll check out the computer.”

  “I’ll snoop the bookshelf for any more autographed crime novels,” I say as the three of us get to work.

  Carlotta fires up the flashlight on her phone as she pilfers through the filing cabinet, and I use mine to examine the plethora of books lining the shelves.

  I cluck my tongue. “Every one of these books is geared toward education, parenting, families, being a leader, and different learning strategies. There’s not a fiction book in the bunch.” I head toward the window and trip over a small yet heavy box. “Whoa.”

  “Lottie?” Noah zips over. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I almost”—I don’t dare say tripped or Noah is liable to have me put under house arrest—“almost lost my place.” I offer a short-lived smile before shining the light down on the box. The slit in the lid is partially pulled back and I can see the metallic green cover of a book.

  Noah picks the box up and lands it on the desk, and we quickly discover it’s filled to the brim with nothing but paperbacks.

  “Bingo,” I say. “Every single one of these is about a true crime story. Noah, she’s practically a collector.”

  “Huh,” he muses as he loses himself for a moment going through them. “I guess she is.”

  Carlotta sighs. “I’m glad you found something. All I’ve got are these personal files on the board members of the PTA.”

  I zip over just as a spray of tiny orange stars emits and lights up the room with a pumpkin glow.

  “Have we missed it?” Ginger shakes out her tawny fur as she materializes before me. “Thirteen and I stopped off at his place to get a quick rut in.”