Page 36 of Bobbing for Bodies
Noah holds me by the waist as Bear heads our way.
“You’ve got a keeper,” he scowls at Noah. “And you’d better keep her, because if you ever let her go, I’m taking her back.” He winks my way.
“You’re hilarious.” I can’t help but tease him. I’ve made it more than clear to Bear that the door to any intimate relationship between us is forever closed. “So tell us, Bear”—I pause to glance to Noah who offers a confirming nod—“was it Hunter that was behind all of those garage robberies?”
Bear takes a breath and sweeps his eyes over the vicinity. “All right. I found a bunch of crap in his truck one day, and he may have implicated himself.” He closes his eyes, his entire body sagging with remorse. “He was pawning stuff and giving the money to Stella. She kept threatening to leave with the kid, and she had Hunter where she wanted him. The poor guy didn’t see a way out.”
Noah groans, “So, he was never trying to sue for full custody?”
“Nope.” Bear gives a wistful shake of the head. “In fact, I was the one who threatened her with it. And that’s exactly why I was so angry with myself when I saw him lying there in the alley. I had my suspicions it might have been her or someone connected to her.”
I gasp at the revelation. “Bear! You should have turned her in. We could have avoided this entire mess.”
“I know, I know. But Hunter made me swear on his mother’s grave that I wouldn’t do a thing to cause trouble in her life no matter what happened. I think he knew he was staring down the barrel of a gun. And, in the end, he did just that.” Bear drops his gaze to the floor before slapping the back of his neck, something he usually does when he’s trying to hide his emotions. “Excuse me. I think I need to step outside for a minute.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” I say, catching him by the wrist. “Hunter would never want that. And neither do I.”
A soft moment bounces between us like a truce, and Bear gives a sheepish smile before heading out the door.
Nell steps over, her silver hair catching the twinkle lights from above and it gives her the ethereal glow of an angel.
“Well done, my dear.” She cups my cheeks with her sweet wrinkled fingers and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Now when my time comes, don’t you dare let them host one of those depressing tearjerkers down in the church’s rec room. I fully expect the entire lot of you to celebrate my life.”
I shudder against Noah at the thought. “Nell! Don’t talk like that. You’re miles away from going anywhere.” She may not be, but it certainly felt like the right thing to say. “Besides, I need you.” I look right into her crystal blue eyes when I say it, and they swell with tears in an instant. “Thank you again for this beautiful work of art.” I glance up to the glowing branches above us. “It makes me feel like a princess every time I see it. It also makes me feel like family.”
“Oh, Lottie, you are a princess.” She offers my cheek a hearty pinch. “And I certainly love you as my own family.” Her mouth remains open as if she were about to add something to it, but she lets out a sigh instead. “I’m afraid I’m through for the night. Each time you look at those branches, I want you to know that you are a part of my family tree.” There’s a pained look in her eyes, and I can’t quite pinpoint why. Most likely because she feels sorry for me, for the way my journey in this life began on that cold cement floor of the firehouse. “Thank you for having me.” She brushes another precious kiss to my cheek before threading her way back toward the Honey Pot.
I turn to Noah. “That was a little strange. Didn’t you think so?”
But before he can say anything, Keelie bounds over with Lainey, and the two of them pull me in for a quick embrace, temporarily breaking the hold Noah has on me.
Lainey wags a finger in my face. “You are not allowed to scare us like that again. No more running toward danger.”
Keelie leans in. “And no more dead bodies,” she whispers. “It’s not a good look on you. I’m just saying.”
The four us share a morbid laugh as Everett heads in this direction. I can’t help but note Collette Jenner scuttling alongside him like a parasite he can’t quite get rid of. Okay, so parasite is a bit harsh, but I’ve scanned my entire lexicon, and that’s the best fit I could come up with on such short notice.
Collette rolls her eyes. “I will admit, those cupcakes at the Fall-O-Ween Fest were to die for. I must have eaten ten if I didn’t eat thirty.”
“Thank you.” I’m taken aback by her kind words, and suddenly she’s looking less parasite and a bit more human.
Lainey leans in. “Molly said every last one of them disappeared before eight o’clock.”
Keelie bounces the curls off her shoulder. “In fact, they were so well sought-after that the calls have been pouring into the Cutie Pie for more large orders.”
“They have,” I affirm as I look back to Collette. “Say, don’t you work for Endeavor PR?”
Her head ticks back a notch. “Everyone knows I work for the best PR company in the country.” She smirks up at Everett. “I only go after the best in life.”
I clear my throat as she tries to dive her mouth over his. “Anyway, they called this morning and asked if I’d cater the desserts for an awards ceremony they’re having next week at the Evergreen Manor.”
“VIP awards,” she corrects. “And yes, Everett and I will be there with bells on. He’s already promised to be my official plus one.” She offers a strangulating hug to his arm, but Everett seems unmoved by her psychotic advances. “Oh, and, by the way, my boss is into pumpkin spice everything. Make it worth his while. You don’t want to see him unhappy.”
“Duly noted and I guess I’ll see you there.”
Everett gives an approving nod my way. “Everything looks great tonight. You did good, Lemon.”
Lainey jumps beside me. “My sister always does good.”