Sealed with a Hiss

by Addison Moore

“Don’t worry, Sugar,” I whisper to her. “Nobody is kicking us out. You don’t have to hide. Georgie got it all straightened out with the big guy, and as long as we stay out of other patients’ rooms we’ll be fine.”

  Juni gives a dark chuckle. “I’m not staying out of other patients’ rooms. How am I supposed to scope out all the cuties? There’s men in them there halls—and it’s up to me to do my due diligence to winnow them out.” She straightens her fishnet stockings and tugs up the black leather mini skirt she’s paired them with.

  It felt like six below zero outside. I’m surprised her legs haven’t frozen solid and snapped right off.

  “I’m joining her.” Georgie gives her bosom a lift with her hands, and I’d swear on all that was holy one of them just rolled behind her back.

  “Georgie.” I wrinkle my nose at her. “You just had the chief of surgery ask you out to dinner. Why in the world would you want to troll the rooms for other men? Not to mention sickly, wounded men.”

  “Why put a limit on it when the world is brimming with handsome men, each with his very own buggy whip.”

  I’m with Georgie, Sugar mewls. I don’t see why we should put a limit on men. Especially when there are so many handsome cats out there.

  I wrinkle my nose at the little furball. Clearly, someone isn’t fixed yet. Although I’m not sure that would help Georgie.

  Georgie wags her left hand at me. “Bizzy Baker Wilder, do you see a ring on this finger?”

  “Georgie, if I ran around on Jasper while I waited for him to propose, I wouldn’t have a ring on my finger either.”

  Juni grunts over at the slightly older version of herself, “She’s got a point, Mom. But that doesn’t mean I’d listen to her. Bizzy has a track record when it comes to putting the brakes on the fun express. I’ve often wondered if Jasper has a case of buyer’s remorse.”

  “Juni.” I laugh. “I’m standing right here.”

  She squints over at Georgie. “She’s an eavesdropper, too.”

  The elevator doors whoosh open and we spill out onto the fourth floor, where the smell of questionable food clogs our senses as dirty lunch trays are quickly collected and placed on a rack in the hall.

  Georgie checks her face in the reflection of a framed picture that depicts how to administer CPR in an emergency.

  “You’re not the only one looking to score, Juni.” She licks her fingers and slicks back a few wild hairs. “I once dated an MD in the sixties. He was an ear, nose, breast doctor.”

  “You mean ear, nose, throat,” I say.

  “Nope,” Georgie corrects. “I mean ear, nose, breast. He liked to whisper sweet nothings in my ear while giving me Eskimo kisses, and grabbing my—”

  “I get it,” I say as I point to the room with the name Buckingham written on the board outside of it. “We’re here. Let me do the talking,” I whisper.

  Georgie makes a face in Juni’s direction. “She’s a know-it-all and she’s bossy. She’s lucky I let her stay at the inn for free.”

  I shoot her a look.

  “Okay, fine.” She waves me off. “You let me stay at the inn for free. But you still owe me a thank you for bumping off that stuffy old earl who left it to you to begin with.”

  “Georgie.” I cover Sugar’s furry little ears with my hand. “You did not kill Quinn Bennet.”

  “Or did I?” She gives a wink just as I give a light knock over Bobbie’s door.

  “Come in!” a chipper voice sings from deep inside the room, and we head in to find Bobbie Buckingham sitting up in bed wrapped in a hot pink robe, her blonde hair neatly combed, and her cheeks giving off a rosy glow.

  There’s a giant gauze square sitting over the right side of her forehead, but other than that she looks perfectly fine. Standing by her side is a blond gentleman about my father’s age, with heavy lids, a loose smile, and a sweatshirt with a picture of a polar bear drinking a beer on it.

  “Bizzy.” Bobbie’s countenance brightens. “Well, come on in, ladies. Don’t be shy.”

  “Hi, Bobbie,” I say. “I hope you don’t mind I’ve brought along my good friends, Georgie and Juni. Georgie is actually dating—”

  “Who cares who my mama is dating”—Juni says as she hustles her way to the man in the polar bear sweatshirt—“I’m the available one around here. Well, hubba hubba. I’ll have what he’s having.” She points to the bear holding the beer and they share a laugh.

  “I guess I’ll have to buy you a drink later,” he says, eyeing her up and down, while looking perfectly smitten with her. “Why don’t we step aside?” He plucks a box of chocolate off the small tray table and opens it up toward Juni. “Sweets for the sweet?”

  Juni gives a husky laugh. “I do believe someone is trying to seduce me.”

  They shuffle off to the corner, and I grimace over at Bobbie.

  “Sorry.” I’m not entirely sure what I’m apologizing for, but it felt right.

  “Please.” She winces as she struggles to sit up a bit more. “That’s my brother, Buck. He’s just doing what he does best. Sometimes I think he flirts for a living.”

  Georgie gives a knowing nod. “And that’s my baby girl, Juniper Moonbeam. She juggles men and guzzles booze for a living.”

  “She’s not kidding,” I’m quick to tell her as I extract the tiny cotton candy-haired cutie from my front carrier.

  A wailing noise comes from Bobbie as she flicks her fingers toward her.

  “Give me that little sweetie pie.” She takes her from me and snuggles with her until Sugar all but disappears under her neck. “Is it really you?” She peppers the tiny cat with kisses and Sugar mewls and kisses her right back. “Oh, you don’t know how much better I feel just seeing you.”

  “She seems happy to see you, too.” I shrug over at her. “Are you okay?”

  She glances to the ceiling. “I’m as okay as I can be. I just lost my husband.” The louse that he was. “And I darn near died myself. Someone knocked me over the head and stuffed a gun in my hand to make it look as if I shot Chip myself.”

  Georgie gasps. “You mean you didn’t pull the trigger?”

  “Nope.” She shakes her head. “In fact, they shot me, too. They said a bullet may have grazed my side. The doctor thinks that happened after they knocked me over the head and I fell to the ground.”

  “Bobbie”—I step closer to the bed—“who knocked you over the head?”

  “I don’t know.” She plants another kiss onto Sugar’s back. “It could have been anyone, I guess.”

  Diane comes to mind.

  Gizmo all but outed the fact she was at the scene of the crime.

  “That’s shocking,” I say. “I guess the sheriff’s department will be able to tell pretty quickly whose gun that is. That might lead straight to the killer.”

  “It won’t.” She frowns at the thought. “It was my gun. I’ve carried it for years. Although I’m not entirely sure if they fired my gun. I guess forensics will tell us that.”

  A thought comes to me. “So you think they shot Chip after they knocked you over the head?”

  She shrugs. “It must have been. I don’t remember hearing a gunshot.”

  “Well, I bet Chip was trying to charge at them as soon as he saw that they hit you.”

  Could it have been a robbery gone wrong?

  Her eyes go vacant a moment as she stares out the window. “Chip was saying something to me…”

  Georgie leans in. “I bet he was telling you to run.”

  Her chest bounces with a quiet laugh. “He wasn’t telling me to run.” He was telling me I was about to get what I deserved.

  “What?” I mutter mostly to myself, but she glances my way and shakes her head.

  “I don’t know what he was saying.” And for darn sure I don’t know what he meant. “I gave that man everything.” Tears stream down her face as if on cue. “And he repaid me by having an affair. We don’t have children. He could have told me he wasn’t into the relationship anymore. He could have told me an
ything, and I would have moved heaven and earth to make things better. I know things weren’t great. I was so busy, but he seemed content.”

  “They always do.” Georgie shakes her head. “I had one of those losers on my hands. Happy to see me—and happy to see every other girl in the room once I turned my back, too. Don’t you dare think you did anything wrong. And don’t go beating yourself up thinking should’ve, would’ve, could’ve. You buck up, young lady—and you take care of yourself and that sweet little kitty of yours, too.”

  “I agree,” I tell her. “In fact, I can watch Sugar for you until you’re out and about.”

  “Would you?” Bobbie quickly wipes down her face. “I’d appreciate that. You wouldn’t mind if I had one of those cookies you’re holding, would you?”

  “Absolutely not,” I say, landing the entire plate on the small table in front of her. “I think you deserve a cookie or two, or the entire platter.”

  “Knock, knock,” a cheery voice calls from behind, and we turn to find Lacey waltzing into the room with her blonde hair in a whippet of a ponytail and a red coat bundled around her body.

  Her eyes grow wide as she spots us. “What’s this? A party and nobody invited me?”

  A dull laugh expels from Bobbie. “Bizzy was just bringing Sugar by to say hello. She’s going to keep her for me until I get better.” She tips her head my way. “Lacey isn’t into pets. She’d probably lock Sugar in the bathroom and forget about her for days.”

  Sugar lets out a sharp mewl and we all share a laugh.

  Lacey comes over and gives Bobbie’s hair a slight tussle. “Can you believe this one? Didn’t I tell you she was bulletproof?” She sighs down at her friend. “You’re looking good, kid.”

  Personally, I’m surprised to see her on such friendly terms with Bobbie. Last night, she all but called her a killer. But then, tensions were high. And if I’ve learned anything in the years I’ve been inadvertently prying into other people’s minds, it’s that you can’t judge anyone by their thoughts. Even the kindest person can think inexplicable things. It’s not fair for me to decide which thoughts are wrong or right.

  “So?” Bobbie nods up at Lacey. “Is everything still a go for the Perfect Pairing’s Valentine’s soiree?”

  “You bet it is.” Lacey fluffs her pillow. “Do you think you’ll be up for it? I mean, you were shot at. And regardless of the fact Chip was being a jackass, he was your jackass.”

  Bobbie snorts out a laugh. “You know me, I need the attention. And I’m not ready to grieve Chip just yet. I’m still plenty angry with him. Believe me, whoever killed him, just beat me to him.” She looks my way. “And don’t worry, Bizzy. I’m planning on hiring a full security detail to follow me everywhere I go until they catch whoever did this. I’m hoping it wasn’t personal. One of the deputies who came by this afternoon said it could have been a mugging gone wrong. He said they’ve seen it all.”

  I thought the very same thing.

  She looks up at Lacey. And now we’ve seen it all, too.

  Lacey offers a knowing nod as if she had just read Bobbie’s mind. But then, they are close friends—sometimes that’s as good as being a mind reader.

  I wonder what she meant by that? Now they’ve seen it all, too? It sounds to me as if Bobbie suspects someone.

  “Bobbie”—I practically whisper her name—“who do you think could have done this?”

  She looks to her friend, and Lacey gives a slight nod as if giving her permission to speak.

  Bobbie takes a deep breath. “I think it might have been Keegan Merritt. She’s been spending an awful lot of time at my house lately. That’s where I have my home office. She was doing some side work for Chip as his personal assistant.” She scoffs. “I guess we know what she was assisting him with.”

  Lacey gives a circular nod. “She was pretty bitter after her divorce. And she was struggling financially. Working with Chip was her second job. She works down at a bar called the Match Box where she hosts some kind of a dating game. Couples go head to head while she asks them random questions and the winners get a free dinner out of it.”

  “Sounds fun,” I say.

  “I’m in.” Georgie slaps her thigh. “And don’t you worry, Bizzy. I’ll find a man to accompany me. You and Jasper had better watch your back. My man and I are pretty competitive.”

  “A bold statement, considering you’ve yet to meet your man,” I tell her, and both Bobbie and Lacey share a laugh.

  “I’m in, too,” Juni calls out from across the room. “Buck and I can practically finish one another’s thoughts. I’d be quaking in my winter boots if I were the two of you.”

  Bobbie chuckles. “Maybe something good came out of this, after all.” She kisses Sugar on the nose and hands her back to me. “If you don’t mind, I think I need some shut-eye. Hopefully, I’ll be out soon and I won’t have to trouble you with another visit.”

  “It was no trouble at all.”

  We say our goodbyes, and I place Sugar back in the carrier as she purrs and warms me with her furry little body.

  “Well?” Georgie elbows me as we step outside of the room. “What’s cooking in that good-looking head of yours, Bizzy Baker Wilder? I’m not the mind reader around here, you know.”

  “I think we’re heading to the Match Box to see if we can pair up with a killer.”

  Chapter 6

  The Country Cottage Inn gleams against the backdrop of the dark, stormy sky.

  It’s a bitter cold day this February morning as I head toward the structure. The inn is comprised of blue stones on the outside of the building despite the fact the front of the establishment is covered with ivy. A trail of blue cobblestones snakes around the facility all the way to the cove and throughout the walkways that lead to the individual cottages scattered about.

  Last night, I called the Match Box to see if Keegan Merritt was working, but as it turned out, it was her night off so Jasper and I snuggled up next to the fireplace and noshed on pizza from the Country Cottage Café. Let’s just say we didn’t need that fire to keep us warm. We found far more creative ways to sizzle.

  Fun fact: There is no faster way to clear the room of pets than stripping down and showing off the fact you’re more or less hairless all over. I think Fish hacked up a furball in the kitchen in my honor.

  Inside the Country Cottage Inn it’s warm and toasty, and I find both Nessa and Grady huddled behind the reception counter whispering something to one another. And if I’m not mistaken, Nessa is giggling away like a schoolgirl.

  “What’s going on?” I ask as I set Fish and Sugar on the counter while Sherlock runs wild through the foyer, conducting his routine morning inspection.

  “Good morning to you, too, Bizzy.” Nessa takes a step away from Grady and her expression sours. “Nothing exciting going on here. Jordy hauled out the Valentine’s Day decorations like you asked, and he’s plastering metallic cutouts of Cupid all over the place.”

  Grady gives a frenetic nod. “And he’s putting up those heart-shaped lights you like so much.” He shoots Nessa a quick look.

  My eyes narrow in on them. “Why do I feel as if the two of you are up to something?”

  Sugar mewls, Maybe they’re in love? Grady is a looker. She belts out a hearty yowl his way as if she were throwing her fuzzy hat into the ring.

  I shake my head at her. There’s no way these two would even look at one another that way. They’ve known each other since they were little. They’re practically brother and sister.

  Grady is a dark-haired Irish Adonis, and Nessa is a perky little brunette with olive skin and glowing eyes. She’s Emmie and Jordy’s cousin, and I’ve known her for as long as I’ve known them. They’re both recent college grads, in fact.

  No sooner do I take off my coat than Georgie and Mackenzie stride this way from the direction of the café.

  Georgie points toward the windows. “And that’s where we’ll put the Valentine’s Day tree and the four of you can take your pictures.”

/>   “What’s a Valentine’s Day tree?” I ask as the two of them pass me by without so much as a glance.

  Fish titters. I heard Georgie mention yesterday that she was stepping in as the wedding planner extraordinaire. My guess is, she’ll have a tree there for Sugar and me to climb in no time.

  “Wait,” I call out as I catch up to the two of them. “Georgie, are you acting as the wedding planner?”

  Georgie narrows her lavender eyes my way. And I can’t blame her. That neon green kaftan she’s donned hurts my eyes to look at as well.

  “I’m not acting, Biz. I’m getting paid for the gig. That makes me a pro.”

  I look to Mackenzie with her hair pulled back into a bun, a navy suit on as if she were ready to conduct a corporate takeover—and believe me, it feels as if she’s about to take over the inn.

  “Are you the paying party?” I ask.

  Mackenzie’s lips glide into an easy smile, a sure sign of a malevolence on her part.

  “That would be Gwyneth. Gwynie offered to pay for incidentals such as a wedding planner, flowers, and baked goods so long as I did all the dirty work.” She ticks her head to the side. “I’m sure you’re willing to comp the cookies seeing that it’s your father’s and your brother’s big day, but I say you keep your mouth shut and we split the take. I could use a few extra nickels to call my own.”

  I shrug. “Sure, why not.” She’s right. Of course, I was going to comp all the sweet treats, but let’s call a spade a spade. Gwyn hasn’t been the nicest to me, and I could use a few spare nickels myself. I’ll most likely spend them all in an effort to feed her son so it all works out in the end. “What’s with the tree?”

  “It’s a Valentine’s Day tree, Bizzy.” Georgie does an odd little hop. “It’s pure marketing genius on my part. Even your mother will have to agree. I’ll have a box of my sea glass ornaments for sale at ten bucks a pop right at the reception counter. And I’ll tell every couple that shows up on that heart-shaped night that if they make a wish as they put the ornament on the tree it’s guaranteed to come true.”

  I lean in a notch. “That’s a brilliant idea. But I’m not sure I would use the word guaranteed. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had ten lawsuits thrown at me the next morning for breach of contract.”