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

Carlotta shrugs. “Or maybe the big guy upstairs thinks you and your watermelon belly should take a break from snoopin’ and sleuthin’. Take it as a sign and sit this one out, Lot. Let the featherhead have at it. You heard her. She’s got her own crime-busting op in the works. Besides, the mob is involved. Odds are good they’ll rub her out once she gets caught up in the crosshairs of a turf war.”

“Good heavens, you’re right. Cormack could get herself killed.”

“See there? I knew I’d cheer you up.”

“I’m not cheered up, Carlotta. I don’t want the woman dead. We both know she’s practically lethal on any given average day, let alone in a homicide investigation that involves two prominent mob families. And with my luck, she’ll drag Noah into a hail of gunfire right along with her. I have to stop her from pursuing this case.”

Carlotta squints my way. “I know that look in your eye, Lot Lot. You’re taking this one on yourself, aren’t you?”

I glance back at the glamorous hotel, now forever marred with this horrific incident.

“You bet I am,” I whisper. “But don’t you dare say a word to Noah or Everett.”

She makes a zipping motion over her mouth and then pretends to swallow the invisible key before clutching at her throat as if she were choking on it.

“Good,” I say. “Because I’m going to need your help. Now, take me to your girls. It’s probably not too late to drum up some clues as to who may have done the deadly deed.”

No sooner does Carlotta land us in front of an entire gaggle of wailing Canelli women than Cat and Connie head our way.

“You!” Cat Canelli, the older of the two, points a hard finger at me. “You’re gonna find the donkey’s hind end that had the nerve to strike down my beautiful niece. I have no faith in the Ashford County Sheriff’s Department, but I have faith you can do this for me. And then I’m gonna kill the rat myself.”

My mouth falls open, but before I can respond, Connie makes a motion with her hands as if she were wringing someone’s neck.

“And I’m gonna kill their entire family,” Connie adds the threat for good measure.

Lorena and Donata run up with their heels clicking over the icy pavement.

“What’s this?” Lorena looks my way as tears gloss her face. Thick, muddy trails of mascara run down her cheeks, and her chest is pulsating as if she can’t catch her breath. “You’re gonna find the killer?” she says with more than a twinge of disbelief in her voice.

“That’s right.” Carlotta beams with pride. “My Lot Lot is good at two things—catching men and catching killers.”

Donata, the redhead, tips her chin up. “Don’t bother. The family is going to wipe out every single Moretti in existence. We already know who did it.”

Cat gasps. “Nicky Knuckles?”

Lorena nods, her long black hair glowing like a navy river running down her shoulders—a crunchy blue river what with all the gel and hairspray, but still.

“Word is, he’s already in hiding,” she says. “I saw his car skidding out of the lot as soon as the shooting happened.”

“That’s right,” Donata says. “Every single Moretti will be dead by sundown tomorrow.”

Lorena butts her shoulder to Donata’s. “All of New Jersey will be dead by sundown tomorrow.”

Carlotta shudders. “Sounds as if things are about to get bloody.”

“But what if he didn’t do it?” I protest. “You can’t massacre an entire state—or an entire mob family for that matter just because you suspect them of doing something wrong.”

Donata looks at Lorena and shrugs. “It could’ve been Rocky Romero.” She looks my way. “He’s her ex. Works for the Canellis.”

“Does he have dirty blond hair? And was he here tonight?” I ask, and they both nod in unison. “I saw him arguing with her earlier.” In fact, I saw both Lorena and Donata arguing with the deceased tonight as well, but I decide to leave that incriminating tidbit out for now. As far as I’m concerned, I have four suspects, not two.

“Wow, two suspects.” Lorena looks to Cat and Connie. “Who wants to bet both Nicky and Rocky will be dead in a week?”

Both Cat and Connie produce a hundred dollar bill from their purses, and Carlotta pulls out a wad of wrinkled cash herself.

“I’ve only got ten.” Carlotta nudges my arm. “Spot me a fifty, Lot.”

“What? No! We are not taking bets.” I glance back at the building and note a flash of hot pink stars glittering among the crowd and gasp. “Carlotta, we have to go.”

“I’m not going anywhere, I’m staying put. I’ve gotta be here for Cadillac and her witches now that the Morettis have thrown down the gauntlet. Oh, there’s gonna be blood. A trail of bodies. A web of deceit so thick and wide all of their Italian ancestors are about to get caught up in it and fight from the other side.”

Cat rewards Carlotta with a high-five for her bizarre diatribe about the dead.

“Didn’t I tell you to stick with me?” Cat gives a dark chuckle.

Carlotta gives a wistful shake of the head. “Nobody knows how to have a good time like the Canelli girls.”

“Carlotta,” I whisper. “They just lost a family member.”

Connie shrugs over at me. “And we’re gonna do what we always do—make the best of it. Nobody knew how to have a good time like Angel Face. And we’re gonna throw her one hell of a goodbye party.”

The spray of hot pink stars shimmies on over and adds a dash of supernatural pizzazz between us before trailing off near the woods adjacent to the building.

“Sounds good,” I say, never taking my eyes off that celestial wonder, and boy, am I ever relieved to see it. Better late than never. “Carlotta”—my hand warms my belly—“I need to get to the restroom,” I say. It’s not entirely a lie. My bladder has sort of gained a supernatural power itself—the need to urinate continually. “Would you