“Ooh, I’ll have Lily man the register for me. I think I’d love to share a pizza with you at Mangias.” No sooner do I take off my apron than Lily comes up holding the deposit—it’s a hefty one, too, no thanks to my complete sellout of crispy apple turnovers—fifty cents extra for caramel dipping sauce, and I’m running low on that, too.
“I’ll take it, Lily,” I say as she hands me the canvas bag. “The bank is just a hop and a skip down from Mangias and I’m headed that way.”
“Thanks.” Lily takes the apron from me and wraps it around her own waist. “Hey, Noah, how about you and Alex take Lottie and me out for a double date sometime? That way you get what you want and I get what I want.” She gives a cheeky smile.
“Clear out Saturday night on your calendar.” He looks my way. “If you’re in, Lottie, so am I.”
“I’m in. I still owe you a date from your birthday, remember?” I can’t help but frown as I say it. “You don’t think Cormack has a surprise wedding set for that night, do you?”
He closes his eyes a moment. “I suppose you never know. Stranger things have happened.”
A shrill cry comes from somewhere near the ceiling, and I look up to find a glorious colorful macaw—the ghost of one anyway.
It’s Macon—yes, Macon the macaw. He was here to help a few months back with another case, and how I’ve missed him. How I’ve missed them all.
Macon screams once again. “Lottie Lemon! Lottie Lemon!” He dives down quickly and flies right out the center of the window.
Stranger things have happened indeed.
* * *
The sign for the Honey Hollow Savings and Loan looms up above, and I stop short, swinging Noah’s hand between us as I look up at it with a sense of nostalgia. The cool September breeze swirls around, blowing the dry leaves off the maple trees and sending them down the street in a citrus-colored processional.
“You do realize this place has a rich history between us,” I say.
His brows arch softly as a gentle smile tugs at his lips. “You thought my ratty old office was the loan department.” He reels me in slowly until we’re just a breath away.
“And you gave me the money to start my bakery anyway,” I whisper, looking into those hypnotic green eyes of his. It’s true. Noah inherited some money from his father —dirty money that was swindled from unfortunate souls such as Everett’s wealthy mother—who by the way, did not want it back. Noah didn’t want to keep it either. He wanted to use it for good. And I’m humbled he thought I was good in any way, shape, or form. “Thank you, Noah. A thousand times thank you for that. I could truly never thank you enough.”
He leans in and lands a soft kiss to my cheek. “No need to thank me. All I ask is that you keep those chocolate chip cookies coming.”
“As you wish,” I sing as we make our way into the bank.
It’s a touch warmer inside. The old carpeting they had last year has since been replaced with gray wood floors, and the walls are painted the softest shade of blue. The Savings and Loan has undergone extensive renovations this last year, and judging by the opulent chandeliers and marble counters, I’m guessing that they’re just about done.
The bank is nearly empty, about six or seven people in total counting the tellers, so this should be quick.
Noah leans in. “While you make a deposit, I think I’ll chat with the loan department if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. This will just take a minute.”
Huh—a loan?
I glance back at Noah as he speaks to a woman in a navy blazer.
What could Noah need a loan for? I certainly hope that generous gift he gave to the bakery didn’t drain him.
No sooner do I step up to the counter and smile at the teller—a young woman by the name of Doreen whom I’ve come to know throughout the years—than a loud pop emits from the entry.
I turn to find several people dressed in black. Each one has donned a mask with the face of a cute little pig, and in each of their hands is a not so cute little black gun.
“Everybody on the floor!” one of them shouts—a male according to his gruff deep voice—and the room explodes in screams as bodies hit the floor.
My adrenaline kicks in, can’t breathe, can’t move. I look to Noah, and we’re both frozen, looking at one another helplessly.
“I said get down!”
Both Noah and I cautiously crouch to our knees.
I count out six of them—six masked men parading around as adorably frightening piglets. Two of them jump over the counter and hustle the tellers into the safe, while two others come around to the woman quivering next to me and—well, me.
“Take off the jewelry,” one of them shouts, shoving a bag my way.
A breath hitches in my throat as I do my best to invert that giant rock on my finger with my thumb. There is no way I’m going to give this lunatic Everett’s mother’s ring. Both Everett and his mother might be moved to kill me.
“I said now!” He tips his head to the side, and his mask dislodges just enough for me to see something tattooed along the side of his neck, a diamond pattern of some sort. His skin looks pink around the edges. He jabs the butt of his gun to my shoulder.
“Lottie!” Noah barks and I glance over to find a gunman trained right over him—and wisely so. Noah is packing heat himself, but they don’t know that. They just figure he’s the strongest person in the room.
A spray of starlight bursts into the vicinity as a magnificent tiger I’ve grown to love jumps in through the glass window. Beastie.
Beastie is an enormous white and gray striped exotic Bengal tiger with menacing blue eyes. Okay, so he’s menacing in general, but he is equally majestic.
“Lottie, don’t move,” Beastie growls it out as he steps around the goon with a gun bent on butting it against my shoulder. “He’s a killer. I can smell it on him.”
A tiny squeal of terror comes from me.
Two masked men hop back over the counter with a couple of canvas totes, and my stomach churns. The masked man in front of me bolts toward the door, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
The ghost of Nell appears, then the ghost of Maximillian Finmore. Max was here a few months back. He’s a handsome college man who was murdered by way of manure. That’s about as tragic and stinky as it gets.
“I’ll do my best to stop them!” Nell shouts as she chases them to the door.
I want to scream no. For heaven’s sake, I want them out of my face with their hostile weaponry and terrifying commands.
Maximillian crouches down low.
“Incoming,” he pants just as another masked man descends upon me.
“Dang!” the masked man grunts.
This little piggy yanks my left hand forward and slips off my ring so easily you’d think that it voluntarily fled my finger.
Max does his best to snatch it back, but the masked man catches it midair.
He runs to the door with the rest of his crew. “You missed some serious ice, dude.” He smacks the first piglet that held me at gunpoint on the back of the head.
And then just as quickly as they came, they’re gone.
Nell shouts a salty tirade as she glides right through the door as if she was on their tail.
Noah bounces to his feet and takes off after them.
“Noah!” I cry out, but it’s too late. He’s out the door and on the chase.
I help the woman next to me up as the tellers come around and make sure everyone is safe.
Maximillian places a hand over my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Lottie. I’m sorry there wasn’t anything we could do to stop them.”
“Max.” I pull him in, quickly trying to play it off as if I were straightening my clothes. “Why are you all here if you can’t be of any help? No offense, but I’m guessing paradise is—well, paradise.”
“You got that right.” Max has a boyish innocence about him, something about that rounded jaw and those full cheeks that give him an affable appeal. “But you’re wrong about
us not being able to help you. We might not have been able to interfere with the homicide investigations, but that’s not what we’re here for.”
“What are you here for?”
“To make sure you stop these thugs before they hit the Canadian border. Let’s just say you’re the only hope some people have. If you stop them, Lottie—you will save many, many lives. These men have killed before. They’re not afraid to do it again. And they will. We’re here to avert a great tragedy.”
A chill runs through me.
“How am I going to stop them if I don’t know who they are or where they’ll strike next?” I whisper before glancing around at the women huddled together just as a flurry of deputies burst through the door.
Max steps in close as his ghostly frame slowly begins to dissipate. “We’re going to help you figure out exactly who they are. We won’t let you miss a thing, Lottie,” he says as he evaporates to nothing.
I won’t miss a thing. And that’s exactly what I’m afraid of.
Noah rushes back inside and takes me in his arms.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” he pants the words out quick and heated.
“I’m fine.” My arms wrap themselves around his body, and Noah and I hold onto one another so very tight with no sign of letting go.
The dead are here to avert a great tragedy. A novel concept, considering it’s never worked that way before.
I just hope they can help me stop this tour de force of evil before it’s too late.
It already feels just that—too late.
Chapter 7
Once Noah and I are thoroughly interviewed by the sheriff’s department, we indeed pick up that pizza from Mangias—to go, of course. But we don’t get any farther than the bakery.
Once inside, we’re accosted by Keelie, Lily, Meg, Lainey, Cormack, Britney, my mother, Chrissy Nash, Carlotta, and Mayor Nash.
It’s utter melee while we both assure everyone we’re more than fine. And both my mother and Mayor Nash look as if they can use a cup of coffee or twelve.
Noah runs through the entire story for a fourth time, trying to answer the barrage of questions as they come, just as Everett dashes through the front door.
I’m locked in his arms faster than I can process what’s happening and he lands a tender kiss right to my lips before pulling me in aggressively once again.
“Lemon,” he whispers hard into my ear. “I left Ashford as soon as I got Lily’s text. I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner. Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Did they touch you?” There’s a fire in his eyes that I haven’t seen before, not even in his most ornery state back in his courtroom.
“I’m more than fine.” Tears come to the party, and I try to blink them away. “I, um…” I hold up my left hand, unable to say another word.
Cormack must sense the matrimonial implications of it all because she pops up like an unwanted apparition.
“They took the ring!” she belts it out like a tragic country song. “Tell me it was a replica, Essex. I couldn’t stand the thought of that precious baby floating around in some criminal’s hot hands.” She looks my way. “Eliza is simply going to kill you. And to think she actually approved of you marrying her son.” She clicks her tongue. “Don’t worry, Linda. The replica odds are in your favor.” She rushes back to Noah’s side as he finishes answering yet another question about the robbery.
“Do not worry about the ring.” Everett’s jaw tenses. “I’m going to find whoever put you through this, and I’m going to kill them myself.”
“Trust me, they’re not worth the time behind bars.” I glance around before leaning in. “Max Finmore told me it’s a band of thieves on their way to Canada. For whatever reason, they’re hanging out in the area.”
He nods as if it makes sense. “Getting what they can before they presumably clean up their act when they get to the other side. They’re probably running from something big.”
“Max said they’ve killed before.” I shudder as I say it. “And I bet they’re the same gang that was responsible for all the robberies the night of the murder.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it.”
“Anyway, he said the dead that have returned are going to help me capture them.”
Noah pops up. “No way.” Both his brows and his lips are drawn into a line, and he looks decidedly unhappy with the news.
“I agree.” Everett shakes his head. “They are armed and dangerous, and you mentioned they’ve killed before. I can’t stand by and let you put yourself in harm’s way like that.”
“Absolutely not,” Noah echoes.
Cormack trots back as she wraps her arms around Noah from behind. “Sorry, Luanna. I just asked Eliza if that ring was a replica and she said no. But don’t worry, I didn’t hint at all that you lost it—she guessed that herself.”
I can’t help but glower at her. “I didn’t lose it. It was yanked off my finger.” Okay, so they didn’t have to yank all that hard, but that’s beside the point. “And I’m going to get it back.”
“No, you’re not.” Noah doesn’t mind contradicting me.
Everett takes a breath. “The Ashford Sheriff’s Department will get it back.” He offers Noah a stern look. “Got that?”
Mom and my sisters come up and offer me a group hug.
Lainey wipes a tear from her eye. “I have to get back to the library. Try not to get yourself killed, would you?” She hikes up and whispers, “And you might want to see someone about warding off all that bad luck. I’m genuinely worried about you!” She takes off and Meg steps up.
“I have to get back to my girls. I told them to keep up the deep lunges until my break was over.” She says break in air quotes. “They should have thighs the size of tree trunks by now. See you Thursday night.” She takes off, and both Noah and Everett exchange a glance.
Noah tips his head to the side. “What’s Thursday night?”
Mom bats her lashes at me as if wondering the same thing. Shoot. She would have been a convenient excuse had she not been here.
“Sisters’ night out.” I shrug. “Girls only. Meg is going to make sure we have a rough and rowdy night out on the town. Both Lainey and I need a breather.” Not that Lainey will want to be anywhere near me.
“And me!” Keelie shouts as she jumps on my back with a strangulating hug. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”
“Count me in.” Cormack fans herself with her fingers. “After losing Amanda, I thought I’d lose my mind with all the wedding details to tend to. Thank goodness her sister stepped in and saved the day. She’s taken over all of Amanda’s event planning duties. She even mentioned she’s going to get her real estate license and take over Amanda’s position at Redwood Realty if they’ll have her.”
Mom coos as if it were an adorable gesture. Personally, I find it odd, bordering on creepy. If Meg died, I wouldn’t be barking at the girls at Red Satin to do a rep of deep lunges, nor would I be gunning for Lainey’s position at the library. But then, I’ve got my own bustling career and I guess Hazel doesn’t.
Mom glances at her phone. “I’ll text Hook down at Redwood Realty and let him know asap. There’s nothing sweeter than a girl trying to fill her big sister’s shoes.” She looks my way. “You keep out of trouble, missy. Oh, and before I forget, the funeral is set for next Monday. If you provide the baked goods, I’ll foot the bill. That girl was a blessing to your sister.” She sniffs hard as she pulls me in for a quick embrace. “I’d better get back to Pastor Gaines. I was helping with funeral arrangements. Now that Amanda is gone he’ll need to hire an event staff himself. I’ll see if I can get her sister to help out with that.” She dashes out the door with a wave.
Cormack pulls Keelie to the side, and they dive deep into all things wedding-related.
“It seems Cormack is wedding obsessed,” I say to Noah and Everett just above a whisper. “But since she’s got a close connection to Hazel, I suggest we keep it that way.”
Everett wraps an arm around me.
“I’m in complete agreement with you.”
Noah averts his eyes. “Fine, but once this case is solved, the farce is over. The last thing I want is an ambush wedding.” His lips flicker my way. “Unless, of course, you’re the bride. In that event, ambush away.”
Everett takes a deep breath as if he were completely relaxed. “She will be a bride. You just won’t be the groom.”
“Pizza anyone?” I ask as I stagger over to a table and fall into a seat.
Noah, Everett, and I each grab a slice as we lose ourselves in mozzarella heaven.
“No matter what the problem, Mangias’ pizza always seems to be the answer,” I point out.
Noah’s chest bounces. “I wish it was that easy. Did you get a read on any of those idiots? Is there anything at all you think would be able to help me out?”
I frown when he says the word me. I don’t like being locked out of the fun. Not that capturing killers and thieves alike is fun, but a part of me thirsts to do just that.
“There was a diamond pattern on the neck of one of the men. His skin looked pink just under his ear.”
Noah freezes and looks straight ahead for a few seconds before swallowing. He snaps up a stack of napkins.
“I think I’ll take my slice to go.” He gets up and lands a kiss to my cheek. “Everett, if you can, maybe hang out with Lottie for a while. My nerves are rattled, and I know hers are, too.”
“Where are you going?” I ask frantically as he edges to the door.
“To the office. I’ll call you in a bit.” He takes off, and I sigh as I look to Everett.
“You don’t need to babysit me. I’m closing tonight.”
“Then I don’t mind closing with you. And, for the record, I’m not babysitting. I’m spending quality time with the girl I love.”
“In that case, why don’t we head to the kitchen and I’ll teach you how to use the Hobart mixer?”
Cormack plops down in Noah’s empty seat, and Everett looks more than a little relieved.
“What’s up, lovebirds?” She gives a cheeky wink. “I bet you’re right back to planning your wedding.” She elongates the last word. “Hey? I was going to surprise Noah this Saturday night and take him to hear the wedding singer Amanda introduced me to”—her voice quiets down a notch—“the night she died. He’s performing at a wedding in Leeds, and the bride and groom have already given me the go-ahead to attend after the dinner portion of the reception. Why don’t the two of you come along? Amanda assured me that Christopher Castaneda was the one and only wedding singer we would ever want.”
Toxic Apple Turnovers: MURDER IN THE MIX 13 Page 6
