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

like you’ve seen a ghost. You didn’t see that man from the portrait in my living room, did you? I’m sort of on the lookout for him myself.”

“No.” He winces. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s something.” My mouth opens. “This has to do with the case, doesn’t it?”

He gives a single nod.

“Tell me if you’ve identified who that gun belongs to,” I whisper as I lean in as far as my blooming belly will allow.

“Only if you tell me if you’ve enrolled for birthing classes.”

“An odd exchange, but one that I’m happy to make because I just so happened to have done it this morning after I finished my baking. Classes start in early February.” I make a face. “Dr. Barnette is right. They’re all booked until then. If I would have waited another few days, I would have missed my chance entirely. I’m this close to blowing everything. Including the cover of this killer.” I give a short-lived smile, but Noah doesn’t partake in my stab at humor. “Your turn.”

He glances over his shoulder. “Okay, but in no way does this mean anything. It turns out, the gun found at the scene belonged to my mother.”

“What?” I practically shriek the word out, and honestly, it came out a little too gleeful. “What does this mean? Oh my God, Noah, are you here to arrest her?”

“What? No.” He glances her way once again, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think Noah was a wee bit afraid of his mother. Not that I could blame him. Especially now that she might have dubious supernatural abilities. “Lottie, my mother didn’t do this. I know it’s not the professional conclusion I should be coming to, but I’m positive on that front. There’s no way I’m arresting my mother, at Christmastime no less, for a homicide she had nothing to do with.”

I frown over at him. “She sort of had something to do with it. She was holding the gun, which she never said was hers. Did the bullet match the one used to kill Gloria?”

He gives a single nod before closing his eyes.

“Noah.” His name comes out in a depressed whisper. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Lottie, the killer used a silencer when they shot Gloria. My mother doesn’t even know what a silencer is.”

“Did you know your mother had a gun?”

He sighs. “I gave it to her a while back. I thought she should keep it with her—things are crazy around here. I just wanted her safe, the same way I want you safe. But to be truthful, none of that registered the night of the murder.”

“Safe? And if this baby is yours, are you going to stuff a weapon in its hand the second it’s born? Noah, some people shouldn’t be trusted with high-powered weaponry. I’m sorry, but your mother is one of them.”

His brows hike. “I’m starting to think you’re right.” He grinds his palm into his left eye. “I take that back. I stand by what I said. She didn’t do this. And please, I ask that you don’t breathe a word.”

“I won’t. And for the record, I don’t think she did this either. But I still think she has a lot of explaining to do. And believe me, that’s one suspect I will gladly leave to you.”

A small chuckle comes from him.

Noah gobbles down his sweet treats in no time before looking back at the strange menagerie of women, and that’s exactly when his famed stalker spots him.

“I’m out.” Noah hops out of his seat. “I’ll track my mother down again tonight and have dinner with her or something. I’ll let you know how it goes.” He pulls my hand over and kisses the back of it. “I’ll bring home a pizza from Mangias tonight for you, too.”

“You’re a prince among men,” I say as he darts out the door, and Cormack darts right after him,

“Big Boss, wait! I’ve got news!”

But I don’t care what news Cormack might have. Noah apparently doesn’t either since he’s long gone before she can assault him with her presence.

She scowls my way on her way back to her seat, but I don’t give two shakes of a reindeer’s tail what that’s about.

I ask Lily to man the fort while I grab the box of donuts I packed up for Noah and head for the Ashford County Courthouse instead.

All the way there I wonder if Suze Fox is far more wicked than I’ve given her credit for. As much as I don’t want to believe she could have pulled the trigger, maybe, just maybe, it’s time to slide her onto the suspect list.

But I evict Suze from my mind as I make it to the courthouse and traipse all the way over to Judge Baxter’s office.

“Hello!” I say brightly to his secretary, a gray-haired woman named Millicent who looks up at me from over her glasses. “Just popping in to see my handsome husband. Would you like a treat?” I hold open the box her way, and she plucks out a glazed donut.

“Why, thank you. But I’m afraid you won’t find Judge Baxter in there. He cleared his schedule a few hours back. He left with such a spring in his step I thought for sure he was going to have a romantic day with you.”

“A couple of hours ago?” I blink, trying to wrap my head around it. “I’d better leave these with you,” I say with a touch of dejection in my voice as I slide the box her way.

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to share these. And I wouldn’t worry about it. If he’s not with you, he’s probably getting some shopping done. It is that time of year.”

“You’re right. That’s exactly what it is.” A flood of relief hits me.

He’s probably buying me a naughty nightie as we speak. That man has a one-track mind that I wholeheartedly approve of.

I head back to my minivan and pull out my phone. I just have to text him.

Any chance of you coming home early?