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

“I’m feeling like I can go for a cruller drizzled with buffalo sauce. Please tell me that’s not the worst culinary combination you’ve heard of because a part of me is entertaining the idea of selling buffalo crullers next.”

His eyes widen a notch. “I’d hold off on adding new menu items until after the baby is born.”

I pull him close and take in that spiced cologne of his and that strange sweet afterbite hits me once again.

“Did you change colognes?”

He ticks his head back a notch. “Nope. I’m a one-hit wonder in that department. Why? Is it making you sick? I can stop.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just—” A snowball whizzes past us, narrowly missing Everett’s head, and before we know it, an entire arsenal of the white rock-solid balls go flying.

We step out past the evergreen blazing with thousands of twinkle lights just as Everett is pegged with a snowball to the back of the head.

“Someone is going to die,” he grouses as we turn to find Noah standing there with an ear-to-ear grin. “Take cover, Lemon,” Everett says as he begins to gather his ammunition.

I spot Carlotta and my mother huddled under Nelson, laughing at the chaos breaking out around us. And I dash over as the three of us watch Everett beam Noah right in the chest with what looks to be a two hundred mile per hour fastball.

Carlotta belts out a laugh. “That was a heart-stopper, all right. I bet we see frozen nuclear missiles strong enough to blow someone’s skull apart.”

“Oh.” Mom waves Carlotta off. “Those boys are just having a little fun. It’s snow play is all it is.” Mom gasps as she looks to her left. “There’s that Elodie Frost again trying to get friendly with my man. Some women just can’t take a hint.” She speeds that way, pausing momentarily to gather up some snow and tossing it at the two of them. Soon, Elodie, Wiley, and an entire gaggle of people I don’t recognize have the snow flying—albeit in a far more friendlier fashion than Noah and Everett.

No, these two men are definitely out for blood. Noah pegs Everett hard in the side, causing Everett to double over for a second. Then Everett exacts his revenge, assaulting Noah with one vicious icy ball after the next until Noah’s body is bucking as it takes blow after blow. And once Everett slows down, Noah gets a few good ones in, too.

Carlotta nudges me with her arm. “Something tells me that’s a pattern that will go on to repeat itself for the rest of time.”

“Let’s hope a couple of innocent snowballs remain their weapon of choice.”

Something tells me they won’t.

The night dies down, and soon Everett and I are navigating our way through that pamphlet Dr. Barnette gave us this afternoon. And I am loving every inch of Everett’s newly healed arm, of Everett himself. And Everett loves me right back.

Our weapon of choice is kisses, and we fire them off as freely as we can.

Gloria Abner’s killer had a weapon of choice, too.

A gun. And the more I think about it, the more I realize that gun must have been traced to an owner by now.

Something tells me Detective Noah Fox is holding out on me.

And I’ll make sure whatever that man is keeping under wraps is about to be revealed to me.

I’ve got my ways.

My weapon of choice?

Donuts.

Chapter 10

The bakery is glowing with twinkle lights as the afternoon grows darker by the second.

A storm is moving this way and should be here by tonight, and as much as everyone seems to be dreading it, I can’t help but feel downright cozy at the thought of it. I can’t wait to curl up by the fire with my family and sweet cats. My life may not seem ideal to the judgmental bystanders—of which several have congregated right here in my bakery this afternoon—but to me, it’s as perfect as can be.

Last night, after Everett and I built up an appetite, I coerced him into heading to the kitchen for a midnight snack with me. I was as hungry for a ghost as I was a jelly donut, but I didn’t spot the creepy man from the portrait wandering the halls. And thanks to Kringle, there wasn’t a jelly donut left for me either.

Lily comes my way as the two of us watch an entire gaggle of women congregating at the tables by the window.

“Why are they here?” Lily grunts as the Santa hat on her head gives a little wobble. Lily Swanson is more or less grumpy all the time, but with that Santa hat on her head, it only seems to magnify this ornery characteristic of hers.

The Santa hats and the Mrs. Claus-inspired aprons were more or less my idea. I thought they’d add a little extra Christmas cheer, right along with a little Christmas fear as far as reminding the customers that the big day was just a holiday hop and jolly skip away.

“I don’t know,” I grunt back as I give Cormack and Cressida, in particular, the stink eye. But my stinky tendencies float to Serena Digby, too, with her witchy cackle that’s been pealing like thunder every few minutes. Suze is here schmoozing with the odd crowd, and Elodie Frost as well. A part of me knows I should probably quiz Elodie about the case, but another part of me—the one that thinks I should find my husband and quiz him about that addendum he added to the pamphlet last night wins out. And I’ll do that right after I quiz my ex about a certain murder weapon.

I’ve already packed up a box of donuts to take down to Ashford. I thought I’d hit the sheriff’s department before I hit the courthouse. I’m having a serious hankering for a little juicy justice, as in juicy kisses. Everett mentioned he had a full day at the office, and I can’t wait to surprise him.

Serena heads this way