“All right, fine,” I whisper. “I’m exhausted because Everett and I happened to pull an all-nighter. Honest to God, I’d hate to be on the receiving end of his bench today. I can’t imagine he’s in a good mood.”
Lily huffs, “Please, if he’s bouncing around and smiling like a loon the way you are, I’d say it was a good day to be a victim in Judge Baxter’s courtroom.”
I bite down on a smile as I look to Bizzy. “That’s actually how Everett and I met. I happened to be a victim in his courtroom.” I give a quick wink.
“Lottie Lemon.” Bizzy giggles. “You’re acting like a woman who is very much in love. Don’t try to deny it.”
“Of course, I’m in love.” I blink back. “I mean, I’ve always loved Everett.” My voice begins to trail. “Of course, I love Noah, too.”
Lily shakes her head. “You’ve been doing the deed with Noah forever, and I’ve not once seen you float around like a ghost of your former grumpy self.”
“I’ve never been grumpy.”
Lily shrugs. “Some might say you’ve never been in love until now.”
My lips invert. “I don’t know. Everett and I are married, or at least we’re playing marriage. It’s as if being husband and wife has taken us to an all-new level. Things have definitely shifted for the two of us, in a brilliant direction.” Memories from last night come crashing to the forefront of my mind in heated jags. “But it’s like once things take a turn for the steamy with that man, I can never get enough. I’m insatiable.”
Lily nods. “It’s a hard craving. I’ve been there myself.”
Bizzy leans in. “That must be frustrating.”
I shake my head. “Thankfully, Everett has a solution. He does this thing he calls the cure. It’s the only way to stop me from begging for more.”
Both Lily and Bizzy stare at me with wide-eyed surprise.
A nervous laugh bounces through me. “Okay, clearly I’ve crossed a line with the two of you. Forget I ever said that.” I glance down at my phone. “It’s almost time to head down to the marina,” I say to Bizzy. “You ready for an afternoon of boating and R&R?”
“If by R&R, you mean doing an in-depth analysis of all the suspects, I’m in.”
“I like the way you think.”
Now if we can only put our heads together and come up with the killer.
The Ashford Sherriff’s Department will like the way we think, too.
The Lucky Lemon is a fifty-four foot cruiser yacht with three staterooms that just so happens to have both an indoor and outdoor kitchen and a full sundeck to soak in the rays. If there was ever any doubt Everett adheres to the adage go big or go home, this should dispel it.
Honey Lake is a deep navy today, the sky is pristine, and the temperatures haven’t hit triple digits yet. The faint scent of hot dogs grilling somewhere on shore anoints the air with summertime goodness, and every now and again an eagle graces us with its presence as it soars overhead.
Everett, Evie, Noah, Jasper, Bizzy, Macy, Alex, Georgie, and Carlotta have all piled on board. And in a somewhat odd turn of events, Sherlock Bones, Fish, and both Pancake and Waffles have joined in on the fun as well. Adding the menagerie to the mix was a part of Georgie and Evie’s collusion. And after observing the vast amount of water surrounding us, every cat on board has disavowed their allegiance to their humans. Pancake has pledged never to trust the girl again, and Waffles has found a permanent home in the cabin under the kitchen table. I’ll be lucky if either of my sweet cats speaks to me again with or without Bizzy around to break through the language barrier.
Fish lets out a rather loud meow as we pick up a little speed and a refreshing breeze washes over us.
Bizzy drops a kiss to the fuzzy feline’s forehead.
“Fish says she’s going to miss the boys and that includes Toby, but she won’t miss the lake.”
“Aww!” Evie coos as she scoops up the fluffy cat. “I think Fish and Sherlock want to visit Honey Hollow as often as they can. Or better yet, maybe we should visit Cider Cove.” She looks to Bizzy. “Speaking of that sleepy seaside town, is Grady still single?”
Grady is a twenty-something who works for Bizzy, and during our stay at the Country Cottage Inn, Evie grew more than a little infatuated with him.
Bizzy nods. “I think he’s planning on staying that way for a while. He sure gets a lot of attention from the girls.”
Evie sighs. “With a face like that, you can’t blame the girls. He’s like catnip for our souls.”
Carlotta butts her shoulder to Evie. “More like your hormones.”
Jasper raises the drink in his hand in Everett’s direction. “Spectacular boat. It’s inspiring me. Although, I’d have to mortgage my soul to get one as luxurious as this.”
A dull laugh thumps from Noah. “What he’s trying to tell you, Everett, is that it’s overkill. You don’t need a yacht to cruise Honey Lake. You need a speedboat. Don’t worry, Evie. I’ll pick one up so you can have some real fun.”
Everett doesn’t look fazed by Noah’s dig.
“I’ve already got my eye on one.” Everett toasts Noah with the refreshment in his hand. “If one boat is good, two boats are better.”
Noah gives a wistful shake of the head. “Spoken like a true Baxter billionaire.”
Macy plucks her lips from Alex’s face—the two have been conjoined by the mouth since we took off almost an hour ago.
“Wait a minute.” Macy’s voice is tight and curt. “You mean to tell me you look like that and you’re a billionaire?”
“Hey”—Alex catches her gaze—“I’m in finance. I make men like that for a living.”
Macy moans and gets right back to work, sharing both her saliva and her oxygen with him.
Noah groans, “I’m about to toss a blanket over them. Or better yet, toss them overboard.”
Carlotta waves him off as she looks to Georgie. “Don’t mind, Foxy. He’s not used to going through a dry spell. Maybe Judge Baxter could give you some tips? He waited on the sidelines for Lot Lot until what I’m sure felt like kingdom come.”
Jasper looks to Everett. “That’s commendable. I would have done the same for Bizzy.” He winces. “Although, I’ll admit, I’m glad I didn’t have to do the same. I’d lose it if there was another contender in the picture. A very real homicide would be on the table.”
Bizzy coos as she cuddles up next to him. “You’re it for me.”
I can’t help but make a face.
Geez, thanks, I want to say.
Poor Noah.
I bet he’s the one that wants to jump overboard right about now.
Bizzy takes in a quick breath as she looks my way.
“But Lottie is irresistible.” She mouths the word sorry my way. “It’s not a surprise she’s got a surplus of suitors. Speaking of things that start with the letter S, let’s talk suspects.”
Nice save. I give her a little wink.
Georgie grunts, “I handed you the killer on a silver platter and you turned her loose. It’s clear that ageism is at play here.”
Carlotta belts out a laugh. “Don’t worry, Gray. While they plot a way to catch their killer, we’ll plot a way to catch a good time on your last night in Honey Hollow. That’s coming right up.”
Georgie moans, “Did you have to remind me? There are some things I genuinely appreciate about my selective memory, and not remembering that I have to leave you is one of them.”
Sherlock barks and threads his way through Evie’s ankles.
Jasper reaches over and gives his snout a scratch. “I don’t think this boy wants to leave either. I think you’ve got a true friend, Evie.”
Sherlock barks once again and Bizzy laughs. “He says he’s a friend forever.” She looks my way. “First suspect?”
“Let’s go with Jessie Lane,” I say as I pull out my phone.
“Is she a suspect?” Jasper asks.
Bizzy nods. “She is now that she didn’t disclose to Lottie and me that she knew Ambrosia ha
d someone give her a majority of those manuscripts she published.”
Georgie snaps her fingers. “I bet Jessie is the one who gave them to her!”
Bizzy and I exchange a glance before shaking our heads.
“She would have been a toddler when most of those books were written if the date on the copyright page is right.”
Bizzy takes a breath. “Of course, the copyrights were never actually filed, but that doesn’t change the fact those dates are there. I’m thinking the dates resonate as true.”
“I agree,” I say. “Why else would Ambrosia include them? It makes no sense. And we found the initials K.D. on the folder that leads to every single manuscript that Ambrosia was accused of stealing.”
Everett lifts his brows. “That’s too big of a coincidence to be ignored.”
Noah nods. “Agree. So who else is on the suspect list?”
Bizzy bites down on her lip as she considers this. “Henry Watson, Ambrosia’s ex. She did dump him rather brutally by way of sending his entire family the saucy text messages and pictures he and his inamorata were sending one another.”
“Brutal.” Jasper takes a sip of his drink.
“Are you kidding?” Georgie snips. “That act alone solidifies the woman as a legend in my eyes.”
“Me too!” Evie leans in with a touch of too much excitement in her voice. “I can’t wait until a boy cheats on me and I catch him. I’m going to cream him by sending his family and friends all the evidence I compile. I’ll make him wish he never heard of me or my terrifying father who has the ability to put him away for life.”
Noah lifts his drink. “Don’t forget about your uncle who holds the right to bear arms.”
Evie nods. “You’re my first line of defense, Uncle Noah. In fact, if at all possible, I’d like to put in an early request to have a sheriff’s cruiser escort me to my first day at Honey Hollow High this fall. I think it’ll send a clear message about who I am and where my connections lie.”
Everett’s chest expands. “I’ll be there to escort you inside.”
“No, thank you,” Evie is quick to deny him the right. “And have all of those female teachers lining up trying to get into your pants?”
Carlotta bucks with a laugh. “Oh, honey, odds are they already have.”
“Next suspect?” I make wild eyes at Bizzy while Pancake slaps me on the nose with his tail intermittently.
Bizzy shrugs. “How about Tallulah Velvet? She claims not only did Ambrosia cause her to lose the love of her life, but she further claims that Ambrosia was the one that gave him the idea to propose to his new girlfriend at the lake on the Fourth. That was pretty brutal, too.”
A groan comes from me. “That’s right. And Tallulah hated Ambrosia for it. She definitely had a motive.”
Carlotta leans my way. “What about Tacky Jackie? The woman wrote a tell-all about Judge Baxter and invited him to do the read along right in front of his wife.”
Georgie nods. “A woman capable of such marital malfeasance is surely capable of wielding a carving knife.”
Everett tips his head her way. “I’ve seen stranger things in the courtroom. I suppose nothing is outside the realm of possibility. But I don’t think Jackie would crap where she eats.”
Noah frowns over at him. “You went to law school, and that’s the best you could come up with?”
Everett frowns right back. “I went to law school. But I also have excellent intuition. That happens to be how I knew Lemon was the one for me.”
Noah tosses his head at the thought. “You didn’t get Lottie off intuition—more like smoke and mirrors.”
Bizzy shoots a discerning eye Everett’s way and her mouth falls slowly open.
“Bizzy?” I tap her foot with mine. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh right.” She blinks back to life. “Jackie Hart. I guess we can’t dismiss her. She did admit to being Ambrosia’s friend right up until Ambrosia stole her plotline. Things went downhill rather quickly from there. She was pretty ticked.”
Jasper shakes his head. “Ticked enough to pick up that knife?”
“I don’t think so,” I say. “I mean, it wasn’t a fresh grievance. Whoever stabbed Ambrosia to death at the lake, in front of what could have been potentially hundreds of witnesses, must have been rabid with anger.”
Bizzy nods. “And it’s not like whoever did this brought the knife with them. There was a catering booth not fifteen feet from where the body was found.”
Noah nods. “The murder weapon was confirmed to belong to a food service company working that day.”
“It was a clear act of passion,” I say. “Bright flaming hot revenge or anger.”
Evie looks my way. “So did you dig into everyone’s history? I mean, even if someone did get worked up over something, that was an exceedingly violent act. It would be hard for me to believe that they didn’t do something of a violent nature before this.”
Everett’s lips curl with pride. “Nine out of ten people who commit violent crimes have a pattern of destruction that can be traced back to a trauma.”
Evie’s shoulders bounce. “I was thinking the very same thing. That’s how I know we’re related.” She knocks her knee into Noah’s. “And our shared love of donuts assures me that we’re related, too.”
Waffles trots out of the cabin and Carlotta scoops him right up, and Bizzy gets back to reading the minds of my sweet cats and we roar with laughter at the thoughts these little seemingly innocent beasts on board are capable of. Of course Bizzy does so under the guise of a game but some of us happen to know what she’s saying is one hundred percent gospel.
It turns out, my pets are just as intuitive and intelligent as I thought they were, and then some.
I bet whoever killed Ambrosia Whispers thinks they’re pretty intuitive and intelligent right about now. Especially since they believe they’ve gotten away with a homicide.
But neither Bizzy nor I will let them get away.
We just need one more puzzle piece to click into place and they won’t get away with anything.
Certainly not murder.
Chapter 16
The large banner hanging in the conservatory at my mother’s B&B reads Welcome to the Summer Sizzler! Things are about to heat up in Honey Hollow!
It’s the afternoon of the second author signing my mother is hosting this month. Seeing that the first ended with a body, she’s determined to leave a good taste in the mouths of readers—namely with the encouragement of my sweet treats. Not only has she lined up as many local authors as she could squeeze into the cavernous room, but it seems as if every woman in all of Vermont has come out to witness the event as well. It’s elbow-to-elbow room only, and the scent of clashing perfumes and my fresh baked cookie platters are all competing for my senses. In addition to the bodies milling around, there’s a life-size cutout of Ambrosia Whispers near the front that entire hordes of women are busy taking selfies with.
I spot my mother and sisters noshing on a batch of my blondie bars, and each of them looks momentarily derailed by ecstasy.
Lainey groans while swallowing down a bite. “Lottie Lemon, I’ll hang you by your toes if you don’t make these for my baby shower.” Her hair is neatly curled and her makeup looks impeccable, a far cry from the state I found her in at the library.
“You bet I will,” I say, quick to free my toes from their proverbial harness.
Meg balks, “I’ll hang you by your toes if you don’t have any of that flag cake. I’ve only been here ten minutes, and I’ve already had three slices.”
“Duly noted,” I tell her. “I’ll have them at the shower in cupcake form.”
Mom looks to Bizzy. “Georgie and Carlotta are helping out with the decorating. You wouldn’t happen to know how to keep a double baby shower running on a timeline, would you? What with all the games, the food, the presents, the keeping track of the gifts—it’s all beginning to feel like higher mathematics to me.”
“Oh”—Bizzy blinks back�
�“I run all sorts of events at the inn. I can help you keep the afternoon on track. And that way you’ll be free to mingle with your guests and enjoy the day.”
Mom pulls her in by the arm. “I can’t thank you enough for this. I’d better get to my station. The signing is set to start in five minutes!” She trots off in her fancy heels with their signature yet pricey crimson bottoms. Mom is pulling out all the stops to promote her new book, including looking her best to impress the bevy of potential readers who have turned up for the event.
Just about every wall of the conservatory is lined with tables. And situated about three feet from one another, anxious authors prepare their stations with baskets full of bookmarks and key chains and towers of paperbacks lined up beside them. I see Jackie and Tallulah, and, of course, Jessie Lane running from one side of the room to the other. It was kind of her to offer to assist my mother and Wiley in the effort.
Lainey leans in. “That was nice of Mom to include a tribute to Ambrosia Whispers.”
Meg shakes her head. “I don’t know, that life-size cutout is creeping me out.”
I shudder as I look at the two-dimensional replica of the late great author.
“Mom said that Jessie had it on hand,” I whisper.
Bizzy nods. “Meg is right. It’s creepy.”
The ghost of a diminutive, yet lumbering sweet little swine strolls into the room, right through the crowd and toward that cutout of her old owner. Bingo gives a few good sniffs, and in doing so tips the cardboard right over.
Lainey groans, “And if it wasn’t creepy enough, it looks as if it’s going to keep tipping over.” She shudders herself. “I think I need another blondie bar, or twelve.” She takes off and Meg leans in.
“I’m thinking of giving Lainey and Keelie a together gift for their shower. A couple of guys I know from a club down the street offered—”
“No,” I cut her off. “No male strippers at the baby shower. That’s where I draw the line.”
Meg averts her eyes. “I was going to say they offered to show up and give them massages when it was over.” She sneers my way. “Do you approve, Ms. Prude?”
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