I glance to Noah and close my eyes. “I’d better get home to Pancake and Waffles.” I offer him a sweet kiss on the lips and leave him to clean up the feather-headed mess in his bed.
Some things seem impervious to change.
Cormack is one of them.
Chapter 15
Stay away from Noah or else!
I stare at the note pinched between my fingers far longer than necessary. The paper it’s written on is creamier than my nighttime moisturizer. And if its gold embossed monogram CF hadn’t tipped me off as to who sent it—the perpetrator who handed it to me would have. I glance across the counter at Cormack Featherby.
She pranced right into the Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery after her Swift Cycle class per tradition, and Britney hops by her side trying to get a gander at the note in my hand. I flash it her way and Britney hoots so loud you’d think it was something far more exciting than a foreboding message.
“Did you just threaten Luella?” Britney slaps her hand over her knee. “Oh goodness.” She digs the tips of her pinkie fingers into the corners of her eyes to keep from crying. “Cormack, you are too much today. First the rant about Noah kicking you out on your naked rear end and now this? You’re lucky Lacy hasn’t slapped you with a restraining order. Don’t you think it’s time you let sleeping dogs lie?”
“Oh, I did.” Cormack’s lips twitch with what I’m guessing is rage. “I stepped right over Toby as I made my way into that bedroom.”
Huh. Not once has Toby not greeted me with an enthusiastic running, jumping, pet-me-over-the belly hello. I guess he, too, is just not that into her.
I slide the note back across the counter. “I don’t need this, Cormack. And I’m not staying away from him. Like it or not, Noah and I are embracing our marriage.” I leave out the part about it being a temporary stronghold, per the instructions from his therapist.
She rolls her eyes. “It’s a fake marriage. I know all about it. Hazel told me herself she thought you were serious so she finalized the paperwork for you.”
It’s true. Hazel Wellington took over her sister Amanda’s event planning company in haste and was desperately trying not to mess up when she messed up royally and filed the paperwork making my union to Noah ironclad in the eyes of the law.
“It might have started off that way, but Noah and I have had a change of heart. We’re taking this seriously, and so should you. Look, I realize that you’ve fallen hard for Noah again, but maybe this is a good time to set your sights somewhere else?” Like the south of France, I want to say.
Brit nods as her ponytail swings back and forth. “I’m sure there’s a wealthy count, or an earl, or even a loaded commoner that might strike your fancy—or your appetite for financial destruction.” She chortles and I struggle not to chortle right along with her. “Excuse me, ladies. I need my coffee.” She scoots down to the register where Lily takes her order.
Great. Never would I have guessed that Britney would become the voice of reason. And furthermore—that I would desperately want her to remain in my presence and act as a buffer between Cormack and me.
“Or how about an older gentleman whose tax bracket is in the next galaxy?” I offer. “My mother is hosting a singles mixer next Saturday night that will be crawling with silver foxes.”
Cormack leans in hard, her eyes narrowed to tiny celadon slits.
“Listen up, Lana. Noah Corbin Fox and I are destined to be together. A very prominent fortune teller gave me that delicate information not long after my last divorce was final.”
Last divorce? Oh, heck, I don’t want to know how many divorces she’s racked up.
A heavy sigh expels from me. “Listen, Cormack. My name is Lottie,” I enunciate each syllable. “And I’m sorry to break it to you, but I don’t need to listen to whatever that charlatan who made off with your money may or may not have you believing. And I don’t need to listen to your threats. I’m not backing down on this.”
“Oh, okay,” she balks, nodding like a bobble-headed doll. “So you get Essex and Noah? And what about the rest of us, Laraine, or whoever you think you are?”
I’m about to tell her that I’m technically not with Everett anymore but don’t have it in me to verbalize those words. Everett is still very much tattooed over my heart.
And as if on cue, that tall, dark, and ornery judge walks right into my bakery with the twitchings of a naughty smile.
He steps over and nods to the two of us.
“Lemon, Cormack.”
Ha. She doesn’t get a surname delight like I do. I can’t help the pettiness. Cormack is sawing over my nerves and my sanity right now.
“Everett, you are a sight for sore eyes. Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Any hint as to what this might entail?”
I crimp my lips. “No. This is a complete surprise. Are you still game?”
Earlier today I dug deep into the internet trying to find a Julia Wright in Newport, Vermont, and although it wasn’t easy, I managed to track her down to an interesting location. Suffice it to say, it will be a blast from the past for me, but I’m not entirely sure how Everett will handle it.
“I’m game, Lemon. I’m up for anything, and I say bring it.”
Cormack gags. “What about me? Essex, please explain to your fiancée that she can’t be engaged to one man and married to another.”
He grimaces a moment as he looks her way. “Actually, Cormack, I see that scenario play out more than I care to admit down at the courthouse.”
“Speaking of courthouses.” I slide the creamy parchment toward Everett. “Feast your eyes on this little piece of evidence.”
He picks it up and shakes his head. “Cormack, you do realize that if anything happened to Lemon, this would be admissible in court. I’d advise you to keep all your threats verbal.” He winks my way. “Spoken words are a heck of a lot harder to track, especially if the one who heard them wasn’t around anymore.”
My mouth falls open at his obnoxious sense of humor.
Cormack belts out a husky laugh. “I can always count on Essex to have my back. Watch out, Lemon Tart. If you don’t remove your claws from my man, I am coming for you.” She takes off in a fury, and I watch as she stalks down Main Street.
“You do realize you didn’t help.”
“Not helping is half the fun. Besides, she’s about as harmless as a housefly.”
“And just as annoying.”
His brows bounce. “You ready to take off?”
“Only if you let me throw a few cupcakes into a box for the ride over. I still love to feed you.”
“I’ll take what I can get.”
I box up a half a dozen of my friendly ghost cupcakes and thank Lily for watching the shop for me. She already agreed to do so this afternoon.
Everett and I get as far as the entry when a familiar looking husband comes in bearing a bouquet of blush pink roses that look as delighted as I feel.
Everett’s chest expands. “Noah, if you hurry up the street, you can still give the flowers to your girlfriend.”
I nod. “I’m sure she’d appreciate them. She’s having a rather rough day.”
Noah’s cheek flickers with a hint of amusement. “These are for my bride.” Noah extends the flowers as if they were a peace offering. “I’m sorry you had to witness any of that in my bed last night.”
Everett’s lips purse a moment, and I can feel the zinger coming before it ever leaves his mouth.
Everett leans in. “When you have to hand-deliver an apology bouquet after a night in your bed, it’s time to consider a different kind of therapist to frequent. You do realize there are women who specialize in upping your game. They’re found at Red Satin after dark.”
Noah shakes his head, his eyes never leaving mine. “I don’t need another woman.”
“Thank you, Noah,” I say, graciously accepting the flowers before turning to Everett. “We found Cormack naked in his bed last night. It was an adventure I wasn’t up for, so I
left rather abruptly.”
“And so did she,” Noah adds. “So where are the two of you off to?” Any enthusiasm he might have had begins to wane as he takes a moment to scowl at Everett.
“Newport,” I tell him. “I have a credible lead as to where I might find another one of Pastor Gaines’ victims, and Everett was kind enough to volunteer to come with me.”
Noah shifts his gaze to Everett. “I’m sure he was.” He nods his way. “Do you think you’d mind sitting this one out? I’d kind of like to go on a covert op with Lottie sometime. I hear she’s pretty good.”
A quiet laugh rumbles through my chest. “That’s because you got to experience it firsthand last night.”
“Touché.”
Everett scratches at the back of his neck. “I’m fine with it.”
He tries to hand the box of cupcakes back my way, but I stop him.
“That’s so you don’t forget me.” It comes out with a twinge of sadness.
Everett bows down and gifts me a wet kiss on the cheek before whispering, “And that’s so you don’t forget me.”
He takes off, and I try my best to scrape my heart off the floor.
Noah takes up my hand and offers a pained smile. “Are you ready?”
“I’m always ready for you, Noah.”
Chapter 16
Newport, Vermont is a bustling lakeside community that is rife with old-world charm and its fair share of stunning fall foliage.
“I haven’t been here since my father was alive,” I say as Noah drives us down a major thoroughfare. “It’s so beautiful I just want to feast my eyes on everything at once. I love feeling like a tourist.”
“I’m glad I get to share it with you, Lot. We should talk about traveling one of these days. We never did get an appropriate honeymoon.”
He waggles his brows and my mouth falls open at the romantic prospect.
“Let’s do it. Is there a city that Cormack has been banned from?”
He belts out a laugh.
“Why are you laughing? Most people fear the boogey man. I fear a Featherby popping up from under the bed.”
He groans, “You’re right. It hits way too close to home for it to be funny.”
I decided to leave out her ridiculous threat for now. I don’t want to ruin this fun trip with any more talk of that nitwit.
“I’m glad you’re here with me, Noah.” I point up ahead. “You’ll want to turn left at the end of the block and our destination should be right there.” I didn’t dare tell Noah what he was in for. I had a hard enough time imagining Everett doing this with me let alone Noah.
Keelie and Lainey have all but sworn off my antics for the rest of the haunted month, and Meg is swamped at the “studio” as she calls it.
“I’m glad I’m here, too. I’ve been meaning to steal some serious alone time with you. I guess you can consider this our first official date night—or afternoon as it were.”
“Oh, I love that. Can we still have date night once we have a gaggle of children?”
“Only until we get to twelve.”
“Twelve!” I swat him on the arm and we share a laugh, but as soon as we make the left, Noah grows morbidly somber.
“Oh no,” he moans as he pulls into the first parking spot he sees. “Why does Everett get mimosas on Lake Champlain and I get this?”
I try my best to stifle a laugh. “If it makes you feel better, I asked him first.”
“Sadly no, it actually makes me feel worse.” He winces over at the enormous roller skate spinning in the sky. “A roller derby?”
“Yup. Owned and operated by Julia Wright herself. I checked the social media account of the place and she’s practically in most of the shots. And seeing that she’s super active, I’d say our chances of speaking with her today are pretty darn good.”
“Can you speak from a full body cast?”
“You’re a riot,” I say, hopping out of his truck.
Noah takes a deep breath while looking at the sign. “The Roller Space Case.” He shakes his head. “Let’s hope they have good pizza.”
Noah and I head into the oversized brick building with its floor-to-ceiling windows and old cracked vinyl floor entry.
The sound of wheels softly whirring in the expansive basin to our right, accompanied by the scent of—Noah guessed it—pepperoni pizza gives this place a nostalgic appeal. Back in the day, my mother used to haul us girls out to Ashford when they still had a roller rink and we’d fly around that track as if our lives depended on it. How I miss those storied days when my father sat on the sidelines eating a slice of stringy pizza, cheering us on as if we were Olympians. And we sure felt like we were.
Noah points over to a large neon sign. “Haunted skating the entire month of October.”
“Ooh, sounds like Julia likes to kick it up a scary notch.”
The bored teen at the reception area perks up. “Did you say Julia?” Her hair is long and shockingly pink. White cordless earbuds hang from her ears, and it reminds me of the time my mother asked why the girl in front of us in line at the movies had cigarettes coming from her ears.
“Julia? Yes, actually, I did.”
We step over and she slides a couple of liability forms our way, which Noah begins to diligently fill out. I happen to peer at the names he’s jotted down—Corbin Fox and Kenzie Fox. Our middle names and a brand new surname for me. I like the idea of trying it on for size.
The teen taps into her phone. “Did she give you a discount?”
I’m about to refute the frugal error when Noah nods.
“Yes, she did.” He taps his hand over the twenty-dollar price of admission per person, and I can’t help but chuckle.
“Sure thing.” The girl knocks ten percent off the price and takes our shoe sizes before reappearing with a pair of his and hers skates. “Julia is in the rink if you want to say hello. She’s the Grim Reaper.”
A forced laugh bucks from me. “Julia is always the Grim Reaper.” I shake my head at the girl as if I had a clue as to what I was talking about.
She wrinkles her nose. “So you heard?”
“Heard what?” I lean in, suddenly hungry for what the teen with the cigarettes hanging out of her ears has to opine about.
“About a year ago her husband disappeared.” She says that last word in air quotes. “People think she offed him, but she insists he took off on his own. But really? The pastor of New Way Church just up and leaving his wife like that? They were so in love. And he was so nice. Always smiling. He never had a bad thing to say about anyone.”
And, sadly, not a word she said surprises me.
“Does Julia have a bad thing to say about anyone?”
She laughs, exposing a retainer in her mouth that runs across her teeth in a thin silver line.
“Julia is insanely nice. Emphasis on insane. But you know that. Anyway, the town gossips think she went bonkers and mowed him down and buried the body—thus the Grim Reaper costume. Julia has been a good sport about it.”
“Sounds like it.”
“Have fun,” she chimes as she tends to the next customer in line.
“Wow, Noah, who knew she’d prove to be a wealth of information? Maybe Julia did kill Pastor Gaines. It just took her a while to track him down.”
“If she did, I’d say she was tenacious. And I’m not ruling it out. But one thing I’ve learned as a detective is that popular opinion isn’t always the best route to follow.” We get to the benches next to the refreshment stand and Noah pats me on the back. “Have fun, Cupcake. I’ll watch from the stands.”
“Oh no, you don’t.”
“Come on, Lot. I’ll test out the pizza for you. On a scale of frozen Frisbee to Mangias, I’ll give you an honest readout.”
“Very funny, detective. But there might just be a delicious reward of another variety in it if you don those slippery shoes.”
His evergreen eyes press hard into mine and my insides bite with heat.
“That’s one challenge I can
’t refuse.”
Noah and I put on our skates and head down to the rink, with me gliding happily along and Noah hanging onto the guardrail for dear life as if each step were about to launch him off a very steep cliff.
We hit the whirling masses, mostly teenagers screaming at one another while looking at their phones. The rink itself is sparsely lit by way of an illuminated disco ball. There are cobwebs over the ceiling and large fuzzy spiders hanging from the walls. Most of the kids are dressed in costume, and the music blaring from the speakers sounds as if it should be gracing a haunted inferno.
I take up Noah’s hand and we’re off, slowly, painfully slow.
“Noah, you can walk faster than that. Just relax and try to have fun. It’s totally okay if you fall.”
“It’s totally okay if other people fall. I happen to have a gun just inches from precarious places on my body. I’m liable to shoot off my baby maker if I take a tumble. And if I do, we can kiss our baker’s dozen goodbye.”
“Thirteen?” I muse, and no sooner do I say the number than a sparkling black cat materializes perched on Noah’s shoulder.
“You rang?” He looks around the establishment, managing to look bored in the process. Come to think of it, Thirteen always looks bored.
Noah looks to his left. “He’s on me, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” Thirteen muses. “Try not to dislodge me on the very first fall. I happen to enjoy being eye to eye with a beautiful girl.”
“I’m blushing,” I tease. “And you’re just in time. There’s a Grim Reaper in here somewhere I plan on interrogating.”
An older blonde comes our way wielding an oversized plastic machete, and I gasp at the sight of her. And, instead of remaining calm and staying in my space, I step out in front of her and we both spin out of control.
“Lottie?” Noah calls out as he rolls away. “Where are the brakes on these things?”
Thirteen lets out an adorable roar. “Never mind him. Do your thing, and I’ll make sure the bumbling detective doesn’t lose a limb.”
Especially not the baby making limb, I want to add, but I’m too busy flailing.
Killer Cupcakes (MURDER IN THE MIX Book 14) Page 12