Murder in the Mix Boxed Set 28-30: Cozy Mystery by Addison Moore (books for 7th graders .txt) 📗

Cressida’s chest bucks as she huffs Everett’s way, “She’s got a wandering eye, Essex. I’d check that prenup twice to make sure it’s ironclad. She had her hands all over those men in there.”

“I didn’t have my hands on anyone,” I riot. “I was trying to make an escape, and that’s exactly how I found myself in that dangling debacle. I could have killed myself, no thanks to the two of you!”

Noah growls at Cormack, “You could have hurt the baby.”

Both Cormack and Cressida huddle in horror.

My hand flies to my belly as the gravity of what just happened hits me.

“Oh my God, the baby. A fall like that—it could have destroyed everything.”

“Yes.” Everett nods my way with his eyes hooking to mine, and I can see a hint of anger in them—and it’s not for Cressida or Cormack, it’s all for me. “These little excursions to hunt down suspects are getting more dangerous by the second.”

Before I can offer a rebuttal—not that I have one—both Keelie and Bear run over, and soon Keelie is holding me in her arms.

“Oh, Lottie, when someone burst into the ladies’ room and screamed there was a woman dangling from the ceiling, I just knew it was you.”

Bear nods. “We buttoned up as soon as we could, but we couldn’t find you. Thank God you’re okay.”

Carlotta elbows Keelie in the ribs. “By the sound of it, you taught that highfalutin exec a lesson, the way only we elves know how.”

Keelie gives a wink her way, and soon Keelie and Bear take off for the night.

Everett points their way. “Was Bear wearing one of my suits?”

“Noah gave him the key,” I spit it out quickly while pointing in Noah’s direction. I’ll do just about anything to take the spotlight off of my irresponsible self.

Smoke blows from Everett’s nostrils—sure, it probably has something to do with the fact it’s frigid out, but I’m guessing it has more to do with the fact he’s fuming right about now. And sadly, there’s nowhere this man can go to escape me. We happen to share the same bed.

Noah looks my way and shakes his head. “We’ll talk, Lottie. This has got to stop.”

Noah takes off, and I give Carlotta the keys to my minivan and tell her not to wait for me.

I pull Everett into a hard embrace, and he warms my body with his strong hands.

I don’t bother apologizing. I know for a fact my words could never be enough.

The faint scent of sugary perfume clings to his suit, and I back away for a moment and look into his beautiful blue eyes. A part of me wants to ask questions, but that would be a foolish endeavor. Everett would never cheat on me. Not unless I pushed him to the brink of insanity, but truthfully, not even that could drive him to do it.

“I love you,” I say just above a whisper.

His features soften as his lips curl upward. “I love you, too, Lemon.”

We head back to Honey Hollow, and I wonder about so many things—my motherhood is certainly in question, my relationship with both Noah and Everett feels as if it’s in peril, and yet I wonder about a man named Ebenezer Clement, too.

If I pursue this case, does that make me a bad mother? A terrible wife?

I wish I knew the answer to all the hard questions.

I wish I knew who killed Gloria Abner. That would certainly feed my craving for justice.

It’s almost as bad as my craving for a fried dill pickle right about now.

Chapter 8

The snow is coming down outside the window of the Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery while I dole out heaping helpings of my eggnog trifle to Lainey, Evie, Carlotta, and Keelie.

A small crowd is pushing through, and Lily is helping out at the registers. Tonight is the official tree lighting ceremony right here in Honey Hollow, and I came in early to whip up a few sweet treats for the refreshment booth. Mayor Nash was kind enough to have the town foot the bill.

Baby Josie squirms and giggles in my sister’s baby sling, and the tiny tot is perfectly adorable.

“I’m madly in love with you, Josie,” I say as she gives my finger a squeeze and laughs her head off. “Lainey, can’t you give her just a bite of the trifle? She’s drooling for it.”

“No way, no how.” Lainey bats my hand away from her baby girl. “Josie is on a sugar-free diet. The only sugar she’s allowed is in the baby food I make for her by way of fresh fruit.”

Keelie shrugs. “Little Bear has already eaten an entire trifle on his own. And believe me, Lot, he loves it.” She narrows her eyes over at Lainey. “And don’t go judging me about it either.”

Lainey lifts a hand. “To each her own. Bear is happy and healthy, that’s all that matters.”

Keelie pouts regardless of my sister’s kind words.

“What’s the matter, Sugar Toots?” Carlotta nods over to her niece. “Not feeling up to par as a mama just because Crunchy Granola here chooses to torment her offspring?”

“No”—Keelie’s shoulders sag—“it’s not that. It’s just that the other women in the mommy and me classes have been acting up. They don’t think I notice when they’re giving me the side-eye, trying to mommy shame me after I tell them I only bathe baby Bear twice a week, or when their mouths fall open when I tell them I let the dog lick the food off baby Bear’s mouth.”

“Keelie, I didn’t know you had a dog,” I say as I rub her arm in a meager effort to comfort her.

“Oh, I don’t,” she says. “And when they found that out, it only made them gasp.”

Evie pretends to gag with her spoon. “Who cares about those women, Keelie? It’s a classic case of mean girls. I hear soccer moms are ten times cliquier than high school girls. Don’t worry. You survived high school, you