“Chrissy?” I perk up as I look to Everett. “Are you free Saturday night?”
“For you? Always.”
Cormack squeals with delight. “Then it’s a date.” She claps as if it were a victory on her part. “How I love our double dates. Oh, Essex, did you ever think we’d be like family someday? And now that Noah and you have patched things up, we’re going to be exactly that. Hey? I know. How about the two of you get married next June, too? Oh, wait”—her cherry red nails strum against her cheek—“Noah and I are scheduled to get hitched first weekend of June, and I’m planning a honeymoon to end all honeymoons.” It comes out throaty and seductive, and suddenly I have the urge to shove Cormack’s face into the pizza box. “Maybe you should shoot for the first weekend in July?”
Everett cocks his head as if he were amused. “Why not the Fourth of July?”
Cormack gasps while dramatically clutching at her chest. “And that way not only will you have the easiest anniversary on record to remember, but the entire world will be celebrating with you.”
“It’s just the U.S. that will be celebrating,” I’m quick to point out before frowning at Everett for going along with her delusions. Now I’ll have to watch my back next Fourth of July in the event Cormack decides to throw us an impromptu wedding, and I’m pretty sure she’d do it. She seems to be our biggest cheerleader.
Cormack hops to her feet. “I’d better secure Hazel for all your wedding needs. Her calendar is bound to fill up just as quickly as her sister’s. See you Saturday night!”
Lily zips over. “Where are we headed Saturday night?” She shrugs. “I’m desperate for another date with Alex.”
“A wedding out in Leeds. Don’t outshine the bride.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Her eyes are wide and vacant looking as if she’s dreaming of exactly that right now.
Lily takes off, and I lean in toward Everett.
“The Fourth of July?”
“What? A good time will be had by all.”
I bite down on my lower lip. “I miss our good times.” My cheeks flood with color.
“Good,” Everett says it sober, as those serious cobalt eyes pierce through mine. “I like you missing me. It gives me hope.”
My chest pinches as he says it.
“My heart isn’t going anywhere, Everett.”
I’m afraid we both know it. Like it or not, my heart is very much tethered to two different people. My splintered heart doesn’t seem to be going anywhere indeed.
But I, however, am going somewhere this Thursday night whether Noah or Everett approves or not.
I may not be getting lucky with Everett tonight, but I’ll be getting lucky in just a few short days.
I’m coming for you, Connie Canelli.
And I hope whatever you’re about to tell me will make me shout bingo.
Chapter 8
“Bingo!” Cormack shouts and I yank her back just as she tosses her arms up.
“I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works,” I say as we step into the cavernous basement beneath a restaurant called the Trattoria. Meg led the way, but once we arrived, she had an emergency down at Red Satin she needed to tend to. Something about a slippery runway and strippers down.
But Keelie and Cormack are with me. Lainey kindly declined my invite for a sisters’ night out, which I completely understand. Poor Lainey probably thinks she needs to start wearing a helmet and a Kevlar vest just to be in my presence, and she’s probably right.
The Trattoria is an upscale Italian restaurant—or at least as upscale as you can get in Leeds—complete with a back entry that has a set of stairs that lead to this alphanumeric nirvana.
Dozens of plastic round tables are set out with matching plastic chairs, and each one of those is nearly filled with a body hunched studiously over at least a half dozen cards each. At the front of the room there’s a large round cage that a pretty brunette spins into oblivion and periodically plucks a number out of.
I scan the crowd for signs of Connie, but there’s an entire sea of dark hair tilted down toward the tables. I’ll never find her like this.
And then, just as if He knew I needed a sign, a spasm of light explodes above a table near the front as Owlbert Einstein shimmers to life—or death as it were.
“This way, ladies.” I lead us straight to Connie’s table, and sure enough there she is in a hot pink tracksuit, her matching pink lips twisted as she studies the plethora of game boards scattered around her. She’s chewing a piece of gum frenetically as if her life depended on that tiny pink ball of slime, and her hair is teased up over her head as if she were paying homage to the eighties. A couple of girls are seated on either side of her, but, for the most part, the rest of the table is open.
“Take a seat, ladies,” she barks our way as if we were disrupting her concentration, and I’m sure we are. “Next round starts in two minutes.” She lifts a hand in the air and snaps her fingers, prompting a couple of girls to come around, and we purchase about six game boards apiece.
Cormack sets down her enormous green tote bag. She let us know on the way over that she chose the size and the color because both were omens for good luck. I’m sure her large green trust fund is a magnificent source of good luck, too.
“Hi, Connie.” Cormack falls in the seat next to mine and gets to arranging her cards. My mouth falls open with deep regret for ever mentioning Connie’s name on the way over. Wait a minute. I didn’t.
“Hey, Mack.” Connie doesn’t even bother to look up.
“You two know each other?” I make crazy eyes at Keelie. Of course, I let Keelie in on who I would be investigating.
“Bingo!” Connie launches out of her seat like a bottle rocket, and a deep groan emits from around us.
Cormack waves me off. “Sure, we know each other.” She gets up and blows air kisses at the chipper brunette. “We do naked yoga together down at the gym.”
Good Lord.
“I think she cheats, Lottie.” Owlbert’s voice whirs like a motor and echoes as it rings out across the room. “I don’t know how, but I’m almost positive of it. And according to the rumors that have been swirling here tonight, others feel the same.”
I make a face at the revelation. She is a Canelli. They’re all cheats as far as I’m concerned. The entire family is comprised of criminal masterminds. What can you expect?
“Connie Canelli.” She nods over at Keelie and me as her lips expand with a winner’s grin. “Welcome to my world.” She frowns over at me as she takes her seat once again. “Haven’t we met before?”
“At my engagement party.” And how I hate to frame it that way.
Cormack shoves her hand toward Connie. “My engagement party. Lita was an add-on item. Buy one engagement party, get one free.” She cackles up a storm while Connie inspects the hardware on her finger.
Keelie leans in. “Don’t worry, Lot. When you really get engaged, I’m going to throw you the world’s biggest party.”
“And I’m doing the same for you.” I give a sly wink.
“No way.” Her eyes grow wide. “Bear and I are low-key, remember?”
“No, you’re not. There’s nothing low-key about you, Keelie. And if Bear thinks so, allow me to introduce the two of you sometime.”
Connie groans as if Cormack just shot her. “You’ve got a good man there, Mack Mack. Any man who picks out a rock like that is in l-o-v-e.”
“Oh yes, he is,” Keelie adds, kicking me from under the table because she knows that Noah picked that ring out for me.
Cormack draws her hand back. “It’s a replica, of course. I would never be foolish enough to run around with the real deal, considering all of the many unfortunate events that can befall a person and their jewelry these days.” She shoots me the side-eye.
Great. Of all the people to judge me, I’ve got Mack Mack—the exact person I’d like to smack smack.
Connie’s face brightens as she looks my way. Her features are well-defined. She’s wearing enou
gh rouge for the entire table, but the peachy shade makes her look like a Kewpie doll, and that might, in fact, be the look she was going for.
“How’s Essex?” She gives a cheeky wink my way, and every muscle in my body freezes. Connie Canelli? Really, Everett? Have you no bounds? “Kidding!” She claps her hands together and laughs violently to the point of wheezing. “I know all about that rough and dirty bad boy, right down to the verbal privileges he doles out to women. He used to date a good friend of mine. Maybe you know her? Fiona Dagmeyer?”
I suck in a quick breath. I guess on the surface it makes sense. Fiona is a defense lawyer—and a family like the Canellis more or less needs an entire entourage of defense lawyers in their back pocket.
“Yes, I do know her.” I try to act casual while arranging my game boards. “She’s a good attorney.”
Connie lifts her empty glass, and immediately a girl is there to replace it with a fresh glass of something dangerously fruity and most likely toxic.
“You know what they say”—Connie leans my way—“a good lawyer knows the law. A great lawyer knows the judge.”
The entire table breaks out into cackles as if everyone were in on the joke.
Yes, I get it. In fact, I’ve heard it before.
And she’s right. After all, Fiona has most certainly earned the right to call Everett by his proper moniker.
The next game gets underway before I have a chance to ask another question. It’s concentration central. Who knew keeping an eye on multiple cards at a time would prove challenging?
I glance over to Connie who seems to have colored in half her cards by now.
“It’s a shame about Amanda,” I say and she doesn’t lift a brow. I’m about to give it another go when I spot a glowing figure stepping in behind her, and that glowing figure looks exactly like someone I love.
“Judge Baxter!” I call out as I jump out of my seat. Judge Edward Baxter to be exact.
“It’s bingo, Lola. Get it straight.” Cormack doesn’t sound amused as she gets right back to work.
“I’ll watch your cards,” Keelie calls out.
Owlbert flies in low. “And I’ll watch Connie. She’s inexplicitly close to winning again. That would make three times in a row. You know what they say, third time’s a crime.”
“Sounds good,” I say before motioning to the handsome poltergeist before me. “Come here,” I practically mouth the words as I navigate him to a corner. “It’s so good to see you, Judge Baxter!” I stop myself from lunging my arms around him. Honestly, I don’t know him all that well, and there are enough eyes here to catch me trying to hug a ghost. It’s the exact reason I’m facing the wall as I carry out this spirited dalliance. Spirited in the literal sense, of course. “Swing by my place later, and I’ll invite Everett over.”
He frowns, and in the process looks so much like his son it’s eerie. Save for some gray peppered in around his ears, he’s all the same.
“I can’t.” He offers a simple shrug. “It’s not up to me when I appear and where. I can move within the vicinity once I arrive, but this time around it’s a bit more orchestrated where I end up.” He points skywards.
“I see.” I scowl over at Cormack as if this were somehow her fault. “Well, then I’ll have to invite Everett to join us. But believe me when I say he won’t be thrilled to be here. Technically, it’s me he doesn’t want to be here.” I pull the phone out of my pocket.
Guess who I ran into tonight in Leeds? Your father! Come join the fun!
I send Everett the address, give him directions, and ask him to text once he gets here.
He texts back. Be right there.
I flash the phone his father’s way. “Everett will be here in no time.” I glance back to Connie, and a knot tightens in the pit of my stomach. “On second thought, I’d better ask him to meet up with us in the parking lot.” And I do just that. “So, how is eternity treating you? Are you thrilled to be back on this spinning rock to help put away the bad guys?”
He takes a breath he clearly doesn’t need. “Eternity couldn’t be better. Believe me when I say, dead is where it’s at. It almost makes this planet and everything that happens on it feel as if you’re watching a film in black and white, in slow motion, and backwards all at once.”
“Wow. That says a lot. I bet my father is having a great time.”
A warm smile graces his familiar face, and it makes me automatically return the favor.
“I’ve met your father, Lottie. He is indeed having a great time. We golf.”
“You golf?” Every last bone in my body tingles at the thought. “That’s wonderful! Have you met Noah’s father, too?”
He glowers at the mention of him.
“Never mind. I’m going to get back to the table, and as soon as Everett gets—”
“Lemon,” a familiar deep voice rumbles from behind. If his voice hadn’t given him away, the heady scent of his cologne would have.
My body goes rigid.
I spin slowly on my heels, only to face the hottest judge this side of the living.
“How did you get here so quickly?”
“I was down the street.”
My mouth falls open. “At a nudie bar?” I poke him in the gut with the accusation.
“No.” He winces. “Yes. But I was with Noah. It’s for the investigation.”
“With Noah? Are you and Noah cheating on my investigation with each other?” Wait. That is not what I meant to say.
His brows hood low. “And what are you doing here? Why are Keelie and Cormack sitting at a table with Connie Canelli?”
Edward chortles at the thought. “Tell him to go easy on you. This is your calling.”
I pick up Everett’s hand. “Say hi to your daddy. He says to go easy on me, by the way. This is my calling.”
Everett looks to where I nod, and his eyes grow wide. “Dad? Is it really you?”
“It is, son. I’m back, and I couldn’t be happier that you’re finally able to hear me say this. I love you, and I’m proud of you. You’re a wonderful man, and you have a wonderful woman by your side.”
Everett’s eyes water on cue, and he takes a quick breath as if trying to stave off his emotions.
“Thank you,” he whispers. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m going to cherish those words for as long as I live.”
“Good.” The older version straightens with a smile. “Because once you stop living, I’ll be there to greet you, and I’ll say it all over again.”
“Aw.” All this gushing of emotion is turning me into a puddle. There’s nothing sweeter than some good old-fashioned family lovin’. “So, what about those thugs that are terrorizing Honey Hollow? Max mentioned you were sent to assist me.”
“Oh, we are,” he muses. “Nell followed them as they left the bank. They were in an old blue cargo van with mud covering the plates. She traced them right to Leeds, and then she vanished.”
“Great,” I say. “It sounds as if whoever is in charge of your appearances has a sense of humor.”
Everett looks questioningly to his father. “Dad, who are these thugs? You must know something.”
“I do.” His ghostly frame leans in as if someone might hear. It never fails to amuse me how much the dead act and feel as if they’re still alive. “I want you and Noah to do a search of recent burglaries, starting from the base of the country and work your way up. Look for a pattern. I think you’ll find a few ominous clues as you do. I’m afraid that’s all I know for now. I’ll speak to you both when I can.” He nods to our left as he dissipates, and we look over to see Connie Canelli grinning wildly at Everett as she sashays her way over.
“Essex.” She shakes her hips as she wraps her arms around him. “I just had drinks with Fiona last night.” She chews her gum quickly as she speaks, and it really does look like an impossible feat she’s pulling off. “She told me some pretty wild stories about you and that courthouse. Eh?” She jabs his arm with her fist. “You’re a real freak, you kno
w that?”
He straightens with a sense of pride. “I’ve been called worse.”
“Amanda thought so, too,” I add without any regard to how Connie might take that. And to be honest, she can take it any way she wants so long as she spills what she knows about Amanda Wellington.
“Mandy?” she gasps as she leans back to get a better look at him. “You must have been a pre-billionaire boyfriend. Don’t get me wrong, money is nice, but a body like yours, that face—I’d rather live in a box with you than a mansion with that, if you know what I mean.”
Everett’s chest rumbles with the idea of a laugh. “I’m a hair above living in boxes, but I like where you’re going.”
“You and Mandy, huh? Go figure.” She shakes her head. “Hey? You don’t think Mark got wind of it, do you? I heard whoever bumped her did it with poison.” Her dark eyes slit my way. “And they used those turnovers as a conduit. You’re not still selling those rat traps, are you?”
By the vat, I want to say but wisely decide against it.
Everett shakes his head. “She had nothing to do with it. But I want to get to the bottom of this and know who did.” He gives my hand a squeeze. “I’ll be honest, I had a beef with Mandy.”
She blinks back with surprise before waving him off. “Who the hell didn’t? Did she rip you off, too? I had her do a baby shower for my cousin a couple weeks back and she forgot the balloons. I could have shot her on sight—I like to take care of things like that myself.” Her affect falls flat as if the latex malfeasance truly did call for bullets in retribution.
I lean in. “Do you know if she owed anyone money?”
Toxic Apple Turnovers: MURDER IN THE MIX 13 Page 7
