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

the shenanigans you’ve got going with Noah, and you’ll have a void to fill in your bed. Why ruin everything you and Essex worked so hard to build? Leave Noah alone. Let him find someone to make him happy. Give the entire Fox family an early Christmas gift and cut Noah loose.”

“I bet you’d love that—mostly because it’s free.”

Kringle snickers. “Her eyes are bulging. You keep this up and we might have another body on our hands.”

“I’m not that lucky,” I mutter.

Suze rolls her eyes. “You could be. God knows you hold all the power in this relationship.”

“Never mind that. Suze, what’s going on with the Christmas Angels? You don’t think someone is stealing from the organization, do you?”

Her body stiffens, and her lips pinch together so hard they turn white as paper.

“Suze? You know something. You may as well spill it.”

She glances over her shoulders. “All I know is that Elodie Frost is a shopaholic.” She nods her way. “Look at her over there loading up on anything and everything. It’s grotesque to look at.”

Kringle cranes his tiny little neck her way. “And not one sweet treat. What a waste of money.”

Money…

“I bet that’s costing her a fortune,” I muse more or less to myself as Elodie loads up Wiley’s arms with a box of candles Carlotta just handed her.

“And that’s why she’s flat broke,” Suze offers. “I tried to help her. I even coerced her into coming to a few shoestring meetings, but it all went over her head. Just last month I heard her saying she was having trouble paying her rent, and look at her now.”

“That is odd. Maybe she got a new job?”

“Nope. And she just had her hours cut.”

“Had her hours cut? During this time of year?” My eyes shift to where she’s walking toward the exit with an armful of goodies. “She certainly doesn’t look like someone who’s having a hard time.”

Maybe it’s Elodie stealing from the organization?

Suze gags at the sight. “I just can’t stand seeing someone pilfer away their hard-earned money like that. It’s sacrilegious is what it is. Much like you holding my son’s emotions to the fire while you sleep with other men. Think about what I said, and give my son the freedom he deserves this holiday season.” She races off toward the dessert table once again and fills her fists with as many of my chocolate chip cookies as she can handle.

Candy Brighton strides by before quickly backtracking. “Everything okay, Lottie?” Her caramel-colored hair is swept into a ponytail, and she’s donned a green sweater dress that shows off her hourglass figure. A part me wonders if I’ll ever have an hourglass figure again.

Kringle tosses his forepaws in the air. “Oh, it’s fine. Suze just can’t stand the sight of Lottie and her unborn sugar cookie. And now she’s asked that Noah be let into the wild to do who knows what with who knows who. It’s just great, Candy.” He lands softly over my shoulder. “Just great.”

“Everything is more than fine.” I offer a forlorn smile to Kringle. “It’s a great showing today.” I give a quick sweep of the room. “I bet you’ll have a ton of people tomorrow night at the Jingle Hop Ball as well.”

“I hope so.”

“Hey, Candy, where is the Christmas Angels’ office? I was just talking to Elodie and she mentioned that”—on second thought, I probably shouldn’t say—“well, that you had some software that helps with organization, and she said I should take a look at it, for my bakery, of course.”

“Of course.” She sheds a little laugh. “Since we’re a strictly volunteer endeavor and we like every last dime to go toward needy families, we usually find a small space that’s been donated to us for a brief stint of time. Usually it’s people who are between tenants, that sort of thing. And several months ago we were able to procure a small room at the Evergreen Manor. It’s a converted supply room just behind the ballroom, which made things easy the night of the fundraiser—or at least it would have had tragedy not unfolded.”

“That’s helpful,” I tell her. Super helpful. A part of me wants to thank her for the road map. “Hey? Did you happen to hear any wild stories from Gloria’s past? You know Honey Hollow—rumors will fly, even about the dead.”

Kringle huffs, “Gloria was as innocent as a dove. It’s despicable what that Elodie person suggested. Clearly she’s the killer.” He lifts a sharpened fingernail into the air. “Let me at her. I have a sudden craving for eyeballs on a skewer.”

I shake my head his way.

Candy sighs. “People never fail to disappointment me. Gloria was all bark and no bite. What exactly did you hear, Lottie?” Her eyes round out as she tips her ear my way, hungry for whatever gossip I may have to dispense.

“Something about her having a past. I guess she moved here from Colorado. And whatever took place I’m betting it happened there.”

Her chest pumps. “Cormack and Cressida are right. You’re quite a detective. But I wouldn’t worry about Gloria’s past. I guess in a way she took it with her.” Her eyes spear past me, and I follow her gaze to Elodie. “Excuse me, I think I see a certain rumormonger. I don’t think this is the type of behavior the Angels need.” She takes off just as Wiley and Elodie disappear into the foyer with an armful of purchases.

Mom trots my way, blowing out an angry breath, her hands balled into fists.

“Can you believe that Elodie Frost? It’s like she doesn’t even care that Wiley is taken. When I brought it up, she said a man of a certain age is fair game until he’s tied the knot.”

“Any hope of that happening?” My December is already ruined. Why not have my mother marry a con artist?

Mom shakes her head. “I doubt it. I ran a few ideas past him for my new book, and he’s rejected them all.