I spot Noah glancing this way before leaving the man in the ill-fitting suit and making a beeline my way.
The man in the suit, Chad, has his hands deep in his pockets as he looks over at Verity’s body with tears swelling in his eyes. Interesting how he’s gone from heckler to mourner all in a single bound. But I can’t judge him. I’ve been angry with people before, too. Although I’ve never been that big of a jerk. At least I hope I haven’t.
Noah nods to his mother and the two blonde nitwits.
“What did I miss?” His words come out rough as he wraps an arm around what’s left of my waist.
Suze gives a quick sniff. “I think you’re missing the point of all these lessons the universe is trying to show you, son. This woman has been nothing but a lemon indeed in your life. She’s burned her life to the ground, and that of poor Essex’s. And don’t get me started on the killing spree you’ve allowed her to carry on with. But now that she’s cost you your job at the force, I’m sure she’ll be behind bars soon enough herself.” She narrows her eyes on me. “Your homicidal free ride is over, Lottie. Once you have that baby, I’m sure the proper father won’t mind raising it on his own. That is, if he isn’t doing time right along with you.”
“Enough, Mother.” Noah pulls me in close. “I won’t have you disparaging Lottie that way. In fact, if any of you have something demeaning to say to her, I’m warning you now to stay away or you’ll have to deal with me.” He looks to Cormack and Cressida. “And her name is Lottie. Get it straight.”
Both Cormack and Cressida choke and sputter—mostly Cormack because she’s got the hots for Noah something fierce, and I truly can’t blame her. Cressida is still pining for Everett, and Lord knows I can’t blame her either.
Noah whisks me away a few steps as we observe the room together. Those two women I saw earlier having heated conversations with Verity are standing together, whispering between themselves, the blonde, Sugar, and the plain brunette with the red wool sweater and matching mittens. And just beyond them I see Bambi Bailey weeping and gnashing her teeth and all the while taking pictures of herself with the body positioned behind her.
I’m about to bring it up when a familiar woman with the most adorable baby girl in her arms pops up before us.
“Lainey!” I pull my sister in for a quick hug as I kiss sweet baby Josie over each of her chunky cheeks. Baby Josie is just about six months old, and she’s as adorable as can be with her reddish-blonde hair, her bright blue eyes, and those perfect, watery ruby lips. Okay, so it’s less water and more drool, but in her defense, she’s teething.
Lainey, however, is essentially my doppelgänger with the same caramel-colored tresses and hazel eyes. She’s the reason I’ve never truly believed my mother when she told me I was adopted. But alas, we’re not related by blood at all. We’re related by heart. Lainey is the head librarian at the Honey Hollow Public Library, and her husband Forest happens to be a fireman just like our father was. They just had their first baby, this little princess right here, last August. The same doctor that brought this precious peanut into the world will be helping bring my child into the world as well.
“Oh, Lottie, this is terrible.” My sister’s voice trembles as she takes in the scene.
“I know”—I squeeze my eyes shut tight a moment—“and to make things worse, I’m almost certain she was murdered.” In fact, I’m one hundred percent certain because I saw that little furry teddy bear rolling around on the dessert table earlier.
“Not that.” Lainey makes a face at the body before reverting her attention my way. “Once I heard you were here, I sort of figured a homicide was inevitable.” She shrugs my way while boosting Josie higher onto her hip. “I mean, everything those two blonde idiots did to this poor B&B. We’re going to have to lawyer up. Surely, with your connections to the law, we can get this B&B back in Mom’s hands in no time. It can’t go on this way. It’s like watching a family member get physically abused.”
“I agree,” Noah says. “And believe me, I’m going to have a serious talk with my father, along with Cressida and Cormack. I just want to apologize to the two of you about the carnage my dad has caused. It would have been better for everyone involved if he would have just stayed dead.”
After Wiley Fox fleeced Everett’s mother for who knows how much money, he staged his own death to keep away from the feds. Come to find out, he’s just as wily as his name suggests.
“Don’t apologize.” Lainey is quick to shut down the effort. “Our mother is a grown woman. And if she wants to make foolish decisions, it’s her prerogative. Anyway, I’d better get this kiddo home and to bed. I guess the big love yourselfie conference on self-love is over.” She rolls her eyes. “Forest is wrapping things up here. He said he’d come home with me so I wouldn’t be freaked out about another killer running around on the loose.”
I glance over to see Forest in his firefighter duds and thoughts of my father come to the forefront of my mind. It was on the floor of the Honey Hollow Fire Department where Carlotta dumped me as an infant. It sounds worse than it is because, in truth, it was the greatest gift she could have ever given me. The Lemons have been the best family I could have ever hoped for.
Lainey sneaks a kiss to Josie’s cheek. “Anyway, I was going to surprise you with this, but I’ll be helping your instructor with those birthing classes you signed up for. First class is tomorrow!”
“The birthing class,” I lament to Noah. “I forgot all about it. Everett is going to miss it. He’s going to miss everything from here on out and it’s all my fault,” I wail and Noah is quick to soothe me as his hand swims up and down over my arm.
“He’ll be back. Maybe not tomorrow, but in the meantime, I’ll be right there by your side.”
“Me, too.” Lainey pats my back in lieu of a hug. “I’ll see you both tomorrow at five-thirty. Don’t be late and try not to show up hungry.” She takes off and I sigh in her wake.
How I hate that life keeps happening without Everett here to experience it with us.
Noah nods as if he were thinking the exact same thing.
A woman with the words coroner’s office emblazoned over her navy jacket steps into the room and begins taking pictures, just in case this turns out to be a homicide, and it will.
It always does.
I look to the two women huddled together—Sugar and her friend the brunette, then to the man with the ill-fitting suit as he glares over where Verity lies, and then to Bambi who’s in hysterics with theatrical weeping, and I can’t help but wonder if one of them caused this carnage.
Noah helps me round up Evie, and we leave out the back door from which we entered. Just as I gird myself to step onto the snowy path that leads to the parking lot, something gold and glittery catches my eye on the ground.
“Noah.” I grab his arm as I point down to it.
Lying on the snow is not only a gold bangle, but the remnants of one of my raspberry tarts, and next to that another whole one.
“Oh, Noah,” I say. “Verity came out this way earlier. And I know exactly who that bracelet belongs to.” I pull out my phone in haste and snap a picture of the scene.