“She did it,” I cry. “She confessed to killing Florenza Canelli.”
A series of screams comes from the entry to the restaurant, and someone shouts for a medic.
We look that way and see a woman with strawberry blonde hair lying on the ground with her blood pooling over the snow, red as a rose.
“Oh my goodness, Everett. I think I know who that is,” I say, pulling him along.
And sure enough, lying motionless on the ground is Allison Gray. Her eyes are opened to the sky, her lips parted as she expires her last breath.
“It’s her,” I whisper to Everett.
Everett nods. “I know.” He drops down and checks her pulse before rising slowly to his feet. “I’m sorry, Lemon. She’s gone.”
A glimmer of light appears next to her. The form of a man begins to fill in, and I recognize that dark wavy hair and that boyish warmth in his mournful smile.
“It’s Carter Cameron,” I whisper to Everett as I take up my husband’s hand.
“I’m sorry,” I say to the man. “I should have paid better attention during the trial. I should’ve—”
He shakes his head. “Don’t worry. Justice always prevails on the other side, no matter if it was missed on this planet.” He glances down at Allison Gray’s lifeless body. “And sometimes—one way or another—justice finds its own way, right here on earth.” His ghostly frame sparks and sizzles until there’s nothing but air left in his wake.
“He’s gone,” I whisper to Everett as I bury my face in his chest. “I failed him, Everett.”
“You didn’t fail anyone. I love you, Lemon. I just need you safe.” Everett takes me as far away from the scene as he can before landing his lips over mine. “I say we focus on this baby. No more trouble, no more murder.”
“No more jury duty or demanding ghosts. And both of those are finally over.” I shrug a little. “What else could possibly go wrong?”
And yet in the pit of my stomach it feels as if the universe is about to best me yet.
Chapter 20
Lorena Lazzari admitted to killing Florenza Canelli, but Everett says the Lazzaris have hired a top-notch legal team for her, so there’s a chance she won’t have to serve all that much time. They ruled Allison’s Gray’s killing accidental. Carter Cameron’s family ruled it a clear case of providence.
It’s just two days since that violent scene back at Kenicky’s Steakhouse, and yet it feels as if a decade has passed. We’re standing in my mother’s B&B, which is already decorated to the hilt for Valentine’s Day with little metallic heart cutouts everywhere and pink twinkle lights strewn all over the conservatory, even though it’s still weeks away.
My mother and Wiley called us all down for a surprise announcement. My sisters and their plus ones are here, including baby Josie, Keelie, Bear, and little Bear, and Keelie’s mother, my mother’s bestie, Becca Turner, and Mother’s other bestie, Chrissy Nash, Cormack and Cressida because they happen to be holing up here, and that pretty much explains Suze Fox’s appearance, too. Evie and Dash are here with their newly minted individual boyfriends. And Carlotta and Mayor Nash are here for the event as well. My mother said it was casual attire, so when Carlotta donned what amounts to a prom gown, a ruby red satin number with a full bell skirt and ruffled hemline, I immediately grew suspicious.
I lean toward Everett. “Do you think Carlotta has traded her unicorn costume for a formal?”
“I can only hope,” he grunts. “I bumped into her in the kitchen the other night after midnight, and let’s just say she only had half of her costume on. Do you know how disconcerting it is to see a topless unicorn?”
Both Noah and I chuckle at the thought. Noah still has his arm wrapped in a sling, but he’s already started to move it to improve his range of motion.
“I’m sorry.” I press my fingers to my lips. “I feel as if I need to apologize to both of you.” I sober up really quickly. “I’m sorry for the poor decisions I’ve been making. I never should have followed Lorena outside. I never should have agreed to moving—you know what, you know where.”
Noah bows his head a notch. “You left that call in my hands, Lot. I’m the one that let the two of you down.” He gives Everett a sheepish half-smile. “Maybe I do need a big brother to look after me.”
Evie jumps into our circle before we can say another word, and conjoined to her hand is the blond varsity football player she’s been hanging out with ever since she arrived in Honey Hollow. He’s got a boyish round face, light eyes, and dimples.
“Dad, Mom, Uncle Noah, I’d like to formally introduce you all to my official boyfriend, the one and only Conner Saint.”
We’ve met before—plenty of times—but I’m with Evie. I think the occasion called for a do-over in that department.
“Saint, huh?” Everett growls at the kid. “And you think you’re going out with my daughter?” he snarls it out with an aggressive edge, and I pull him back a notch.
“Hi, Conner,” I say. “It’s nice to meet you as Evie’s official boyfriend. Just to clarify, you do realize that her father is a judge and her uncle is a cop, and I’ve been rumored to bake a poisoned cupcake or two?”
The smile glides right off of the boy’s face as his mouth rounds out.
“I do know that.” He looks from Everett to Noah. “I’m not in any kind of trouble, am I?”
Evie giggles at the thought as she pulls him in close. “Not yet. But don’t worry, Dad.” She winks over at her father. “We’re working on it.” She yanks Conner off as they head for the dessert table where I’ve laid out a few new sweet treats. Sofia’s Sweet Shop really did motivate me to step up my pastry game.
“Don’t let it get under your skin, Everett,” I tell him. “Evie is just trying to get a rise out of you. She’s sixteen. It’s her job.”
“I don’t trust the boy. Did you see that look in his eyes?”
“Yes,” Noah says. “It’s called fear, and he happened to be looking at you. Give the kid a break.”
“I’m not giving anyone who thinks they’re dating my daughter a break. And Saint? Really? I can tell you right now that kid is no saint. I don’t care what his legal documents say.”
Mom claps the room to attention, and the conversations all around us quiet down.
Carlotta lifts her dress a notch and does an odd little hop from foot to foot as she runs our way.
“You’re never gonna believe the big surprise, Lot.”
“I don’t like surprises,” I say as I narrow my eyes over hers. “Does this have something to do with that secret Cat and Connie are in on? The one that Flo hinted at?”
Her eyes grow wide. “Why yes, it does,” she answers mechanically, and I don’t believe her one bit.
“What’s happening?”
“I can’t tell ya, or it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
“Attention one and all!” my mother calls out as Wiley stands next to her looking like Noah with a sprinkling of gray hair.
Greer, Winslow, Lea, and Thirteen float this way, and I quickly let Noah and Everett in on the fact before picking up their hands so they can listen in.
“What is this about, Lottie?” Greer looks resplendent with her dark hair billowing behind her like a dark and stormy night.
“I don’t know,” I whisper. “But I’m sure it’s nothing. They’re probably just announcing their latest literary acquisition to Wiley Rose Publishing—namely Carlotta.”
Winslow shakes his ghostly head. “I don’t know, Lottie. I’ve heard odd rumblings these last few days of things I’d rather not repeat.”
Cormack and Cressida quickly strut their way over, each one in a fitted black dress that makes them look impossibly thin.
Cormack glances down to where Noah and I are holding hands—then to my other hand, which happens to be conjoined with Everett’s.
“You just think you have it all, don’t you, Linda? Solving cases, stealing men?”
Carlotta gurgles out a laugh. “That’s because she does. She’
s got both of your men hog-tied to her stomach and a mini me of one of them tucked inside it. I hate to break it to you, girls, but you’re wasting your time sniffing around these two. Why don’t you both scat? Neither one of you is welcome at this here inn.”
Cormack and Cressida exchange a glance before breaking out into cackles.
“Oh, old Clarissa.” Cressida shakes her head. “It must hurt to go through life as such a simpleton.”
Carlotta lunges at her, but Noah catches her with his good arm.
“And now”—my mother waves us all her way—“Wiley and I would like to invite the newest member of Wiley Rose Publishing into the fold. Carlotta Sawyer, come on down so we can give you a proper welcome!”
The room breaks out into a polite applause, and I turn to Greer and the gang and whisper an I told you so.
Wiley clears his throat. “We’re proud to announce that Wiley Rose Publishing will be expanding to include yet another best-seller next month by our newest official author, Carlotta Sawyer. While Miranda pens the romantic fiction, Carlotta will fill in the void for our nonfiction department.” He takes a breath as he nods to my mother.
“And well”—Mom gives a nervous giggle—“I guess all good things must come to an end.” She presses her fingers to the tip of her nose and sobs silently for a few seconds.
Both Lainey and Meg shoot me a worried glance, and I shrug because I have no idea what’s making our mother so emotional.
And then it hits me. “I think she’s about to break up with Wiley.” I do a little hop, suddenly unable to hold back my elation. Even Noah admits his father is a two-timing thief that can’t be trusted.
Mom nods to the crowd. “In order to further our publishing efforts, both Wiley and I have decided to make a significant change in my life—our lives.” She shrugs before girding herself as if she were about to face a firing squad. “I’ve sold the B&B!”
The four ghosts among us all groan in unison.
A horrible gasp circles the room, and soon my sisters and I have stormed the front of the conservatory, demanding answers.
“Mother,” I snip. “This is not funny. Please tell us you’re kidding.”
“Yeah,” Lainey growls. “Take it back.”
Meg’s nostrils flare as she looks to Wiley as if she were about to ram him.
“Make it stop, Miranda.” Wiley stands behind my mother like the coward he is. “I think the younger one is about to charge me.”
“She won’t have to,” Noah says as both he and Everett step this way. “I’ll do it for her. What are you thinking? How could you manipulate this woman into selling off her most prized possession? And where are the two of you going to live?”
“No, no.” Mom shakes her head. “Wiley made me see that the B&B was just a thing. An obstacle, if you will, to what can truly make us happy—the publishing business. And don’t any of you worry. We’re still going to be living right here at the B&B. I’ve already worked it all out with the new owners.”
“What new owners?” Meg shoots them both the stink eye.
Mom’s shoulders creep up to her ears.
“Mom?” My voice hikes a notch because I have a feeling I won’t like this one bit.
Cormack and Cressida step between us and wave.
“Of course, we’ll have to change the dreadful carpet.” Cressida looks as if she’s ready to retch.
Cormack nods. “And the exterior will need a total facelift. I’m thinking modern contemporary. Goodbye, pillars. Hello, clean lines.” The two of them dart off toward the dessert table.
“No.” The word strums from me deep and guttural as if I were trying to stave off an attack, but it’s too late, the financial assault has already taken place.
“Yes.” Mom nods, wide-eyed. “I needed the money.”
Everett takes a breath. “I would have lent it to you, interest-free. Heck, I would have given it to you to avoid this catastrophe.”
“Oh, that’s very generous.” Mom brushes it off. “But it’s no catastrophe. Wiley and I can now focus on doing exactly what we love—writing and selling books.”
Meg rolls her eyes. “You already do that, Mother. Where is the money going?”
“Dad?” Noah insists.
Suze Fox steps over with her short vanilla-blonde hair swept past her eyes. “Congratulations, Wiley. You got another one. I tried to warn you, Miranda. But some women just have to learn their lessons the hard way.”
“I’ll say.” I glare over at him for pulling off the financial coup.
Someone calls Meg’s name from behind, and my sister gives a friendly wave. Meg heads their way before coming back with three women in tow—two of them living and one of them very much not living, a redhead covered in shimmering navy and silver stars.
“Lot, if you don’t mind taking a moment from the madness, there’s someone I want you to meet. ”
“Gah!” It’s not every day my hair stands on end when I see a ghost, but seeing that we’ve just buttoned up one homicide, I’m not so anxious to hop into another.
“Bowie, Lola,” Meg says, nodding to the girls before us. Both women have medium-length dark hair, reddish brown eyes, and they’re both cute as a bug in a rug. “This is my sister, Lottie, that I was telling you about. Lottie, these are two of the girls I met up in Starry Falls yesterday at the wrestling event. Bowie Binx and her sister, Lola.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say while having a hard time dragging my eyes off of the dead among us.
Greer and Winslow head this way and pull the seemingly friendly ghost dressed in dark tattered clothes off to the side to have a word with her. I’m assuming to size her up, but they seem to be chattering away as if they know one another. Wouldn’t surprise me. Greer is sort of a social butterfly. It turns out, death doesn’t really knock that sort of thing out of you.
Meg leans in. “Lot, I’m going to tell it to you like it is. There was a murder up in Starry Falls yesterday, and I told Bowie if anyone can help track down the killer it would be you.” She glances briefly over her shoulder. “And if you’ll all excuse me a moment, there’s a murder I need to tend to myself.” She takes off in Wiley’s direction.
Personally, I’m rooting for the homicide.
“I’m so sorry about the homicide,” I say, shaking my head. “But I’m sure the sheriff’s department would be much more help than me.”
Bowie leans in hard. “The murder was just a ruse, Lottie.” She gives a hard blink. “I mean, there was a murder, but that’s not why we’re here. Your ghosts have been talking to our ghost and we’ve learned that you’re transmundane just like us.”
Lola gives a frenetic nod. “Don’t worry. We won’t blow your cover. We don’t want ours blown either. We’re sibylline. Or at least I am. Bowie got bonked on the head by a pumpkin, and now she’s part sibylline and part supersensual like yourself.”
“Oh my goodness.” My mouth falls open as I try to digest this all. “This is amazing. So you know this ghost?” I point to the redhead with the flowing gown.
“That’s Hazel.” Bowie nods. “She was alive until she wasn’t last October, and she’s been haunting the Mortimer Manor ever since. Believe it or not, she’s not why we’re here either.”
Lola shrugs. “My sister opened Pandora’s box about a year ago, and we’ve been paying for it ever since.”
Bowie cringes. “She’s not wrong. The long and short of it is, I’m on the run from both the feds and the mob. And we’ve got problems with the mobsters up the wazoo. Your ghosts clued Hazel in on the fact that not only do you know your way around the dead, but you know your way around the Canellis and the Lazzaris, too.”
Lola nods like mad. “We can see you’re busy, but we’d love to pick your brain sometime.”
Bowie takes a deep breath. “We’d love to meet up. My freedom and my life just might depend on it.”
“You bet.” No sooner do I say the words than Bowie’s eyes grow vacant, and she’s stiff as a board.
“She’
s having a vision!” Lola says as she takes a step back to better inspect her look-alike sister.
Bowie gives a sudden gasp and blinks as if she were just coming to.
“What did you see?” both Lola and I ask in unison.
Bowie squints over at me. “Say, you’re not wanted by the law, are you?”
My cheeks burn with heat. “My husband is a judge, and in that respect, I’m quite often wanted by the law.” I leave out the tiny detail that I still feel as if I’m dating Noah. It’s a long sordid story that I’d never want to bore them with. “You didn’t see anything inappropriate, did you?”
She shakes her head. “I saw you pleading with a sheriff’s deputy.”
“Oh, that was just my boyfriend, Noah. He’s perfectly harmless.”
The two of them cock their heads as they try to absorb my words.
I’m about to introduce them when I spot a trio of deputies entering the B&B, along with Sheriff Jack Turner and Detective Ivy Fairbanks by their sides.
Jack waves someone over from the center of the room, and soon we’re joined with Noah and Everett.
“What’s going on?” I ask as a crowd begins to gather our way.
Jack takes a deep breath as he looks to Noah and Everett.
“I’ll have you two know that my department has conducted a thorough review of evidence as far as the removal of Florenza Canelli’s body from the morgue goes, and as it turns out, we have evidence that suggests the two of you were involved. I’m sorry to do this, but it’s a formality that cannot be avoided.” He gives a long blink. “Detective Fox, Judge Baxter, we’re here to place you both under arrest.”
The room breaks out into a flurry of whispers.
“No!” I call out as the deputies step forward. “There has got to be some mistake.” Even though I know darn well there isn’t.
“I’m sorry, Lottie.” Jack looks as if he would take it all back if he could. “But there’s no mistake.” He looks to both Noah and Everett as he leans in and whispers. “Now, I know you’re not flight risks, but I need to put on a bit of a show for the Canellis.” He leans back. “Cuff ’em!” he bellows, and the deputies get right to doing just that. I watch as the men I love are jostled with their hands behind their backs while a set of silver bracelets are latched onto both of them.
Waffles at the Wake Page 23