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

“Where does she sleep?” I ask, popping another fried zeppole donut into my mouth.

“Right where you see her,” Lainey confesses. “On me. This girl thinks my bed is her bed and I’m her pillow.”

“Same.” Keelie nods as she takes another bite of the ricotta cheesecake. “I don’t know if Bear and I will ever get used to sleeping on the edge of the mattress. Last night Bear fell off, hit his head on the nightstand, and blacked out. When he came to, he said it was the most rest he’d had in five months.” She glances to the ceiling. “I’m hoping to get lucky with my nightstand tonight.”

“Sounds painful.” Lorena shudders.

“It is.” Donata points their way as she breaks up a fried donut in her hand. “My sister has a two-year-old. Let me tell you, having a kid is no picnic. They might look cute, but they mean business.”

Lainey and Keelie share a commiserating laugh.

Donata cocks her head. “Come to think of it, Flo would’ve pulled her hair out if she had the kid.”

“What kid?” Lorena backs up a notch as she looks to her bestie.

“Oh no, oh no.” Flo claps her hands over her ears. “Donata found out by accident.” She points a finger her way. “Don’t you dare use this to hurt Lorena. I was gonna tell her,” she says to Carlotta and me. “I was gonna tell her that night, but everything went upside down and then the bullets started flying.”

Lorena takes in a hard breath, her face turning just as pink as her running suit.

“Tell me you’re kidding,” she bites the words out like a threat. “Tell me my bestie didn’t die with a kid tucked in her belly.”

Donata shudders. “I gotta get a drink.” She zips over to the counter, and I quickly follow behind, muttering something about a Frappuccino.

“Hey, Lottie.” She lifts a shoulder my way as we get to the back of the line. “I could cut right to the front, but I think it’s best I give Lorena a second to cool off.”

I agree.

“So it’s true about Flo, huh?” Of course, I know it’s true, but since she opened the door to the deceased, who am I to close it?

“That’s what the test said. I happened to find it in her trashcan. I’m not a creeper or anything. It was in her restroom, and I was using it. The stick was practically calling my name less than two feet from me. Anyway, Flo didn’t deny it. She seemed excited about it, too. There was the question of paternity.” She says that last bit through her teeth.

“I’m familiar with the situation.” My hand taps my belly.

“You too?” She gives a wistful shake of the head. “Who in the world did you find worthy to compete with that hubba hubba hubby of yours?”

“Noah Fox.” I shrug. “We were just calling it quits when we—anyway. I was committed to Everett right on the heels of that potentially life-giving event. But we’re all working through it. I’m sure Flo would have made it work, too.”

Flo zips over, and her pink aura blows all around us like the supernatural gust it is.

“Sorry, Lottie,” Flo says. “I had to calm Lorena down the only way I knew how. I made sure she polished off the rest of the zeppole. She doesn’t think it’s true. Go on.” She nods to Donata. “Let’s cross this girl off the list. I could tell you right now she didn’t pull no trigger.”

Donata shakes her head. “Flo would have made the who’s-your-daddy situation work because she was great at manipulating people to do her bidding. I should know.”

“How would you know?” I bite down hard on my lower lip to keep from mentioning her brother. “I mean, I know you were her best friend, but isn’t everyone manipulative to a certain extent?”

A hearty laugh belts from her. “Not like Angel Face. And believe me, that was a sarcastic nickname. Flo was no angel.”

Flo growls over at the girl, “Is that how you speak of the dead, Donata? Is that how you do me?” She pokes her in the chest, and Donata quickly presses her hand to it.

“I think something just bit me.” Donata glances around as if she was fit to kill.

“It’s those darn no-see-ums,” I say.

“This time a year?” The girl’s eyes bug out.

I shoot Flo a look. “You would be surprised by the things you’re not seeing.” I turn back her way. “Tell me, Donata. What exactly is it that made you distrust Flo? I mean, my best friend and I go way back, but it doesn’t mean we always get along.” Okay, so that’s a lie. Keelie and I almost always see eye to eye, and when we don’t, I don’t hold it against her when she’s wrong.

“Fine.” Donata gives a quick glance back at the Ruthless Witches. “I don’t mind telling you because every now and again I like to vent a little. Flo took my older brother, Antonio, for a ride.” Her brows conjoin at the center as she leans in. “And now he’s in the pen doing serious time.”

I glance to the guilty among us, and Flo tosses up her hands.

“Please.” Flo glares over at her once upon a bestie. “He shouldn’t have pretended he was a pro.”

“A pro?” I practically mouth the words.

Donata nods. “Oh yeah. Flo was a pro at manipulation. She did her best to seduce my poor brother, and then when he couldn’t give her the expensive things she wanted, she told him to get creative.”

My mouth falls open. “What did she want? Purses? Shoes? Pricey hair products?”

“No.” She wrinkles her nose. “None of those things. She wanted jewelry. She wanted an expensive watch, too. A Rolex. So he broke into a local jewelers and took what he thought she’d want. And when he was confronted with a security guard on his way out, he drew his gun. It was