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

“Lottie.” He inches back, and I shake my head.

“Never mind,” I say. “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Then let’s talk about the case. What did you glean?”

“That your mother may not just hold transmundane powers, but she’s very good at borrowing money from the organization she volunteers for.” I quickly tell him about the transactions she’s been making—or taking.

“What in the heck?” He looks genuinely stymied by the thought. “I can’t believe this.” He tips his head back and blows out a breath. “The plan is, I was going to wait until after Christmas to confront her about the weapon. I was hoping that long before then I would have—”

“Found the real killer.” I shrug up at him. “Noah, I heard your mother threaten Gloria just before she was killed.” I quickly recant that conversation to him.

Noah shakes his head as he stares straight ahead. “She told Gloria that she would rue the day she chose to challenge her?”

I nod. “That she crossed a serious line. And the real clincher was when she said, ‘And we both know what happened to the last person that crossed a serious line with me. I did away with him, and I’ll do away with you.’” I take a breath. “Noah, do you think your mother could have made good on that threat?”

He swallows hard. “I hope not.” A plume of fog expels from his nostrils. “Let’s go over the suspects—other than my mother.”

“There’s Chris Holiday. There were rumors of him stealing, but Hook doesn’t think he did it, and according to those records, the only one dipping into the pot was Suze.” I wince. “Sorry.”

He shrugs. “Go on.”

“There’s Ebenezer. He wanted to ditch Gloria. He was seeing someone else, and I think she found out. But I don’t really see a motive there. Then there’s Elodie Frost. Like I said, it sounds as if Gloria gave her twenty grand. That would explain the note and the fact Elodie is on a spending spree. Your mother likened her to a shopaholic. I mean, she could be, but it is Christmastime. That pretty much describes everyone this time of year.”

Noah’s chest broadens. “Elodie had a valid motive. She may have owed Gloria a lot of money.”

“And I saw Gloria openly slap Elodie at the event that night. Things were heated between the two of them.”

“What about Candy? Anything on her?”

A laugh bumps through me. “The only offense that she’s guilty of is being friends with Cormack and Cressida.”

The scenery glows around us, and for a moment it seems as if Noah and I have been transported to an enchanted forest as the moon turns the snow a pale shade of blue.

“Oh, it’s beautiful.” I sigh, and just like that, my stomach thumps. “Noah!” I quickly grab his hand and lay it over my belly, and the baby gives another raucous kick.

Noah and I share a laugh as the little tyke does it again and again.

The ride comes to an end, and we head back to Country Cottage Road in Noah’s truck. My car is already in the driveway, and I’m thankful that Carlotta and Evie made it home safely.

“Can you believe I’m going to have a baby in just a few short months?” I marvel as he pulls in front of my new rental.

“We’re going to have a baby in a few short months,” he corrects as he gets out of the truck before helping me up the porch.

A horrible feeling takes over as Suze’s rude yet heartfelt plea comes back to me. Suze wants me to cut Noah loose. I don’t think I can ever do that. Noah is family no matter whose baby I’m about to have.

I look across the street and note that Everett’s car is parked in front of Noah’s place. The lights are on in his cabin, and I’m guessing Everett is getting ready to call it a day—without me, of course. He doesn’t seem to need me anymore. We’ve changed. In the blink of an eye, it’s altogether different now.

“Promise me you won’t change, Noah.”

“I won’t change, Lot.” He lands a kiss to my cheek. “Get some rest.” He pulls back, and his dimples dip in and out. “For what it’s worth, he’s pretty miserable, too.”

Noah waits until I’m inside before taking off, and I close the door shut as Pancake and Waffles run over to greet me. But before I can pick them up, an odd sight snags my attention.

Carlotta and Greer Giles look to be locked in a wrestling match of some sort with their hands gripping each other’s shoulders rather aggressively.

I glance down the hall, and a seam of light shines from beneath Evie’s door.

“You hussy!” Carlotta belts it out.

Greer growls as she gives Carlotta a throttle, “You beast!”

“All right, enough,” I say. “What’s going on?”

“Turn off the lights, Lot,” Carlotta instructs, and I do as I’m told, leaving a couple of her kinky candles, Berry Christmas and Gingerbread Dream, glowing. I’m pretty proficient in Carlotta’s inventory by now. Of course, Greer is glowing, too, an ethereal shade of blue with a smattering of tiny silver stars shimmering all around her.

Carlotta steps before the painting of that wickedly handsome man in the riding outfit and tears open her blouse, reveling two glowing sacks of flesh that leave both Greer and me turning our heads in haste.

“Come on, hot stuff!” Carlotta shouts up at the unsuspecting painting. “It’s time to rock and roll all night. There are a couple of moves in that kinky mama pamphlet we’ve yet to hit up.”

Greer huffs, “Two can play at that game.” She yanks open that white ruched dress she’s been stuck in ever since the day she was shot dead, and sure enough, there are far too many bare chests within a four-foot vicinity.

“Enough with the rocky mountains,” I say, tossing a throw pillow to Carlotta. “Cover—” A thought comes to me and sends me reeling to get ahold of my phone.