Murder in the Mix Box Set

by Addison Moore

  “Ivy!” I shout as I try my best to pause and peer inside, but the officer holding up the rear shoves me along as if I were a common street thug.

  Ivy pops out of her office and begins to follow the shame parade.

  “Oh, thank God,” I groan. “Please get Noah for me. This is all one big huge misunderstanding.” Actually, it’s quite the opposite, but I’m not quite ready to throw Keelie under the bus. But I will. Oh, how I will.

  “Noah is on assignment.” Ivy’s lips pull back with satisfaction as she looks to the female officer cattle prodding us from behind. “To what honor do we owe their presence?”

  “Misdemeanor. Pulling a fire alarm without cause,” the woman chirps, inspiring Officer Green to turn around.

  Officer Green is tall and lean and has an angry smile that makes him look vindictive. I’m not sure if I approve of him patrolling the streets in an effort to keep our citizens safe. It looks to me like he gets his jollies from arresting people for no good reason. I’m no legal expert, but an offense of this level is hardly worth keeping my hands strapped behind my back.

  The female officer in the rear confiscated our phones and purses before they ever dunked us into their patrol car, and I’m starting to feel like a hostage situation is taking place.

  Thank God I’m seeing a judge—a very powerful justice of the peace who has access to very powerful attorneys. I plan on suing the pants off the entire sheriff’s department. I don’t care if Keelie’s father runs it.

  Officer Green clicks his tongue. “Would have been a misdemeanor, but the sprinklers went off. I heard two people hurt themselves trying to make it down the stairwell. I’d say that escalates it to a felony.”

  “Felony!” I howl to Keelie, and she rolls her eyes.

  “Lottie, how many times do I have to tell you? I’m untouchable, and so are you.”

  Ivy scoffs and titters. “You keep believing that, princess. A false alarm of this magnitude can land you upwards of two years behind bars and a fine of five thousand dollars.”

  Keelie’s mouth rounds out. “Five grand? Lottie, I’m going to have to borrow some serious cash. I don’t have nearly that much saved up. Of course, I’ll lose my apartment, and I’ll have to move in with you. I’ll probably lose my car, too, because I can’t make the payments.”

  “I think you missed the tidbit about prison. I’m pretty sure they take care of room and board for the required amount of time.”

  She stares vacantly ahead as if trying to visualize what this might be like. “I’ll need the bottom bunk, and I can’t do orange. Do you think we can get someone to come in once a week for a mani pedi? I cannot imagine what my toes would look like after two years of zero maintenance.”

  Ivy barks out a laugh. “Don’t worry, girls. Most women’s prisons have an intricate network of inmates who share their less than hygienic talents. Of course, it will cost you something. Nothing is free in life, not even in prison.”

  “We’ll bring cash.” Keelie nods into the lunacy. “Lots and lots of cash.”

  Officer Green turns around. “They roll with a different kind of currency, if you know what I mean. Favors. Lots and lots of favors.”

  I bump Keelie’s shoulder with my own. “Unsavory favors.”

  Another sheriff intercepts us and pulls Officer Green to the side to have a word with him.

  Keelie scoffs. “Told you.” She smirks over to Ivy. “Ten bucks says my father just got wind of this.” She turns to the highly weaponized woman behind us. “I wouldn’t expect a holiday bonus if I were you.”

  Officer Green comes back, scratching his head, literally. “All right, ladies, we’re going this way.” We’re led down a long white corridor that leads to a metal door with a keyed entry, and once I see what’s on the other side, I let out something between a roar and a whimper. Leave it to Keelie’s antics to land us in the pokey.

  We’re trotted down to an empty cell in the back with nothing more than a couple of benches. And no sooner does the oafish officer take off our cuffs and lock us up than I start shaking my bestie.

  “What were you thinking? I can’t go away for two years. Pancake and Waffles will think I’ve abandoned them!”

  “Oh, relax. Your mother will sneak them in. And don’t forget about those boyfriends of yours,” she growls it out accusingly. “I have no one, Lottie! Not even Naomi will want to visit me once they ship me off to Nowheres-Ville. I’m going to cement my standing as the black sheep of the family.”

  “I’m the black sheep of the family, Keelie, remember? You can steal my freedom, but you can’t steal my crappy standing.” I take a deep breath as I try to calm myself for the first time in an hour. “I think we need to set some serious ground rules when it comes to our next investigation.”

  Keelie bursts into tears as her arms collapse around me. “I’m so sorry, Lot. I just thought—heck, I wasn’t thinking. But we’re in this together. It’s you and me, Lottie, through thick and thin.”

  The sound of metal on metal gets our attention, and it’s Officer Green once again, opening up our cage.

  “You—the blonde.” He nods Keelie over, and she bolts out of the cell and down the hall quicker than any apparition I’ve ever met.

  “Wait!” I try to do the same, but he’s locked the door once again and taken off after her. “What about me? Keelie? What happened to thick and thin?”

  “I’ll call you later, Lottie!” Her voice sounds small and distant. “I have to take a nice hot shower. This place gives me the heebie-jeebies!”

  “That makes two of us.”

  I head over to the ice-cold metal bench and think about what I’ve done—which is coincidentally exactly nothing. I suppose I’m an accessory, though. If things go sour, I can always throw Keelie under the proverbial sprinklers and testify that I knew nothing about her plot to start a thunderstorm in a high-rise. I can’t imagine the amount of office equipment that was ruined. And the fact people were hurt in that cattle herd going down the stairs just makes me sick.

  I’ll have to send them cookie platters for years just to make it up to them. That is, if they let me near an oven in prison.

  “Knock, knock,” a familiar voice hums, and I look to find a very handsome detective letting himself inside.

  “Noah!” I latch onto him so tight my entire body convulses with relief. “Oh Noah, I’ve never been so glad to see you in my life.” I grip him by the cheeks and press a hard kiss over his lips. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I inch back, my hand pressed over my mouth as if to guard it from happening again.

  Noah’s eyes are slow to open as if he were savoring the moment. His hands warm my back as he rides them up and down, and his breathing is heavy.

  “I’m not sorry, Lottie. Feel free to ply me with kisses anytime.” He offers up a sad smile, those evergreen eyes glinting my way. “I heard what happened. Lottie”—he pinches his eyes shut a moment—“you know better than that.”

  “It wasn’t me. It was Keelie. And I’m not entirely sure if she knows better than that.”

  A deep sigh expels from him, and it warms me. “You can’t run into danger like that. I know exactly why you were at the law firm. Did you speak with anyone?”

  I nod furtively. “Both Clayton and Ryan. They gave me a hot tip on a woman named Doreen Stearns. She’s Vivian’s cousin. Clayton thinks she did it. She works at some seedy nightclub in Leeds.” I make a face. “I’m sure you and Everett would love to tag along on that one.”

  His lips twist, but oddly enough Noah doesn’t look amused. “Lottie, I know you’re not going to like what I have to say, but I think I should be the only one tagging along with you.”

  My entire body sags. “Is this some sort of revenge for not standing by your side while your wife groveled to keep your marriage intact? I know where this is going. And you know how I feel about seeing a married man. It’s wrong. It’s morally corrupt. I feel bad enough I was sleeping with you and inadvertently turned myself into the other woman. I detest the
other woman.”

  “I meant because I have a badge, and a gun. As much as I wish you would stay away from my homicide investigations in general—”

  “Your homicide investigations? Ha!” I try to push myself free, but Noah gives a crooked grin and holds on a little tighter. “I’ll have you know I’ve been personally invited to assist by the captain of the sheriff’s department. That’s hardly a small honor.” My voice hikes an octave, but I can’t help it. “And I’ve solved every homicide investigation your department has been a part of. Now I’m not saying anything disparaging about you personally, but I think my sleuthing skills are shining pretty brightly.”

  “And I agree.” Noah pulls me close again until my chest is pressed against his and I can feel the rhythm of his erratic breathing as I acquiesce to his warm embrace. “I’m saying you’re very lucky you haven’t been killed. And we both know you’ve come close almost every single time.”

  I wince because it happens to be true.

  His arms drop to their sides, and he takes a step back, his eyes still penetrating mine. “That’s why I think maybe you should hang out in here a little while longer.”

  “What?” I screech so loud my voice reverberates off the walls. “You are clinically insane if you think I should stay in this cell for one more minute.” Then it hits me. “Oh, I get it. This is where you expect me to start bargaining for my freedom. I take you back. Or better yet, I tell you my secret first, and then I take you back. Well, if that’s the case then—” A tall, brooding, vexingly handsome man darkens the doorway. “Oh, thank God! Everett, you have to get me out of here. Noah is trying to blackmail me. He wants me to dump you and hop back into bed with him or I’ll be forced to live in prison forever! And I’ll have to surrender unsavory favors if I ever want a manicure.” Not that I get them on the regular, but still.

  Everett shoots a bored look Noah’s way. “Personally, I’d choose prison.”

  “Well, I won’t. I choose freedom,” I howl as I do my best to rattle the bars, but they won’t budge. “Everett, help! He’s got the keys. He’s practically holding me hostage. Please get me out of here. I have to get home and take a long hot bath.” With you, I mouth in hopes to move things along a little quicker.

  “Keys, Fox.” Judge Baxter wastes no time in barking out orders.

  “Everett”—Noah sounds resigned to the fact I’m not going home with him—quite possibly ever again—“she’s going to hurt herself one day on these reconnaissance missions. She went to speak with Clayton McDaniel and Ryan Holland this afternoon.”

  “I know.” Everett lifts an arm as if to stop him. “Captain Turner briefed me in the parking lot. He was taking Keelie home. I heard everything.” He reaches through the bars and picks up my hand.

  Noah steps in close. “It was downright dangerous, and you know it.”

  Everett takes a breath. “Lemon, he’s right. I don’t like this. I don’t like you putting yourself in harm’s way anytime you feel like you want to interrogate a suspect.”

  “And why is that?” I take a full step away from the both of them. “It’s because I’m a woman, isn’t it? You think I can’t take care of myself.”

  “You can’t.” The veins in Noah’s neck flex. “And it has nothing to do with the fact you’re a woman and everything to do with the fact you don’t have protection on you.”

  “Then I’ll get a gun.” My voice thunders around the vicinity, and my own ears can’t believe what just flew from my mouth. The very last thing I want to touch is a gun. I hate them. I hate that I need to depend on them. I hate that whenever I’m in the bowels of trouble I wish to God that Noah was around with his. “Okay, so I’m probably not going to get a gun. But neither of you is going to stop me from trying to track down the killer. They tried to pin Nessa’s death on me. This is personal.”

  Noah and Everett exchange a long hard look as if my resistance to firearms were each other’s fault.

  Everett sticks his tongue into his cheek a moment as he looks my way. “I don’t suppose I can stop you from going without me on these escapades?”

  “No.”

  He drops his gaze to the floor. “Then you’ll need alternate forms of protection.”

  Noah takes a deep breath as if we were both trying his patience. “I’ve got some self-defense moves I can teach you.”

  Everett grunts, “I can get you a stun gun and some mace.” He shakes his head as if it still wasn’t good enough.

  “Great. Now that we’ve squared away my safety, can I please get home?”

  Noah unlocks the door and holds it open for me.

  “Thank you,” I say rather curtly as I step on out, and I can’t help but note the air smells a little bit sweeter on the other side of those bars.

  Noah walks us out to the parking lot. “Give me the keys to your car, and I’ll go pick it up for you. I’m assuming it’s still in Fallbrook.”

  “Are you sure? What about your car? We’ll give you a ride.” I offer up Everett’s services without asking first and feel terrible about it. I’ve already put everyone out enough.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Noah politely refuses. “I’ll hitch a ride with a unit in that direction. And I can arrange to have one pick me up in the morning and bring me back to the precinct. It’s not a big deal.” He flicks his hand my way until I fill it with my keys.

  “Thank you.” The words come out threadbare. “I really appreciate this.”

  “I don’t mind.” He looks from Everett to me. “It’s not like I have anything better to do tonight.”

  Everett lifts a brow. “No counseling with the wife?”

  “Nope. All done for the day. In fact, three more weeks until I make the judge happy and I’m back on my way to finalizing the documents.” He takes off with a spring in his step, tossing my keys and catching them.

  Everett wraps an arm around me as we watch him head back into the precinct.

  My body molds to his as I bat my lashes up at the good judge. “Would you believe I was about to ditch Keelie and head straight for your chambers for that hot date of ours?”

  “No.” He smacks his lips because he happens to be right, and he knows he is. He bows down and presses a kiss over the top of my head. “My bathtub or yours?”

  I opt for his. It’s bigger.

  Everett and I indulge in a long, hot, steamy bout of ecstasy.

  The bath isn’t so bad either.

  Chapter 49

  A Friday night in Honey Hollow for most folks usually consists of dinner out, maybe a movie, or maybe a wholesome stroll around Honey Lake. A Friday night in Leeds usually consists of secret societies, mob dealings, and strip clubs. Tonight, we happen to be at an establishment that incorporates a little bit of all three of Leeds’ deadliest sins, the Leeds Can-Can Room.

  Despite its rather generic moniker, it’s actually pretty ritzy inside—that is, if you’re into hot pink and black satin décor. The Can-Can Room is a rather large restaurant with a stage built in at the front. It’s dimly lit inside with a flickering candle dotting each table, and the entire place holds the scent of pizza, which doesn’t surprise me since the dish sits prominently at the top of the menu.

  The four of us have just ordered our dinners, and the show has yet to begin. And by the four of us, I mean Everett and me and Noah and Cormack. Yes, he had the nerve to bring her along as his official plus one. Last night he happened to drop my car off in my driveway just as I was traipsing home, clad in Everett’s bathrobe, my hair sopping wet. Suffice it to say, he wasn’t thrilled when he put the coital pieces together.

  This is either his version of revenge or he simply can’t shake Cormack. Personally, I strongly think it’s the latter.

  “And look at this one.” She shows off her newest death threat on her phone. She hands a picture of it off to her new boyfriend. “It says steer clear or else.”

  “Steer clear of what?” I don’t even pretend to look horrified.

  Her blonde hair is slicked back into a sl
eek bun, and she’s wearing a sheer blue gown that makes her look like a knockout despite the fact she’s horrendously overdressed.

  Her eyes grow in size. “Of…I don’t know—a handbag sale? Your bakery? The killer?”

  I avert my gaze at the thought. “Okay, so here’s the deal. I don’t believe you. I don’t believe a single threat you’ve received. I’m sorry. I can’t help it. I have to go with my gut on this one.”

  Both Noah and Everett offer me pensive stares.

  Cormack coughs and sputters. “What do you mean you don’t believe me? You actually think I’m sending these threats to myself?”

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  Her mouth falls open, and I reach over and pluck the cherry from her fruity cocktail and drop it right into that wide maw of hers.

  Cormack pretends to choke in an effort to snag Noah’s attention just as Maximillian Finmore glides on over. He’s tall, conventionally handsome, and has that supernatural glow about him—and oddly, he’s grinning from ear to ear.

  “It’s about time you showed up!” I hiss as I pick up Everett’s hand so he can listen in on the otherworldly conversation.

  “I’m sorry.” Max wisely floats between Everett and me so it will look as if we’re talking to each other. “I guess you can say I’ve been delightfully detained.” His brows waggle suggestively, and both Everett and I exchange a look.

  Everett’s lips curve at the thought. “It’s nice to know the loving keeps on keeping on.”

  “What’s that?” Cormack practically pulls me back so she can get a better look at the two of us. “Did you just tell Lot-Lot you love her? My God, are we witnessing history in the making?” She seems both generally amused and happy for us.

  “Actually—” I’m at a loss for words at the moment. If it were true, she would be right, but it’s not the case at all.

  Noah shakes his head, dismayed. “No, Mack, we’re not. Everett wasn’t saying I love you because the only woman he’s told those words to are his mother.” Noah cinches his gaze over mine. “Has he told you he loves you yet since the last time we broached the topic?”