“That’s right. She didn’t think Pumpernickel sounded polished enough, so she pulled Prescott out of the bag and went with it. Verity was her full name, though. But she’ll always be Vera to me.”
“It sounds as if you were really close to her.”
“We were.” His features darken. “Perhaps too close. Vera had a strong personality. She was a lot to take in.” His expression quickly softens. “I don’t suppose you heard the agitator in the crowd that night.”
“I sort of did.”
“That would have been me. I’m not too proud, but I’m sure Vera forgave me. She always did.”
“You said some pretty harsh things.”
“That was the liquor talking.” He tips his head to the side, and I can tell he’s hesitating with whatever wants to stream from him next. “Vera wanted to break it off with me. In fact, she did just a few nights before that. But if you tell a soul, I’ll deny it. She didn’t mean it.” He shrugs it off, and I can’t help but think he’s in denial. “We had done the whole break up and make up thing so many times it wasn’t believable anymore. Besides, it wasn’t me she was threatening to get a restraining order against.”
I nod. “It was Bambi Bailey. What was going on with that? Do you know?”
A dark laugh strums through him. “Let’s just say Bambi had the guts not to let Vera walk all over her. Vera gave Bambi a list of fifteen different people who had wronged her in the social media world. She told Bambi to nuke ’em.”
“Nuke ’em?”
“That’s right. She wanted those people sorry they had ever dared to step on her spotlight. Vera didn’t come from much. So when she finally started to hit it big, she was afraid of losing any of it before she had a chance to enjoy it. The moneymaking potential was huge. Vera was just about to grab the brass ring when she bit the big one. Still can’t believe she’s really gone.”
“It’s terrible. How do you think that happened? I mean, the rest of the raspberry tarts were tested and none of them contained any levels of botulism whatsoever.”
“That’s right, that female detective came around and said Vera was poisoned.” He averts his eyes. “Botulism, huh? Sounds like a routine mix-up with some bad food.”
“They found it on a half-eaten tart just outside the conservatory that night. They tested it for her DNA and her samples matched.” A thought comes to me. “When that detective spoke to you, I bet she really shook you down for information.”
His brows pinch as if he were trying to recall. “Nah, I don’t think so.”
“Oh, that’s strange. When my father died, we had a detective come to the house and ask my mother all sorts of personal questions. She had to turn over sensitive material, including all of his passwords.”
Not true, but hey, it works.
Chad looks mildly nauseated by the thought. “It sounds as if your dad had some dicey dealings.”
“Not really. But what could she do? I mean, what would you do if they demanded her passwords?”
“I guess I’d have to hand them over.”
Ah-ha! He knows them.
He shakes his head ever so slightly. “But I’m clueless as to what they could be.”
There goes that.
He takes in a deep breath. “I bet I could guess, though. She mentioned the name Teddy a few times when logging into her stuff. That was probably it.”
Teddy!
He shrugs. “Hey, maybe this Teddy person is the one that did her in?” He winks as if it were all a joke.
“You really don’t believe she was poisoned?”
He shrugs, suddenly looking indifferent about the whole thing. “I’m just saying even if someone gave her some rotten fruit, it doesn’t mean they were trying to poison her. Maybe they were just trying to ruin her night? Give her an upset stomach.”
Give her an upset stomach?
“I get it.” He shakes his head. “Vera had enemies. People downright hated her. And she deserved some of that blowback she got. But were any of her enemies ready to commit to murder? I don’t think so.”
“Well, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“I’m sorry, too. But in a sense, it gives me a bit of peace.”
“How so?”
“She never had a chance to kick me to the curb one last time. I was never any good at sharing her with anyone. This way, Vera will always be my girl. She’ll belong to me forever.” He takes a step toward the stage and backtracks. “Let me know when you’re ready for that song. I’m a big believer in true love.” He takes off, and I watch as the band kicks off and Chad Harris begins crooning into the microphone.
Noah and Everett speed over and Noah is quick to whisk me in his arms.
“One dance?” His dimples depress as he asks.
“It’s more than fine by me,” I tell him.
He nods to Everett. “Come on, Everett. You get her all the time.”
Carlotta shuffles up with a couple of crab legs sticking out of the top of her dress.
“Carlotta,” I hiss. “Your horns are showing.”
“So are yours, Lot. Teddy just informed me you were trying to usurp my case.”
Keelie clip-clops her way over with a plate brimming with the best any aquarium has to offer and a long-dead koala bear swinging from her neck. Oddly, Keelie sort of looks as if she’s cradling him in the crook of her arm.
“I can’t believe all this food,” Keelie moans over her plate. “And the strangest thing is, it almost feels as if I’ve got little Bear sitting right on my hip. Oh, and Alex and Serena invited me to sit at their table, so if you need me I’ll be stuffing my face. By the way, Lottie, Suze slipped me a twenty to give her all the dirt I know on you.”
I suck in a quick breath. “How dare she.”
“Don’t worry. I told her I’m not selling you out for a mere twenty bucks. She’d have to shell out a fifty at least.” She cranes her neck toward the tables. “Hey, wait. I think I see Suze waving Ulysses S. Grant in my direction. Gotta run.”
“Keelie!” I call after her. “Aren’t I worth more than a fifty dollar bill?”
But it’s too late. My former bestie has been swallowed whole by greed and the crowd.
Noah doesn’t miss his opportunity. He whisks us into the deep end of the dance floor, and soon we’re rocking to the beat. But the song ends abruptly and I look to the stage to see Chad winking at me as he starts in on that weepy country song he promised.
Noah pulls me in close. “Lottie Lemon, you are a vision. Motherhood becomes you. I vote we have a dozen kids.”
A laugh bubbles from me at the thought.
“Easy for you to say. My hips have been killing me, and have I mentioned the leaky boobs? And then there’s the little detail about not being able to see my feet. Half the time my shoes don’t match.”
“Trust me, Lot. With a face like yours, no one is looking at your feet.”
“You’re too kind.”
“And you’re too crafty. What did you glean with our suspect?”
I quickly recant the strange conversation I shared with Chad, and Noah takes a deep breath as he tries to process it all.