Murder in the Mix Boxed Set 28-30: Cozy Mystery Addison Moore (the reading strategies book .txt) 📖

saying one of her witches did it,” he says witches in air quotes because we all know the W in witches was meant to be a B.

I lean his way. “Which witch?”

“Donata.” Rocky doesn’t hesitate with the answer.

“What?” Flo and I cry out in unison. “That can’t be,” I say. “Why in the world would she gun Flo down like that?”

Flo sits up as her fingers fly to her lips as if she’s suddenly got her answer.

“Well? What is it?” I pose the question to both of them.

A dark chuckle emits from him. “Flo really knew how to turn a friend into an enemy. Let’s just say she had a fling with the girl’s brother, and now he’s doing a ten-year stint.” He ticks his head to the side. “Who knows? If he plays nice in the big house, they might slice his sentence in half. But Donata has never forgiven that girl. Flo was a dead girl walking for a very long time.”

My gaze cuts to the ghost to his right, and Flo lifts her chin while clamping her lips shut.

A thought comes to me. Nicky hinted that Flo did something to Rocky. And since I haven’t bothered to ask the poltergeist in front of me just yet, I think I’ll go for the gold.

“Rocky, I heard a rumor that Flo did something to you. What was it?”

Flo sucks in a dramatic amount of air that I’m pretty sure she doesn’t need.

“Lottie”—she growls—“there are some things in the past that should stay there.”

Rocky bows his head a moment, and his chest begins to tremble.

“I’m so sorry,” I say, horrified that I made a grown man cry. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. I mean—”

“No, it’s okay.” He squeezes his eyes shut, and as he tips his chin back, I can see he’s laughing. “I’ll tell ya. Why the heck not?” He shrugs as if he was talking to himself. “Last year after one of our epic meltdowns, Flo cuffed me to a bed—hands, feet, the whole deal. Let’s just say I wasn’t wearing much. She had her witches come over and they hustled my bed out the front door and planted me in the middle of the street. I darn near got ran over by a car—a couple of ’em. It was close.” He gives a wistful shake of the head. “And after she pulled that stunt? I’m shocked anyone had the nerve to go after her with a gun. I’d bet good money, Flo is haunting whoever the heck pulled the trigger.”

I nod his way. “I bet she’s haunting someone.”

The music dies down a notch and Meg takes the stage, introducing a very special event this evening.

Carlotta gives an audible gulp. “That’s me.”

“You’ll do great,” I say before leaning toward Rocky. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I won’t say a word.”

“Eh, I figured I shared it with that PI lady, Cara-something, that’s been sniffing around, what’s the harm in telling you? It’s not like you’re about to go out crime busting with that baby in your belly. You make sure you keep that kid fed. That’s your number one job, sweetie. I know Flo wishes she could be doing the same.”

I look over at Flo with heavy eyes, and she bows her head and slowly disappears.

“Do me a favor, Rocky. If that Featherheaded PI lady comes snooping around again, tell her to go home before she gets herself killed.”

“Lot Lot!” Carlotta gives my arm a rattle in a panic. “I’m up next. It’s been a while since I’ve shaken my maracas. I’m not so much doing this for Harry as I am for that book on how to land a man I’m writing. This is my first real piece of research. Why don’t you come up with me so I won’t be alone?”

“Have you seen my body?”

Rocky shrugs. “You should go. You’d be surprised how many guys go for that sort of thing. I’ll make it clear to the boys that you’re both to be tipped nicely.”

A smarmy grin breaks loose on Carlotta’s face. “Come on, Lot. Harry’s up front just waiting. And great news, your mama and Wiley have shown up to support me, too. Since you don’t have to take anything off, just show some leg and some cleavage—tease ’em, and then tease ’em some more just the way you do with Foxy.”

Rocky winks my way. “Tease ’em and please ’em is the name of the game.”

“Just what I’ve always wanted to do, tease and please ’em while looking my mother, her wily boyfriend, and my biological father in the eye. I’m not going.”

“You’re going” Carlotta pulls me in by the arm. “I could use a little cash infusion. In the event you’ve been too wrapped up in your own world to notice, I’m running off fumes. You don’t need to do anything, Lot. Just spot me.”

“Spot you?” Before I can formulate my next thought, Carlotta has us both up on stage and moving to the beat. Sure enough, I spot Mayor Nash, Mom, and Wiley all seated up front, waving a fistful of dollars at her while I do my best to fade into the background.

Carlotta moves and grooves while dropping her tutu and doing her best to untangle herself from her bustier. Thankfully, she’s got what amounts to a bathing suit on underneath—a flesh-colored bathing suit, but as long as it stays put I’m not saying a word.

She turns my way and nods. “It’s time, Lot!”

“Time for what?”

Carlotta charges at me. “Stand next to the pole and put your hands out. I’m gonna need a boost!”

The pole is a long acrylic tube filled with glitter and looks harmless for the most part, but on a night like tonight, it may as well be a loaded gun.

“Carlotta, no!” I shout as I instinctively thread my fingers together and hold my hands low.

She uses me like a springboard, and within seconds rockets herself to the top of the pole. Before I know what’s