Red, White, and Blueberry Muffin Murder, Page 3

  How I wish he were as law-abiding as Noah.

  The three of them get right into a conversation before taking turns to look back this way while shaking their heads in dismay.

  Noah groans, “I wish my father weren’t such a magnet for trouble.”

  Carlotta lets out a hoot of a laugh. “Are you gonna just stand there, Lot, and let him bad talk your mama like that? Come to think of it, Miranda Lemon’s middle name is trouble. That’s why she sold the inn to those two ditzes and gave all the money to Wiley.”

  Any trace of a smile melts off my face. It’s true. Mom sold her B&B to a couple of ditzes, but I managed to get back one half of it by way of humiliating myself for one of the ditzes in question. That would be Cressida Bentley, Evie’s bio mother.

  Cressida thought having me do a paternity reveal on a sleazy talk show was a fair exchange for her piece of the B &B, and lucky for my mother, she was right. The other half belongs to an airhead named Cormack Featherby—and oddly enough, it’s Cormack who is now hosting that sleazy talk show.

  “Cormack,” Noah says as she crops up with her blonde hair freshly blown out, a tiny red dress on and matching heels.

  “Where is Big Boss?” She gives a wild look around. “Where’s that hunk of burning love that I’m gonna set the night on fire with?”

  Carlotta shakes her head at the woman. “Cormack, your screws are loose. You’re looking Foxy right in the eye.”

  For as long as I’ve been with Everett, Cormack has been crushing hard on Noah. She’s practically obsessed, but as of late she’s been pushing her affections on another poor unfortunate soul.

  “I’m talking about Rooster,” Cormack says as she cranes her neck past me. “There he is, talking to Lolita’s mother.” She zips off in their direction.

  Cormack can’t seem to get my name straight no matter how many years I’ve known her. I’m still not sure if it’s a tactic to get under my skin or if she’s genuinely that ditzy.

  We watch as she sashays her way over and wraps her arms around Rooster’s new suit. She’s partial to money, and now that he has oodles of it, she’s more than interested in keeping company with him.

  “No loss there,” Noah says as he dots a kiss to Lyla Nell’s cheek. It’s going to get dark soon, Lot.”

  “You’re right. I’d better feed her before Keelie takes her back to the house.” My best friend Keelie offered to watch Lyla Nell for me this evening so I could stay and monitor the bakery stand and catch the fireworks show as well. Keelie has a baby boy that’s about to turn one, and Lyla Nell just loves little Bear to pieces.

  I take the baby from Noah, toss a small blanket over my shoulder, and begin to nurse. I spot Everett looking sternly at someone just past me and I follow his gaze.

  “What’s going on?” I ask just as Noah looks that way as well and we see the hot dog king arguing with a lanky brunette. She’s fit and trim, as evidenced by those short shorts she’s got on, and she’s wearing a white beaded beach cover-up that shimmers in the evening light.

  Noah sucks in a quick breath through his teeth. “That’s Clark and his wife, Sammy.”

  “Sammy Willoughby,” Everett says it low like a whisper. “Once in a while when I think I hear a noise outside the house, my mind drifts right back to that violent break-in they had.”

  “It was terrible,” Noah says. “The intruder knifed them up pretty bad. They’re both lucky to be alive.”

  We watch as she shakes her head at him and shoots him a lethal look before taking off.

  “That didn’t end well,” I say.

  “They’re estranged,” Everett offers. “I know for a fact she tried to retain Fiona as counsel a few months ago. For what, I don’t know.”

  Fiona Dagmeyer was Everett’s defense attorney who helped him out of a legal tussle a few months back.

  Both Noah and Everett were arrested for stealing Florenza Canelli’s body from the morgue. It was Flo’s idea. She came back as the ghost to solve her own murder investigation and got uppity when she saw the coffin her family picked out was the wrong color, not to mention what they were about to do to her hair, and that horrid dress they wanted her to spend eternity in. She threatened us until we complied, and, well, things ended badly.

  “Maybe there’s an impending divorce?” I ask with mild curiosity.

  A loud yowl of a cat comes from behind and I jump as I turn. And there he or she is, that ghostly spotted Bengal cat slinks by, pausing to wink my way before traipsing right off into the lake.

  “Oh dear,” my voice warbles as I say it. “I saw that ghost of a cat again. Something very bad is about to happen.”

  Noah tips his head back. “Everett, please stay with Lottie. I’m going to call for backup. It’s a busy night. No one will bat an eye.” He takes off just as my mother and Wiley pop up with a blonde woman between them.

  “Lottie, Everett,” Mom sings my name and her blonde curls bounce loose over her shoulders. My mother is gorgeous and sweet and has evidently forgotten to age. “I was talking to my good friend Betsy here, and she says she knows Everett from the courthouse.”

  “Hello, Betsy.” Everett offers her a gentle nod. “How are you doing tonight?”

  “I’m great.” The young blonde bites down on her lower lip as she looks his way. She looks pretty taken by him, and truthfully, I can’t blame her.

  “Lemon, this is Betsy Monroe, one of the stenographers down at the courthouse.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I say, holding out my hand as best I can while hiding the baby.

  Everett nods her way. “Betsy used to work closely with one of my colleagues at the courthouse, Judge Gorman. How’s he doing, anyway?” He poses the question her way.

  Betsy swallows hard, her cheeks flooding with color. “I don’t know.” She clears her throat. “I haven’t spoken with him since he moved to Europe.” She gives a stiff sniff, and I can tell there’s more to this story than meets the eye. I bet they had a thing, or a fling. And I bet the rat broke her heart, too.

  Mom gives a short applause. “Oh, that’s wonderful. It’s such a small world, isn’t it? Betsy’s mother is a very good friend of mine, Lottie. Henrietta and I go way back. She’s in charge of the bowling league I used to belong to.” Her mouth falls open as she looks to Wiley. “We should take up bowling.”

  Wiley’s dimples dig in deep and he looks exactly like Noah in the process.

  “You know I’ve got a lot on my plate,” he tells her as he looks our way. “We’re organizing our fall book festival. There are a lot of details to work out. You wouldn’t believe the logistics involved.”

  Mom smiles. “We’re hosting a very big to-do at the B&B this September. Stay tuned for details.” She smiles over at Betsy. “I bet a smart girl like you just loves to read. I’ve got a couple of my romances in the back of my car. I’ll go get a few copies for you and you can pass them around the courthouse. I’ll be right back.” She takes off and Wiley hikes a brow our way. “I’d better have a few words with Rooster while the little woman is away. I’ll see you folks later for the fireworks show.”

  Everett growls and catches him by the arm. “You have no business with Rooster. You’ll stay away, if you know what’s good for you.”

  “The hell I will.” Wiley breaks free and disappears into the crowd.

  “Wow,” Betsy marvels as she feasts her eyes on Everett. “You’re just as tough outside of the courthouse as you are in it.”

  A dry laugh pumps from Everett. “I’d like to think I’m fair in both scenarios.”

  The sound of two men shouting steals our attention as we look to our right. There stands the hot dog king once again with a medium-build man with dark hair and a light windbreaker on. He’s saying something to Clark and shaking his finger at him. They don’t look nearly as angry as Clark did with his soon-to-be ex-wife, but they look serious and their voices are hiking above the noise. That says something right there.

  “There he goes again.” Betsy shivers as she says it. “
Clark can’t go ten steps these days without upsetting someone.” Her eyes harden over the man as if he’s upset her as well. “Excuse me, those frosted muffins are calling my name. It was nice meeting you, Lottie. You’re a very lucky woman. I know for a fact you’re the one who stole Judge Baxter’s heart. The rest of my colleagues aren’t very happy with you.”

  We share a warm laugh as she takes off to pick up one of my desserts, and I spot that celestial cat again as he walks right over the platters laden with my cookies and brownies.

  “Everett, that cat is practically taunting me,” I say just as Lyla Nell falls asleep on my chest.

  “Don’t worry,” he says, wrapping an arm around me. “I’ll be with you during every moment tonight.”

  “Thank you. I just wish we could circumvent this.”

  “Me too.”

  Keelie shows up, along with her husband, Bear, and I get Lyla Nell’s things together and put her in their car. Keelie and I’ve been closer than sisters since preschool.

  “Hey, Bear,” Everett says. “Are you ready to do that thing we talked about?”

  “Got it set for tomorrow. Are you ready?”

  “We’ll be there.” He nods.

  Keelie promises to watch over my peanut as if she were her own and they take off just as darkness settles around us.

  “Everett, can I ask what thing you and Bear will be doing tomorrow?”

  “You can ask.” A smile twitches on the corners of his lips as he wraps his arms around me and holds me tight. “But I can’t tell you a thing. You’ll have to be there with everyone else to see it.” He lands a kiss to my lips.

  “Ooh, a surprise. I like that.”

  Everett and I get to the shoreline, along with the rest of the crowd, as the fireworks begin.

  Noah finds us and wraps an arm around my shoulders while Everett holds me at the waist. We watch as one spectacular firework after the other explodes high above Honey Lake.

  Patriotic music blares from the speakers as the black sky ignites in bursts of red, white, and blue fireworks that bloom like fiery flowers against the velvet night.

  The show goes on for what feels like hours, but in truth it’s only been about thirty minutes.

  “I wish this would last forever,” I say as the three of us tip our heads to the sky and watch our world transform with magical flares in every shape and size.

  The grand finale hits and the ground shakes as the fireworks detonate like bombs overhead. It’s one boom after another, so loud and deep, the sound ricochets through your chest as the sky lights up as bright as noonday with the majestic display. And then in a whisper it’s over and a wild applause takes over from one end of the lake to the other.

  “That was wonderful,” I cheer along with the rest of the crowd. “I can’t wait until Lyla Nell gets to watch this with us. Speaking of daughters, has either of you seen Evie?” I give a quick look around, to no avail.

  “She’s with the teen scene, Lot,” Carlotta shouts from a little farther down on the sand. “Don’t you remember how you spent your Fourth of Julys as a teenager?”

  “I spent them alone because Bear was out cheating on me,” I tell her. It’s true. I dated Keelie’s hubby way back when, and he was pretty much a cheat through and through. He’s since changed his ways and married my bestie. I’m about to tell Noah and Everett that I much prefer these days to those when I see that spotted giant cat traipsing past me, glowing a strange shade of pale blue, looking every bit the ghost he is.

  “It’s here again, the cat,” I say as I follow along, bringing Noah and Everett with me.

  Noah steps in close. “Do you have Ethel with you?”

  “No. I have you and Everett with me—not to mention I knew I’d be with Lyla Nell all day.” Ethel is the pet name I gave to the Glock handgun Noah and Everett teamed up to buy me a while back so that I could protect myself while in those homicidal predicaments I keep landing in. I hardly bring her anywhere anymore because of the baby. Babies and handguns just don’t mix, nor do I care to make them.

  We head toward the north end of the lake where it’s markedly darker, notably colder as well, right into the area where the garage sale tents have been sealed up for the night. I run up ahead of the two of them, trying not to lose that sneaky specter, and trip over an old towel or something equally as soft. I fall onto the sand and roll right into the water.

  “Gah!” I crawl on all fours until Everett helps me up. “I lost it,” I say as I crane my neck every which way, trying to spot the spooky cat. “What is that, anyway?” I head over and attempt to pluck up the towel, but it’s not a towel at all.

  Instead, a body rolls over and a familiar sandy face looks up at the sky with a vacant stare. Stuffed in his mouth is one of my blueberry muffins, and judging by the large crimson stain over his heart, he’s not going to get a chance to finish it.

  Clark Willoughby is dead.

  A scream gets locked in my throat.

  “That’s him,” I pant. “That’s the hot dog king,” I say, staggering backward until I trip over a rock and land on my rear, sitting on a log of some sort.

  “Lottie,” Noah pants, helping me up before giving the ground a double take. “Is that a shoe?”

  I look down, and sure enough, a man’s shoe is sitting straight up in the sand, and that was no log I was sitting on—that was his leg.

  “Lemon, stand back,” Everett says as he dashes over and pulls the man out of the water by his feet and we look down to see yet another body lying motionless in the night.

  Noah checks for a pulse and shakes his head.

  “Oh my goodness,” I whisper.

  “It’s him, isn’t it?” Noah pants out the words.

  “That’s right,” Everett says. “It looks as if Rooster bit the big one, too.”

  Lottie

  My chest bucks as I try my best not to let a shrill scream rip from my throat, but no sooner do I have the thought than a cry of terror goes off behind us.

  We turn to find Sammy Willoughby visibly shaken as she looks down in horror at her husband.

  “Clark?” The thin brunette looks our way as the whites of her eyes shine like shards, and that beaded cover-up she’s wearing glitters like a thousand fallen stars. “That’s Clark, isn’t it?” She drops to her knees in front of him and another cry rips from her, this time alerting the rest of the lake to the tragedy.

  Noah nods to Everett. “I’m calling this in. Take care of her.”

  Everett and I head toward the woman and do our best to calm her down.

  “Who did this?” Sammy howls at the two of us. “Did you do this? Did he owe you money?”

  “What? No,” Everett says. “We stumbled upon the scene ourselves. Let’s get you away from here. We could take you home if you like.”

  “That’s my husband,” she riots in his face. “I’m not going anywhere.” She pushes past us, and to our horror she dives right onto Clark Willoughby’s body and begins to wail.

  “Geez,” Noah shouts as both he and Everett do their best to wrestle her off.

  The woman screams at the top of her lungs, her white beach cover-up now splotched with the blood of her husband.

  “Let go of me.” She elbows Noah in the gut and hauls off and clocks Everett with a right hook on the jaw.

  Both men retreat as she falls over her husband’s body once again.

  “Clark! My dear Clark,” she says his name over and over again and Noah plucks her off once more with what looks to be all his strength.

  “You are contaminating evidence,” he shouts right at her as he does his best to restrain her hands. “Now do you want me to cuff you? Because so help me God I will. You may not touch that man until the coroner gives you clearance. Do you understand me?”

  A flood of sheriff’s deputies race this way as red and blue flashing lights cut through the darkness.

  Sammy gives a quick nod and takes a moment to glare over at the corpse. Gone is the blinding grief, replaced with what looks like ou
tright hatred for the man.

  “I’ll leave him alone,” she pants. “I promise.”

  A swarm of deputies covers the grounds, and soon both Clark and Rooster are surrounded.

  “What’s happening?” a female voice cuts above the chaos as Cormack enters our midst.

  I look to Everett a moment.

  Cormack was all over Rooster this last week. Seeing the man lifeless might be a real shock to her.

  Mom and Wiley run up on her heels and Wiley lets out a hard groan as he takes a look in Rooster’s direction.

  “What the hell is going on?” he barks as he heads that way and we follow along with him. “Ah shoot.” He gives Rooster’s shoe a kick, much to the horror of the deputies in the vicinity.

  “Dad,” Noah barks as he gives his father a shove. “Don’t touch the guy. He’s dead, okay?”

  “He’s right.” Mom pulls Wiley to the side. “Didn’t Rooster say he was staying at the Evergreen Manor?”

  “What?” I ask as I tug at her elbow. The Evergreen Manor is the king-size version of my mother’s humble B&B and they’re not too far from one another. It used to be that my mother would get the overflow from the Evergreen Manor as far as guests go, but once word got out my mother’s B&B was amply haunted—and it is by way of four very friendly ghosts—well, as of late, the Evergreen Manor now gets my mother’s overflow. “Why do you care where Rooster was staying?”

  Her eyes linger over Wiley’s a moment too long. “Lottie, I’m in the B&B business. If something happened to one of my guests, I’d like to be notified right away.” She tucks a quick kiss to my cheek. “We’ll talk soon.”

  A blonde steps up and Mom’s mouth opens at the sight of her.

  “Betsy.” Mom pulls her in. “I’m so sorry. It’s Clark, he’s been killed. Along with this man who was a friend of my boyfriend’s. Do you need any assistance? Would you like to stay at the B&B for the night?”

  “No.” The woman looks mildly confused—most likely because she has no idea why my mother is suddenly offering up lodging. “I’ll be fine. What a tragedy, though.” Her gaze darts to where Clark lies and then a few feet over to where Sammy is holding herself while speaking to a deputy. “I’ll be just fine, in fact.” She sheds an eerie grin before it slides right off her face. “I’ll see you at the courthouse, Judge Baxter.” She nods to the rest of us before taking off into the night.